Masquerade

by Cambria Hebert

  I’m not sure I’m ready for this.

  I’ll be here at your side.

  It gave me the strength to wave and smile at them. If I wasn’t so nervous I would have laughed at Kimber’s aura. It fit her perfectly and explained her exactly. It was disconcerting to know that everyone’s aura I saw probably fit them the exact same way too. I would never have to get to know someone before I knew if they were a good person or not. A giggle escaped me. This sure cuts back on time.

  Sam grinned and then attacked his cone.

  “I have been calling you all day! Why haven’t you answered? And why weren’t you at school today?” Kimber said, stopping before us. She put her hands on her hips and glared at me.

  “Hey, guys.” I said, getting ready to spew a lie. But I didn’t even get a word out because Kimber gasped loudly.

  “Oh My God! Your face!”

  I swallowed hard as people turned to look. Sam shifted closer beside me, and I resisted the urge to shrink into his side.

  “Kimber,” Cole warned, quietly. He looked at me though, with wonder.

  Surprising myself I lifted my chin and let them look, I even lifted my sunglasses. “I know, pretty awesome, huh?”

  Kimber was actually speechless for once, her jaw falling open as she gaped. Her aura flared red, and I frowned. “How?” she croaked.

  “It’s the reason I wasn’t in school today. I have been talking with this plastic surgeon for a few months now…I never thought I would be able to get in, but he had a cancellation late Friday afternoon, and he called me. I got laser surgery and had the scars removed.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Kimber exclaimed, smiling. “We are supposed to be best friends, how could you keep this from me?”

  “I never thought I would get it done, and I certainly had no clue that it would work. It’s usually supposed to take a few treatments, but he said that once the laser touched my skin the scars just seemed to come right off.”

  “That is awesome!” Kimber said, clapping her hands. “I am so happy for you!” Colors exploded all around her, and I was reminded of the fireworks that Sam took me to see.

  I was beyond happy that Kimber and Cole believed me and that they were happy but their emotions were slapping me in the face. It was almost too much to handle.

  “Yea, Hev. That’s awesome. You deserved something good like that to happen to you.” Cole reached out and hugged me with one arm. Surprisingly, some of the emotion that was berating me fled. I was suddenly wrapped in the soothing blues and greens of his aura and even some of the rare magenta shade.

  “Thanks, guys. I was still feeling kind of funny this morning from the pain medicine the doctor gave me during the procedure, so I stayed home and slept in. I didn’t call you back because this isn’t something I wanted to tell you over the phone.” I hoped I wasn’t blushing but judging from the heat I felt in my cheeks I figured I probably was.

  Sam cleared his throat and stared pointedly at Cole and the arm that was still around me. Cole looked up at Sam and a smug look flickered behind his eyes before he released me.

  Before I could do anything else, Kimber lunged forward and hugged me. It was a tight, quick hug that left me speechless. “Are you kidding? I forgive you! Wait here while we get our ice cream, and we can sit together and talk.”

  Just the idea was exhausting, but I saw no way out.

  Sam ran a hand down the back of my head and spoke to Kimber. “We have groceries in the car for her grandma, and she’s still pretty worn out from the procedure.”

  “Of course.” Kimber nodded. “Will you be in school tomorrow?”

  “Sure.”

  “Cool. I’ll see you at school in the morning?”

  “I’ll see you then.” This time my smile wasn’t forced because I knew I was getting out of there very soon.

  I waved to Cole as Sam led me toward his pickup. You saved me.

  You’re worn out.

  Yeah. Thanks for the ice cream.

  You let him touch you. Sam said, steering the topic toward something I thought I had avoided.

  He’s my friend, Sam. He was happy for me.

  Sam walked along beside me, not saying anything and I prayed that he wouldn’t ask me to stop being friends with Cole. I felt like everything was spinning out of control, and I wanted my normal routine, my friends. I wanted things to feel normal. I didn’t know if they ever would again. Sam lifted me up into the cab of the truck and hurried around to get in. As he turned the ignition he said quietly, “I won’t ask you to give up your friends. I would never ask something like that of you, but I don’t like when he touches you.”

  “I understand.” I did understand. But I couldn’t help but feel like I was somehow disappointing him in not offering to end my friendship with Cole. As he drove I closed my eyes, wondering if a quick trip to the grocery store was this hard, how an entire day of school would be tomorrow.

  It was pure hell. I arrived the next morning feeling like I could handle it. I’d handled the grocery store yesterday, so I already knew what to expect. At least I thought so. Now I understood that I didn’t know anything at all.

  It might have been okay, but I forgot one major thing: my scar. Or rather, the lack thereof. I thought since people didn’t much pay attention to me they might not notice right away that it was gone. Wrong. From the minute I walked through the doors, an onslaught of my classmates were coming up to me, marveling at my face.

  Before people only stared and looked away, whispering behind my back. Since the masquerade ball though, things had changed. My old friends weren’t as concerned with giving me space. I’d encouraged them: talking, smiling, and trying to get some of what I’d lost back.

  Now I wondered if that had been such a good idea.

  I couldn’t get Before back. There was no going back to that girl. She was gone.

  Forever.

  “What happened?” a voice asked from beside me.

  Amber came running up, “Oh My God! You look so great!”

  “Heven, did you have your scar removed?”

  I barely heard their words. All I saw was color. It exploded right on top of me, around me and it was all I could see. The more that gathered, the harder it was to focus on anything.

  Sam was right there with me, thank God. He tucked me into his side and smiled at our audience. Say something, honey.

  What?

  Tell them about your surgery.

  Knowing I had a lie ready to go and that Kimber and Cole already bought it made me feel more in control, and I looked up, trying to focus on faces, not colors, and I plastered a smile on my face and managed a fake laugh. “Yeah, I got totally lucky, and this plastic surgeon had a cancellation at the last minute. It was this new laser surgery.” It sounded convincing, and I held my breath while waiting to see if everyone else thought so too.

  “It looks so great!” Amber said enthusiastically.

  “Totally,” another classmate agreed. To my absolute horror, she reached toward my face.

  Sam moved smoothly, swiftly, turning so that the girl brushed his shoulder. “Heven needs to get to her locker,” he announced. He shouldered us through the crowd but it didn’t go away, it moved with us.

  I can’t do this.

  Yes, you can. Focus on me.

  We made it to my locker, Sam opened it, and I practically thrust my head inside.

  “Geez, people! She isn’t a circus show!” Kimber’s loud voice came from behind me. I grinned into the locker. “Let me through! Go on, shoo!”

  People began moving off, and I sighed. “Thank you,” I groaned to her, keeping my face in the locker.

  “No problem.” She sniffed. I turned to look at her and stumbled backward, Sam steadying me.

  Colors flamed around her; she had to have the strongest personality of anyone I knew. It was unsettling. I glanced at the floor trying to get control. When I looked back up she was still flaming colors, but I tried to look past them.

  “You look great,”
I said, lame.

  “Thanks.” She grinned.

  Cole walked up behind her, smiling. “Hey, guys.” He tipped Kimber backward, kissed her, then he glanced at me and grinned. “Looking good, Hev.”

  I smiled, but it faltered. Red exploded around Kimber, and I knew instantly what it meant. I guess I came hardwired not only with the colors, but their meanings as well.

  “Hey? You okay?” Cole stepped forward and laid a hand on my arm. The same vibrant magenta shade from yesterday surrounded him, and he was still the only person I have seen that carried that color. More red burst around Kimber, masking Cole’s aura completely and making me jerk back.

  “Yeah, great!” I reached into my locker and grabbed a handful of books, not even looking to see if they were right. “Better get to class,” I said, moving backward, Sam moving with me.

  Cole frowned, but Kimber smiled and waved, her aura returning to its less-intense colors. I heaved a sigh of relief.

  What was that all about?

  Kimber’s aura is totally intense.

  That’s not all. Sam insisted. I can feel it.

  It’s just…never mind, I might be wrong.

  You aren’t wrong, Heven.

  How could it be? I wondered.

  Say it.

  Kimber’s jealous of me.

  You didn’t know this? To Sam it was obvious.

  No. I…we’re friends.

  Sam shrugged. Sometimes friends get jealous.

  He was right. It happened to me sometimes, but seeing it in her aura made it seem worse somehow. The way the red burst around her seemed violent.

  It made me wonder if having my old face back was going to put a strain on my friendship with Kimber. She already admitted to being jealous once and that was before I got my old looks back. I never imagined that not being disfigured might actually cost me a friend. I shook the worrisome thought away. Kimber was my best friend; she would see that nothing between us had to change. Then, hopefully, everything would go back to normal…

  If only I could remember what exactly normal was like.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Heven

  As soon as Sam’s truck got close to Gran’s I saw it. As if my day hadn’t been bad enough – the entire weekend really. First, I realized that my mother was going to believe I was evil no matter what I said. Then, psycho China tried to kill me – well, actually, she did. Then Sam sacrificed himself and died. After we were both brought back to life, I was hit with a ball of light, got a massive headache, and now I saw auras. Did I mention that my BFF’s aura isn’t looking like a BFF’s aura should?

  Sam stiffened and the wheel jerked in his hand. “We’re leaving,” he growled.

  I sighed. “No. Let me just get it over with.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Round two with Mom. “Yep.”

  “I can’t stay,” he worried.

  “It would make things worse anyway,” I mumbled. Then I gasped. “I didn’t mean…”

  “I know, honey.” He took my hand in his and pulled the truck to a stop next to my mother’s car. “It’s all right.”

  “I love you.” I wanted him to know.

  “I know. I love you too.”

  Despite my mother standing on the porch watching, the bold colors exploding around her, I leaned over and kissed Sam. Surprise flickered in his eyes as I leaned close, but he didn’t push me away. He did what he always does: welcomed me with open arms and took my breath away.

  I hope you don’t pay for that, he said when I pulled back.

  I would pay any price for that.

  His fist clenched in his lap, and he looked up with fierceness in his eyes. Sometimes I love you so much I can hardly…

  I touched his cheek, “I know. See you later.”

  “Hev.” He caught my hand. “If you need me…”

  “I know you’ll come.”

  I got out slowly and walked to the porch to stand next to my mother. I waved as he drove away. My mother just stood there in shock. Then she went into the house. I followed.

  Sam reached out. Let me know how it goes.

  You’ll be the first. I prayed that this wasn’t going to be a scene. I prayed that maybe she was just here to make sure I was okay after the car accident.

  Gran was at the kitchen sink rinsing some baking potatoes. She turned when Mom and I walked through the door. “Hello, Madeline. Heven, how was school?” The dominant parts of blue and green in her aura were muffled by a burst of brown. Clearly, she knew this meeting would not go well.

  “Fine, thanks,” I answered, as Mom turned to face me.

  “You are still seeing that boy!” Colors in purple, turquoise and orange floated around her – but mixed with those vibrant colors was an ugly one – a mustard shade with tinges of brown. The colors of worry and anger.

  “Yes.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “You kissed him,” she practically hissed.

  “I love him.”

  She stared at me for long moments. “Your scar is gone.”

  “I thought Gran told you.”

  She nodded. “But to see…”

  “Guess I’m not as evil as you thought.”

  Her eyes flashed with pain but then it was gone. “I wanted to come see you as soon as Gran called me about your accident, but…” her aura flashed with a mustard color and a strong pink shade. Worry and love.

  But you felt too guilty maybe? I left your house upset and got into an accident. The words were on my lips, but I didn’t say them. It wasn’t her fault, it was China’s. “I don’t blame you, Mom.”

  “You don’t?”

  “It was an accident.”

  “I would never want you to get hurt.”

  “I know.” It was written all over her aura. I knew she loved me. It was something.

  “About that boy…”

  “Sam is in my life, Mom. For good. I will not stop seeing him.”

  “Don’t you take that tone with me, young lady. You’ll move back home.”

  A potato hit the sink with a thud. I felt exhausted. I just wanted to be alone. To not have to see colors swimming around everyone I looked at. Mom wasn’t going to change her mind about me. She could force me to go to church, to camp, or back home, but she couldn’t take away Sam.

  “You can make me move home,” I said, going for the door leading to the living room, “but it won’t change anything. This is me, Mom.” I turned to Gran, “Would you please call me when dinner is ready? I’m going to my room. I want to take a nap.”

  Gran turned to look directly at me. Respect shone in her eyes. “I’ll call you.”

  I didn’t bother looking back at my mother. I’d said all I had to say.

  The barn was quiet, and to my great relief I couldn’t see the auras of the horses. Actually I’d learned that I couldn’t see the aura of any animal. I puzzled over why I wasn’t able to see Sam’s, because he isn’t what I would classify as an animal. Sam is human, he was born to two parents, and he is a child of God. Yet I couldn’t see his aura…the best I could come up with was that it had something to do with the extra chromosome that he had and that it somehow threw off his energy.

  I took my time currying Jasper, relishing the fact that it was Friday. Finally. The whole weekend stretched before me, and I didn’t have to go out and deal with anyone.

  How is work? I asked Sam, smiling.

  Boring. No one wants to work out on a Friday night.

  See you soon. Love you.

  I can’t wait. Love you too.

  I led Jasper out of the barn and hoisted myself up onto his saddle. I looked forward to a long, relaxing ride beneath the trees and amongst the spring air. The trail was exactly as I thought it would be. I rode for a long time, feeling the week’s tension seep out of me. School would be out next week, and I couldn’t be happier. My eyes finally adjusted to my aura ability, and I had no more eye sensitivity and no more headaches. There was still no sign of any other abilities, but I was okay w
ith that. I liked the idea of getting used to this one first before another was sprung on me. Hopefully, I would be able to enjoy a fun, stalker-free summer with Sam and my friends.

  I was heading back toward the barn when Jasper stiffened, his ears going flat. A moment of panic rolled through me, but I breathed through it, looking around for anything that might have spooked him.

  Out of the corner of my eye there was movement. I turned toward it, and a streak of black dove behind the trees. I laughed.

  “Did they let you leave early?”

  Sam peaked out from behind a tree. Jasper danced. “Easy, boy.” I felt a moment of hesitation at Jasper’s uneasiness. He was usually much more comfortable around Sam these days.

  Want to race to the barn? I asked him, gathering the reigns and readying myself to urge Jasper forward.

  What?

  I see you, silly. Want to race?

  Where are you? There was a feeling of stillness that washed over me with his words.

  Right in front of you, silly.

  Are you alone?

  Panic assailed me, and I realized that I was getting an example of how Sam’s feelings could bleed to me in intense circumstances from afar.

  I’m at work, Heven.

  I looked up to where the hound had been. It was gone. Crap. Panic pounded through me. It was China. She was back from wherever she kept disappearing to. There was a loud thump behind me; Jasper reared up and fled away from where China stood. I had to grope for his neck just to stay on.

  I dared a glance over my shoulder to see the hound running after me, bouncing off trees and leaping into the air. “Run,” I urged Jasper. “Faster!”

  Heven!

  China’s back.

  Get to the barn, lock yourself in! I’m coming.

  There was only one problem. China was between me and the barn, and Jasper was running as fast as he could in the wrong direction.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Heven