Alluring Masquerade

          Approximately a week had passed by now, making tomorrow today of the Masquerade Ball. Today was a sunny and humid day yet again, which only added to Hira's sleep deprived state.

          The thoughts of doubt and her insecurity – regarding the second deal she had imposed upon herself and Kael – had been revolving around her head for the past several days, like little squeaking birds. However the more she'd tried to pull them away from their invisible orbit – in a figure of speech – the stronger they'd squeak. Denial had gotten an iron grip on her conscious. She ignored her reasonable self-consciousness at the back of her mind.

          Last night she had spent all night staying up with her sister either talking or playing board games. It was something that had strengthened their sisterly bond that had rarely ever happened, so she wanted to cherish those moments. Indeed, she was feeling guilty, too, because of hardly spending enough time with her sister.

          She didn't want to return back to the mansion because she was going to go to the Masquerade anyway, had only two hours of sleep, however, she wanted to see if her suspicions that had been annoying her insistently were true or not. Hence she would go back the day after and have a chat with Kael. Maybe he could tell her that whatever was going through her mind was nonsense.

          Maybe I won't go to Sonia's Masquerade Ball then... she thought to herself as she fell into a slumber.

          Unfortunately her wish was broken when heard her mobile phone's new ringtone. It was a cute and playful sounding tune which she had started to grow on her. "What are you doing?" she croaked her greeting.

          "Do you know how long I've been trying to reach you?" he demanded.

          "Not my fault, and go away," Hira said before hiding under her duvet. "Hang on ... what time is it?" she asked as an afterthought, her eyes still closed.

          "Five o'clock," he replied.

          "Why are you calling me this early in the morning...?" she groaned sleepily.

          "Woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," he elaborated yawning.

          "So you decided to wake me up from my sleep instead?" she asked.

          He only chuckled.

          She cut the line and concentrated on going to sleep, when the phone rang again. "What now?" she demanded. She curled up onto her right side and leaving the phone between her ear and the pillow.

          "Y – You have to wake up, it's too late to be sleeping," he reasoned, giving up on the duvet. Her drip was too tight. He put his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "Get. Up," he said firmly.

          She snored under the sheets, trying to get him to go away.

          He sighed. "What about you doing my bidding and the deal and shit?" he tested. "You're going back on your words?"

          "You'll live for one day," she said faintly, and heard him chuckle.

          "You're such a baby," he said annoyingly.

          "That's right!" she cried, verifying his prior statement. "This is where you get annoyed and cut the connection so that I can get my sleep."

          He smirked. "Whatever, beautiful," he said. "I think you will be happy to hear that tomorrow I have a surprise for you," he announced.