Behind the Mask

As I sat in the back of the class room during English I made my list of to-dos for when I ditch and head home. First thing is basically take all my books with me when I leave because there is no way I’m going to let Ray make me fall behind. I have a rep you know. Second was take a shower when I got home and get rid of my school smell and that boy’s smell from earlier. Hmm? Maybe I should add brush teeth to the list? I thought of Ray again and his bad temper…Yup brush teeth is definitely going on the list. I tapped my pencil on the desk I sat in trying to think of others things I need. Do I bring my laptop? I know I have one at Ray’s, but what if I need my personal one for homework? Then again I don’t want him searching through my files even though he says he trusts me. I need to be wary of him. I got it! Four put school documents in flash drive and take that. Five, cell phone charger! Underline, underline. Can’t forget that like last time.

I look up from my desk and saw the teacher pulling out a sheet of paper from a yellow folder. I felt my stomach drop when he opened his mouth.

“It’s that favorite time of the year kiddies,” he said as he pulled up the projection screen up and revealed the assignment. “Presentations” then the class moaned in unison “don’t jump for joy on my account. This will be a fairly easy assignment all you need to do is pick a mythical creature and place it in a story. Of course that story will be your own creation, well, partly yours. Everyone will be partnered up and you’ll have a month to do the assignment. I want it to be creative, exciting, dramatic, and not cliché. So please ladies I don’t want to hear twelve stories with the same hot, hunky guy dripping in water.” The guys laughed and some girls pouted hearing their dreams being shot down. “Tomorrow I will post up the partner list and from there you’re month will begin. I expect to be impressed with the time allotted you to work on this.” The bell rang and everyone grabbed their things and ran out of the door.
I followed quickly behind and made my way toward my locker walking past the whistling jocks and glare of their girlfriends. I never really paid attention to them because they never really were important but when I glanced in their direction I noticed Ace among them. He had his cocky smile on his face just itching to start a fight with me in front of his so called “friends.” Usually I’d just blow him off but I decided to go along with him today.

“What is it?” I asked coldly.

“You’re talking to me today?” he said as he emerged from his group and playfully patted my head. I swatted his hand away and he snickered at my reaction placing his hand in his pocket. “Oh? I guess we aren’t going to be easy today, are we?” he grabbed my chin and lifted it up as I looked him in the eye. Something in his eyes sparked and he kissed me hard and rough surprising me, it also sparked a fire that enraged me. I bit him and he jumped back a bit smirking as he licked the blood from his lips. “I’m sorry kitten but I don’t like to play that way.” Funny deep down inside he is a real masochist and enjoys when I hurt him. So you can only imagine his true self when we have to practice our hand-to-hand combat.

I glared at him, “Well that’s how I play and if you can’t take that then step aside for the big boys.” Then I turned and walked away hearing his friend say “ouch” and “daaammn.” When I got to my locker I look at myself in the mini mirror I had and licked some of Ace’s blood off of the corner of my mouth. Then I felt something come over me, like some warm sensation of relief, and I cracked a smile. “That bastard” I said to myself thinking over what just happened. “He medicated me.” I shook my head I began to collect my things from my locker. He knew I was nervous and on the verge of cracking into my original state of mind. That bastard knew my blood was boiling and my head was pounding giving me that rush. That taste for blood that I craved when things become too stressful, and when I just want to rip out of this body. I could start to feel the drug working its way through my system, numbing my urges. I slammed my locker shut and headed down the hall toward the exit suddenly feeling my body no longer aware of its surroundings.

People bumped into me, but I couldn’t feel them. This state, this haughty state that deprived me of my senses, I hated it. Just how I hated my lack of freedom in my emotions and decisions that everyone seemed to depend on. How everything rested on my shoulders because the oracles said I was to bring a new order into the pride. I hated all of it. The pride, my so called home, my place that rested on a high pedestal, the lack of true love and affection, my life so far. My parents that hope I give birth to strong children and has so guaranteed that with choosing me a partner. My brother that has so far kept me in line so I couldn’t run from my chosen path in the pride’s future stability and has sold me out countless times. Oh, and Ray, my once childhood friend who was always found fast asleep in my mother’s rose garden waiting for me and Garret to come out and play. Who also called me princess and stole my first kiss during my sixth birthday party under a new moon. Fun loving, prank playing, and surprise hugging Ray the boy that watched over me like an older brother, but cared for me like no other. I can still remember those warm summer night when the three of us would lay in the backyard looking up at the night sky counting the stars. Then one night we spotted a shooting star.

“Quick! Everyone make a wish!” Garret yelled and we all closed our eyes. Then when we opened our eyes the shooting star was gone.

“What did you wish for?” Ray asked Garret.

“If you want the wish to come true you can’t tell people, stupid.” Garret snickered.

“Well I’m confident in my wish” Ray said with pride.

“Then what did you wish for?”

Ray then looked at me and smiled, “Vivienne.” That year I was eight years old and had no idea what he meant. It was later when I really understood what he meant. I was in fourth grade and a boy I had liked told me he liked me too. That day I went home feeling like I was on cloud nine all giddy ready to tell the world what happened. As usual Garret and Ray were home before me and when I got there I quickly told them what happened with the boy. Garret smiled at me and patted my head, but Ray was really quiet. His face was expressionless and when he told Garret he was going home his voice sounded hollow. At the time I didn’t think anything of it since I was only eight years old, I might as well thought his stomach was feeling well. That night I heard a knock at my window and then I heard it open along with heavy breathing. I quickly got out of bed and went to the window when I felt someone grab me into a strong embrace. The moonlight spilled into my room and then I noticed the hands that held me were covered in blood, and I knew them.

“Ray” I remembered my voice cracked.

“Don’t,” he breathed, “Don’t you ever talk about another boy, or ever.” He took a deep breath and gripped me tighter “Ever! Try to leave me. Do you understand Vivienne?” I didn’t respond, “Do you understand?!” I quietly whimpered a yes, “That’s a good girl.” Then he passed out onto the floor. I don’t remember when my parents’ found us, but I do remember the next day at school. Children cried, the boy’s desk was cleared out and was never touched after that. Children were told that the boy snuck out of his room to play in the yard and was attacked by a wild animal, but I knew the truth. That “wild animal” sat in my living room the next day smiling at me and joking around with Garret. His parents only grounded him and my parents told him he couldn’t come over for a while. Still he found ways to visit us, me, without our parents’ knowing. After that incident I became how I am today, the girl known as the Ice Princess, the girl that rejects the boys because she is snobby and stuck up. If only they knew the reason why I am the way I am and maybe they wouldn’t judge me as much.

I walked out the side door and took in the fresh air to try and clear my mind when I smelled someone. I walked to the front gate and started walking home knowing I was being followed. I dug in my pocket, pulled out my IPod and put on my ear buds as Journey’s Separate Ways blasted in my ears. I knew the person that was trailing me; their lilac scent was enough for me to ID them. I was about to cross the street when an arm grabbed me and pulled me back just when a car zoomed in front of me. I scuffed and turned to face my so called savior. A woman with brunette hair looked at me with pissed off eyes knowing that what I almost did could have had her killed. I pulled away and sized up to her making sure she knew that she was the last thing I was afraid of.

“I didn’t think he would send you after me, Anastasia,” I said looking her straight in the eye.

The woman’s green eyes narrowed as her contempt for me shown on her face. I had always hated this woman and the feeling was mutual as we usual tried to avoid each other as much as possible. Still we always seemed to cross paths and with that we tend to through around some colorful words too. From what I heard she was after my position in the pride the one next to Ray that came with all the power and glory. Funny, even though I detest my position I’d rather stay with Ray than give it over to her. She looked at me and then leaned close to my face breathing in my scent when she smiled. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she stepped back making me uncomfortable.

“Why, as I may be so bold to ask, do you have two male scents on you?” her voice was sarcastic.

“It’s none of your concern.” I stated.

“Oh, but I think it is. What would Ray do if he found out that his dear little Vivi was hiding something unpleasant? Human lovers perhaps?” She took another deep breath, “Hmm one human, and one cat. Quite scandalous I’d say.”

“That would be nothing compared from what I heard about you. Word is that you get around a lot these days.” She quickly grabbed me by the collar of my blouse lifting me a little bit off the ground. Her face clearly said what she was thinking and I laughed at her, “Go on try something, I dare you. I’d like to see you gamble your life away, you dirty pawn, you bitch, come on.” She bit her lip and blood started to come out from her bite mark when she pushed me away. I stumbled back and glanced at her when she spat in my direction just barely missing my shoes. Then with a scuff she walked away.

“What? No hug?!” I yelled out to her only to be flick off. I picked up my back pack and looked for traffic before crossing the street. I skipped my way across the black pavement thinking of Anastasia’s threat. If that hateful woman says anything to Ray I know I can talk my way out of it, but if I told him about my dispute with her just now I’m certain he would kick her out of the pride. Or worse he might just kill her, because as he once told me that night long ago when I was eight, that’s how much he loves me.