Masquerade [BANG CHAN FF]

3. Last normal weekend

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After washing up, brushing her hair, and getting dressed, Madeline made her way to the kitchen across the hallway, again being pulled by the delicious smell of fried eggs with bacon - her favorite breakfast. She opened the door just in time when Alissa plated the food on the table.

"Oh, good morning, dear Maddie. Or should I call you Lilly now?" Alissa giggled, enjoying the grumpy expression on her friend's face when she mumbled 'good morning' back at her, "You're up early on a Saturday. Did you sleep well? Have the feelings of last night settled?"

Alissa's questions came in like a stream and Madeline had to sit first to process them all. "Don't ask..." Madeline muttered, massaging her temples and putting her big glasses back on. She thanked Alissa when she put a plate of food in front of her and began talking when the blonde woman sat across her, ready to eat and listen, "Prince Christopher is very intimidating..."

Alissa nodded with her mouth full, "I know..." she mumbled.

"As much as I enjoyed dancing with him... I can't attend these masquerade parties anymore..." Madeline said and took a bite of bread, followed by a piece of bacon.

Alissa stopped eating, dropping the fork which hit the plate with a loud clink. Madeline looked up at her shocked friend and shrugged.

"Excuse me... what? No!" Alissa raised her voice, pushing the chewed food down her throat, "You can't do that! I saw how much you enjoyed dancing, for the first time in years!" the blonde woman stopped to catch her breath, "And I also saw how he looked at you," she paused again and Madeline looked up and into her eyes, "The prince was smiling... genuinely smiling at you the whole time you danced. And don't tell me that his arm and the way he held you didn't feel good!" Alissa shouted and Madeline matched the tone.

"What are you saying?!" Madeline hit her fists on the table, "It was you who warned me about the prince being flirtatious, using and seeing women only as objects, and told me not to fall to his charming words and gestures!"

"But, it did feel good, didn't it?" Alissa's voice calmed while Madeline was fuming, panting heavily as if she just ran.

"What?"

"Answer my question - did you feel good while being held by Prince Christopher?"

Alissa raised her brow, her bright blue eyes piercing Madeline's brown ones and her face which slowly got warmer as a blush started spreading across her cheeks.

"Yes, it was good!" Madeline shouted again, shutting her eyes, not wanting to meet Alissa's victorious grin, "But, that's not the point!" she opened her eyes again and looked at her friend from across the table, "I can't and won't attend the ball anymore for a couple of reasons, one of them being a fact that I am not good at lying. I don't want to make up more stories and lies! And the other reason, if you forgot, is that I will be teaching his siblings starting this Monday. So, I can't go around having a double personality. I need to focus on this job," Madeline finished and started eating again as the silence arose. Alissa didn't continue her breakfast. She picked on the fried eggs, thinking about what her friend just told her.

"What if you don't need this 'Liliana' persona?" Alissa started again, forming a weak smile on her lips while Madeline stared at her, chewing on the greasy eggs and bacon, "What if you present yourself to the prince and just be Madeline? He honestly enjoyed dancing with you, that much was obvious so, if you apologize for your lie, he'll probably overlook it," Alissa sighed with a smile, enjoying her fantasy.

"And they lived happily ever after, right?" Madeline asked sarcastically, still chewing on her food. Alissa nodded excitedly but Madeline shook her head, "That's not how it goes, Alissa..." Madeline sighed, "I presented myself to the royal family as a serious and diligent young woman who is ready to take on the task of teaching the prince and the princess, not a ballroom dancer and an easy woman for the oldest prince's entertainment. So, no matter how wonderful it felt dancing with him," Madeline sighed again, looking at her now empty plate and then back at sad Alissa, "I want to focus on the job I came to this city for, and that is tutoring. And, if the children are as difficult as you said they were... Then I really won't have time to think about having fun and dancing at the masquerade..." then Madeline stood up, pushing the wooden chair, "Thank you for the breakfast. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to the market to buy the needed supplies for Monday..."