FALLING AROUND YOU ➵ DANIEL SEAVEY ➵ SEQUEL

20 ➵ Masked

It was refreshing.

Dawn suddenly appeared as time was turning on me a short few hours later. My hair was in loose curls as I was still applying some eye makeup. I know that half of my face was covered, but I still thought my eyes deserved a little more supplement. There could have easily been a hair stylist or makeup artist that I could've partnered up with for this event, but doing it on my lonesome was the most relaxing part.

Hairspray was tangling in my hair when there was a short knock on the door. I smiled to myself in the mirror before heading off to greet the stranger. When the door opened, I felt a new sense of warmth as their hands wrapped around me in a greeting. It was Charlie.

"I don't understand why you're hugging me when I saw you two days ago," I giggled hugging him back.

He huffed, "Shut up and hug me."

I did.

As he pulled away, I noticed his sleek, formal attire. Charlie wore a simple black tux with a silky deep red tie to match his mask. The mask was a bit more on the simple side as it covered half his face with a glossy red finish. I could tell that strands of his curly locks had bits of gel in them because of how polished it looked. I was impressed.

We agreed to go together as friends. I didn't really know many people that were attending this event, being I learned about it only 48 hours ago, but I knew that Charlie would be a great companion to be there. Before we were anything, we were friends. That was our label from the beginning, and that would be our label to the end.

"You do know we're suppose to be in the limo in twenty minutes, right?" he shifted his eyes to my body. I wore a large long sleeve shirt with some Christmas pajama pants that had Santa Claus with sunglasses. It was no where near Christmas.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Yes, Charles. I am aware. I just have to put on my dress, and we're gone, okay?" He mockingly rolled his eyes as a response and hopped onto my mushed bed.

It only took me a few moments to grab my dress and zip it up in the bathroom. I was quite impressed when I spotted my reflection in the mirror. It was when I put on the mask that I was really in awe. The hair and the dress had already made me smile, but the mask was the finishing people. It was the last piece of the puzzle, and it was finally aligning.

When walking out of the bathroom, my eyes catch Charlie's. He smiled at me impressed with my look. That's when I realized: I don't think Charlie was ever truly in love with him. It was a harsh assumption, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. The look he gave me right now wasn't lovestruck or astonishment, but it was admiration. I think he just admired me as I did him, but I don't think it was love. He didn't look at me the way Daniel did – he never has.

"Charlie," I grabbed my purse before looking back at him.

"Yeah?" he was fixing his tie in the mirror.

"Have you ever been in love?" he turned quickly.

"What?"

I chuckled at my blunt question. "I'm sorry. I just– Did you really love me?"

There was hesitation, and that's when I got my answer. I didn't know whether to smile or to feel offended, but I didn't feel hurt at his loss of words. "I think I did at one point." his words were soft. "I mean, I don't have anything else to compare that feeling to. I think I was in love with you before things between you and Daniel got really complicated. I think it was only for a moment though, so when I told you, I don't think I was really in love with you anymore."

I stood closer to him, "Why'd you tell me then?"

He shrugged, "I didn't want to regret anything."