Ah, even during summertime, I cannot escape high school. Your story has allowed it to follow me. :)

This was brilliant..."Masquerade." Oh, I simply loved it. The ending was abrupt and uncertain. Perfect!

this is brilliant writing right here. related and beautiful. nice write.

thanks for the review, as well!

rowan.

Wow. I definately love the idea of the masks we wear on a day-to-day basis at school. I can definately relate. I thought the idea was very strong, and the syntax really reflected the insecurities of the narrator. While I really do love the ending, I thought that it ended with more of a question than a statement--not talking about the words themselves, but the way the narrator conveyed it. It seemed to me like the narrator still felt the need to be accepted among these outcasts, and while his/her courage to leave the clique is admirable, the narrator still needs acceptance.
If that's how you meant it, you bring up a really interesting point. I like it.
Nonetheless, this is awesome. You did a wonderful job with the voice of the narrator. Great story!

That was really well-written; the topic wasn't particularly striking, but the writing was both concise and profound. Seriously, I can tell from this short piece that you're a great author. Yippee! :D Um. Yeah. Since the material wasn't exactly fresh, there were a few cliche lines in there that I'm sure you can find a way to get around. ;)

Um. Oh yeah, this was one of my favorite lines, taken from the main character's thoughts: [What if they don’t recognise me anymore?] . . . I don't know what it was about that sentence. It just surprised me (good surprise xD), woke me up, I guess--I think it was a very original concept.

All in all, I really liked this piece. LOVED the ending, but that's a given. :D Thanks for writing this!

;)becky

I once wrote a short, first-person story with this exact same title, so I decided to check this out. The two were very similar, in a way, but very different at the same time.

Anyway, I completely agree with the message here. Nicely written.

aw. i love this topic and theme you chose.
its great. the thoughts you put into this, i can relate...i bet alot of ppl can.

words are power,
liz

&&thx for the review. its appreciated.

I must be honest in saying that this short story really is a well written one that opens the eye. Your portrayal of the ever present mask is so very true, because every single person carries a mask with them, a mask that will suit every form of life they will find them in. Speaking to one of the doctors of english at varsity involved this very topic of masks being portrayed, and the question is, who really knows what the inner person is like on the inside? When one hides behind the mask for so long, when one is alone it often feels as if an unknown identity is present, when in reality it is the true person trying to find a place in this life of masks and portrayals. As you so accurately put, a desire for self belonging is what drives one to hide behind the mask, to hide the inner fears and not be ostracised for true feelings or emotions. Again you wrote this so well when, in the story, you point out how the friends of the person in the story brush off the stares of those desiring to belong. An excellent piece of writing. Well done and keep up the good work. Oh, and thanks for the review on my attempt at a song. Hope this review didn't bore you too much and made sense.

Cheers
Lost in A World of Pain

wow, I really like this. It's so real. We all do wear masks at school. And this conveyed that very well. And I like the ending sentence. Keep it up!
Faith

This is deeply philosophical, and yet you root it in the everyday world use unpretentious language. I really like that antithesis. This is also very true; I can empathise with your own sentiments. Nice work!

- gold against the soul

Intruiging. I love how you just ended it like that.

The verb tenses were a bit shifty, but other than that, I think this was a wonderful piece.

Keep writing!

I have to agree with the first review. But nice job and keep up the good work.

P.S. Thanks for the review by the way.

~Arafax~

Wonderfully, put! It is very true what happens in school. Everyone wears a mask in school whether they know it or not. Keep it up!

Sincerely,
Emma Noble

Like this so far. I went through a period of school where I was an outcast- outside looking in. I don't regret it, but I can relate to how school is often a masquerade. I think the key is finding people with whom you can be yourself around.

sunny tuesday

This was great! I really loved this! You described how you felt about it with such nice words, and it was so easy to understand. Great job with this! Keep it up!
The Reverse Edge Blade

This is a generally common topic, but you presented it nicely here. It's quite clear, but it's still got some nice, poetic moments. It's neither too over-done, nor flat. Maybe it's not particularly interesting (it IS a common idea - the masks children wear at school, popularity, etc.), but it's well-done. All in all, you've written a reasonable piece with a generally dull topic. The ending is kind of intriguing, though, leaving the reader with a bit of mystery. Overall it's good. I'm curious to see now what you'd do with a slightly more original topic.