Beneath The Mask

By: Vikki

  

It was Halloween, my favorite night of the year.  Autumn had come in full force and the tree leaves had turned their various shades of orange and red.  The weather was still warm enough to be able to leave the jacket at home, but there was a briskness to the air as I hurried to my car. 

I had a hard time squeezing myself in my costume into my tiny Dodge Neon.  It wasn't that the costume was large, in fact it was the exact opposite.  The problem was that I could hardly bend in the tight faux leather that made up my Catwoman costume.  I still don't know how I let the salesman at Party City talk me into such a form fitting costume, but there I was, dressed to kill and on my way to the Halloween party of the century.  For a moment I wished that I had gone with one of the more comfortable costumes... like a clown.  I bet I'd have made a perky little clown.

Pure luck had gotten me invited to this shindig.  Just a week before Halloween I had ran into my sister's ex.  Normally that wouldn't have been anything out of the ordinary.  He is my niece's father after all, so I did bump into him from time to time.  My sister always kept me posted on what he was up to, and although she and he didn't work out as a couple, he was never a bad guy. 

I ran into Eric at the local convenience store and we struck up a conversation about the usual stuff... the weather, our jobs, the local sports teams.  The conversation had led to a topic near and dear to his heart... his band.  It turned out his band was performing for a major party on Halloween night in New York City.  I told him that sounded exciting and wished him a good time at the party. 

 

It was then that Eric invited me to go to the party.  He stated that he'd been given an invite to bring a date, but he currently wasn't seeing anyone that he wanted to drag along.  He'd be performing most of the night anyway, so why bother?  According to Eric this party was going to be a bash to end all bashes.  Everyone who was anyone in the City that night would be attending. 

 

I hesitated before accepting, but I had no plans for Halloween.  On a fun night of ghosts and goblins, who really wanted to stay home and watch television?  Not I. 

So here I was, heading to a party where the only person I'd know was a member of the band performing that night.  As I drove to New York, a feat in and of itself, I double and triple checked that I had the small invitation that Eric had given me.  He'd made sure to remind me to bring it, or else I wouldn't be attending any party.  It was strictly by invitation only.  Without it, I'd be swiftly escorted to the curb.

 

Driving in the city has never been high on my list of favorite things to do, yet I hadn't wanted to bus it in while wearing my Catwoman costume.  So facing the infamous NYC traffic was my only choice.  After a mere five wrong turns, I finally found the location I was looking for.  I felt a great sense of relief when I finally parked the car. 

 

As I gathered up my purse I could see colorfully costumed people entering the hotel across the street.  Clearly I was at the right place.  The party would have officially started by now, but probably wouldn't hit full swing for a good hour or so. 

 

I carefully made my way across the street.  In the stiletto heels I wore, this was no easy task.  But in order to be a realistic Catwoman, a girl had to take a few risks.  Or so I'd told myself when I had splurged on the new boots. 

 

I showed my invitation at the door and was pointed in the direction of the ballroom.  I could hear the music playing and could have followed it to find the party even without a point in the right direction.  As I crossed the lobby to the ballroom, I stopped for a moment to check my reflection in a mirror.  I wouldn't want to enter with my mask crooked. 

Satisfied that I looked as good as I could in the outfit I chose, I headed in.  As I opened the door, the joyous mix of laughter and music hit me and made me smile.  The room was packed full of costumed guests.  Dare I hope that at least some of the male guests would be unaccompanied by a date?

 

"Meow, Catwoman... meeeeow."  A raspy masculine voice came from behind me.  I turned to see a Phantom of the Opera standing there.  His face hidden behind the white mask, but an appreciative smirk was quite evident. 

 

I made a loud purr in return and chuckled as his eyes widened at my brazenness.  I couldn't help but feel that I knew this masked man from somewhere, but I couldn't see enough of his face to come to any conclusions. 

"Care to join me in a drink?"  He asked, with a polite bow.

 

"I'd love to."  I happily agreed.  I felt quite pleased with myself to have captured the attention of a charming man so soon after entering the room.  I had half-expected to wind up a wallflower, watching the party unfold around me. 

 

Monsieur Phantom offered me his arm after flipping his cap over his shoulder with a flourish.  Overly dramatic?  Maybe.  But it was impressive.  He led me over to the bar and gestured for me to order first.  After ordering my Cosmopolitan, I was surprised by his order of a simple Coke.   

With drinks in hand my Phantom friend led me over to a small table. 

 

"So, sexy, what's a nice kitty like you doing in a crazy place like this?"  He asked once we were seated.

 

I had to laugh.  "Well that's an original line."  I commented sarcastically.  "Are you going to ask my astrological sign next?" 

 

I didn't know what it was that made me so vocal.  Usually among strangers, I'm more reserved... almost timid.  Yet something about being masked made it much easier to be free with comments.  With a mask on my face, I could be anyone or anything I desired and no one would know the difference. 

 

"Ooh, the kitty has a bit of a bite, does she?"  The Phantom teased me. 

 

"Only when provoked." I countered as I attempted an innocent smile.  In the form-fitting costume I wore, I'm sure the smile was anything but innocent.

 

"I think I've found myself a feisty little putty-tat."  He joked, his voice mimicking Tweety Bird.

 

"So, tell me, Mr. Phantom, do you pick up a lot of strays, or am I just a lucky kitty?"  I joked back.

 

"A gentleman never tells."  He replied.

 

"I wasn't asking a gentleman, I was asking you."  I stated as I took a deep sip of my drink.

"Ouch!"  He replied, his hand held to his chest as if I'd struck a nerve.  "You don't know me well enough to know that much about me... yet." 

 

I couldn't believe what was happening.  Was I really sitting there flirting with a complete stranger?  That was so unlike me... and yet I had to admit, it felt great. 

 

My new friend and I continued our conversation as we sipped our drinks and watched the other partygoers.  Every now and then one of us would point out an extremely unique costume that we spotted in the crowd.  As much as we talked, I found myself realizing that I was learning very little about the man that sat across from me.  Admittedly, I didn't offer much information on myself either, but it was a curious situation.

 

"Uh oh... should I be scared?"  I commented after awhile.

"Why?"  He questioned.

I gestured over towards where I saw a couple dressed up as Batman and Batgirl.  "Looks like the Batcouple has arrived."  I laughed.

 

"You don't need to worry about them."  My masked Phantom replied. 

"Will you protect a poor defenseless kitty if things get ugly?"  I asked, unashamedly batting my eyelashes.

 

"Of course." 

 

Just then the caped crusader and sidekick started heading our way.  I glanced over at the Phantom and realized that he knew the tall man and the blonde at his side. 

 

"What's this I see?"  Batman asked.  "Can it be that my friend the Phantom is fraternizing with one of my enemies?"

 

"Oh I do believe Ms. Kitty has seen the error of her ways." 

 

I nodded as I laughed.  "Yes, this cat only walks the straight and narrow.  I'm a good girl now."  I stated.

 

"Batman, Batgirl, won't you join us?"  The Phantom offered.

 

"We'd be delighted."  Batgirl replied as Batman pulled over a couple chairs.  As she took her seat with us, her caped date and my masked buddy wandered over to the bar to get drinks for us all.

 

While he was away, I took a moment to glance over at the woman who'd joined our table.  She looked vaguely familiar, but once again I couldn't place where I might know her from.  I was going to ask, but I felt awkward and decided it was probably just one of those times when someone reminds me of someone else.  We politely smiled at one another but neither of us broke the silence that fell.

 

The guys eventually returned with our drinks and a moment passed where we all tried to think of something to say.

"Have you seen Spiderman around anywhere?"  Batman eventually broke the quiet. 

"Not in the past few minutes."  The Phantom replied.  "I saw him talking with a Britney Spears but that's the last I've seen of him."

 

"Spiderman?"  I asked casually.

"He's another friend of ours."  Batman explained.

"And is there a Super-man around here somewhere?"  I joked.

 

"Not with us... although I do believe I did see one over that way..."  Batgirl replied, as she gestured across the room.

 

As if beckoned by the mention of his name, Spiderman suddenly appeared at that moment.  He pulled a chair over without being invited and sat down next to Batgirl. 

"This party sucks."  He stated as he glanced over at me.  "Why hello there Catwoman.  I don't believe we've met!"

 

I smiled in response.

"You're not having a good time?"  Batman asked.

Spiderman turned to look at his friend and shrugged.  "Its ok, I suppose.  But I can't seem to find any gal who'll let me recreate that upside down kiss scene from the movie."  He replied, a pout evident in his voice.

 

"Cheer up, Spidey.  The night is young."  The Phantom stated.

 

"Where you from, Catwoman?"  Spiderman asked.

"Jersey."  I replied.  "How about you?"

 

"I'm a man of the world."  He replied.  "I'm from everywhere."

 

We all had a good chuckle at that.  Before anyone could continue the conversation, Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper joined us.  It was clear to me that the guys knew the two Star Wars characters.  I was impressed by Vader because he even went so far as to get a voice distorter to make his voice sound eerily like Darth Vader's.  I was surprised when the Storm Trooper spoke, for it turned out that whomever was behind the mask was a woman.  I had automatically assumed that both were men.  Wrong assumption on my part.

 

Soon everyone was chatting, and I felt like I was an outsider looking in.  It wasn't that I was purposely left out of the conversation, because Phantom and the others would do their best to draw me in.  However most of what they discussed seemed to be inside jokes.  Yet I had fun just sitting there listening to their comments. 

 

"Hey, has anyone seen the Mummy around?"  Spiderman asked after a bit. 

Everyone looked around, but answered in the negative. 

 

"I wonder where he's hiding."  Darth Vader added.

 

"Is he another one of your friends?"  I asked my Phantom pal.

Mr. Phantom nodded his head. 

"How many of you are there?"  I questioned with a laugh. 

"That's it.  Five of us guys, two of us with wives."  Spiderman answered for his friend.

 

I nodded my head as I glimpsed someone dressed as a mummy at the bar.  "Hey, is that him?"  I asked, pointing.  It was Halloween after all, and more than likely there would be more than one mummy attending the party.

 

"Looks like him."  Spiderman agreed as he jumped up and ran over to the bar.  He stalked up behind his pal as we watched. 

 

Just as the Mummy had grabbed his drink from the bartender, Spidey sprung shouting "BOO!" rather loudly.  Mummy man jumped, spilling his drink all down the front of his tightly wrapped costume.  Spiderman laughed hysterically but quickly moved out of the way before retaliation could occur.

The Mummy only took a moment to recover and soon he was chasing his friend.  Those of us at the table were quite amused and we laughed as Spiderman got chased around our table a few times.

Finally Spiderman pulled my chair out and put me right in the way, between himself and his mummified pal.

 

"Ack!"  I had exclaimed as the Mummy tried reaching around me to grab Spiderman.  I felt like a pickle in the middle and had no escape.

 

"I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!"  Spiderman told the Mummy.

 

Eventually the Mummy and Spiderman called a truce and Spidey returned to his seat.  The Mummy pulled over a chair to join us as well.  I chanced a look over at him.  He was wrapped tightly with bandages over his entire body.  Even his face was covered, minus a small space for his eyes and mouth. 

 It was a tight fit at the table, but not uncomfortable.  There was a sense of comaraderie about the gang.  Even I couldn't help but feel welcome after awhile.  At first I'd felt invisible, but it wasn't long at all before I felt right at home.  Soon we were all laughing and joking.  I had forgotten completely that there was a party going on around us.  In my mind there was just that one table. 

 

Time passes quickly when you're having fun, and that night was no exception.  Five minutes before midnight, the host of the party called for everyone's attention.  The band quieted as the host spoke and announced that on the strike of midnight it would be time for the unmasking.  This announcement made me somewhat nervous.  Once the mask came off, I couldn't hide any longer.  The people I'd enjoyed conversing with for the night would see me as I truly was. 

In a positive light, I'd get to see who my companions were.  I was anxious to see the people behind the masks.  I'd come to enjoy the company of each and every one of them, and hoped that after this night was over that maybe, perhaps I would have a few new friends that would stay in touch.

Never for one minute did I expect the surprise that was awaiting me at the strike of midnight.

 

As the last minutes before the witching hour ticked down, I noticed that the Phantom sitting next to me appeared to be as nervous as I was.  Was he worried of my reaction once I saw his face?  That couldn't be it, I thought.  Maybe he was just anxious to get his mask off. 

 

Finally the countdown was on.  Thirty seconds to unmasking.  As if an unspoken agreement passed between those of us at the table, we all stood up and waited as the entire room started counting down.  29... 28... 27...

 

I took a deep breathe as the numbers got closer and closer to zero.  I couldn't explain the nervousness.  What did it matter what seven strangers thought of me when I revealed my face?  More than likely I'd never see them again anyway.  Yet I hoped I would.

 

5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Zero! 

"Off with the masks!"  The host announced.

 

I giggled nervously as I watched everyone slowly begin to peel their way out of their masks.  I slowly worked at my own.  Suddenly I realized that my hair had been squished beneath for all those hours, I was surely going to be a funny sight once the mask was off.  I finally told myself 'Just do it' and I pulled the mask completely off my head.

 

I shook my head a moment, hoping to give my hair a little bit of bounce as it fell free.  Right after that I finally glanced at my tablemates.  I couldn't have been more shocked if it had been Elvis standing before me.  I'm sure my mouth dropped to the floor as my eyes took in the members of the famous group The Backstreet Boys. 

 

I looked at them one by one and saw a matching amused _expression on each of their faces.  My Phantom friend, AJ, chuckled at the stunned _expression on my face.

"I take it introductions are not necessary?"  He asked. 

 

I could only stammer some nonsensical reply.

"But we don't know your name," Howie pointed out as he finished unwrapping the Mummy's bandages from his face.

 

"Yeah, we can't continue to call you 'Catwoman'."  Nick added as he tossed his Spiderman mask in the air and caught it.

 

"I think the cat's got her tongue."  Kevin's wife Kristin spoke up with a teasing laugh.  She and her Bat husband both smiled at me.

 

My eyes moved over to Darth Vader and the Storm Trooper.  Brian and Leighanne were smiling at me as well. 

 

I couldn't believe that all night I'd been unwittingly talking nonsense with the Backstreet Boys.  No one I knew would ever believe this.  I hardly believed it and I was standing right there in the middle of them. 

"I'm Vikki."  I finally found my voice to introduce myself.

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear Vikki."  AJ stated with a bow.  He took my hand and placed a gentlemanly kiss upon it. 

 

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you."  I replied, once again looking at each one of them.

 

We all sat back down at the table, which surprised me.  I figured that people as famous as those guys would have more exciting people to talk to, but it appeared as if they were truly interested in continuing the conversation with me, even after knowing that I was no one special.

I must admit that at first it was awkward again.  What did one say to a group of men that one had admired from afar for so long?  The words were not easy in coming.  However after another Cosmopolitan in me, which Nick had conveniently gotten for me from the bar, I was quickly finding it easier to speak.

 

I even managed to ask Brian if I could play with his voice distorter.  Soon we were all making our voices sound funny with it. 

 

I can't remember ever laughing so hard as I did in those early hours of the morning.  We sat talking for ages it seemed, and yet at the same time it felt to me as if time was my enemy.  With each hour that passed, it drew me nearer to the time when I would have to bid a fond farewell to my party pals.  I had no doubt in my mind that after that night, I'd never see them again, other than on stage or on television.  In a way it saddened me, but at the same time I was happy to have had one night with the Backstreet Boys in a setting that didn't involve hundreds of screaming fans vying for their attention.  I got to see a free spirited side to each man and the two wives that I'd never have been able to see as just a fan.  It was an experience that I never would have traded for anything in the world.

 

At half past four in the morning, the party started to wind down.  The band had quit playing and I realized that I hadn't even had a moment to say hello to Eric.  I'd forgotten completely about how I'd been invited to the party to begin with.

 

As it must, the night was coming to an end and the guys had to be going.  We said our 'I had fun tonight's and our 'good bye's.  I was ecstatic to receive a hug from each and every one of them. 

As AJ hugged me last, he placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, which I'm sure made me blush.  I could feel my cheeks heat up from the brief kiss.  I could only smile as AJ shook my hand once before following his friends out of the room.

It wasn't until they'd disappeared through the doorway that I realized that AJ had placed something in my hand when he shook it.  I glanced down to find a small piece of paper.  On it he'd written 'Alex' and a phone number as well as an e-mail address.  I could only stare at it in surprise.  Alexander McLean had given me a way to contact him after that night.  I hadn't even asked for it and yet he'd provided it to me. 

 

I felt as if my feet were floating high above the ground as I left the hotel and made my way to my car.  I didn't know if I had the nerve to call AJ, but I thought that I might just e-mail him. 

Looking back on that night now, I know it was one of the best times I'd ever had. 

 

I did e-mail AJ a couple days after the party.  Surprisingly enough, he replied.  Since then we've been e-mailing one another quite often.  I'd given him my phone number in one of the first e-mails I sent him.  We've talked on the phone a few times and I've gotten to know quite a bit about my masked Phantom. 

Some moments its hard to think of the sexy Phantom and the Backstreet Boy as one and the same person.  Yet they both are a part of a man that I am beginning to fall in love with via e-mail and phone calls.  I haven't admitted this to him, and I don't know if I ever will, but AJ and the Boys are scheduled to be in New York City next week.  We've made plans to meet up, and I've been invited to sit in on a recording session with the guys. 

Can life get any better than this?  I don't think so... but I'll let you know next week after I see my Phantom again.

 

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