Playing With Fire

Andrea Current Day

You are cordially invited to the 5th Annual Masquerade Ball in Honor of Paws for Us Charity. Friday, July 13th at 8 PM at the Belmont Hotel.

We hope to see you in attendance

__________________________

I was dressed in a beautiful black off the shoulder dress with a slit running up my right leg that ended at the top of my thigh. My mask adorned with sequins, not too much, black and purple, but to accentuate my features. My hair was pulled up into a low messy bun with loose strands of hairs framing my face. My make-up, on point and my red lipstick made everything else stand out.

Next to me, my best friend, Jay. She has been with me through thick and thin. Through the puberty, the crushes, love, college, heartbreaks. Did I mention heartbreaks? I meant just Heartbreak. One. Jay was dressed in a white strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline, tightly fitting to her body with a double slit up both legs. She was gorgeous in her dress.

“You ready for this?” She asked me. I nodded.

“I can’t believe I got roped into this.” I groaned.

“At least if gives you a reason to dress up and pretend to be anyone you want. Remember, no one knows who we are.” She nudged my shoulder as we walked into the ballroom where the ball was being held.

“Hopefully. Just one night. Just one damn night I can be anyone but myself.” We hooked our arms together and proceed to glide into the hall where the charity fundraiser was being held.

Every few years, Evan Belmond, the owner of Belmont Hotel would host a dance or ball of some sort to help raise money for one of the local charities and they would invite all the business owners in Del Rosa. The owner of Belmont just so happened to be my dad’s best friend, or what I would like to call him, Uncle Evan. They have known each other since high school, both being on the football team and all.

And with that friendship, came the friendship of their wives. And with the friendship of their wives, you would think came the friendship of their children. Well, nope.

“If he is here, I’m leaving.” I groaned. We entered through the doors, being greeted by waiters dressed the part wearing masks, holding trays of champaign. We each took a glass, looking around at the room.

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Tables adorn with food and drinks along the walls and dozens upon dozens of people, all dressed in their gorgeous dresses and exquisite tuxes and their beautiful masks. Some knew who each other were, attending these functions for years when we were able to be home at the time of the event, chatting with each other and having a blast.

“You are not even going to be able to tell that he’s here. One, you haven’t seen him since before we graduated high school. It’s been 7 years. Two, I don’t think he’s going to be here anyways.” She shrugged, taking another sip of her champaign. “While we’re here, we might as well enjoy all the eye candy.” She winked at some of the guys passing by who nodded their heads to us.

“What makes you think he won’t be here?” I c****d an eyebrow.

“Last I knew, he was still overseas serving in the Army.” She put her empty glass on a tray passing by and grabbing another one, I, doing the same.

“That’s right. He enlisted. I almost forgot.” I didn’t forget, I would never forget. We stood there to the side of the dance floor chatting away while the beautiful classical music played. We turned to face the dance floor, watching people move as one, gliding across the floor like they were floating on water.

“How could you forget? It was a huge deal. Our school was small and when they found out the golden boy was enlisting, the town freaked out.”

I shot back the champaign and grabbed another glass, nearly not being drunk enough for this conversation. I shrugged my shoulders at her. “I guess, but that’s his choice, plus I didn’t care what he did with his life. It’s his life.”

“You need to get over the fight you two had, you need to get over everything because at the end of the day, your dad and his are best friends and you know once he comes home, he is going to come trampling back into your life and bringing the best and worst out of you.”

I glared at her. “We haven’t talked about Liam in years and I don’t intend on talking about him now. Liam and I grew up with one another, but our friendship soon turned into hateship. It started when we were 10 and he pushed my off my swing, causing me to hit the back of my head. I got up off the ground, blood gushing from my head and told him I hated him. He never sincerely apologized for pushing me and I never forgave him for the small scar on the back of my head by the crook of my neck.”

I started to rant. “When we were thirteen, he tried to mend our friendship per our parent’s request and asked me to the school dance, where he left me there and abandoned me there to go hang out with his friends. Me, being embarrassed, walked home telling my parents I got sick to cover for his ass.”

“First, you know he apologized time and time again about the swing incident and I remember the dance, I was there with Collin.” She rolled her eyes as we went down memory lane.

“Fine, then should remember when we were 16, we got into this huge fall out, but that fallout soon changed my life.” I remember it like it was yesterday.

We were at a party, drinking, well I was and I was dancing with the captain of the soccer team, Ryan. Ryan was getting a little handsy, but I wasn’t noticing, or maybe I just didn’t care, I just liked the attention that I have been seeking for so long.

I felt a hand grab my forearm and pull me way from Ryan. I was shocked, not knowing what was going on. I turned around and met the angry eyes of Liam.

“What are you doing!” I screamed at him. “Let me go.” He pulled me outside, walking towards his car.

“No, I’m taking you home.” He demanded. I ripped my arm from his grip and we both stopped right by his car. “Get in the car Andy.” He demanded.

“It’s Andrea to you! And no! I don’t have to listen to you.” I turned back around to go back to the party and to put as much space as possible as I could between us.

“Damn it, Andy, get in the fuckin car now.” He stormed after me.

“Why? Why should I listen to you!” I stopped and turned and snapped at him.

“Because you know Ryan isn’t dancing with you like that and shoving drinks down your throat to make you feel better. You know his reputation.” He glared at me.

“Okay and?”

“He’s just using you. Get in the car now.”

“Maybe I want to be used!” I screamed at him, throwing my hands up in the air.

“Are you demented? Why in the world would you be okay with that?”

“Maybe, just maybe, for once, I wanted to be wanted! And he makes me feel wanted!” I cried out in frustration. The truth being, our hateship wasn’t really a hateship. Liam had my heart and he didn’t even know. He only noticed me when he wanted to tease me or cause trouble. We were never cordial for one another, but when we were with our parents, we were always civil. I’ve seen him date through some of the most popular girls in the school, making my stomach turn in jealousy every time.

I’ve always wanted him, but he never wanted me, and it was something that only Jay knew.

“The f**k are you talking about Andy.” He went to grab my hand and pull me to the car.

“No. Don’t touch me. Just…go home Liam. I will be fine. Go find Cindy.” I went to turn around and he grabbed my hand again.

“f**k Cindy. I need to get you home.”

“No, let me go. For once, let me do what I want. Let me let loose. Let me feel like for once in this damn life, that someone wants to be with me and not be used for my money or my popularity or anything else. Let me have some damn fun.”

“Is that what you really think that you’re not wanted? Damn it, Andy, you are one of the most popular girls in school. You are one of the most sought out and wanted girls in our class. What the hell is going on in your head? You know better. This isn’t you!”

“You don’t know me! You don’t know anything.” I turned from him, not wanted to look at his face. It hurt too much.

“You know I know you better than anyone.” He whispered behind me, his hand caressing my arms, soothing me. “And you are wanted, don’t ever think different. Let’s get you home before you do something that you regret.”

“I’m not wanted by the one person that I need.” I whispered to myself under my breath, hoping he didn’t hear me. I went to walk away and he grabbed my hand and I froze. “Please Liam. Just…let me go.” I cried.

“No.” He pulled me back to him and turned me around and his hand went to my waist and his other cupped my cheek.

“What are you doing.” I couldn’t look him in the eye.

“Look at me.” He demanded softly. I shook my head. “Andy…please...look at me.” I slowly brought my eyes up and looked at him and I could see pain, but I also could see want. “You think you’re not wanted, but you have never been so wrong.” He leaned in closer. “You are very much wanted.” His lips were centimeters away from mine.

“We can’t…I can’t…” I tried to push away but his grip on my waist didn’t faulter. “This isn’t us…we can’t…you have Cindy and we hate each other.”

“You know damn well I don’t hate you. And f**k Cindy, we broke up a long time ago. And for the record, you have always been wanted…I have always wanted you.” I turned my head to see him and I could see it in his eyes.

Before I knew it, his lips crashed on mine and it was like fire ignited throughout both our bodies, sparks flew everywhere. This kiss was the kind of kiss you compare all your kisses to. It was the kind of kiss, you know for a fact, was supposed to happen, meant to happen. Our lips molded together, as his hands gripped my waist, pulling my closer to his body. I brought my arms up and wrapped them around his neck, pulling us even closer, if that was even possible. After what seems like forever, we broke the kiss and he pressed his forehead on mine, still holding me.

“This…is what I have always wanted.”

We were together from that point on for two years…until I caught him kissing Cindy.

I was walking to the football field after his soccer practice during the spring of senior year. I wanted to surprise him with a weekend trip after the game Friday and tell him not to make plans, I had a surprise for him, I had something I needed to tell him, something important. I turned the corner and him and Cindy were talking in hush tones. I didn’t hear much, but he said he couldn’t.

She said it was always him. She kissed him. He kissed her. I watched from behind the corner. Once I saw them lock lips, that was it. I did what any other eighteen year old girl would do, I ran.

He tried to get a hold of me later that day, but when he came over, I ended it. To say our breakup was messy is an understatement. The screaming. The crying. The yelling. I called him a bastard. He said I was delusional and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. He wanted to explain to me what happened, I refused, telling him I saw everything.

We haven’t spoken since that day. I found out from my dad the exact day he was leaving for bootcamp. I wanted to see him off, so I watched and said goodbye from afar. I will always support him in this venture no matter how much I hated him. But what he didn’t know, what I went through that summer, with Jay by my side, broke my heart and it was something that I would try to hold to myself and bring to my grave.

“Let’s not talk about that.” I snapped. “What happened is in the past. He made his choices and I made mine. When I see him, IF I see him, I will just turn the other way.”

“You know you’re not going to be able to do that.” She shook her head. “By the way, there are a couple of hotties over there staring at us.” She waved to them and they nodded their heads at us. I turned to look at them and couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Can we just have some fun since we’re here? I don’t want to talk about him anymore okay?” I pleaded and she rolled her eyes at me, nodding. She leaned in and whispered in my ear that the two guys were coming over our way and that they are sexy as hell and boy, was she right. One approached her, pulling her to the dance floor. The other guy, tall, about 6-foot, broad shoulders, muscles, you can see the toned muscles under his tux. His short wavy blonde hair, his seafoam green eyes. His smile was to die for.

“I must say, you are absolutely stunning. What’s your name?” He asked. His voice could make any females panties drop; I know mine did.

“No.” I said. “No name. Just here to enjoy the company and have a night out.” I couldn’t help but check him out. Looking closer, you can see the toned muscles in his arms. I can just imagine them lifting me up with ease as he pushes me against the wall. He smirked to me, knowing full well what I’m doing.

“Well, let’s at least have this dance?” he held his hand out. I kind of looked at it like it was something foreign. I wasn’t one for dancing. Did I want to dance? No, not really, but something about this guy is telling me that nothing bad can come from one night of bliss.