Behind The Mask

Chapter 25

"Hell! You're amazing!" I say bursting into the dressing room where Cameron sits, pushing probably hundreds of dollars into a bag without even counting it.

E.J. is right behind me, but I don't give him a chance to get to Cameron first as I grab him around the waist and lift him up into the air,twirling him around.

"I've never seen anything like that!" I shout over the loud music coming from the stage where no doubt the next drag star is already performing the next number.

"Whoa cowboy! Put me down! You will ruin my make-up and I have two more numbers coming up!" Cameron yells, but as I put him down his face is pulled into a wide smile, a laugh coming from the back of his throat.

"Yeah, you were amazing!" E.J. shouts just loud enough for us to hear from behind me, making me turn around and look at him again.

I have been struggling quite a bit to keep my eyes off him tonight. There's just something electric about him. Maybe it's the Pikachu shirt making him look more alive, but I can swear there's something in his eyes... A different way of looking at me. Almost like he is seeing me for the first time as well. Like I haven't truly been part of his world just yet.

"Come here Brody. Let's leave Miss Lalaland to get ready for her next number," E.J. says as he takes me by the arm and pulls me toward the door.

"That's Lady to you. Not Miss!" Cameron shouts back with a high pitched laugh, stuffing some more bills into bags as I follow E.J. back into the club where the red and purple lights make everything seem like a dream land.

"Something to drink?!?" I yell at E.J. over the noise of the club as we make our way back to the stage.

"Just a cola," he shouts back and I carefully look at where I leave him, next to some girls, obviously having massive ass fun. The one is wearing a veil, which tells me this is definitely her bachelorette party, and her girlfriends seem to be enjoying the drag queens on stage just a little bit too much.

I laugh as one of the bridesmaids pushes the bride to be closer to the stage, making her veil fall off onto the stage, which she quickly grabs before the black stiletto heels of a drag queen can stomp on top of it.

"Bloody hell, I'm glad I'm not a chick right now. Just imagine how intimidating it must be to look at a six foot tall guy doing a better job at being a woman than you," a voice laughs in my ear, making me turn.

The red lighting around the bar makes it difficult to see the colour of his eyes and hair, but I decide immediately that it must be red, or red brown, and that his eyes have to be light of colour.

"Yeah, can you imagine? I honestly have no idea how the hell anyone can walk in heels, let alone dance in them!" I shout over the music to the stranger while I look him up and down.

He seems normal enough. Actually handsome in a way. Not exactly what I pictured coming into a club. I guess I just thought that everyone would be in jeans, but this guy is dressed in a black three piece suit. White shirt, tie, and all.

"Oh no. My cousin once put me in heels. Needless to say I didn't make it down the stairs on my feet," he says, giving a laugh, and this time I also notice the heavy British accent.

"I can only imagine," I try to laugh with him, searching the crowd to where E.J. is, letting my eyes stop on him where he is posing for a selfie with the girl wearing the wedding veil. His laughter makes me smile. I don't think I have ever seen him this happy.

"Your boyfriend?" the stranger next to me asks gesturing over to E.J.

"Nope. Just friends," I answer as I turn back to the bar and order two drinks.