This story belongs to me, and if you steal it—heaven help you—I will make it Enjoy.my business to . . .well, you get the point.

Masquerade

Chapter ONE: Fooled you, it’s only the prologue

“Rhein Preparatory Academy is one of the most well known schools. Along with providing the world with tenacious leaders, it also ranks as the most primp and proper school in these here parts.”

A girl with long dark hair tied up in a bun backed away in caution. “Sure old man.”

“Come to think of it missy, I graduated from this here school.”

The girl nodded and started to walk towards the school, dismissing any speech of any kind. Today is her first day at Rhein. She had just graduated from Danube River Regional High School, one of the top High Schools in the country. She graduated at the top of her class and expected nothing less from where she was headed. Perhaps though, by a simple slight of hand, things would be different this time around.

She pushed her pointed rimmed glasses up her noise and held a book to her chest.

Falalalalala….

The teacher, possible male, but no one was quite sure, stood at the front of class reading out the role call.

“Amilynn Denmar?”

A girl with short black hair stood up then promptly took her seat.

“Thomas Truxton?”

A small young male stood up, raising his hand slightly in an effort to be seen.

“Lonai Kirshe?”

And there she was, the pointy glasses, the drab uniform and a book still held to her chest.

“Here.”

Rhein Preparatory Academy was one of those schools that are distinguished through grades and popularity. Primp and proper was the motto of the school and hung drably over the stone gate lined with ivy leaves at the schools front drive.

Lonai walked through hallways glancing around at her fellow classmates, who walked in sync with a ticking clock. She glanced down at her book and continued to walk, and everyone glared her down as she had started walking with her left leg rather than her right. A casual bump of the shoulder by an upperclassman, “You’ll be the first to go.” they said sneering down at her.

First days are always tough.

Lonai walked home, her day gradually sinking its way into her head as the back of her heels scratched the pavement. Although she was a highly intelligent person, that fact had nothing to do with her being accepted into Prep. She was the daughter of the schools headmaster, a wonderful lady by the name of Schrona Kirshe. Lonai disliked her mother for that very reason. She didn’t hate her, but it was because of this that people looked down on her. “Mummy’s little girl.” they will taunt and poke at her cheeks and pull her hair. No one would believe in her intelligence and there would be rumors of her mother paying off teachers and grades changing suddenly. It was her teachers that remained somewhat faithful to her and knew of her talent.

She sighed, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. “From this day forth, I can never be myself.”

“Pssssst.” A voice came from the shadows. Lonai stopped in front of an empty alley, her eyes squinting as she peered through the darkness.

“I’ve been watching you Lonai.” The figure finally showed itself. The vision itself had made Lonai take a few sudden steps back. A girl, perhaps, stood before her. A masquerade mask held up to her eyes and paintings on her face. She wore a flapper dress with mardi gras beads and a pair of CFM boots, which remained untied. Her pin stripped stockings made her legs look extra long as she had some kind of deformity. “I can tell that you are different.” She said as she circled Lonai like an animal stalking its prey or a boxer ready to make the first move. “In the hallway, your legs, they were different, lefties, the south paws, you were meant to be an outcast.”

Lonai clutched her book to her chest and started to look around to find something as a means of escape.

“I know them when I see them, and it doesn’t take much.” This girl smiled maliciously. “It’s written all over your face.”

“You’re crazy.” Lonai began to murmur and started to walk away once more but the girl did not cease to be a bother.

“Tonight, come as you are in life, outside the Rhein, to the naked eye you’re just another doppelganger walking among the students at Prep,” she handed Lonai a card and began to walk away, “but I know who you are, and you can’t hide from US.”

Lonai stood, the card in her hand and looking down she saw in small dark print—“US-No such thing as the outside world.”

The girl smiled as she walked away toward the alley once more. “And by the way,” she said, throwing something in Lonai’s direction, “come alone and no soul shall you tell.”

Lonai stood perplexed as she stared into the eyes of a masquerade mask that lay in her hands. She looked up, and the flapper girl was gone.

Chapter TWO: Chapter 1:Come As You Are

Things are starting to get strange. Have you ever-experienced fraud? That maybe people aren’t who they seem to be? Lonai will learn first hand as she enters the world of US. What will await her? Find out in Chapter one of Masquerade: Come As You Are.