BEHIND THE MASK

The Death Of Me.

You know, all my life, I'd been doing one thing or another. Always all over the place — you get the gist.

But never had I ever been to a funeral. And I honestly didn't see myself attending one soon.

But fate seemed to have its nasty plans for me because, surprise! to hire me to dig a grave with my own hands.

I couldn't afford a casket. I only got to lay hands on a pine box that I'd gotten from a back alley carpenter and he didn't ask for the full payment upfront, luckily. I'd explained the situation to him, and I was fortunate enough because he believed me.

She deserved better, I knew that. But I couldn't afford what she deserved. And that made me feel a lot more miserable than I already felt.

I kept digging till my palms broke. Didn't mind the pain anyway. I lowered her down the 6-foot grave all on my own. Why? Because I couldn't afford to hire anyone to do it for me.

After covering her with the final shovelful of dirt, the ache in my chest expanded into full-blown rage.

Not the kinda rage that went all screams and yells, but the kind that simmered below your ribs in silence. Patiently waiting to be lashed out at.

★

Dragging my feet away from the cemetery, I walked back home.

Home. The place that once served as a comfort zone. But now?

It was more of a haunted house of memories.

Sitting on the floor, I kept my eyes pinned on the wall across the room. I had grandma's blanket covering me from the cold. She'd finished it. She'd finished it before she died.

A lone tear fell from my eyes, and I snapped my head to the side when my phone buzzed.

Alicia made a post on I*******m.

"It's CrestCarnage tonight 💋 Let's play, Avalon!"

Alongside the caption was a picture. She was in a red dress and had champagne in her hand. Liam was shirtless behind her, his hands around her waist.

A scoff of disbelief escaped my lips.

The post said it all. They were celebrating. Celebrating my ruin.

I kept my eyes pinned on the picture, barely even blinking, till the battery finally died.

And then, I found the strength to get up.....and head out.

★

Crest Height was a building made of glass and pure greed. You know the kind of buildings where one looks at it, and just decides — it's too clean for humans to live in? Yeah, Crest Height was one of those.

The long line to the party went all the way to the lobby. Everybody wanted in. Trust fund kids and influencers. Everyone is dressing like they bled gold or something. Everywhere I turned, reekofith wealth.

But I wasn't there to curse my wretched fate. So I walked past all of them.

The bouncer saw me and moved forward, his eyes scanning through the holes in my hoodie and the dry blood on my knuckles.

"I don't know when you're here, but honestly, I don't care. This place ain't for peeps like you."

"I'm here for Liam Crest, not you or the party."

He gave me the "really?" kinda look, cocking a brow. "Uh-huh. And I'm here for Megan Fox. Life's a bitch."

"Oh. Let him in," a voice had me turning.

Of course, it had to be Alicia.

She was standing at one of the glass doors, one of her manicured fingers twirling a champagne flute. Tilting her head, she smiled like she'd been expecting me or something.

Honestly speaking..... I should've turned around and left. But did I do that?

Nope.

Everything about the rich was overly exaggerated.

Because tell me why the music was loud enough to probably make my teeth rattle.

Stepping into the spotlight, the music stopped, and everyone went mute for a second.

Then, whispers erupted, and the drama seekers brought out their phones.

"Isn't that Steven?" someone laughed at what exactly I didn't know. It wasn't clear what the joke was.

"Damn, he looks so similar to a zombie right now."

I agreed with that comment. But I guess that was what you got when you encountered the horror I've experienced in 26 hours.

"A zombie? It's more like he just crawled out of a sewer."

I kept walking, though. Till I got to the lounge, which was set in the center.

There, Liam mother Fucking Crest sat like he was some dollar store god.

Alicia grabbed herself a seat beside him, being all touchy and clingy.

"Oh, look who we have here. I'm so glad you gave me the honor of seeing you at my party," he spoke mockingly. "I didn't expect you to still be existing, though."

"I'm here right now, aren't I?"

"My days.... He talks?" Some girls cooed.

Ignoring them, I focused on the guy in front of me. "You. Me. Out. Now."

He blinked twice and then smiled. "Oh?" he smirked. A sign that I should've accepted defeat and run. "Sure, boy. Might as well give 'em a show."

And that was how I got dragged out of the side exit and down the alley behind Crest Heights, which was narrow and shadowed. The walls were painted in piss and graffiti.

It was a very fitting place to kill a person and hide their body.

Liam had his sleeves rolled up. I watched Alicia light up a cigarette.

Since when did she smoke?

But then again, did I ever know her?

"Alrighty, so what're we doing?" he asked. "You offering a revenge speech? Yunno, one last thing we can use to remember you before we finish you off."

"Ruin me? Didn't you already do that?"I asked, bitterness seeping in my voice. "This is me letting you know that your time's up. I'm done letting you walk over me."

"Oooh, I'm scared, "Liam exchanged glances with Alicia before breaking into laughter.

"You hear that, Liam?"Alicia walked forward, laughing mockingly. "The beggar suddenly thinks he's a threat."

I clenched my fist. "I loved you....my biggest mistake was thinking you loved me too."

"Loved you?" she scoffed, doing an eye roll. "I only found you useful once upon a time. But then you suddenly became useless and ..... I don't keep useless things around."

"So it was all a lie? The small moments that you said mattered to you?"

"Excuse me, you believed that?" she snorted. "C'mon, you were only a convenience at the time. A common charity case that I dressed up to look a bit decent in photos. Heaven knows how hard I tried. Every kiss with you felt like I was catching a new kind of disease."

I made to step forward, but Liam blocked me with his firearm.

She wasn't done talking.

"And you know the thing that popped into my head when I saw your Grandma lying dead on that floor?" she smirked.

Of course they had something to do with it.....

"— Good riddance to bad rubbish. Old Hag was dragging you down just like you kept dragging me down. Open your eyes to reality for a minute."

And that was it. I snapped completely, swinging.....

But then one of Liam's muscled sycophants caught my arm and twisted it behind my back. I almost thought I broke a bone.

"You seriously think you can do anything to us? Such a worthless nobody, "Liam spat on my face.

"Look at it this way, Steven. You're an ugly stain. And stains are better off wiped out, don't you think?"Alicia hissed, reaching for her purse and pulling out a knife.

I froze.

There was no way she'd.....

She pressed the cold edge to my cheek, leaning in to whisper, "Let's get you a scar to seal your story."

And then she did it. She dragged it across my face. The pain was blinding, and blood oozed down my cheek as if a faucet had been turned on.

I screamed, I yelled, I crashed down to the ground.

Someone kicked my head. Another blow landed on my stomach.

At this point, I was barely able to tell who was who due to the tears.....or rather, blood in my eyes.

I tried keeping my eyes closed, but my head hit a metal object the moment Liam threw me in the dumpster.

Their laughter fading into the background was the last thing I heard before the door slammed shut.

The rain started again. It was beginning to feel like the universe was grieving with me.

I may be there inside the filth with my face torn open and blood pooling in my mouth. It was impossible to move too.

But what did it matter anyway?

I had nothing left.

Zero family....

No love....

Had no home to return to.

Had a blurry future.

Everything got buried today, and it was funny how I was the last thing getting buried.

But fate's one hell of a cruel bitch. She waits until you're so eager to meet death before giving you a reason to cancel the meeting.

I heard footsteps approach me.

"It's a person...."

".... breathing."

"......he okay?.......right now!"

"Call 911......the Hale hospital?"

"Bring the car!"

Hale.

That was the last thing ringing in my head as I gave in to the darkness.