The Masked Singer

[Chapter Thirty Five]

"Can we speak privately?" It's not exactly the quick escape I've been dreaming about for the twenty minute car ride, but I can't say no, not after everything he's done for me.

"Let's go to my bedroom." I smile.

Heading in the direction of my room, Alex follows closely behind. I open the door and make a run for the bed. I leap through the air and land on my bed — at least I get half the fantasy.

"Did you still want to hang out tonight? I sort of planned something small, but if you're too tired, we can do it another time," he offers.

How can I say no? Just looking at his face makes me want to say yes. The way his cheeks puff up into a smile, or how the skin around his eyes sort of squint together when he's happy. Most of all, I love his glistering baby blue eyes — and they have nothing on me tonight. If this was a regular day in the crazy schedule of Ava, I would pluck a brave face and wear it.

But I'm tired and I've been wearing this stupid mask for the whole day and it's beginning to irritate me. There's a side that wants to show the real me, but I'm too scared about being judged and ridiculed by others. So I'm wearing a mask and covering myself up. People wouldn't like the real me, they've fallen in love with the mask.

"I'm really tired, we should do it another time." I rub the back of his shoulder to soften the blow. But his face still drops and my heart sinks.

"I thought you might say that." He tries to laugh, but his eyes show a different story, "I'll let you get to sleep." Alex's sad, pouty eyes shred my insides up but the heavy weight on my face comes as a heavy reminder of why I can't be reckless.

So I'm the first to make a move and get off the bed. The way Alex hesitantly moves his body show's he's stalling and hoping for a change of answers. But it won't happen.

"I'll see you tomorrow for sound check," I say.

Suddenly, his eyes go wide with excitement and I'm left confused. What did I say?

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asks.

"Anything relaxing and takes my mind away from the performance where I might commit social suicide. How about yourself?" This gets him laughing, which is nice to see.

Alex closes the gap between us. Our toes press together and his warm hands cup my face so that I'm forced to stare into his heavy gaze. The look of sadness is erased and now replaced with determination.

"You're going to make the audience fall in love with you, not because of the light production, the dancers or my amazing music. But because you're one of those few people who still sing about something real and worth believing in." His hand shifts and rests over my heart, "don't forget where you came from or where you're going."

"Alex," I whisper.

I feel like my heart is three beats away from exploding in my chest and landing on my feet in a crumpled mess.

"Believe in yourself." I want to believe in myself, to believe in everything he's saying. When I walk out on that stage, I want to put on a great performance for the crowd, but make the audience believe in a world full of wonders and to keep believing anything is possible. Too many people shut the light from their world off and live in the darkness.

"You Alex, you're too good to be true."

"People come in and out of our lives for many different reasons. But I believe you'd still be standing here without me." He smiles.

"I wouldn't be the same girl though," I remind him.

"I've impacted you that much?" He winks.

"I'm different around you. Sienna is a whole other person, so it seems."