Masquerade [BANG CHAN FF]

8. Young noblemen

Alissa gasped, covering her mouth with her gloved hands, and burst into giggles.

"He likes you?!"

"Shhh!" Madeline frowned, putting a finger over her lips, "Not me... Liliana."

"But Liliana is you," Alissa raised her brow again.

"But he still doesn't know that and I hope he never finds out," Madeline continued talking in a whisper. "He likes a woman that doesn't exist and he's mad because you told him that she got married overseas," she almost hissed and Alissa playfully shrugged. Madeline sighed and leaned back in her chair. "That night... he was all hurt and depressed. He couldn't stop talking about her, reminiscing the time they danced together..."

"The time you danced together," Alissa corrected her.

"Stop it!" Madeline hit her fist on the table, "Whatever happened needs to end. I can't get involved with him again."

"And why is that?" Alissa smirked yet again, wider the more Madeline kept quiet and the more her blush became prominent. "Oh, because he made you feel some things, right?"

"Alissa!" Madeline scolded the older girl who couldn't stop giggling. "I told you exactly a month ago that I can't and won't meddle with the prince - I need to focus on my job."

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Alissa rolled her eyes and took the waiting cup of tea. 

Both girls drank the tea in silence for a few moments but Alissa spoke first again, placing her hand over Madeline's and this time giving her a gentle smile.

"Listen, Maddie... whatever you decide, you know you'll have my support," she reassured the brunette and Madeline nodded, returning the smile. "And now I need your support..."

And on that sunny September 30th, in the small café, while drinking tea and eating cookies, Alissa announced to her friend that she got a permanent job at the research facility over the mountains. Madeline was overjoyed. That joy overtook her mind and heart and she didn't for a second think that she would be left all alone in the big capital city of the kingdom.

‿︵‿︵‿୨ ୧‿︵‿︵‿

October 3rd was Sunday.

Alissa went away yesterday and it was Madeline's first morning alone. The day began with the sun shining through the old windows and thin curtains and a fancy envelope that the postman handed to the girl, interrupting her breakfast.

Madeline rushed to the living room, plopped on the old couch, and, seeing the royal emblem on the wax seal, carefully opened the letter. What she pulled out was an invitation to Prince Christopher's birthday ball.

Her heart sank and he face paled.

It felt like the recent events happened all so quickly and the world rushed at an incredible speed. First, there was Alissa's new job, her leaving the house, and then this... the prince's birthday ball that evening.

Her thoughts scrambled around her mind. Should she lie and call in sick, lock the door of the house, and crawl under the blankets to hide away if someone comes to look for her? 

Madeline knew the answer to that - she couldn't lie and disappoint the royals. It would be too obvious that she was avoiding the prince but she definitely couldn't let herself get close to him or worse - dance with him. Her big lie would be revealed as soon as she steps on the dance floor - Christopher will know that she was Liliana all along, the girl he so passionately talked about in front of Madeline, the girl that turned out to be his siblings' teacher. And that tutor made up this lie because she wanted to appear as a disciplined young woman who wanted to devote her whole life to books and teaching, not a ballroom dancer who would let the music take her away... she left that in the past.