Page 15 of The Masks We Wear
I sigh and remember the way Superhero stared at me. We knew each other for a short period of time, but I told him things I haven’t even told Dane or my other friends. “No…no I haven’t.” I clear my throat, looking back down at Dane. “But still, he probably doesn’t want to see me.”
“Dude you’re jumping to conclusions.” Dane huffs impatiently, then his face softens. He squeezes my shoulder. “What’s holding you back, Jung?”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. “We always kept the masks on. He liked Kitty Cat, but what if he doesn’t like Jung?”
Dane rubs my arm, then after a beat, says, “I can’t tell the future. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. But you are you, mask or no mask. Did you ever outright lie to him?”
I open my mouth but the truth won’t pop out—I never lied.
“Uh huh.” A small smile grows on Dane’s lips. “You both deserve a shot at the truth. Just be you, no mask. One way or another, you’ll get your closure.”
My smile matches Dane’s as my heart speeds up. Shit, this could be a huge mistake, but walking away from Superhero—Jamal—will be the biggest regret of my life.
“I think…he’s flying home today.”
“No time like the present,” Dane says and we both share a chuckle.
“Thanks.” I lean in and hug him. “You’re a good friend.”
“Just returning the favor,” he replies. When we pull back, I spot his hunky soccer player boyfriend approaching.
“Everything okay in here?” Landon asks.
“Yup.” Dane goes to put his arm around his man. “I’m giving Jung the same advice he gave me. Go. Get. Your. Man.”
“Jung has a man to catch?Ooh la la!”Landon sings, his eyes sparkling with interest.
The three of us chuckle. “I gotta run if I’m gonna catch him. We’ll text later?”
They both say, “Go!” and I dash out of the house. When I whip out my phone, I dial up my buddy.
“Hey, Firass?” I stare at the streets of the Upper East Side as I talk into my phone. “I need a favor.”
Thirty minutes and one ride-share later, I arrive at the apartment complex. It’s a simple brownstone building that’s not too far from campus, and I pray that Firass’s intel was correct. Stepping out of the car, I spot one green door opening, and my prayers are answered.
Jamal—Superhero—is here in front of me, lugging two massive suitcases. He looks so handsome in his leather jacket and blue jeans, and his full lips remind me of how he tastes. As he ambles down the three stone steps, he doesn’t spot me until I’m right in front of him.
“Ah!” he yelps in surprise with his deep voice. “Jung?” He looks around, as if others are going to pop out from the bushes. “What are you doing here?”
“Jamal, I…” My words are lost on me when I stare at his beautiful face. All those months wondering what was underneath the masks have led to this. He’s so damn handsome, he takes my breath away.
We could have had this for weeks, but I’m the idiot who decided to wait untilliterallythe last minute.
After ten seconds of thick silence, I take a deep breath. “I just wanted to say…I never lied as Kitty Cat. Superhero was the realest thing I’ve ever felt. And I’ve been a coward for not telling you the truth. I thought that if the masks came off you wouldn’t want the real me.”
He gulps and says nothing, so I take a step closer. “But this is the real me. And I wanted to get to know Jamal, not Superhero. I’m sorry it took me this long.”
A car horn beeps, and we both turn to see a cab. “Um…?”
“That’s my ride. To the uh…airport.”
“Headed home?” I ask with a scratchy throat.
He nods and stares at me with brown eyes filled with longing.
“Oh,” I reply, not even hiding my disappointment. “Well, have a safe flight.” I turn around and hunch my shoulders as I hear him move his luggage to the cab.
I take two steps forward before I hear “Jung!”
