Behind Her Innocent Mask...

“Why don’t you like Alice?” The strong voice rang through the quiet of the room. Monico shifted slightly, throwing her feet off of the couch and quickly glancing at her friend.

“Who said I don’t like Alice?” She finally replied, her voice steady.

“You do...you say it in everything you do.” His reply resulted in her fixing her eyes on him with a steady gaze, and her face softened as she proceeded to answer.

“Rael...”

“No, Monico, look at me and let me tell you what your problem is.” He vehemently cut in. A small shock coursed through her limbs as she saw a fire sparking in the depths of his brown eyes.

“Rael-”

“You are jealous of Alice.” He interrupted her again.

“Jealous?! Of that witch?!” She gaped and gawked at him, but before being able to speak again, and to fix the word that fell out of her mouth, he had risen to his feet and almost seemed ready to pounce on her.

“Monico! How could you call her that?” He asked shocked, fury tinting the darker shade of his eyes.

“What else is she, but a witch?” Monico shifted again, for the glint in his eyes started spewing red like a volcano. “Wait, Rael. Listen to me. That girl...She’s not who she is pretending to be. You are looking at her and you are looking straight into the mask that she has placed on her face; you are playing her game!”

“A mask? Oh, Monico...” He gave a humourless chuckle.

“Rael, -”

“Monico. Please. A witch? Alice? Gosh, girl, haven’t you noticed that she is just an angel? Those baby blue eyes, with a world of humour playing in those pools? Those little, red lips that break open to allow the heartiest and sweetest of laughter? Those golden curls that bump around as she swings along and twirls around and around?” The fire drained from his eyes and in its place was left a sweet look of peace. “And that clear skin...The perfection of her face...The innocence and...angelic sweetness...engraved into her features?” Chills ran up and down her spine.

“Rael, you-”

“Monico, Alice is perfect. And we...she and I...We are meant to be. I just know it.”

“Rael...Underneath those golden curls, there lies a mass of blackness. Behind those baby blues, there lies a gray evil. The red of her lips might be alluring to you now, but those lips carry the sign of the life she drained from others. That hearty and sweet laughter? It covers up for the maniac in her soul. The clear skin? The perfection of her face? The innocent and angelic features?” Her face was slowly graying, her eyes filling with tears, but her voice remained steady.

“Rael, it is all a mask. She is a mask. Everything about her is a mask to cover up for who she is underneath.” She couldn’t keep it together anymore, and her voice broke; the dam splintered apart, the water spilling out of her green pools. Her mouth quivered, her ashen lips suddenly reminding him of a bunny’s quivering nose. Something in him wanted to break, but he hardened his features as he turned around to pick up his book and jacket from the sofa.

“She is a snake. A serpent. A Delilah trying to crawl her way into your life and heart, in the least obvious way, and I fear she might have already succeeded. Wake up, my friend, because the day that she takes off those masks and shows her true self...That will be the day you die.” He faced her again, shrugging into his jacket.

“I think I have overstayed my welcome.”

“Rael!” She was shocked at his choice of words.

“I’ll see you again t-.” He hesitated. “I’ll you see again. Goodnight.”

She stepped back and slumped backwards, onto the couch. At the back of her mind, she heard a door slam shut. The warmth flew from the room, and she cried. Every single wall broke in her; it all came tumbling down as she realized that she had lost him, too.

Her best friend. Her confidante. The one she loved more than anybody else in the world. She lost him, before she even really had him, for she could not have him if she wasn’t willing to show him the truth of herself. But, so many times before, she was unwilling. And so, he lost interest in her as a woman, but kept interest in her as a friend. And now...That witch had enthralled him and entangled him in her snares.

Monico lifted her wearisome eyes and looked to the grand mirror hanging above the fireplace, opposite her couch. A face appeared in the mirror, smiling sweetly at her.

The red lips smiled so innocently, the blue eyes sparkled so angelically, and the blonde curls seemed to be tugged on by a draft that Monico herself could not feel. A small and delicate hand was lifted up and suddenly the vision grasped at her right ear.

The world fell silent, as her smile turned malicious, and the skin was torn off of her. Monico watched in horror as the blonde curls were shed, and as the skin gave way to a pale-faced woman. She was still beautiful, though. Her black hair hang straight and past her shoulders. Her gray eyes glinted deviously. Her red lips twitched in amusement, and her face contorted into a smile of sadistic delight.

“So...Monico...” She breathed out, her voice filling the void of silence. “You have discovered the real me beneath the mask. But...you have lost him. What a pity.” She snarled. “What a shame. But, don’t worry. You won’t ever have to face Rael again...Close your eyes, and,” she stopped meaningfully. “All your troubles will disappear...I am not a witch for nothing. I can make any small desire come true. Including that one you are harbouring in your heart now. To just die and fade away. You are,” she chuckled, “very welcome.”