The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)

The Popular

Previously: "A Consultation with Maria Vasquez" 

(Written by rugal b.)

Right now? Is in right now? As in right this very instant now? You text back as much and the response is both expected and disconcerting.

yes. work to do. need time to do it.

It's incredibly brusque though that's unsurprising. Given how much you were needling her you wonder if you've pissed Maria off. However you avoid actually asking her about it and think that it's better to give her time to cool off.

They need an answer now? Well you'd narrowed it down to four and hadn't really had the chance to really weigh the pros and cons of each one. But there was one person that had taken a lead, even if it was a small one, as you were in the final stages of whittling down that list and now being put on the spot with no real time to think... well, there's nothing wrong with them you suppose. So you type in the girl's name and send it to Maria.

you sure? she asks and your response is confirming that yes, this is who you want. ok we'll get to work, she says before following it up with another text. meet us at top shelf around 10.

That certainly confuses you. Ten o'clock on a school night? y so late? you ask.

have to set things up + other reasons, comes the terse response. is that too late?

Ten will really be pushing it and though your curfew's at eleven you know that your dad will grumble and give you guff if you come troling in after ten. But still, you think you can manage it so you text back an affirmative. it'll be fine, you send and that nets a confirmation from Maria.

So ten o'clock out at a studio in a storage facility on the edge of town. Oh your parents would definitely have fits if they knew where you were going. But they won't, or they shouldn't. So the important question becomes less about how you're going to play off where you'd been and more about what youre going to do in the intervening time?

* * * * *

Not really knowing what else to do you decide to head back to the library to kill a bit of time while you think of something other than just going home. There's a little more traffic than you'd expect and though you don't recognize most of the students in here you do recognize Amanda Ferguson, one of the girls that Keith had suggested.

Even from where you are, half the library away, it's like you can feel that aura that he had mentioned to you. As she browses and moves you note how people seem to naturally make room for her; she has to do nothing. Not even look at them. In fact as she walks through another group they part like the Red Sea while she, books in hand, is looking only at the phone in her other. Even as she walks past you, though you're not quite in her path, you feel as if you have to make room. For one brief second she lifts her head just enough to check her surroundings before she goes back to the phone screen.

It's enough for you to catch a glimpse at dark eyes that show only disinterest and of a face that seems locked into a kind of bored scowl. Her hair -- long, thick and matching her eyes in color -- bounces as she moves while her clothes, equally dark in color, cling to a well-shaped body while her shirt is cut low enough to show a generous amount of cleavage.

Everything about her shows a girl with ultimate confidence in herself though not showing off for the benefit of others; like she doesn't need their approval. But neither is anything about her disdainful. No, to show disdain for someone else would mean acknowledging that they even exist and Amanda Ferguson likely sees herself as existing on a different plane entirely. It would take most people, you especially, moving heaven and earth to get her to knowledge their existence.

Against her even someone like Andrea Varnsworth is down to earth.

"She's something, huh?" says someone as they sit down at your table and your stomach immediately starts doing flips because it's none other than Catherine Muskov herself who smiles at you while brushing back soft brown hair. "I've been trying to get her to come out to my place for some time but no dice. Can you believe I've gotten Kelsey out there but not Amanda?" she laughs.

"Wow, um I can't imagine anyone turning you down like that. Uh, an invitation from you," you say. Though her demeanor is friendly, such is the force that Catherine exudes that you can't help but feel intimidated even though logically you shouldn't be.

"It's not really an invitation," she shrugs, "although maybe an open one? It's not like I'm exclusive about who shows up at my place so I don't really do invitations."

To your surprise she leans forward and she looks you up and down for a moment, then leans back again and smiles. "You're Prescott right? That guy that was trending on x2z over the weekend?" she asks.

"The one and only I guess."

"I see you in class but, you know..." she says but leaves the thought hanging.

"I'm surprised you're even here," you say as you shift uncomfortably. "Um, not the library but, like, at this table."

"I'm just waiting on a friend," she replies, "and with you trending and then Reagan and Kayla talking about you I figured I should get a look for myself."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she replies. "How long you been going to Westside anyway?"

Has your presence up to now been that insignificant? "Uh, all four years," you tell her.

"Hmm, well some people are late bloomers so no worries, I was just curious." She looks you over again. "You know, there's probably gonna be a party at my place this weekend," she tells you.

Wait, is Catherine Muskov inviting you to one of her parties? "I thought you said you didn't do invitations?" you ask.

"Who said it was an invite?" she replies. "I'm just letting you know in case you want to show up," she says and with a grin adds, "Maybe trend again."

"Well, hopefully it'd be for better reasons," you say as you slump.

"Nothing wrong with being the life of the party," she reassures you. "You should've definitely come out to a few earlier by the way. You'd have had fun."

"Well I don't think I, well the old me, would've fit in."

"Says who?" she challenges but she's not doing it to pick at you. "We get all kinds out there. Last week there was even some of those guys that play the, uh, games? With the dice and the little figures? Long as you just want to chill and have some fun you'd have fit right in."

"You think so?"

"They're my parties aren't they?"

"Sorry I took so long Cat," says a dark-haired girl as she approaches the table. "Coach needed to talk to me and Maggie. You ready to get out of here?"

You recognize her as Mandy Tiller, a softball player who you also share fourth period with. In fact she's usually hanging around Catherine as she sits behind her.

"Yeah," Catherine says as she turns to her and hops up. Though quickly she turns back to you. "Seriously though, come out this weekend. You'll have fun."

"You know him?" you hear Mandy ask as she and Catherine walk off.

"Only just met him. Seems..." It trails off from there as they move out of earshot.

Though intimidated because holy hell it's Catherine freaking Muskov you were surprised by how personable, how down to earth, she seems to be. She's like the complete opposite of Amanda. Where Amanda is detached and regal, Catherine is connected and a woman of the people... or so that's the impression you get.

It's like the two opposite ends of the popularity spectrum and it's a pretty interesting dichotomy to see up close. You're left to wonder, then, if this is something you'll act when you're a popular girl. Will you keep to their own inclinations or whill you go to your own? Will you keep the status quo or tip over the apple cart?

You ponder that forea few minutes until you too decided it'd be best go home for the time being.

* * * * *

You manage to make it home just in time for dinner and the close call nets you a few disapproving glowers from your father. From there you waste a bit of time half-heartedly doing some homework until around eight-thirty. You make up the excuse of having to run something to a friend when your parents question you about where you're headed and, promises to be back by curfew made, you're out the door.

You while away the time at a Starbucks and during that time you get a message from Jessica saying that it took a bit of ingenuity and pressing of the issue but they were able to get your choice to agree to come out to the studio around ten. So around nine thirty you leave and make your way out to the storage facility.

It's to your surprie that there are more cars than you'd have thought out there but only one that you don't really recognize. Does it belong to them? You shiver with nervous excitement. Not long from now you'll have a beta of your own, a new identity you'll be able to slip into. Yes, very soon you'll have a mask of...

Next: "Replacements Three" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 4)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)"