Chapter Three: Stolen Twice

"Sophie! Sophs!?" I called nervously to no avail, someone had snatched Sophie, I looked around but felt like I was drowning in a sea of pink.

Peeps were definitely not prepared for this Gothic look, the attention was overwhelming, as if even with my mask on, people knew it was me.

I made my way, trying to find a shadow where I could hide and observe the Elite of Saint Francis School mingle, laugh and diss everyone that didn't have it as easy as them.

I finally found a nice wooden bench, but a tall, leggy guy in a Skeleton suit dashed in and beat me to it. "Hey!!! I was here first!" I called out to the guy.

"If you snooze, you loose!" he said shrinking his shoulders, "There's plenty of room for you." he tapped the bench motioning me to sit next to him.

I gathered my skirt, unawarely showing my Docs and sat down, "Thanks." I said curtly, avoiding contact. For the next five minutes we just sat there listening and watching people dance to the music playing, might I just add the adjective lame to describe the music that we were listening to.

I stole glances, but all I saw was the skeleton mask, there was no way I could see any defining features, not that they would help, I didn't actually know any of these Elite kids, mostly I avoided them like the devil does the cross.

"You are burning a hole in my face, you know?" he moved to look directly at me.

I looked away, "I'm sorry didn't mean to, it's just that..."I felt trapped by this person's deep voice.

"That you feel frustrated by this mask? Right? It's kind of freeing, don't you think? We can reinvent ourselves, be someone else for a while."

What was this dude on about? "Sorry to disappoint you, but I suffer no such qualms, I'm comfortable with myself and damn the rest." I quietly responded.

"You don't look like those girls." he nodded his head in the general direction of the dancing area.

"Gods No!" I laughed and patted his back jokingly, "Dude! Look at what I'm wearing!"

He looked at me, from top to bottom, suddenly making me feel all too aware of the attributes this dress evinced. I jittered on the bench, "Hey you trying to burn a hole?" He shook his head as if waking from a slumber, "Sorry, still, don't you think the masks give us some measure of freedom? Not knowing each other, speaking what we think, no consequences!" he looked at me and I could sense the mischief.

"Again, I only live to my expectations, I don't care what anyone thinks, unless it's Sophs."

"Sophs?" he asked. "Yeah, my best friend Sophie, she's the only person that matters."

"So you always speak your mind?" he asked.

"Do I? I wonder..." I whispered.

He laughed, "You are funny!"

"Humph...that's a first!."

"Let's dance!" he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor.

I don't know what came over me, I never feel nervous, but when he touched me, I swear my heart skipped a beat, when he pulled me closer so we could dance, I actually forgot to breathe.

" FYI, I can kick your ass unconscious in less than a minute." my eyes threw darts at him.

"Really? Wow... you got to show me that!" he pulled me closer, so close I could feel his breath on my forehead.

"You're too close." I tried freeing myself from the embrace.

"Come on, live it up! Let's have some fun." he laughed twirling me around his body, his laugh was so contagious I found myself laughing with him.

"OK, let's shake our booties!" I just let go and wiggled my body to the now fast rhythm of the music.

We danced the night away and before we knew it, midnight was upon us, walking hand in hand, almost like we were afraid to loose each other, we made our way back to where we started, that little wooden bench in the shadows, we could hear the host speaking about All Hallows' Eve traditions to an enthralled audience, but we just sat there, tired, in silence.

Suddenly the host announced the end of the ball, "Ladies and gentlemen it has been our utmost pleasure to have hosted this party, hopefully we'll be welcoming some of you next spring, in a few minutes the countdown to Witching hour will begin and you'll be able to know your partners..." on he went but I couldn't make myself hear him, dreading the separation from this skeleton companion.

Almost like he was dreading the same thing he hugged me, lifted his skeleton mask just enough so I could see his lips and "BAM" kissed me full on the lips, it really doesn't matter how many books you have read, how many movies you've seen, how many times you've imagined being kissed, because let me tell you, it's not even a light year close to reality, your heart stops, you forget to breathe, your eyes close, and all you can do is feel and sigh when its over. I stood motionless for a moment that felt like forever, I couldn't move, even if I wanted I couldn't, he had me in a death grip.

He looked away from my swollen lips saying, "I'm sorry. I just needed to kiss you, so I remember tonight. It's been awesome, but know it will be unforgettable." He loosened his grip, I could sense he felt guilty for having kissed me without permission, but what could I say? 'You just stole my first kiss, you idiot!' that would be beyond embarrassing, so I just said the first thing that popped into my mind.

"You've got nice lips!" and my face turned beetle red after I realized what I had said. He looked taken back, but the smile was worth my utter humiliation. "Thanks, I thought I would be minced meat by now." I put a hand to my lips, "No prob, I don't mind the sacrifice if it means you were true to yourself, isn't this the kind of freedom you were looking for tonight?" he didn't speak for a while, but when he did it surprised me. "Is that how you feel? Like you sacrificed something in order for me to feel good about myself?"; "Well maybe sacrifice is too strong a word, I meant to say it was OK, you did it because you felt the need and you acted upon it, its only natural? Right?" I looked at him uncertainty tinting my voice, maybe for the first time in my life.

"OK, so I'm safe, you're not going to come after me and kill me in my sleep?" he didn't sound very sure, but joked lightening the mood.

"Nah, to much of a hassle, I'm not into Sherlocky stuff, I'm more of a fighter, if you pissed me off you would be lying on the floor, that's how I roll." my confidence finally kicked in, thank the Gods.

Witching hour was here..."10, 9, 8, 7, 6, ..." was all I could hear as he drew nearer, "Are you a kiss and tell kind of girl?" his hand came up to my face and he brushed my cheek, his head bent down so his lips were a whisper away from mine. "I don't know, are you?" he smiled and touched my lips again for the briefest moment, whispering to them, " I don't know."

Then all hell broke loose as everyone started clapping and cheering, I was so startled I moved in the direction of the crowd, everyone was taking their masks off, I looked back, but the Skeleton guy was gone...and so was my first kiss, stolen by a stranger.