I waited for the rebuke when I brought out my mask and placed it on my face. But there was silence.
I opened my eyes that had been shut and peered at my new family. They were staring at me.
We had finished breakfast a few minutes ago, and the others had left for a meeting in the great hall, a continuation of last night, and probably the finalization of the engagement.
Not that I cared. But it was the same place Laura and Peter were going to, until they had seen me bring out my mask dramatically.
“What are you doing, Maya?” That was Peter, slow to comprehend my reason for this, as I could see that Laura and Diana had caught onto my reasons.
Their eyes were shrouded with anger and then pity; hopefully the anger was toward Adam and his brothers.
“Please call me Dora, Peter. That’s the new name. As you know, this is my pack. I’m sure of it. The surroundings are familiar. I don’t want them to know it is me, until I find out what had happened to me. So, until then, I would don a mask, until we leave.” I capped, lying through my teeth.
Diana shifted on her feet, and I hoped to god that Laura didn’t see that as a tell-tale sign that the younger girl knew I was lying.
She didn’t. Thank god.
Peter nodded however, understanding my lie. “That’s okay then. We will be heading out now…Dora. Take care of Diana and yourself. I will inform the queen of the name change, and the reasons. Is that okay?”
I nodded, best to give the queen crumbs so that she wouldn’t sniff around like a rabid dog on a quest for food.
“And Ma…Dora, if you will be wearing a mask, what would you do when the prince, Adam, comes to the community after arrangements have been finalized?” Laura asked, peering at me.
“I don’t know Laura, I will cross that bridge when we come to it,” I answered, more confident than I felt.
What would I do then? Wear a mask all the days of my life?
I shook my head. But I knew I was ready to do that, at least until I got my revenge. I watched as Laura and Peter walked out of the lodging.
“We really need to find answers quickly, or rather, what do you want to do?” Diana asked me, as we stood there watching the thick brown oak door that had been long shut on its hinges after Peter and Laura had walked past it.
“Revenge, Diana. But don’t worry your thick head about it.. I have it under control.” I answered, lying for the umpteenth time.
She nodded. “And after that?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came up. I was stuck.
“Don’t worry about it, Dora. We can talk about that later. About calling you Dora, is that necessary when we are inside the house?”
I shook my head, unable to get rid of the sadness in her voice. She thought that I would leave her? But wouldn’t I?
I sighed, squatting to her height, and drawing her to me. “Diana..” I called, lifting her chin so that she could face me; she had faced down all this while.
“I won’t leave you, I promise. I will always be around, so long as I am around.”
She blinked back tears then, and smiled, before something, a thought, stopped the train of that smile.
“What is that?” I wondered what had the capacity to stop her happiness.
“You just spoke as if you might not come out alive from the revenge you are planning. Why is that? What are you planning?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. Was that how I sounded?
“I don’t know, Diana. I don’t have any plans. I only have passion. With time, I hope the universe throws me an opportunity. I don’t think I can stay still, at peace, without dishing plates of retribution to the boys.” I answered truthfully, waning as she sighed.
“Okay then. If you need help, I am here for you. Let’s go for the stroll then.” She mentioned, readjusting the mask on my face.
“Better now.” She muttered, watching as I stood up to my full height.
“Thank you.” I said, jerking when my phone rang in my bag.
Who could be calling? I asked myself, knowing that the only people that could be with my number were Peter and Laura. No one else.
Could they be calling me? I wondered, bringing out my phone, knowing that Diana was still watching me.
The number wasn’t saved.
I looked at Diana in alarm.
“What is it?” She asked in a whisper, and I found it funny that she didn’t understand how a phone worked. She must be thinking that the person calling would be able to hear her speak.
“I don’t know. I don’t have this number.” I answered, even as I picked the call, and placed the phone in my ear. “Hello…” I said tentatively, my breath coming out in whispers.
Diana drew closer to me, her hand clutching to my thighs as if she could hear the caller speak if she did that.
“Hello, am I speaking to Maya from the community?”
I nodded, then remembering that I was on a call, spoke out loud, in a whisper yet. “Yes.”
“Okay. Well, you are not at work today. I thought I had mentioned that you start immediately.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, even as my mind caught on that the person calling was my new boss, from the store that Peter had managed to secure an employment from.
Didn’t Peter tell the man that I would be following him to the treaty party?
“hello…are you there?”
“Yes, I am here. I apologize for the misinformation. My guardian had mentioned I would start the following week, Monday to be precise. I had followed him to the treaty party at the Lycan’s region.”
“Oh that…I see. See you on Monday then. Please be on time.”
And the phone call ended.
Wow.