Mask Mix-Up

CHAPTER 1

Kim's Pov

I knew I should have stayed home. But Mitchell swore this party would change everything I had hoped for—that Wellington’s annual masked ball was the one that I had waited for and couldn’t afford to miss.

I hated the idea of a loud, sweaty party and people pretending to be what they are not so much that it made my skin crawl. Yet here I was, playing along… all for the chance to finally catch the attention of my long-time crush.

“Finally,” I muttered, taking a sip of wine. I looked at Mitchell, her wild eyes sparkling with anticipation, waiting to see how I'd approach the one thing that had brought me to the masked party.

With a deep breath, I adjusted my mask and walked towards him—the gentleman I had been hopelessly drawn to since high school. His broad chest and sculpted abs were on sight, covered with a well-tailored suit, and even under the dim light, his sharp eyes tracked my steps as I moved closer—

I paused mid-step, suddenly uncertain. Mitchell saw the mask, didn't she? I took my phone out and texted her; the pounding music around was enough to devour every word we might speak.

ME: Hey, what mask did you say he was wearing again?

I pressed the send button, and she looked up at me. She smiled knowingly before texting back.

MITCHELL: He's right in front of you, with the dark purple mask, and he's in a white suit, too. Be careful, talk to him nicely.

My phone buzzed and I read the message before taking a deep breath.

Right. Jason Travolta. Star forward. Campus legend. My one-sided crush for the last two years… And tonight… maybe my chance.

I scanned the crowd and spotted him. He stood across the dance floor, leaning against the railing. One hand in his pocket, the other loosely holding a drink he clearly wasn’t interested in. His gaze lingered on me again, and I finally got closer. Well, enough not to look creepy.

My stomach flipped as soon as he looked closely at me.

Mitchell gave me a shove and urged me. “Go say hi.”

I didn’t think it would be that easy.

Jason’s lips curved into the faintest smirk. “Thought it was high time you came to me,” he said, his voice low, teasing and far too confident.

“What?”

He stepped in close—too close. His cologne wrapped around me, dizzying.

“I’ve been at this party all night,” he murmured, “and I haven't seen any stare at me as much as you have.”

My cheeks felt like they were burning. “Oh… that. I'm so sorry. I just really liked your mask. I didn't realize you were watching too. I was just too caught up with my friend, you know…”

His smile deepened. “So, how's the party going?”

I never imagined Jason would be interested in talking to me; he had never even looked my way when I walked around or showed up.

“My friend brought me here,” I admitted, then blurted. “Can I ask you something?”

He nodded in approval.

“Do you… know who I am?” I asked.

His head tilted slightly. “You’re in a mask, but I'm sure you already know who I am.”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “You're Jason. Forgive me for this—”

Before I could lose my nerve, I hastily leaned in and kissed him. It was reckless. I didn’t want to, but I did. Just one kiss was what I had expected to make him know I was in love with him.

I pulled back to catch my breath, but his hands closed around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

His lips brushed against mine—slow, deliberate, devastating. I responded like I had been waiting forever. He tasted like trouble, something I never expected would satisfy me so much. My fingers curled into his jacket, my heart racing in its rhythm. He cupped my jaw with such care, like I was something fragile. At that moment, my heart forgot how to beat.

When he finally released me, he tugged off his mask, a smile tugging at his lips. “You taste really sweet, princess.”

My eyes widened. “Oh my god.”

“What was that?” he teased.

“I just kissed you and you kissed me back.” My voice came out half-squeal, half gasp.

“Yes, I did.” He answered.

“Did you know I was in love with you?” I blurted.

Before he could answer, another voice cut in—familiar, sharp.

“Jett? I'm taking the car home. Find your own ride home.”

I froze. Slowly, I turned—only to see another Jason standing close to me.

The real Jason.

My heart sank.

“Oh my God,” I breathed and shoved the man in front of me, panic rising in my chest. “You’re not Jason!?”

“You never asked who I was.” He said, a smirk curling on the corner of his lips.

Behind us, the real Jason watched, more confused and less concerned, like he had always been.

Gosh! I didn’t kiss Jason! I just kissed Jett.

I was never meant to kiss Jett. I should have known it wasn't him. Jason never looked at me; he was never the one to talk much.

The truth hit me like a punch. I looked at the mark on Jett's neck; Jason didn’t have it.

I had made such a huge mistake.

Mortified, I spun on my heel and bolted, feeling embarrassed and tears dripping from my eyes.

“I kissed Jett. It was Jett, and not Jason, Mitchell.” My voice broke as I buried my face in my hands. “I think I've made a mistake.”

Mitchell, already half drunk, wasn’t the best audience right now, and it only made it all worse to cry right beside her.

I fled to the bathroom, desperate to wash it all away—my tears, my face and that kiss. To forget everything that happened.

“He knew I never wanted to kiss him, and he still kissed me back! Such a jerk!” I hissed, scrubbing my face aggressively like it would erase the memory.

Numerous thoughts spun through my head, dizzying and sharp.

‘Did Jason see that? Is that why he showed up? To see who his brother was kissing?’

I brushed my lips, the kiss replaying as a scene in my head with cruel detail. He tasted better than I ever imagined, but it was still a mistake.

“Don't tell me you regret taking a bold step.”

I froze upon hearing the voice. Jett leaned against the doorway, all cocky. “It's just a kiss. You'll be fine. No one cares.”

“I care, okay?” My voice cracked. “You just ruined two years of my life's preparation. In fact, you just ruined my whole life.”

His brows lifted as he smirked. “Wait—I ruined it? You kissed me.”

“And you kissed me back!” My throat tightened. “I thought you were Jason. I was only in love with Jason, and I never meant to kiss you, and you… you knew that! You jerk!”

“I didn’t stop you because it was written all over your face,” he said, a little too amused.

“I hate you.”

“Come on—it was just a kiss.”

My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching it. “You could’ve stopped me.”

“But you didn’t want me to,” he replied smoothly.

I hated that he was right.

I hated that I could still feel his lips on mine, like an aftertaste I couldn’t spit out. Like a dream I wasn’t ready to wake from.

Without another word, I pushed past him. The party didn’t stop just because I was having a bad day.

I stood at the edge of it all for a moment, frozen in thought, the memory of that kiss hitting me again and again every few seconds like a slap.

My chest burned, I hated how it all turned out, so I turned to the only thing that could numb me—alcohol.

Mitchell was busy having fun better than I expected; she didn't see how messed up I was.

The liquor burned its way down my throat, warm and numbing, helping me forget the way Jett’s lips had felt and how firm his hands had been.

I ignored him all night. If Jett glanced my way, I turned. If he lingered nearby, I left. I tried every way to ignore everything that happened, beating myself up each time I remembered I kissed Jett, knowing Jason had probably seen it all.

“This is the end,” I whispered into my glass. “I'm never getting Jason ever again! Not now, not ever. I'm totally toast.”