Masked Horror and Beauty

Hazel strode into the ballroom, self conscious about her gown. Too fancy? Not fancy enough? She chewed on her bottom lip, an old nervous habit. She had never been to a masquerade before. She wondered if her horned mask was good enough.
Alex was as always within his circle of friends, not really listening to what was going on around him. instead he was scene around him. Iit was like something out of a movie.....the decor, the people, the costumes. It just looked weird. but cool at the same time.
She sipped the punch. Nasty. She subtly spit it out into her napkin, then crumpled it up.
He tugged at his 16th century suit, not enjoying how tight it was. He felt stupid, but it seemed like no one cared.
 Don't look at anyone, don't talk to anyone, just look down....she thought. As she walked right into someone else.
Alex turned his head, "Hi there." he smirked.
Hazel's face was as red as a strawberry "Uh..I...you...and..." She looked down again. "Sorry."
 "It's okay." he chuckled. "I wasn't paying attention either, it was bound to happen to one of us sooner or later."
Hazel gave a small smile. "Are you as nervous as I am? Because I have never been to one of these events and I don't know what to do or the etiquette..." she trailed off, realizing that she was rambling. Damn. She always rambled in front of handsome men.
"I'm not nervous. Just bored. I've been to one too many of these things." he cracked a grin.
She blushed again. "Oh, well...I haven't. I mean, it's not like I'm not very popular so I don't get invited, it's just I haven't got the time..."
"I get it." He smiled again. "So whats your name?"
"H-H-Hazel. Hazel Gaffre."
"Nice to meet you Hazel", He smiled and extended a hand. "I'm Alex. Alex Hayes."
 She shook it. His hand was surprisingly smooth. "Please to meet you as well. I'm not usually this awkward, by the way."
"You're not awkward," he chuckled. "Just nervous."
"That's obvious. So..should I leave so you can go back to your friends?"
"Only if you want to," He said, hoping she wouldn't leave.
She looked up at his buttery brown eyes. "I'm fine here."
He smiled, looking into her own golden ones. "Good." he said in a warm voice. "So, tell me more about yourself, Hazel Gaffre."
Hazel gulped. "Well, I'm a broke artist. No ones buying my work because they think that easel painting is a thing of the past. I'm 22, and love the fall. Painting leaves is my passion."
"Well, when can I see some of your art? It sounds pretty interesting." He said, still looking straight into her eyes. "Do you have any pictures?"
"Not with me, no. But one of them is displayed over there." she jerked her head towards the framed painting of a tree at the beginning of fall.
He turned his head to look at the painting. His jaw just about dropped. "That-that's amazing!" He turned back to her. "How could anyone not want to buy that?"
She took a sip of wine that had been given by a nearby waitress. "Who knows? I don't really care. I'll switch to sketching teacups if it'll get the rent in."
"I really do like them" Alex said, still a tad awestruck by the work.

"At least somebody does. What about you? Have any talents?" Hazel asked.

He shrugged. "I write a bit," he said, not exactly wanting to admit that he was THE Alex Hayes, famous author.

She eyed him curiously. "Mr. Hayes, as soon as I heard your name i knew that you were the author of Pain Through Momentum, so you better start being honest with me."

He cringed, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Apology not accepted, because you do not need to apologize. Your novel is one of my favorites."

"Really?" he broke into a grin. "Usually people ridicule me for my writing. Almost all of my works are banned in various parts of the world."

"Why is that?"

"The most common reason is that 'my style is influenced by Satan himself, so much that it is as if Lucifer is writing it himself.'" he rolled his eyes.

"Well, then Satan must be a pretty good writer." She smiled softly. "It's a bit stuffy in here, would you like to walk out into the gardens with me?"

He smiled and held out his arm. "Certainly, Miss Gaffre." he said with a faux London accent.

She held his arm as they walked out. "Can I see under your phoenix mask?" she asked softly when they were alone on the terrace.

He hesitated. "No," he said finally, his voice coming out a little more harsh than planned.

Hazel was a bit taken aback.She meant to act offended, but she forgot it in all of her giddiness. "I'll show you my face,then." she took her mask off, letting her wavy auburn locks fall past her breasts. Her small nose made her eyes look bigger.

"Hazel," he said, sounding breathless. "You are stunning."

"Its my mothers curse. Beauty is not good in my opinion. Makes men think you have no brains." she took a step closer to him. "Your turn." she whispered.

"N-no" he said quickly. he didn't want the inspiration for his writing, the scars and burns given to him by his father,  to repulse the most beautiful woman in the world.

"Alex, I don't care if your hideous. I just want to see the man I think I'm falling for."

He sighed. "Oh, all right," he said after a while. He lifted his hand up to his mask, letting his fingers float in the air for a second, hesitating. He finally pulled the mask off, watching it drop to the ground.

She traced the scars gently with her finger. "Oh, Alex. They are wonderfully horrendous."

He shivered as she touched him, then put a hand on top of hers. "There's nothing wonderful about them," he said dully.

"Of course there is. Everywhere, there are flawless, beautifully boring people. but people like you, with history, with grit, with personality...that's true beauty."

He said nothing, instead putting his hands on her waist and once again looking into the precious golden eyes of hers.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she murmured

"My thoughts are free. I was just thinking about what you said." and about you in general..he brought her a little closer to him, moving his hands a little higher so they were resting only an inch below her breasts.

She felt warm where he touched. "You can kiss me if you want," she said it quietly, so he couldn't hear.

He didn't need to. He pulled her in, grazing his lips over hers.

She melted into him, letting him touch and feel and caress her everywhere. "Alex.....I...."

"What?" he mumbled into her lips, drawing her closer still. he ran a hand down her waist and thigh slowly.

The clock struck, indicating it was 4oclock. "I must go...I'm sorry..." she kissed him one last time. "I'll see you in another lifetime." And with that, she ran off into the night.

"Hazel..." Alex whispered, staring off into the starry sky. "I think I love you."

Author's Note

my grammer sucks.
this was written with the help of tophat girl (profile: http://www.writerscafe.org/tophatgirl ) i played alex, she hazel, and we just played off each other. we had the setting, and that was basically it, everything else was left to chance.