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Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. Oscar Wilde
The guy in the blue mask seemed to stare right at me, and it felt like my heart stopped. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew it was Carter. I edged closer to the chain-link fence, trying to stay out of his sight. The sirens suddenly stopped. His attention was locked on me. He ran. I did, too.
My mind replayed the moment when he’d held me against the lockers earlier. The dark look in his eyes as he’d effortlessly gripped my throat, the fear, immediately followed by the completely unexpected jolt of lust and excitement that had shot through me, shocking me into silence…
“You will. I don’t care how it happens, I don’t want you in my car again.” She didn’t need to know that her presence made me feel out of control, that she got under my skin like nothing else, and I hated it.
“Raine, no offence, but I had no clue you even existed until this year. You’re a pro at making yourself invisible.”
“Two halves, so different, yet the same. Trick him once, and you have much to gain. The gain will not come without a cost. Can you hold on when hope is lost?”
“Are you willing to pay the price? Trick him once, but don’t trick him twice.”
“You can want me, but you can never have me. Watch your back, little trickster.”
“One hides behind a mask. One has a secret. Beware the false one. You will lose your heart if you do not heed the warning signs.”
“Stop giving me that look, Raine,” I growled. “What look?” Her voice came out as a shaky whisper. Releasing my grip on her chin, my hands went to her waist, and I effortlessly lifted her onto the edge of my desk. Placing my arms either side of her, I lowered my head to look directly into her eyes. “That look you’re giving me right now. That look that makes me want to do bad things to you.” Her mouth fell open. She swallowed hard, but she held my gaze. “You don’t deserve to do bad things to me, Carter. Not after what you’ve done.”
“Raine…” My grip tightened. “Do it.” Those two words snapped the final thread of my control.
“I go so fucking crazy around you, Raine. You’re no good for me. I don’t trust myself when I’m around you.” His voice grew even lower. “I don’t like who I am around you.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are, Raine Laurent?” I gathered the tiny piece of courage inside me. “I’m the best thing you’ll never have.” Then I moved around him and walked away, tears blurring my vision.
“Rule one. Finish this drink, but don’t leave it unattended. Rule two. Dance for at least one song. Rule three. Find a boy, and practice flirting with him.”
Hope was a dangerous thing, as I soon found out. Everything had changed, but nothing had changed.
If only we could choose who we fell for. Life would be so much easier.
“The gain will not come without a cost. Can you hold on when hope is lost?”
“Both light and darkness lie ahead. Your path is shrouded with hidden dread. The question that you need to ask… What is hidden beneath his mask?” She broke out of her trance, adding with a whisper, “Find out…before it is too late.”
Before I knew it, I’d navigated to my message thread with her, and I typed three words that I’d never written before. Not to anyone, not even my ex-girlfriend. Me: I miss you
Sort your shit out, Carter. If you actually want to be with her, and she wants to be with you, man the fuck up and do it. Stop making bullshit excuses.”
“Yeah. Watching their team captain kiss the fuck out of his girlfriend.”
