I never actually saw the stupid bastard’s face, always turned away or face in the shadows. Maybe that’s the karma I got for never actually talking to him, the entire stupid night, but hey. I’m shy, ok?

Around him.

Not really anyone else.

But now I’ve gotten to thinking…

What if he’s at this year’s party?

--

“Yo! Shawn! Honey!”

I snapped myself quickly out of my thoughts, the irritating snapping of my best friend’s fingers in front of my face drawing a scowl along my brow. I batted at her hand, looking back down to the rapidly cooling decaf double-shot mocha in my hands.

“You think too much, Shawn.” My best friend, Julia, leaned back in her chair, sipping at her green tea latte. “He’ll be there. Nothing to worry about. Right?”

“Right.” I grinned fakely at her, and she noticed it. She frowned, leaning over and flicking me on the nose.

“You’ll see him again. And this time, you’ll talk to him. Got it?”

I nodded, drawing a bit of strength from her. “Got it.”

“Now, you done?”

I stared at my half-finished mocha. She rolled her eyes. “Bring it with you. It’s a Starbucks.” She grinned and pulled on my hand, yanking me from the metal chair I’d been lounging in on the open porch, leading me onto the cement walk, weaving in between skyscrapers idly. “We should get you something good to wear.”

“Obviously,” I muttered, earning a sharp look.

“What do you want to be?”

“Something with appeal.”

She sighed. “You make life hard, Shawn.”

I just shrugged my shoulders idly, brushing my brown hair from my eyes, pushed by the breeze. I yawned, thinking I should have gotten a caffeinated. Oh well.

We pawed through a few stores, not finding much of anything. Julia yanked me into her work store, a local gothic-like clothes store that I happened to adore. (For no particular reason. I don’t really dress in dark clothes.)

“I’ll be right back. I’ve gotta talk to my manager about something real quick.”

I nodded as she pushed through the crowded clothes racks to the back of the store, where I knew the office was. I let my eyes wander, somehow landing on just what I was looking for.

I walked forward to the clothes rack, pulling out the single outfit of the kind they had, my size. It was black, a square neck-cut to show the collarbone, but not give the impression that you were open for business. I had a perfect choker to go with it. The pants were dress-pants, baggy and classy with a simple dark red belt. I could do my hair with red too…

I heard a small noise of approval from next to me and turned to find Julia.

“You have an eye for things, my dear.” She grinned at me and picked up a pair of black boots, simple and clean. “This will be perfect.”

--

After having Julia help me pick out the perfect things to go with the outfit, we wrote a to-do list.

Outfit. X

Get to party.

Find guy.

Improvise.

I’m not particularly good at to-do lists.

--

Muse pounded in my ears as I stared down at my boots, mostly hidden beneath the baggy ends of my dress pants. I sighed, fiddling with my silver ring earring. Julia pinched me on the leg and I let out a small yelp.

“What was that for?”

“Focus. And leave your ear alone.” She leaned on the wheel, taking the turns easily and smoothly. “And don’t forget your friend Jared. Who invited you to his party.”

“We’re good friends.” She gave me a raised eyebrow look. “We were seniors together last year.”

“At WHS?”

“Yup.”

I catch her rolling her eyes and mirror her action. I fiddle with my earring more as we approach the large mansion. People are swarming towards the door. I catch some sights of clever and radical costumes. I don’t catch sight of him.

“Kay. Shoo. I’m gonna meet someone.”

I grinned at her and dodged a punch, hopping out of the car. She waved at me and drove off, probably off to an elaborate sushi dinner with some guy from her writing class. I know her too well.

I kicked the ground once, and then walked up to the front door. I smiled at a few friendly faces, greeting my friend Jared as he answered the door. I stuffed my iPod into my pocket, forgetting to put it in Julia’s car.

I walked into the room, strobe lights flashing around. Techno pulsed through the room. I caught sight of people dancing; drinks, snacks…But I didn’t catch sight of him.

I sighed and walked down the steps to the floor, looking around the room for an empty table. I spotted a small two-person in a back corner. I carefully pushed my way through the crowd, sliding into a seat comfortably.

A few people asked me to dance, but I politely turned them down. None of them are…him.

Panic! At the Disco’s Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Shirt Off suddenly started up. I blinked, looking at the bright lights. I love this song.

“Excuse me, sir? Would you like to dance with me?”

Oh my God…

Him.

I felt the blush rise in my face for reasons unknown, grateful of the dark light to hide it. I stared for a moment before nodding, sliding my hand into his and down from my chair.

I looked up at him, a little annoyed. A mask. A beautiful black mask, dark feathers around the edges, hid the top half of his face. Beautiful green eyes watched me entrancingly.

I turned around in his hold, graceful hands holding my hips carefully. I moved casually with the beat, leading him. I felt myself relax, leaning back into his warm, slender form. Soon the song ended, another starting up. And we kept dancing.

I turned again in his hold on the third song, looking up into green eyes. His hands fondled my hips gently. “Are you real?” I whispered, and he somehow heard me over the loud beat.

“More real than you can imagine,” he replied. He leaned down as I leaned up, lifting his mask off his face as I closed my eyes, lips gently touching.

I heard a few loud whistles and the world suddenly got a lot brighter. I pulled back eyes opening to lock with emerald green.

Then I happened to realize that we were in the spotlight.

I blushed ferociously and leaned forward, burying myself in his dark, flowy shirt. I ignored the world around me, focusing on his heart.

Finally the catcalls quit and the light flipped away, leaving us unnoticeable in the dark room. “What’s your name?” I asked quietly, thinking it awkward to have kissed a man I didn’t know the name of.

“I’m Leo,” he whispered in my ear. “Who are you?”

“I am me…” I whispered back. “But I go by the name of Shawn.”

“Lovely to meet you, Shawn…” He didn’t give me a chance to reply, instead leaning down to kiss me again.

--

I’m love addict, love addict!

I let Family Force 5 pound in my ears, distracting me from thoughts of the night before. Thoughts of Leo. My lion.

I grinned like an idiot again, but no one was around to notice. I slapped myself and swallowed a bit of water, focusing back on the computer at hand. Photos…Photos…lion…

Aw damn.

I grabbed my cell phone, hitting speed dial 2.

“’Lo?”

“Dear Julia, are you preoccupied at the moment?”

“Not really, what can I do for you, my Shawn?”

“Get someone off my mind.”

“You grandmother naked.”

“Holy God! Ok, he’s gone. Thank you, Julia.”

“Glad to be of service.”

I hung up and shuddered, returning to the photography that needed watermarked for posting. I still need to sort the pop art style commissions. Oh, and think about Leo.

DAMMIT!

--

“Honey, if he’s on your mind so much, why don’t you just call him? You’ve got his number.” Julia raised a pierced eyebrow at me from across our usual table, sipping a vanilla latte. I’d stuck with a chai.

“I knooow, but I can’t be the first one to call.”

“God, you’re such a girl.”

“Oh no, it’s just Shawn.”

“Shut up, you idiot.”

“Yes mother.”

She chucked her chapstick at me. I grinned and tossed it back. “Just do it.”
“Like Nike?”

“I’m going to freaking eat your soul.”

I just flashed another grin at her, finishing my chai and standing, brushing off my jeans. “Maybe. I’ll let you know what happens. How was sushi boy?”

“How did you—?“

“I just know things. Anyway…” I dropped the container in the trash, waiting for Julia to follow me. “How was he?”

She chucked her empty latte container at me. I dodged and it dropped into the trash. “God, you’re such a nosy prat, Shawn.”

“I’ve learned from the best.”

“What, your mother?”

My face darkened. Julia instantly saw my change in attitude. “Oh, I’m sorry, Shawn.”

“It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t be worrying about things like that anymore.” I waved her off, smiling again, though not as whole-heartedly. “Let’s focus on raw fish.”

I ran off down the sidewalk, dodging more objects she’d decided to chuck at me.

--

I took my new camera, aiming it at the perfect reflection of the sun against the spotless glass of the silver skyscraper. Click. Instant shutter, capturing the moment.

I opened up my new photo on the screen, smiling and tapping at it with my finger. “Hello there. I’ll call you…’My Moment of Reflection.’”

“Shawn? Is that you?”

I blinked, glancing up. Red rose in my face as I spotted Leo walking towards me, dressed in what appeared his daily attire, a black sleeve-less shirt with a band I didn’t know on it, faded blue jeans that hung loosely around his hips, held up by a brown belt. The bottoms of the jeans pooled around his black shoes.

“Leo! Hi!” I mentally kicked myself, realizing I sounded like a schoolgirl with a crush.

“Hey.” He smiled slyly at me, leaning in and sliding his hands around my hips, drawing me in for a kiss. “How are you?”

I leaned into his touch. “I’m better than I was five minutes ago,” I whispered into his ear, all thoughts of my mother gone from my mind.

“Well I can look that as good or bad, but I’d rather not look into it at all right now.” He smiled, pulling back from the embrace he’d had on me.

“Well how are you?” I asked, smiling up at him, my hazel eyes sparkling.

“I’m fantastic.” He kissed me one more time. “Hey, would you like to grab a coffee?”

I stared blankly for a moment. “Oh!” I snapped out of my stupor. “Sure!”

“If you don’t want one…” he said, brows creasing.

“Oh no…I just had one, is all.” I laugh lightly, glancing away.

“Oh, that’s fine. Well actually, I was just gonna grab some to-go tonight, but would you like to come over? I can make you something.”

I blushed fiercely. Have to work on controlling that. “Are you sure?”

“Mm’hmm. I’ll come get you at six. Where do you live?”

--

Hello faithful readers.

I started a new story.

I’m so inconsistent. Do forgive.

I hope you like what I’ve got started here.

:D

-Jaws