Beauty's eyes lit up, and she quickly grabbed the phone, grateful for the interruption.
"Jessie!"
Beauty answered with forced enthusiasm, trying to cover up the panic in her voice.
"Hey! What's up?"
"Beauty, hey! How's it going? I've been trying to reach since last night!"
Jessie's voice yelled through the phone.
Beauty glanced at Nia, who was still staring at her expectantly, arms crossed.
"Uh, it's going... great!"
Beauty forced a laugh, standing up to pace around the room, hoping Jessie wouldn't sense her nervousness.
"So, tell me all about it. How was your first night together?" Jessie teased.
Beauty gulped.
"Really? You want to hear that now?"
Jessie scoffed.
"Of course! See, I'm hiding inside the office restroom, okay? I'm that impatient."
Beauty, still feeling Nia's eyes on her, smiled tightly. Nia hadn't moved, and it was clear she wasn't going to let the Bruno question drop. Beauty gave her an awkward smile, hoping she'd let it go, but Nia simply raised an eyebrow.
"Can we talk later?"
Beauty told Jessie.
Jessie groaned.
"Fine. Call me back later and tell me everything, okay?"
"Will do, thank you," Beauty said quickly, relieved. "Talk later! Bye!"
As soon as she hung up, she turned back to Nia, her mind scrambling. Nia was still waiting, her arms folded as she leaned against the wall, her eyes sharp.
"So?" Nia asked, not letting Beauty off the hook.
"Is he or isn't he Bruno Hathaway?"
Beauty sighed deeply, realizing there was no way out. She'd already let too much slip.
"Yes, Nia. He is Bruno Hathaway. But please, you can't tell anyone."
Nia's eyes widened in surprise.
"I knew it! I just couldn't believe I didn't recognize him at first. Wow, Beauty, you're dating Bruno Hathaway?! Do you realize who he is? It's silly to ask, but... girl! Come on, you have to let everyone know! That'll shut them up fast. If I were you, I'd completely show off."
Beauty nodded, biting her lip nervously.
"The thing is... it's not safe... see... and he hates attention. So, Nia, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone, okay? His identity is private right now, and I don't want anyone to know he's here."
Nia raised her hands in mock surrender.
"Hey, your secret's safe with me. But damn, girl, you are lucky. Don't tell Matthew. Bruno is my celebrity crush."
"Should I be worried?"
Beauty replied, folding her arms.
Nia laughed at her sense of humor.
---
The venue for the masked party buzzed with excitement. The dim lights, vibrant decorations, and rhythmic thumping of music created an enchanting environment.
Couples were dancing, friends were chattering, and families were meeting. Some wore their masks, while others had theirs off.
Meanwhile, across the room, Bruno stood awkwardly by the bar with a drink in hand as he scanned the dance floor for Beauty. He felt out of place without her by his side. He hated crowds, and this crowd was full of bullies, which was triggering.
His gut hated being in their midst.
Just then, he felt a presence beside him and turned to find Matthew, Nia's husband, standing there. His mask was stylish but not particularly concealing.
"Hey, man," Matthew greeted, nodding in Bruno's direction.
"You're Beauty's guy, right?"
Bruno blinked in surprise, not expecting to be recognized, especially in the midst of a masked gathering.
"Uh, yeah. That's me. How did you know? Have we met before?"
Matthew chuckled and pulled his mask off.
"Besides the height. I saw you moping around in the corner, alone, away from the former classmates, so I guess you're an invitee like myself."
Bruno laughed, feeling a bit self-conscious but grateful for the acknowledgment.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry about yesterday..."
Matthew grinned.
"Don't worry about it. I understand how you feel, that protective instinct. Besides, you're a neat guy."
He offered a handshake.
"Matthew."
"Bruno," Bruno replied, realizing that he was initially hiding his real identity. But anyone could be Bruno, right?
"Those women are really birds of the same feather, keeping us waiting. Everyone is with their partner," Matthew complained in frustration.
Bruno smiled at that, though he was more impatient than Matthew. His social battery was very low, and even Matthew's presence was draining. He needed to be alone with Beauty.
Just then, a waitress walked over to them and handed Bruno a note without saying a word.
"Come to your hotel room right now!"
He read it and looked toward the waitress, but she had disappeared from sight. He felt a bit uncomfortable about the note.
"Everything okay?"
Matthew asked, concerned, seeing the expression on Bruno's face.
Bruno blinked.
"Yeah... sure... I have to take care of something. I'll catch up later."
Matt nodded, and Bruno walked out of the event hall, heading to the hotel room. Many questions were running through his mind. He dialed Beauty's line but it was on voicemail.
---
Bruno walked back to his hotel room after receiving the note. The hotel was completely deserted; everyone had gone out for the event party.
As he approached his room, something felt off. The door was slightly ajar. He was certain that he had locked it before leaving earlier.
It's certainly not Beauty she don't have his keys.
A surge of anxiety shot through him, and his heart pounded in his chest as he hesitantly pushed the door open.