Chapter 25

Celeste

The suffocating weight of the ballroom’s atmosphere and the tumultuous whirlwind of emotions pressed me to seek solace. It was time to call my brother before he got suspicious again.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I slipped out of Matt’s grip and darted towards the restrooms. My heels clicked against the marbled floors, echoing the rapid rhythm of my heart.

Barely catching my breath, I locked myself into a stall, carefully placing my mask on the hook and pulling my hair back tightly. With trembling hands, I dialed Jack’s number, holding my breath for what felt like an eternity.

“Finally,” came his gruff voice. The tiny screen lit up with a FaceTime request. “Face me,” he ordered.

Trying to control my racing heart, I angled the camera towards the white-tiled wall, ensuring he couldn’t discern my location.

“Celeste, where are you? Why can't I see you?”

“Just... bear with me,” I whispered, sliding the straps of my dress down and turning the camera towards my face, still carefully avoiding showing too much of the backdrop.

Jack squinted, confusion evident. “Why the makeup? And your eyes... they look different.”

Suppressing a sigh, I tried to sound casual. “Fiona and I were just playing dress up. I’m about to get in the shower and wash it all off.”

“Dress up?” Jack snarled. “What are you, Celeste? Five years old?”

My face turned a deeper shade of red than it already was, but I managed to keep my cool. “It’s a girl thing,” I said. “We were just having harmless fun. See, we were watching this one chick flick, The Princess Diaries, and the lead character—”

He made a face, clearly skeptical. “I don’t give a shit about your dumb girl movies. Where’s Fiona? Show me the rest of the room,” he demanded.

Panic flared. My mind raced, grasping for a believable excuse.

“Celeste. Now.”

“Jack, I'm... I'm using the toilet right now.”

He made a face, scrunching up his nose in a mix of annoyance and disgust. “Seriously? Why would you answer while—”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupted, swallowing. “But I figured you would rather I call now than not call at all.”

Jack was silent for a moment. “Fine,” he said, sounding disgusted. “But I’m stopping by on my way home to make sure you’re not up to trouble. You’re acting… weirder than usual.”

I nodded quickly, trying valiantly to hide the fear in my eyes. “Okay,” I murmured. “I’ll see you later.” Then, I quickly hung up.

Flustered, I scrambled to fix my hair, pulling it back out of its haphazard bun and carefully raking my fingers through it to fix the crushed waves.

There was no time to waste. Jack clearly suspected that something was amiss, and it wouldn’t be long before he acted on those suspicions. I had just enough time for one more dance… One more dance with Matt, and then I would leave and never look back.

One more dance, and I would have to block Matt and never seek out this ill-fated relationship again. After tonight, the fun would be over. It would be back to the usual ugly Celeste, the girl who no one wanted, the awkward loner.

The mysterious girl in the mask and the blue dress would die forever.

But I could risk one more dance to make it all worth it.

Taking a moment to compose myself and slip the mask back on, I pushed the restroom door open and rejoined the ongoing celebration.

But the universe, it seemed, wasn’t done throwing curveballs my way.

Across the dance floor, in the midst of swirling gowns and crisp tuxedos, I caught a sight that pierced through my heart: Matt, dancing intimately with Sabrina. Her eyes sparkled with triumph, while Matt’s gaze was distant, but it was fixed on her.

Sabrina’s figure-hugging red gown contrasted with Matt’s sleek black suit, creating a visual spectacle that was hard to miss.

The bitter sting of jealousy coiled in my chest. Why Sabrina? Was it merely a coincidence, or had one of them actively sought the other out after my abrupt exit?

It wasn’t just that, though; it was their intimate appearance that truly caught my attention. As the gentle rhythm of the music ebbed and flowed, Sabrina leaned in, her ruby lips dangerously close to Matt’s ear.

Her whisper, though inaudible amidst the ballroom’s clamor, was filled with mischief, her eyes glinting with a mix of playfulness and intent.

Matt’s response was a sly smirk, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. The playful arch of his eyebrow and the confident set of his shoulders suggested that he was both entertained and intrigued by whatever secret Sabrina had shared.

A knot tightened in my stomach. Was it possible? Could Sabrina have divulged my true identity to him? The way that Matt looked around afterward, as if searching for someone amidst the crowd, only served to further intensify my fears.

Every gesture, every stolen glance, made me increasingly anxious that my carefully guarded secret was now exposed.

The throbbing music became a dull hum in the background as the pain, amplified by everything else that had transpired, consumed me. I couldn’t bear to watch any longer. Without thinking, my feet began to carry me away from the scene, weaving through the throngs of party-goers.

A myriad of emotions surged within, a hurricane of despair, regret, and longing. Tears blurred my vision, and before I realized it, I had pushed through the grand ballroom doors, finding myself outside, gasping for fresh air amidst the cool night.

Leaning against the intricate stonework of the building, I let the tears flow freely. The mask may have concealed my identity, but it couldn’t hide the raw emotions I felt. Betrayal, abandonment, the familiar sting of loneliness.

However, the cool night air did little to quell the tempest of emotions raging within me. Every glance, every word shared with Matt replayed in my mind like a haunting refrain, contrasting sharply with the image of him and Sabrina in such intimate conversation.

Had he known all along? Was he merely playing a game, feigning ignorance for the thrill of the chase? The sting of potential betrayal, the possibility of being unmasked before I was ready, it was all too overwhelming.

And then, as if to add salt to my wounds, one of Sabrina’s friends stood leaning against the wall, a cigarette dangling from her fingers.

The orange ember glowed in the dark, casting eerie shadows on her smirking face.

“Where are you going, Cinderella? Looking for a good place to drop your glass slipper?” she taunted, exhaling a plume of smoke my way.

The jeer, meant to wound, succeeded. My resolve faltered, and fresh tears brimmed in my eyes. In that moment, I felt so small, so exposed, with the weight of the world pushing me further into the shadows.

I didn’t respond.

The gentle rustle of the night breeze and the soft chirping of crickets were the only solace, a soothing balm against the chaos inside me. The vast night sky stretched out, stars twinkling like a million tiny beacons, reminding me of the vastness of the universe and the insignificance of my problems.

But the pain was real, visceral. A nagging voice whispered, urging me to run, to leave behind the mess of emotions and complications that the ball had become.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to heed its advice.

With a heavy heart and a sense of finality, I began my retreat from the world I had momentarily inhabited.

Whatever enchantment the night had held was now completely shattered.

The mysterious girl with the mask and the blue dress was dead. Now, as I walked back to Fiona’s place, that girl was replaced with Celeste once more.