One of my more recent stories I wrote. Let me know what you think. Feedback appreciated.

[b]After Dark[/b]

Tonight was the night. A night of drama and camaraderie of a different kind and all for the wrong reasons. The hostilities would be felt from afar, tensions thick as the happy couples around them danced and spun and laughed and swooned, heady on romance and starry-eyed fantasies. But not for them .Tonight, all would be revealed in more ways than one.

First the hostilities. Then the looks of confusion from across the room. The avoidance. The anger. The frustration. Then, unable to take the torture anymore, the imminent confrontation would soon ensue.

They always say the real fun begins after dark...

Leila checked her make-up and readjusted her dress for the umpteenth time in the mirror. She was wearing a calf-length silk halter dress, a matching ribbon wrapped around her waist. It was in the most dramatic shade of dark purple, mesmerising and eye-catching. If she was going to make a scene, she may as well have the colour to match.

The rage was bubbling deep inside and the tears threatening to ruin the façade. But Leila applied her stiff upper lip. They would not get the better of her. Not yet, at least. She carefully walked downstairs and put on the black stilettos she made sure to war to an event like this, no matter how uncomfortable it would be. Tonight was already as uncomfortable as it was.

With one last faraway look around the house, contemplating whether she should stay home instead, Leila soon pushed herself out the door and locked it behind her, giving her more incentive to go ahead with her plan.

They always say the real fun begins after dark...

*****************************

Leila’s ticket was taken and her mask given to her at the door.

Tonight was the night of the local masquerade ball, the ballroom of one of the most expensive and exclusive hotels in the area decked out in lashings of red and gold, cast-iron candelabras in all corners of the room and fairy lights lining the walls.

Everything was so opulent and obscene: the banquet of fresh and decadent foods all up for grabs for golden tongues with silver spoons firmly in their mouths. Leila also couldn’t help but look up at the crystal chandelier taking pride of place in the middle of the ballroom and exactly right above her head. She was truly out of place here, too much magic and wonder clouding her head.

She had spent three pay cheques worth to be here tonight. Leila was going to make sure she went out in style, even if it killed her. But it already was...

She had been given a purple and silver mask, beautifully decorated and also in her favourite colour. Leila hoped they would notice this rather significant fact.

Leila had to find them, to keep track of the comings and goings of the two so she knew when to pounce, when to finally have enough of the whole damn thing. Just biding her time now...

Leila wandered around a little more around the ballroom, having no real choice since she didn’t know how to conduct herself at these things. But then again, she didn’t come here to schmooze.
Then, out of the blue, Leila saw it, a sickening sight indeed...Them.

He was wearing a black and gold mask, hers a red one to go perfectly with her primary blue number, a knee-length dress. I guess red was an appropriate choice for her...

As much as she wanted to, as much as she was dying to, Leila couldn’t go over yet to confront them. In due time...

[i]First the hostilities...[/i]

Leila wandered further with a smooth, cat-like gait and wondered if they had cottoned on already, that she was here with them, seeing all and about to be caught up in their web of tawdry tonight, which would soon lead to the final bow.

It was to be his eyes that locked onto Leila’s first as she neared a little closer to the two. He could see right through her mask like she could see through his. So transparent. Of course, he quickly unlocked himself from the stares and pretended not to notice her, although his expression still remained confused.

[i]...The looks of confusion from across the room...[/i]

Leila was far from confused. She knew exactly what was going on. She had known so for weeks. It had only taken this long to reach the pinnacle so as to allow him to have his ego stroked just that little bit longer, to feel proud of himself, thinking he had gotten away with it all. He hadn’t.

And now, since he had been caught, he was continuing to freeze Leila out. If he kept ignoring her, maybe she would go away, like he always hoped.

[i]...The avoidance.[/i]

The pangs of hurt and fury had returned just as Leila had them under control. The fact that he had spent so much to be here and would rather live in a world of make-believe of riches and decadence, to soon discard her back into her world of obscurity made her composure all the more worse.

[i]...The anger.[/i]

Leila couldn’t take this, having it rubbed in her face, thinking he was all mighty and believing his charade was still intact. No regard for her at all...

Forget it, she was going over there, the plan surely couldn’t compete with the rage that was now returning, burning a hole in her careful construction. It was all becoming too much and Leila wasn’t putting up with it.

[i]...The frustration.[/i]

Leila’s paced quickened as she swarmed and shimmied her way through the packed ballroom, desperate to get to them to finally rip down the perfect manipulation and end this once and for all...

...And then the lights dimmed. The room went dark.

A slow song began to play, perfect for lovers and those soon-to-be the opportunity to ignite the sparks. Leila struggled to see in the shallow-lit room, now panicking as she tried to find the both of them again, her plan threatening to fall apart at the seams now.

Leila prayed the song would just end already so the damn lights would go back on. This couldn’t end here. This was to be the final curtain.

Thankfully, all soon returned to normal: lights brightening again, those tow in plain sight and Leila’s plan still intact. Time to make her move.

She squirmed her way further into the crowd, coming closer and closer towards the offenders. Leila felt so nervous, hands clammy, stomach flipping, heart racing. But it had to be done...

Leila finally reached the both of them just in time for them to turn around to see her. The horror was clear on their faces.

“Leila?”

Even underneath the mask, he knew. He knew very well.

Leila proceeded to remove her mask, untying it from behind and letting the ribbon fall. The shock intensified.

Meanwhile, she looked at Leila with eyes of daggers, sharp and poison-tipped. Leila was ruining her sly and deceitful work she and tried so hard to maintain, but wasn’t that the point tonight? Her mouth hung agape, as was his.

Leila’s adrenaline began to rush as bravery took hold, nerves ignored, ripping off the other woman’s mask and throwing it to the floor with unfamiliar grace and ease, the mask an apt shade of scarlet. She stood still, unable to react, still- open-mouthed but not really as brave or triumphant anymore.

Leila then turned her attention towards him, who she had once gave her heart to, trusted and loved, without warning, slapped him with a force never used, powerful and direct despite her fragile, dainty hand. He even stumbled back a little.

Of course, a crowd was now forming around the three, whispers, snickers and gossip spreading thick and fast. But Leila wasn’t concerned, now she the one triumphant at last. With one last glance, she left these parting words: “I knew all along.” And then Leila left, a path forming on each side as she made her way to the exit.

Leila had always known she could never fit into his world, a world of prestige, class and narcissism she never had aspired for in the first place. She thought he would eventually change one day, that love would conquer and endure over all else and he wouldn’t care who or what Leila truly was.

But that was a star-crossed notion. He cared more about the approval of others and his own status among them. He almost seemed ashamed of Leila most of the time.

And so, he found someone more worthy of his self-centred and opulent world. Shame he hadn’t told Leila about it first.

Leila had always suspected it. But instead of confronting him head-on, she wanted to give him a farewell he would truly appreciate, in his own lavish environment and to suffer humiliation in front of those he strived to please. She wanted everyone to know he had cheated in as direct a way as possible. Hopefully she had succeeded. Lucky those who lived within his lavish and high-class environment were judgement and catty by nature and design. Gossip was guaranteed to spread that he had finally been caught out. They wouldn’t be able to help themselves.

Leila had done her job. All else would fall into place.

They always say the real fun begins after dark...