Our Little Masquerade

--Syrah/Safire--

March 23rd, 2013

Boreal, California

“On the count of three, we’ll see who can get down the mountain faster.” Michael said with his hand out for an agreement shake.

“Alright.” I said grabbing his hand and shaking it with a sly smirk on my face.

“One. Two. –“ He took off down the hill leaving me at the top confused.

When I realized that he had just cheated I pushed forward and pointed my skis in their normal triangular position.

“Cheater!” I yelled after him as he continued down the hill on his snowboard.

There was a mother and a father with their two little boys holding hands skiing down together rather slowly. I admired the adorable little family as they continued on their way. Michael realized that there was no way around them with his snowboard and slowed down to a near stop. I found an opening by the Mother and slipped right past her as the hill widened for a few moments.

I turned back for a split second only to see Michael with his jaw dropped. I laughed hysterically as I came to the end of the hill where the base was.

I slid to a complete stop and waited for Michael to come down. I turned around only to see one of the little boys straying away from his family and going to fast, headed straight for me.

“Help me!” he screamed in his cute little voice. His parents looked horrified and were trying to race after him.

“Sweetie, point your skis in a triangle, like a piece of pizza and press down like you’re stomping on an ant.” I yelled to him as he came closer and closer to me. I unhooked my ski boots and stepped onto the rough packed snow as he slowed down and I was able to stop him the rest of the way with my hands.

“Are you okay, honey?” I asked as he looked up at me.

“Y-y-yes.” He said with a shaky tone.

“Thank you so much!” The boy’s Mother said as she came to a stop next to me.

“It was no problem.” I smiled and let the boy go along with his family.

“Mommy! I learn to stop skis.” He said proudly pointing at his skis.

Michael came from behind me and hugged my waist. “Nice job, ski instructor.” He said as he kissed the top of my head.

“I know, thank you.” I said smiling and picking up my skis off the snow.

We both walked onto the snow covered wood of the base lodge and into the café. I ordered some coffee and sat by one of the large panoramic windows in the café. I watched all the skiers as they came down the mountain and saw a few snowboards crash land.

“I love it up here.” Michael said as he sat down next to me and took a drink of his coffee.

“I do too. It makes me not want to go home to Arizona.” I said smiling into my cup.

I started to think about our house in Queen Creek, Arizona. How it oddly enough had grass in the front yard and every other yard had a rock lawn. Avery and Trenton were in Florida on a vacation. We both decided to go on completely separate trips. They wanted to go to the beach, we wanted to go to the snow before the snow season was over.

“Our plane leaves from Sacramento tomorrow at 5:30 in the afternoon.” Michael said leaning back in his chair.

“Is my Mom going to meet us in the airport subway?” I asked for the fourth time this week.

“Yes, she’ll be there 30 minutes before our flight leaves. Commander Davis is making sure she isn’t followed. If something happens he’ll text me and let me know.” Michael said holding up his phone.

"Alright." I smiled at him and caught one last glimpse at his eyes before curling up into the thick blankets and falling asleep.

--Michael/Mikey--

The noisy alarm clock went off and I quickly turned it off before Syrah had a chance to hear it. She was tired and I always tried my hardest to go the extra mile for her. She was having a harder time with this than I was. On the outside she looked happier than anyone in the world but, on the inside she missed her whole life; it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that.

I pulled the blankets over her bare shoulders and crawled out of the bed quietly. I pulled on my snow boots and a wind-breaker before stepping outside onto the frost covered balcony. I quickly dialed a number on my cell and waited as it rang.

"Michael, how is everything?" asked the familiar voice of Logelin.

"It's going great, Syrah is going to see her Mom today." I said with a smile on my face. Her Mom made her happy and I wanted to see her happy.

"She needs that. Are you guys thinking about coming back here at all?" he asked with curiosity.

"I don't think so, we're playing it safe. Keepings things on the down low. We've been okay and ocupying ourselves. These lives were given to us and neither of us wanted them. I would give anything to be back there, at school with everyone." I said with remorse in my voice.

"I know. It hurts that you had to leave your Senior year. Didn't get to graduate with the class that you've gone through 4 years with. I know how it feels." He said in a teacher tone.

Logelin was one person that I could talk about anything with, like I had said before he was my best friend and my second father. I used a disposable trac-phone and called the school's main number. Less attention and it allowed me to talk to someone who knew Syrah and I both equally well.

"It's just, you know how it is. I know Syrah misses her old life and it's absolutely killing me inside to know that she can't have her old life back. I don't want her to miss her Senior year, that's not fair to her." I said with emotions in my voice.

The love and devotion I had to Syrah had put me in a bad position. I had taken her away from her life, from everything she once had and I couldn't do anything about it. It was true that Carver wasn't as interested in her as he was in the rest of the family. She could go back but, it wasn't something she would willingly do.

"Michael, we talked about this before. You know your options and if she does come back, I promise you that I will take care of her. I owe you that. I know that it's gonna hurt both of you but, I think it might be best for her." the voice Logelin had was lined with truth. Everything he was saying was the absolute truth. I had to make a decision, whether Syrah goes back home with her Mother or she stays in Arizona with me. It was a choice that benefited her the most, she was dragged into this and it was my fault. I owed her dignity, I owed her a chance at her own life.

"I think I'm going through with it. I've already talked to Commander Davis about it; all I have to do is say the words and he'll most of her originaly belongings in a truck on the way back to her house. He thinks it's a good idea and he already has some men keeping a watch on her mother. I know she won't like this but, I have to give her a chance at something she's worked her whole life for." I sighed, I knew what I was going to have to do and the words were like acid in my throat.

"I give you my words. I'll do everything I can, Michael."

"I already lost her once but, this time I have to."