My Best Face (The Mask Maker Story)(CP)

The Mask Maker

She said my life was incredibly sheltered from reality. And I suppose she was right. She also said it was almost unhealthy for my parents to keep me so isolated from the bad things in the world.
Maybe...
Olivia always had a lot of things to say. Secrets, wishes, wants...
Or just talks
Sometimes we just had little talks.
Olivia was a klutz. Always tripping in her heels and I always tripped over them. She insisted that I stuck close to her when walking around the bigger parts of the city. It was safer for me.
Olivia was a very dear friend.
My parents were oh so careful too. They strictly kept me looking my best and kept me well fed. I was not to party or talk with the other people in the apartment building.
The switches, the one behind my bedroom door and the one behind the front door reminded me of this very strict rule.
However, when Olivia and I went into the 10th grade, my best friend began to make new friends. I saw Olivia less and less.
Whenever Olivia would go and spend time around her new friends her smile didn't look the same. Her smile didn't make me feel nice and happy.
It made me feel confused and small...even scared.
Especially when she brought her new friends over to meet me. They all were wearing these odd not-smiles. They all were quietly laughing too. But it didn't sound like laughter at the same time...
Olivia's friends did not like me. Not one itty bitty bit. Olivia...was not Olivia around them. She was mean and cruel and called me very strange things. These strange things never sounded very nice. When I asked my teacher what they meant I was sent to the office.
I lied to the man in charge. I said that some boys had said these things to me. I did not know who.
After that day, I met with Olivia alone. She was nice again. She said she was very sorry. She said that she hadn't meant it when she'd called me those names.
She hadn't meant to...?
I had been so confused. Then why had she.
So I visited the counselor.
Mr. Evan was a very nice man. Always so cheerful and kind. He liked to help other people with their problems. I suppose that is why he is the school's counselor.
I asked Mr. Evan about Olivia. I wanted to know if he knew why Olivia acted so oddly around her other friends.
Mr. Evan just smiled. He told me that people have many sides to themselves. These sides are called their masks. People wear their masks to impress others, or appeal to the thought process of the group. I didn't understand most of what he was saying. But I did catch on when he said that to truly understand Olivia that I had to rip away all the fake masks.
I listened intently to his words. After a few days I figured that I needed to make Olivia a new mask. She had hit me that day. Olivia and her new friends had cornered me in the school stairwell. I supported many bruises and had many marks. I couldn't rip away Olivia's masks. I went home in tears not knowing what to do.
So I went into my room and picked up some paper...found a sharpie and drew I happy face.
A happy...smiling face.
That's when HE appeared. He said he was a friend of Father's. He said he was waiting for him and asked me what I was doing.
I told him I was making my friend a new mask, so that she could be happy and smile with me for forever.
The man had smiled and noticed the needle and thread next to me.
He told me he knew how to ensure that Olivia would adore her new mask and wear it forever.
I smiled. Happy that Daddy had told him about my friends!
Then he asked me to hand him the needle and thread and then close my eyes. I did as I was told. Hoping he didn't know about the switch behind the door.
He said I could open my eyes and I grinned. The needle was black and the thread was a glowing red color. I thanked the red-eyed man and he said he was going to leave.
I waved goodbye and slept easily that night.
The next morning I made sure to grab the needle, thread, and Olivia's Special Mask.
I met with her first thing downstairs and said I had something to show her. She rolled her eyes but agreed. I took her into an alley and showed her the mask, telling her she could always be happy now! No more hitting, no more Not-Olivia laughing at me, no more mean friends!
We could be friends together now and forever.
Olivia shook her head and crumpled the mask.
I'm not childish Olivia.
Why would you say that?
I'm not just a simple-minded creep.
Who told you that?
I was mad now. I demanded that she wear the mask!
She kept...saying...no.
I pinned her down and she squirmed. Screaming for me to let her go!
No! Olivia stop pulling my hair! That hurts! Olivia stop!!!
STOP IT!!!
When I had opened my eyes there were multiple red holes in Olivia's once white blouse.
I calmly sowed the happy mask on her face all the way around.
See Olivia?
We...we can be happy forever!
I didn't go to school. I never walked to school without Olivia.
She wouldn't move. She would never move around people with such messed up clothing.
When my parents came home they were so mad.
Mommy! Daddy!
Don't yell at me! Don't hit me! I don't like that!!!
But don't worry mommy...daddy. Everything will be okay.
Just let me sew you a mask. And we can be happy together.
Forever...