Chapter 36

Celeste

The lecture was dragging on, and Professor Wayne’s voice faded into the background as I doodled absent-mindedly on my notebook. It was Friday, and it was my last class of the day. Statistics; my least favorite class of all time, but a required class for most majors.

Just as my attention was about to wane completely, Fiona’s elbow digging into my side broke through my reverie. I looked over to see her smirking at me and holding her phone out to me beneath the desk.

“Hey, did you hear? The dance team's holding tryouts. They need a new member.”

I furrowed my brow and took the phone, glancing casually at the screen. There, staring back at me, was a vibrant graphic made by the school’s dance team. It had a tryout announcement plastered in huge, purple text across the image. Tryouts were this weekend.

“Okay, and?” I asked, feigning disinterest as I handed Fiona back her phone. I couldn’t join the dance team. Not only was I not cut out for something like that in the appearance department, but Jack would be sure to find out.

He would kill me; I had seen some of the outfits those dancers wore. Jack would surely keep me behind bars for the rest of my life if he saw me dressed like that.

Fiona, ever observant, nudged me playfully, her blue eyes dancing with mischief.

“Come on, Celeste! You’ve been watching their practices from the shadows since our first semester, and you love to dance. You've got that look in your eyes every time. The ‘I wish I could be out there dancing too’ look.”

I felt a warmth creep into my cheeks, but I averted my eyes. “I don’t know what you're talking about,” I mumbled, keeping my voice low so as not to disturb the class.

Although, there were already several hushed conversations going on around us. Class was just five minutes from being over and even the professor seemed to be losing interest in his own lecture.

Fiona let out a soft laugh. “I see the way you move, even when you think no one’s watching. Trust me, it’s a natural talent of yours. You have to try out!”

As tempting as the idea sounded, the thought of my overly protective older brother loomed in my mind. I was already on his shit list for the last incident over dinner, and I was treading on thin ice since I was sneaking off to the gym in tight clothes most days of the week now.

“You know Jack would never allow it. Plus, I don't want everyone staring at me.”

Just then, the professor dismissed class. The lecture hall erupted into a cacophony of sound, backpack zippers, papers being shuffled, excited voices now that the weekend had arrived.

Fiona sighed loudly, clearly frustrated with me. “For once, will you stop hiding behind Jack’s shadow? You deserve to shine, Celeste.”

“Thanks, Fiona,” I said, averting my eyes. “But I can’t.” I quickly packed up, eager to avoid further conversation.

But as I walked away, Fiona’s voice followed me. “Think about it, okay?”

I didn’t reply, but her words lingered in my mind.

The next day, I found myself wandering through the town’s local art supply store, searching for supplies for an upcoming class project. An array of colors and textures surrounded me, but what caught my attention was a lone mask, hanging elegantly by the counter.

It was nothing short of enchanting—silver swirls intertwined with deep blue, sparkling under the shop’s dim lights. Memories of the ball, of my earlier mask, came flooding back. My fingers itched to feel its texture.

I reached out, touching the cool surface. The idea blossomed in my mind. What if? What if I could join the dance team as someone else? A mysterious dancer, free from Jack’s restrictions, free from the judgments of others.

As the Mystery Girl.

I could make her anew. I could get new colored contacts. I could do my hair differently, wear my tight-fitting clothes. I could wear what the other dancers wore. Nobody—not even Matt—would recognize me if I did it right.

I would just dance, I thought to myself, staring down at the mask in my hands. I won’t mess around with Matt or anything like that. Just… dance.

“That’s half off,” the shop owner’s gruff voice said, breaking me out of my deep train of thought. “Leftover from Halloween. I’ll give you an extra discount. I’m tired of looking at that thing.”

Without hesitation, I bought the mask. Along with it, that night I ordered a new pair of colored contacts online—vibrant green that would transform my usual mismatched eyes. The last pair of lenses was blue, so hopefully these would be different enough to make Matt not notice me.

The day of the tryouts arrived faster than I had anticipated. Dressed in snug, black dance attire, my hair tucked beneath a cap, mask securely in place, and my new contacts giving me a refreshing transformation, I made my way to the school’s gymnasium.

A small crowd had already gathered. Among them, I could see Fiona, sending me an encouraging thumbs up from afar. I took a deep breath, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach.

Upon entering, I was immediately met with skeptical eyes, primarily from the dance team captain—a tall girl with sharp features named Lydia.

“What’s with the mask?” she inquired, her voice dripping with disdain.

I straightened my back, my voice firm. “It’s my persona. I’d prefer to keep it on.”

She rolled her eyes. “This isn’t some masquerade, you know.”

Before I could respond, Fiona shouted from the sidelines. “Just give her a chance, Lydia!”

Lydia shot her a glare but then sighed. “Fine, but the mask comes off.”

“Actually,” I replied, my confidence surging, “it stays on. But trust me, you won’t regret it.”

Lydia looked ready to argue, but another team member, a petite girl named Chloe, interjected. “What if we all wore masks?” she asked. “It could be our signature thing, make us stand out!”

Lydia looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. That’s if she’s got the right moves to even join the team to begin with. Show us what you’ve got, mystery girl.”

The music began, and I let my body move to the rhythm, pouring all my emotion and energy into each step. The world around me blurred as I danced, letting the music carry me away. By the time the track ended, I was breathless, but exhilarated.

The room was silent for a heartbeat before erupting into applause. Fiona was on her feet, whooping in delight, and even Lydia looked impressed.

“You’re in,” she declared, extending her hand. I shook it, my heart soaring.

As the tryouts ended and the gymnasium cleared out, Fiona raced over, enveloping me in a tight hug. “I knew you could do it!”

I laughed, holding up my hand for a high-five, which she gladly reciprocated.

“Thanks, Fi. I wouldn’t have done it without your push.”

Once outside the confines of the stuffy gymnasium, the cool evening air hit us, bringing with it a new sense of calmness I could still feel the rush of adrenaline, the remnant buzz from my dance.

“Alright, mystery dancer, time to become Celeste again,” Fiona said with a smirk after glancing around to make sure that no one was looking, her gaze playful.

I chuckled, pulling the mask from my face and letting my hair cascade down my shoulders. Its weight felt oddly comforting, like a security blanket. To further disguise the fit dancer persona, I shrugged on my baggy jacket, which fell almost down to my knees and swallowed my figure entirely.

“You know,” Fiona began, “that mask is a fun idea, but I hope you realize that you don’t need to hide behind it. The world deserves to see Celeste.”

I smiled warmly at her, touched by her words. “Thanks, Fi. Baby steps.”

We continued our journey to the dining hall, discussing mundane things, when suddenly Fiona's grip tightened around my arm. I glanced at her, noting the alarm in her eyes.

“What is it?” I began, but she simply tilted her head slightly towards the path ahead.

My heart skipped a beat. Matt was heading our way, his confident strides unmistakable, even from a distance. The setting sun cast a golden halo around him, adding to my sense of unreality.

A wave of panic washed over me. My mask was in my hands, front and center… Right where Matt could see it.