𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐧𝐝
The day of the awaited masquerade party had finally dawned. We stood on the brink of a unique experience – attending a party orchestrated by the enigmatic mafia, a notion that had never dared cross my mind. Even if I had projected my thoughts into the distant future, spanning perhaps four decades, the idea of finding myself at such an event would remain utterly unthinkable.
Celine's reluctance echoed in her voice as she confessed, "Cinth, I really don't want to go. Seriously, take Louis instead." I couldn't help but chuckle at her proposal. "Girl, how can I replace you with Louis? And truth be told, I'm not eager to go either. But, we're sort of left with no choice if we wish to delve into Enzo's world," I replied, my words infused with a mixture of determination and curiosity. Exploring Enzo's environment had become an unexpected yet intriguing goal.
Celine rolled her eyes, her sigh reflecting her uncertainty. "By the way," she interjected, "I didn't really prepare for a mafia masquerade party when I came here. We definitely need to do some shopping." It was hard to disagree with her; neither of us had readied ourselves for such an occasion. "Alright," I conceded, "I've got funds in my account. To make it up to you, consider your dress covered." Celine waved off the notion. "Don't worry about that. Even if you weren't footing the bill, I wouldn't abandon you to face it alone," she assured, her response lifting our spirits. With a playful nudge, I lightly hit her shoulder in appreciation of her unwavering support. Rising from our seats, we set out to secure permission from the principal.
Upon opening the room's door, I was nearly startled out of my skin by the sudden appearance of Louis. "Oh my god, Louis?! You scared me half to death," I exclaimed, my surprise evident in my tone. "Sorry about that," he chuckled. "So, there's this package that came for you." My curiosity piqued, and I arched an eyebrow. "package? Okay Hand it over." Louis nodded, then added, "Yyyeeeaaah, you might need to clear some space though. It's quite HUGE. The assistants are on their way to bring it in."
I stepped aside to make room, feeling a mixture of excitement and bewilderment. "Alright, Let's see what this is all about."
A small team of assistants soon entered the room, pushing a trolley draped with a cloth cover. Four pairs of hands worked in unison to reveal what lay beneath the shroud. My attention flickered to Celine, who was now sharing my astonishment. "Girl, how much did you spend on this?" Celine inquired, her eyes widening at the sight. I couldn't help but offer a surprising response. "Would you believe me if I said I haven't ordered anything in the past two months?" I mused. Her disbelief was palpable, yet she gestured for me to unveil the contents.
☆☆
With a mix of hesitation and excitement, I extended my hand to pull back the cover. And there it was – an array of dresses, hanging before us in a breathtaking display. The dresses varied in colors, styles, lengths, and even luxury fabrics. My jaw dropped, my eyes widening in sheer awe. "Who could've sent it, is it anonymous?" Celine said, "Dunno, let's look for something.. like a note or so", I replied, she nodded as we began searching for a card or note to identify the sender. Celine moved to the back of the trolley, and she froze, I raised an eyebrow "You alright cel?" I ask, "Umm Cinth, anonymous you said?. More like revealed," she said, pointing her finger somewhere on the trolley
As I quickly moved to the back of the trolley, the word "Blackwood" came into view, emblazoned on the fabric, "what the-", my eyes widened in disbelieve, as I read the written name
"this is unbelievable, Celine, why would they send this large amount of dresses, and they're all so luxurious, obviously expensive" I exclaimed, "I suppose that takes care of our shopping needs for the next five years," Celine remarked, her voice tinged with amusement. A chuckle escaped my lips, despite the surreal situation. "Honestly, Celine, how do you manage to find humor even in the most unconventional scenarios?" I wondered aloud. She shrugged, a mischievous grin on her face. "Talent, girl, talent, you'd never know," she said, flipping her hair to the side playfully, I chuckled, giving her a playful shove. "Well, your talent for finding humor in the unexpected is truly something else."
With the mystery of the unexpected package lingering in the air, we set our sights on a more enjoyable task – Choosing dresses for the upcoming masquerade party, we both felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. It was a new experience, venturing into the world of a mafia-thrown event, but at the same time, it was a party, and that injected a certain level of anticipation into our emotions.
☆☆
With a mixture of nerves and excitement, Celine and I approached the entrance to The Raven, the venue for the masquerade party. The tension in the air was palpable as we hesitated, both of us still trying to wrap our heads around the idea of attending such an extravagant event.
Celine broke the silence, her voice reflecting the uncertainty we both felt. "Just so you know, I'm still considering backing out. If you want to leave, just say the word," she admitted.
Taking a deep breath, I requested, "Celine, hand me the card." She nodded, passing the red card to me, I regained my composure, walking to the gates
Two guards, dressed in dark red – black suites, both armed, wearing sunglasses, "Confirm your identity" one of the guards demanded, gesturing at the device hung to his right side, I nodded, scanning the red card, the sentence "confirmed for two persons, VIP" appears on the screen, along with our names, "Woah," Celine whispered, and I agreed in hushed tones, "I know, it's surreal." The guards stepped aside, showing us respect by bowing as we made our way inside the grand palace.
As we proceeded, two more guards awaited us by a pair of imposing doors. They stood beside item scanner devices, adding to the air of formality. One of the guards gestured for Celine to go with him, while he directed his attention to me.
"Kindly look into my eyes, miss," he requested, catching me off guard. I raised an eyebrow, asking, "Excuse me?" He explained, "We need to confirm your identity. Please cooperate for a quicker entrance to the party." he said
I glanced at Celine, who nodded in agreement. We both complied, meeting the guard's gaze. After a brief moment, the guards exchanged nods, and they stepped aside, bowing respectfully just like their counterparts. We proceeded through the gates, retrieving our purses.
Celine broke the silence once more, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Okay, this is a bit strange. All these identity-confirming procedures, is this... normal here?", I shrugged, still trying to make sense of it all. "Well, considering this is a gathering organized by the mafia, I guess nothing should surprise us. But you're right, it does feel like they're treating us differently, and that 'VIP' label on the card is intriguing."
Celine nodded, contemplating the situation. "Maybe they've mistaken us for someone else or think we're part of the family or something." I let out a small sigh. "Who knows? Let's not dwell on it for now. We're here, and we should enjoy the party. After all, it's not every day we get an invitation like this." With that, we decided to put the mystery of our entrance behind us and immerse ourselves in the enchanting world of the Blackwood masquerade.
☆☆
The doors to the grand hall swung open, revealing a scene more opulent than anything I and Celine had ever seen. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, casting a dazzling array of lights across the room. The walls were adorned with golden accents and intricate frescoes, and the marble floors sparkled underfoot. Soft, classical music filled the air as elegantly dressed guests mingled, their eyes turning towards the newcomers.
we couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer luxury and extravagance of it all. we exchanged glances, their wide eyes reflecting their shared sense of awe.
Amidst the sea of well-dressed attendees, a tall, distinguished man in a perfectly tailored suit made his way toward them. It was none other than Gabriel Blackwood, the patriarch of the Blackwood family. His salt-and-pepper hair and sharp features exuded an air of authority and sophistication.
"Welcome, ladies," he greeted us with a warm smile. "I'm delighted that you could join us this evening." we exchanged polite greetings with him, my mind still slightly dazed by the grandeur of the event.
As the conversation flowed, I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer. "Mr. Blackwood," I began, "we received an unexpected delivery of dresses earlier today, and they were accompanied by a note with your family name. It left us quite perplexed."
Mr. Blackwood's eyes twinkled with amusement as I inquired about the mysterious dresses. He responded with a charming smile, explaining that they were indeed a gift from him, meant for this special occasion.
Celine graciously thanked him, her enthusiasm showing through her words. I couldn't help but appreciate the gesture, even though it added another layer of intrigue to the evening.
Just as the conversation continued, my attention was suddenly diverted when I felt a presence at my side. I turned my head to find Louis standing in front of me. Shocked, I couldn't help but blurt out, "Oh my, Louis! What the heck?"
Louis stood there with a mischievous grin on his face. "Surprise, surprise," he said, giving Celine a wink. "Couldn't let you have all the fun without me, could I?"
Celine rolled her eyes at him but couldn't hide her amusement. "You're unbelievable, Louis."
As we bantered with Louis, the atmosphere in the grand hall seemed to shift. The music grew hushed, and the guests turned their attention to the entrance. A hush fell over the room, creating an eerie silence that seemed to stretch for an eternity.
Then, a voice boomed through the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome.. Lorenzo Blackwood!."
Celine and I exchanged a glance of shock and disbelief. How could Lorenzo be here? Wasn't he fighting for his life in the hospital just a day ago? The entire situation had taken an unexpected and surreal turn, leaving us both utterly bewildered, I had a lot of questions floating in my head, I wasn't able to focus on whatever was happening at that moment
I couldn't help but wonder if Lorenzo had been forced into attending the event, possibly by his father or some other powerful figure in the Blackwood family. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, as it hinted at deeper, more sinister layers to this masquerade than we had initially imagined.
My mind was a whirlwind of questions, and I couldn't focus on whatever was happening in the room. My gaze remained fixed on Lorenzo as he slowly made his way down the grand staircase. His face contorted with each step, and it was clear that he was in pain. It was as if attending this party was a struggle for him, and his expressions shifted from discomfort to resignation.
Celine and I decided to approach Lorenzo cautiously, our curiosity and concern getting the better of us. It was clear that something significant had changed in the Blackwood family, and we were determined to find out what it was, even if it meant delving into the dangerous web of secrets that surrounded them.
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Hey guys..
I apologize for not updating for so long, I got busy with real-life things :(
however, I cannot promise to update frequently, I'll try my best
(I'm still busy, mostly with studying)
what do you think about this part? feedback is appreciated!
spread love <33