Chapter Thirteen: Carmen
The palace is HUGE! It had at least four towers and about a kajillion windows. I couldn't help but look up at it as I was wearing my mask.
We walk up to the gigantic doors and two guards bow before opening the doors. We step in and I feel almost all eyes on me. "If you guys need me, I'll be at the wine bar," Krys says and walks away only to be swept away seconds later by a man.
"I think we'll join her," Mami dragged Papi. "You girls have fun though."
"Go dance," I tell Cami after noticing her uncertainty to leave.
"You sure? 'Cause I could stay."
"Go!" I laugh.
"Ok, but don't hesitate to call if you need me. Okay?" she says, walking away.
"Ok, Mami," I say sarcastically.
"May I have a dance?" a voice says behind me. I turn around and find a man around his mid-thirties and he had a bit of a belly. He was wearing a black mask that covered the left side of his face.
"Of course," I say, taking his hand.
"Fascinating dress, although, I didn't see on the invite to wear blue," he says as we dance.
"Well, the thing is, I'm not interested in the prince. And I am not very social, so I wore blue. Who wants to talk to the girl who wore blue?"
"I do," he says. He rests his hand on my waist and pulls me closer.
"Excuse me," I say, uncomfortable and he lets go. I curtsy and head to the two guards stationed at the doors.
"Could you guys tell me where the restroom is," I politely ask them.
"Down the hallway, first door on you right," one of them says opening the door. I thank them and leave, instead of going to the bathroom. I decide to explore the palace.
I had explored for a while when I across glass doors that led to a huge backyard garden. I open the doors and step out, taking in the fresh air. I walk further out and take off my mask and look at the night sky. Tonight had a full moon. I closed my eyes, smiling.
"I thought you were supposed to keep your masks on at a masquerade ball," a deep voice says behind me, surprising me. I turn around and the smell of fresh mint and sandalwood invades my nostrils. He looked to be at least 6'5'' and was wearing a silver full face mask but I could see his silver-grey eyes. It took every fibre in my body not to run my hand through his midnight black curls.
"I was just taking a break," I gasp.
He walks closer. "It's overwhelming in there isn't it?" I don't answer. He was so close to me I could feel the heat radiating off him. His eyes travelled to my lip and I lick them out of nervousness.
"May I have a dance?" He asks, outstretching his hand.
"Sure," I say and take it. I gasp as I feel sparks shoot through me at his touch. He snakes his hand around my waist and pulls me flush against him and we dance to the loud music emitting from the palace.
I don't know how long we dance for, but eventually, my legs hurt and we stopped and sat on a bench
"What's your name?"
"Carmen. Hernández," I say, taking off my shoes.
"You wore sneakers to a ball?" he asks incredulously.
"Yeah, I did. You got a problem?" I glared at him.
"No, I'm just surprised, I have never met a woman who wore sneakers to a social event."
"Well, I don't understand how people wear heels, they're so uncomfortable."
"At least you were never stepped on when dancing with someone wearing heels," he says.
"Says who?" I ask and we explode into laughter.
"How do you feel about the prince?" he asks, out of the blue.
"I think he is stuck up prick," I answer honestly.
"Why do say you that?" he asks.
"Who throws a ball and doesn't show up?" I say angrily.
"How do you know he didn't show up?"
"Because there weren't any trumpet or grand entrances. He probably thinks he's so great at making girls wait. I'm so glad I wore blue."
"Oh," Was all he said.
"I'm going to head back, wanna come?" I ask, standing.
"Let's go."
When we got back to the party, Cami was waiting for me.
"Who was that?" she asked when I met up with her.
"I honestly don't know. I just danced and talked with him. Have you seen the prince yet?"
"Why?"
"I want you guys to dance and fall in love so we can go home," I whine.
"Well, I danced with many men, but none of them said they were the prince,"
"He was probably too coward to--" I was interrupted by another man asking Cami to dance.
"One last dance, ok?" she says, leaving with him "Then, we'll go home. Find Mami and Papi."
I sigh and sit on one of the many chairs on the side. A group of women wearing revealing red mini dresses were loudly whispering about how weird I was and how I was just looking for attention. One of them even said that as soon as she was crowned queen, she will have me beheaded for trying to 'outshine' her. I just rolled my eyes and scoffed. I went looking for Mami and Papi when I was bored of hearing those girls boast about how they're better than every other girl here, and ran into Krys. "We're going home soon, did you want to join us?"
"No, I'm good. I have a ride," she slurred.
"Ok," I said and continued my quest. After what felt like an eternity of searching, I finally found my parents. "I looked for you guys everywhere, Cami and I feel like going home, what about you?"
"We were thinking the same thing. Is your boss coming with us?" Papi asked and Mami hummed in agreement. We found Cami and left. We didn't get the same driver, this time we had an older man.
"Did you girls have fun?" Mami asked.
"I danced with so many men, my feet are sore," Cami said.
"What about you?" Papi asked me.
"My night was pretty uneventful," I answer.
"What about the masked stranger?" Cami asked with a mischievous grin, and the image of those silver-grey eyes came to mind.
"What masked stranger?" Mami asked.
"Someone I danced with. No biggie," I say, casually shrugging.
"I didn't see you on the dance floor," Papi says confused.
"That's because they weren't in the ballroom," Cami smirks.
"Cami!" I exclaim, my cheeks getting red.
"Where were you guys then?" Mami asks.
"I think it was a backyard garden, but I'm not sure."
"Huh,' Papi says and scratches the scratches his beard, he always does that when he is thinking.
That night when we got home, I dreamt of silver-grey eyes