Behind The mask

It is the cool of the evening. The beach is almost empty save for the few lovers that stayed. The waters sang and the waves danced in sync with the evening breeze.

The torches made a romantic scene as they danced and glowed into the night like fireworks.

Every so often you could see a few couples gathered under the torches to bask in the warm glow of love.

Some couples simply took the liberty of getting naked and danced on the dark sandy beaches.

It was quite erotic. And as the sand gets damp, you can hear the ice cubes melt into a glass.

Most of the couples look in love and that's what mattered to them.

Isabel walks out of the cabin into the cool water. It lapped around her ankles. It felt warm and for a while soothed the pain she felt. But it didn't have any effect. She could still feel the pain inside of her.

She began walking across the shoreline letting out shuddering breaths as she allowed the air to seep through her. And all of a sudden a thunder of thoughts began to circulate through her mind.

Recollecting the events of the morning, she hugs herself and shakes as a powerful torrent of pain surge through her. She finally lets the tears fall.

She falls to the ground crying. The warm sand cushions her. It was familiar.

The pain ebbs. The shudders subside. She rises to her feet, tries to wipe her tears.

*FLASHBACK*

Isabel ran blindly, she couldn't see through the tears. She had been a fool for a long time.

It has been rumored, she had been confronted, she had been told by her friends but she ignored them. She trusted and believed him until she caught him In the act. But she didn't want to believe him because she knew he wouldn't hurt her.

He had never shown so much affection to her before.

It was her greatest mistake.

Oh! What a fool she had been.

She crashed through the door into the waiting arms of her mother.

She wrapped her body around her mother's. She let out a weak cry as she clung to her mother. Her mother held her tightly against her chest.

Isabel could feel her mother's tears. "Oh my dear. I am so sorry" Mrs Edna said in a bid to console her daughter.

"I caught him mom. I caught Alex making love to another woman" Isabel said between sobs.

Mrs Edna's face was stern as she looked into her daughter's eyes. "Did you tell anyone? Is anyone going to believe you?"

At that moment, her father walked in, a look of displeasure crowds his face. "What is going on here?" He asked.

The only response he got were the sobs of his daughter.

His eyes fell on Isabel's swollen face. "Can someone answer me?"

"Daddy. Alex cheated on me and I don't think it's the first time." She said amidst sobs.

"What!" He shouted

As the information sinks in, a thick frown appears on his face causing his forehead to furrow. "That bastard!" He said throwing a fist punch in the air.

Mrs Edna and her husband looked on as Isabel sobbed and cried for a long while.

After a while, Isabel took a deep breath to compose herself. She finally found the words to speak. "I want to call off the engagement. I can't continue with the relationship" she said.

"Oh no dear. You are hurt and in pain. Don't make rash decisions. Allow your.....

The door opens to reveal a disoriented Alex. He rushes to her and tries to hold her but she slaps his hands off.

He steps away and stares at her with fury and sadness.

Isabel had changed her mind. And she wasn't going to forgive him any time soon.

"Babe. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." Alex said to Isabel in between sniffles and hiccups.

Mrs Edna quietly leads her husband, Jay Out, to give them privacy.

"Tell me the truth Alex. How many times?" Isabel asked

"It's just this once baby....

"(Yells) you're lying. You can't even look me in the eye. Is this the first time Alex?"

He sighs in defeat.

"I'm sorry baby"

"That doesn't answer the question"

"Two, possibly three times" he stammered. "There was the time I traveled to Ghana and Lagos and..

"Jesus Christ Alex. You're a dog. You cheated on me. You are a scum. You're going to hell." She yelled.

Alex held her with an arm around her and was crying as he held her tightly against his chest.

"Please Isabel. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please take me back" he pleaded.

Isabel looked up at him and glared. She couldn't believe he still thought she was going to forgive him.

"NO!" She screamed back. "The engagement is off."

Alex fell on his knees. He couldn't believe she had done this. He had lied to her and he loved her too much to let her go so easily.

"Please, Isabel" he said bawling and crying. "I'll do anything. Take me back."

"To think I had fights with my best friend over this. I trusted you Alex. I trusted you so much." She said crying.

Alex looked up at her with wet teary eyes and a shaking lip.

"I'm so sorry baby" He said between sobs. "I love you."

Isabel tried to control her tears but her tears wouldn't stop.

"NO!" She yelled with so much force. "I CAN'T TAKE YOU BACK. I'M TAKING THE ENGAGEMENT NOW. Get out!"

"What!" Alex stammered and tried to stay calm.

"DON'T! GET OUT! I'M CALLING THE POLICE. Get out right NOW." She shouted.

"I said get out. I never want to see you again"

He suddenly began to laugh, confusing Isabel. He got off his knees and sat down comfortably.

"So that's how it is. Huh? You think you can get rid of me so easily? Oh wait, I get it. You met someone new and you want to get me out of the picture?" Alex said. "You probably slept with the dude you met." Alex was fuming.

"SLEAZY ASSHOLE" She yelled and slammed her hand on the couch. "How can you say that? I love you and would never hurt you like that. You know it"

"Bullshit! Issy. you don't let me touch you. You never speak to me when we're not together and yet you see me everywhere and why? Ohh, to be closer to your new man" He said trying to figure out her motives.

"This is not true Alex" she said. "That's because I'm against sex before marriage."

"Whatever."

He stands up and walks menacingly towards her with a mischievous smile on his face.

"OH MY GOD" Isabel screamed and ran towards the door but Alex had already caught her by the arm and took her outside into the living room.

"Where do you think you're going?!" He shouts. "This engagement stands unless you have the one billion dollars to pay back. I can send him to prison. I'm just saying" he said with arms akimbo.

She froze. She shakes her head unbelievably. Why was he doing this to her?

"Alex please don't" she cries and sits down. "Please, you can't do this to me. You can't do that Alex, you can't. You won't."

"Oh yes I can and I will."

"You gave it to my dad to....

"As a loan and he's yet to pay."

"You can't be that heartless Alex."

"Yes I can and I will"

"Alex. Please, stop. You don't need to make this hard. I can pay it back with the life insurance money, I can pay it back with the money I earn from my..don't be like this!"

He sobered up.

"I'm not heartless baby but I can do anything to have you. Anything"

She crashes to the ground, broken.

"Don't do this Alex. Please. Just...don't... You can't do this to me Alex."

He crouched in front of her and lifts her face with his finger.

"See you at the ball babe."

He kissed her on the forehead, stands up, lets out a proud chuckle and leaves the apartment.

Isabel stands there, breathless. Tears run down her cheeks.

*present*

She had convinced her parents that she had forgiven Alex and patched things up with him. She couldn't bring herself to tell them of Alex's threat. It would kill them. She had no choice than to continue the relationship. But this time she would make it her mission to be emotionally unavailable to Alex.

* * * *

Loud music, half naked girls, drunken men and ladies dancing. It was the birthday party of Henshaw, the only son of Mr & Mrs Zack.

You see, Henshaw is the definition of a spoilt brat but in this case he wasn't spoilt. He was rebellious. You can say he is a rebellious brat.

He drinks, smokes, womanizes, gambles and doesn't give a hoot about anyone. He spends recklessly all because he can. He says and does what he likes without worrying about his reputation.

To him, things that are genuine are worthless and he lacks the intellectual curiosity to understand their value.

He doesn't know the significance of things. For him, everything is for enjoyment. Henshaw is simply an obnoxious, ungrateful, foolish person.

"Dudeee! This party is lit." Said one of his friends as he approached Henshaw.

"I know!" Came his rude response and his smoke puff.

"But why are you here alone? Hey!" The friend called out to a pretty female.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting you company of course. You can't be here alone with all these hotties here"

"If I wanted a woman, I'd have called for one."

"Yeah but I was thinking

"I can think for myself"

He seems to be getting pissed.

"I was just....

"Get lost" he yelled at the girl who was beckoned on.

She scampered away as fast as she came.

"Whoa mahn! Chill! What's your deal?"

"You too, get lost!"

Although he appeared calm, he wasn't. Rather he was in a terrible mood and his friend knew this.

Oh, ok! Sorry I didn't mean to disrespect your home. See, I'm sorry. I'll go." He got up and took off. "I wonder why you organize a party and not be a part of it". He murmured as he walked away.

For hours the mansion was reverberating to loud and colourful music, to drinks and to voices.

All that mattered to Henshaw was the feast, drinks and the night. He blows out a puff of smoke, seemingly lost in thought

"What in heaven's name is going on here?"

Henshaw smiled in satisfaction on hearing the voice. "Just the man I'm waiting for" he walks proudly and halts before the elderly couple. "Dad! Mom!" He said with mock excitement. "Let's have dinner together" he smiled and winked at them.

In his whole life, Henshaw has never asked his parents for anything. He's never made them proud and at this point, he cared less.

Henshaw didn't care about his parents' suffering. He didn't care about their unhappiness. He simply doesn't see it as his responsibility.

"Why In my house Henshaw" John asks in rage. "Why did you have to come here?"

"What do you mean?" Henshaw laughed. "Well, it's been two years and no communication. I decided to remind you that you have a son and as you know, I like doing my things In grand style. So SURPRISE!"

"What do I need to communicate with you for? Isn't the money i send you enough?" He asked in anger.

"I missed you both"

"How much do you need?"

"A son needs more than...

"You are nothing to me. I only still acknowledge you because of the promise I made to your late brother"

A flash of pain appeared on his face but went as quickly as it came. He wore his expressionless look.

"I don't need your money. I only need a father to make me feel like a son"

"What did you expect after what you'd done. You are nothing to me."

"Darling, don't be too harsh," his wife speaks for the first time.

"Too harsh? He...just get lost Henshaw! Leave! And take these animals with you" John yelled pointing at the party people who began to leave one after the other.

Henshaw walks back to his seat.

"You too" John pointed at Henshaw

"I can't leave, this is my father's house"

"Don't call me..

Dori gives her husband a light squeeze on his arm, which seemed to calm him down.

"I'll leave In the morning, having my house fixed" Henshaw says as he climbs up the stairs.

The couple watched him as he disappeared up the stairs.

Mr Zack sighs heavily.

"Darling, please don't be so hard on him, he is still your son....

"Son? I have no child, he ceased being my son the day Victor died."

He rubbed his forehead and sighed.

"I'm sorry for being like this"

His wife sighed.

"Look at this place." He said. "Zoey" he bellowed.

The petite looking maid ran out.

"Clean this place up!" He orders and walked away, his wife behind him.

Henshaw steps out of the tub. He takes up the towel and starts wiping his body dry.

He stops in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection.

He was what you call handsome. His body was hot, with defined muscles and a good appearance. His face was set in a manner that is usually associated with an arrogant individual. He always carried a scowl in his face, but it always added a look of mystery to his personality. He has a light brown skin tone and a pretty face that is clean shaven, with dark brown eyes that seemed to always look angry, but he hid that easily.

His nose was slightly crooked and his lips weren't too big but he was well built.

His face was expressionless but one can tell he had a lot going on in his mind.

He wiped his face with the towel and tied it behind his head.

He exhaled.

"That son of a....

He screamed and throws a punch at the mirror shattering it to pieces.

"I hate myself! How did this happen? How?" he shouts.

There's a knock on the door.

"Whoever it is, get lost!" He yells from the bathroom.

"It's me Shaw, it's your mother"

He tries to calm himself by taking several breaths.

"I'm coming in"

Dori enters and sees the shattered mirror and her son's bleeding fingers. She walks slowly and in a controlled manner towards her son.

"What happened?" She asks, concerned.

Henshaw shakes his head.

"Nothing, just a bad mood"

She leads him out of the bathroom. She finds the first aid kit and applies treatment to his wound.

"What happened Shaw?"

"I'm fine. Just a scratch"

Dori looks at him

"You know your husband won't be pleased if he gets to know you came here" he said coldly.

"I brought you dinner, I know you haven't had anything to eat yet" she said and stood to leave.

He holds her hand. "Mom"

"Please be gone by morning" she snatched her hand and leaves.

He shakes his head and chuckles painfully.

* * * *

Isabel angrily throws her mascara brush at the mirror. All her attempts to stop the stream of tears were useless and it kept messing up her makeup. She angrily sobs at the mirror.

Who would believe her sweet Alex, her caring Alex, the man who made her heart skip would turn out to be like this in just a flash? And why would she care about someone that didn't even love her, that actually betrayed her? No, she would never ever love a man like that. She wouldn't put up with his childish games. Never. Never.

She dabs her face dry with the handkerchief on the table and picks up the brush. Sighing, she tries to make herself look a little decent again. It falls off her hand as she gives in completely to the pain which expresses itself through torrent of tears falling. She can no longer hold it together.

"Why did I let him do this to me?" Isabel quietly sobs, "I hate you Alex" she screams at the mirror. "I hate you Alex. I love you. Why would you do this to me!" She screams, stupefied by her own self-destructive behavior. Isabel collapses on her bed, and then her crying increases to a muffled wail.

Even though she feels completely defeated, and torn up inside, Isabel still tried to compose herself. She was afraid that if she let it all out she'll regret it forever.

Just then the door knob turns and the door opens.

"Issy, you should....." He paused. "don't tell me you're still crying"

He goes close to her and tries to touch her but she pulls away and turns away, "What do you want from me?" she demanded "I hate you. I never want to see you again. You just destroyed my heart and soul, please just go away."

"Issy, please listen to me. I've apologized over a thousand times. What else would you have me do?" He said feeling quite frustrated.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Alex. You say sorry and then you do it again. You don't mean it. You don't see why you can't just get it right in the first place. How about you just leave me alone and stop trying to do this to me! I hate you!" she spat out.

"This wouldn't be an issue of you just let me touch you if you weren't giving me the cold shoulder like you're doing."

"Get your hands off me!" She yelled. She realized the anger she had felt earlier in the party was ebbing away into fear. Fear of what?

"You know my stand on premarital sex. I told you this before we began the relationship and you agreed to it. We had a discussion about it and I made sure you knew what the expectations were." she said, feeling quite annoyed at his reaction. "I had you under the impression that you were going to wait until marriage."

"Yes, I knew that, but I was wooing you. Of course I'd agree to anything just to win You over." He defended himself

"Ahhhhh" she screams in frustration throwing her make up kit. "It's always about you."

He sat down on the bed next to her. "Issy. I love you. And if you don't know that by now you never will. You just need time to adjust to the situation, because I am not like all the other men out there. I will wait for you, when the time is right"

Those sweet words used to put a big smile on her face when she heard it but now, She felt like a volcano ready to erupt. Her emotions were on overload and she was screaming in anger, trying to digest the bomb.

"Just let me go. I don't want this relationship anymore. I never want to see you again"

she shouted

"Issy, I can't let you go. Please, just calm down. I know you love me" Alex pleaded.

"I don't love you anymore. I hate you" She screamed at him again.

"You want me to let you go, Just so you can go to your lover? Don't think so!"

"I don't have....okay fine. Is it the money? I'll pay back, every dime my father owes you with interest if you want. Just let me go. Please"

"But I love you.

"You don't hurt someone you love. You just don't."

"I'm not hurting you, I'm just holding on to what's mine. I love you so much that it's killing me. Please understand."

She was shaking in anger. "Alex, I don't want you any more."

This angered Alex. "Oh you don't want me? You've never had me"

She froze, she felt a great deal of hate towards this man who tried to put a dagger through her heart.