Behind the Mask [Inactive]

RubyRose updated Behind the Mask with a new update entry:


Time Jump

Just to get some interesting plotlines going in this again I figured it might be best for a bit of a time jump. We can reflect on the past activities that our characters have done but at least now we can be in the middle of something new to write about.
The club has been popular in both a positive and negative light. The principal attempted to ban it at one point but thanks to the club actually being useful and having done nothing seriously wrong he was unable to go through with it.


Faces...
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Read the rest of this update entry...
 
Ziying was quite unsure how to approach the club--she had always wondered about what this club could do for her, or if it could help her define her burning question--but at the encouragement of her friend Xuewen she decided to sign up for the Faces of Society's events at the fair. She slowly walked into the meeting room and looked around for anyone--she thought she might have heard voices, but she couldn't be sure.


Um, hi--my name is Lai Ziying, but... if anyone is there they can call me Suzy!


Ziying's heart was still pounding--she had never before reached out to anyone, and now that she was calling out to what might be an entire group of people, she was extremely nervous. She looked and waited for a response.
 
Quinn looked up, surprised in the best kind of way to have someone come into the meeting who wasn't actually invited. Not that that was against the rules, or anything... Either way, it made Quinn smile.


She considered attempting to pronounce the girls name but in the end decided it would be best to just say 'Suzy.'


"Hi! I'm Quinn!" She said, waving a little energetically as she came over. "We were in the middle of setting up for the play! Did you need something?" Quinn asked, pleasantly surprised to see yet another person without a mask. She wondered if she had seen Suzy around... but she didn't really recognize her.
 
"Quinn..."


Ziying let the name sink in as she looked at girl now in front of her. She seemed friendly, and extremely welcoming to her.


"Hi, I'm Lai Ziying." Ziying smiled sheepishly and looked down at the ground. She searched for the right words to say and followed her introduction with , "I--I want to join your club! Or rather... I want to help your club!" Her heart pounded and she immediately began to play with her fingers. This girl in front of her, this Quinn--could she be friends with Ziying?


"You don't have a mask on--I uh, I know this might seem silly... but I think you are brave as well to not wear your mask." Ziying waited for the girl to say something when she suddenly said "Oh yes--you can call me Suzy--I picked that name myself because well, I like the way it sounds and it almost sounds like my real name, Ziying. I uh..." Ziying looked down at the ground again..."I'm sorry i'm so awkward!" Ziying was breathing heavy--she hadn't been this nervous in a long time.
 
(Chris will be in the group and play, perhaps the scarecrow. Then Edgar could be like a small director or helping hand)


Edgar bit his lower lip anxiously as he searched for Quinn, tripping over his own feet he attempted to keep the multiple amounts of props in his arms. He had to re paint many of the corn stalks for the scarecrow scene and had been late to return. But here he was his brown hair flopping over his eyes. Trying to bat it away out of his vision he tripped falling forward with a Oof.


Edgar angled himself so the props weren't to be harmed and hit the ground harshly. A sharp pain went through his shoulder where a bruise had already been but didn't think much of it. His frantic hands shook tremendously as they grabbed at the stalks before standing up quickly. Before jogging to the stage and completing the small piece he had been working on.


"Quinn!" He called out, but the name came out weird due to his thick accent. Gripping his shoulder lightly he rolled it out until he saw Quinn and entered with a smile when he saw a new person.
 
Ziying was not expecting to see this boy emerge from off stage--she was waiting with anticipation for Quinn to say something when he suddenly emerged and diverted all attention to him--she couldn't help but smile.


Shifting her weight from her right leg to her left leg and letting her head crane a little to the left, Ziying managed to let a calm "Hello" emerge from within her as a sly smile came with it.


Again, here was yet another person who wasn't wearing a mask--something Ziying was not only unaccustomed to, but also completely shocked to see a boy's actual face.


She blushed hard as she processed this thought and she immediately forced herself to play with her hair and look back towards Quinn. Ziying felt much calmer speaking to Quinn now. She then suddenly realized that she didn't introduce herself to this boy who was holding various props for the play--but among the painted cornstocks and his smile Ziying nervously introduced herself. "I'm Lai Ziying--but you can call me Suzy". She smiled at the boy and looked back at Quinn--Ziying already felt like this place of no masks was going to be something amazing.
 
Edgar's smile grew, another maskless, another real face. Her reaction confused him, the rush of red to her cheeks causing him raise his left brow slightly before chuckling. For a moment he rummaged with the remaining props, shifting them into his left hand so he may hold it out to her. Her name was unique, he wanted to inform her that he had an old friend in Norway who's name was Suzy. But once again just today they had begun to learn to actually speak English, his smile faltered a bit but quickly regained it. Clearing his throat he bit his lower lip in concentration before attempting to say his name,


"Edgar.." He murmured hesitantly, his voice quiet in case he'd mess up on his own title.


Edgar's name was laced with a thick almost unreadable accent, but for the most part it made sense.
 
Ziying processed the boys name and the thick accent that came with it--she mulled it around in her head, trying to determine where his accent had come from. She herself did not possess great English--her parents never spoke English at home, but something about the way this boy said his name made her smile--she suddenly and selfishly wanted this boy to be like her, to know her and to understand what her beating heart raged and ached to say to the world around her. She let a small and silly laugh flow from her lips as she took his hand--she held it and felt it's warmth. She wanted to ask him things--she wanted to know him--but she laughed again and smiled at the boy and said, "Where are you from? Your accent..." she looked down and let her eyes trail off as she refocused her glasses and continued saying "Your accent, it doesn't sound like other people here".


She looked at his eyes and let his features sink into her mind when she suddenly became acutely aware that she was still holding his hand. She let go quickly and lowered her head saying , "I'm so sorry I was holding your hand too long!" .


Her cheeks churned with red as it splattered all across her smile and apology.
 
Edgar's pale cheeks became indented with his deep dimples as he smiled bringing his hand back as he searched for a clear surface to set down the props. He didn't quite enjoy saying things about himself but this wouldn't hurt to much. Finally finding a nice desk he set the corn stalks onto the hardwood. Then searching the room for a paper surface, as he did so he felt someone's eyes on him, perhaps the girls. But attempted to ignore the boring feeling as he grabbed his notebook from his bookbag which hung on his shoulder as he got a pencil from the back of the room. He was confused as to why she continued to stare at him, did he have something on his shirt, on his face? His hands where dotted with different paints but for all he knew that was it. His brown eyes stared at his reflection in the window disgustingly hating his own reflection but didn't see anything. He tried to forget her gaze as he skimmed the pages to find a blank one and wrote in his familiar cursive,


'Norway' Edgar only knew how to speak Quinns, Chris', and his own names, nothing to big. He couldn't have a conversation or anything.
 
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"Norway". She had never been there, nor even considering going there. She was puzzled and didn't understand why he wrote his country down as compared to saying it in his thick, charming accent. She had watched him as he moved about and write down the word--was she making him nervous--she didn't understand. Ziying never thought as herself as an intimidating person, and never intended to make anyone feel that way. She suddenly felt required to make him feel better--she didn't want anyone to feel that way because of her.


"Do you have trouble speaking English?" She asked him softly, and just loud enough so that only he could hear--she wasn't sure if anyone else knew the answer to the question--but not being used to interaction herself, she didn't want to draw any more attention to him than she had to. She got closer to him and waited to see what he might say or write.
 
As long as Quinn had known Edgar, it had taken her a really long time to figure out he wrote things down because he had trouble pronouncing things in English. She thought it was a really cool way to get around the barrier but found it kind of entertaining when he did speak, as well. She smiled between Suzy and Edgar, leaving them to converse when Adela -her friend that still wore a mask, due to family reasons, but supported 'Faces of Society'- came up to speak to her.


Adela offered to take the props from Edgar, saying: "These turned out really great, Edgar! Thanks!"
 
Edgar coughed into the back of his hand, his eyebrows knitting together at the small strained puff of air. He still hadn't gotten over his cold. His cream brown eyes looked up at the other girl, she seemed to be thinking. For a moment he wondered tapping the eraser of the wooden pencil on the desk. But when the girl with the familiar name asked him if he spoke any English the rhythmic pattern ceased. Edgar had moved not to long ago to this strange country, and had no real interaction with anyone for the longest time until he was enrolled to this school. Though some teachers would converse with him, he only really talked to his father who knew English well but chose not to speak it. All his life he was risen up to speak his native tongue, finding that he had spaced out he quickly began to write to cover up him zoning out.


'Well, to people in my class it seems to be coming easy, so yes it is a little troublesome.' When he heard the familiar voice of Adela praising his work, his smile traveled to his eyes. Edgar nodded in thanks to her before writing hesitantly,


'My mother was a big crafts lady, she'd paint sculpt illustrate. Everything, I guess I caught on.' He explained.
 
Ziying looked up from Edgar as Adela offered to take the props from Edgar. This girl was still wearing a mask--something that Ziying wanted to hate--but couldn't. She had realized that everyone keeps their mask on for various reasons, and those reasons could very well be her own if given the right circumstances. No, instead of hating this girl who still wore her mask, Ziying--feeling quite lucky and charming since she'd now been able to speak to two completely new people and not completely become incoherent, introduced herself to this girl. "Hi i'm Ziying, but you can call me Suzy" Ziying smiled and looked back down at the ground--she smiled again and ran her fingers through her hair as she straightened her glasses. 'Still need more practice' she thought to herself as she smiled even harder. She quickly glanced over at Edgar and then looked back to Adela.
 
Seeing Edgar's words, Ziying recalled how difficult it was for her when she was a young girl learning English for the first time. It had been extremely difficult for her as well--she would often get into trouble for not being able to read, and more often than not received extremely low marks on any test but math. Even worse than this, Ziying remembered the looks of shame her parents would give her as she tried to speak English to them--she pulled herself out of her memories to tell Edgar "I learned English too--I can help you if you need so..." her confidence seemed to floating away as she realized the words that just flowed from her mouth.
 
Edgar brought his gaze back to Ziying, he smiled gratefully. They wouldn't be able to do it outside of the school, unless they went to her house. But if she where to join the Faces Of Society they could perhaps work during club hours. He enjoyed the idea and nodded to her happily, for the longest time he had only befriended Chris. But when he met Quinn his conserved life style had opened up considerably. This club had caused him to meet such wonderful people. His eyes fell to his hands, the blotches of different greens and golds odd on his pale nimble hands. With a small breath he wrote,


'Please excuse me, this paint isn't going to remove itself.' With that he left the room soundlessly picking at his hands.
 
Ziying was able to recollect herself after Edgar walked away. She stayed there at the desk he was at for some time while thinking about the events that had just unfolded. Should she join this club?


She looked over to Quinn and spoke with confidence "I want to join your club. I don't have many strong traits, but I want to be a part of it." A smiled beamed from her face in Quinn's direction.


To be honest, Ziying wasn't actually sure how one exactly enters the club--in fact coming here altogether had been something Xuewen had recommended to her. She suddenly thought about him--if only he could take off his mask someday and really start to live... She knew that each person simply did what the believed was best for them--but could that always explain the sinking in her chest?


She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Quinn again, she spoke a little louder and said, "Hi, Quinn--can I join your club? I know we just met, and well... I can't always be articulate--but I want to join". She watched Quinn eagerly.
 
Edgar strolled through the halls, attempting to stay out of other ways as he stepped through many halls until he finally made it to the bathroom. Ignoring the other individual in the room he went up to one of the three sinks and rolled up his usual long sleeves up to his wrists. If he where alone he'd roll them up to his elbows but alas. Edgar tenderly rubbed his hands, the foam hugging his hands like clouds. Until he stuck them under the faucet, nearly finished he heard the stranger from before step beside him. And was pleasantly surprised to see it was Chris. The side of his face peaking out from the side of his mask. He had slowly begun to see Chris' face more and more when they where alone. His left eye was actually green a different colour from his other eye, something Edgar never imagined was possible.


Chris seemed to notice he was next to his friend and a small smile could be seen as he turned.


"Dude, they wanted to put make up on my mask man." He exclaimed,


"I mean, i don't have a lot of it. But let me be with the little bit of pride I have." He stated then looked down at Edgar hands, the cuffs of his sweater darker with what water seeped into it.


"Come on man, do I really have to baby you all the time." Chris grabbed the tips of Edgar's sleeves about to bring them up. But Edgar quickly stepped back nodding his head no. His hands where still dotted with paint smears but he dried them. And nodded a farewell to Chris anxiously before leaving in a hurry fumbling with his sleeves. They where only bruises, but how would he explain them.
 
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Quinn waved to Edgar before turning to Suzy. "Of course you can join our club!! It'd be great to have you!" Quinn said energetically, bouncing on her toes because she was unable to hold in her excitement. "We have masked members in the club, as well, just so you know. They're a big help in keeping our club accepted. My friend Adela is in it." She said, pointing out Adela who had taken the props and began placing them in their proper places. "And Edgar's friend Chris is, as well!" She added.


Hearing her name called Quinn turned. "There's still a lot of preparation to do but feel free to join in, or go enjoy the festival. We meet here, in the arts and crafts classroom after school... and we tend to stay for as long as members want to stay. It could go from an hour to a few hours depending on what everyone's doing."


Nodding to Suzy Quinn headed in the direction she had been called from, checking over her shoulder after a little ways to see if Suzy was following or if she was going to go back to enjoying the fair.


"Hey Quinn, have you ever met Edgar's family?" Adela asked as they began to work together to move heavier props onto the stage. Thankfully they weren't things that would need excessive amounts of moving during the play.


"If you haven't, then I haven't either." Quinn pointed out, since she and Adela went to everything together.


"That's my point though, I'm trying to say that something is fishy... you're so thick."


"Fishy how? Adela, you're going to turn this into another one of your stories... and you're going to convince yourself of something that's not really true. So... please... for both our sakes... just stop now."


Adela huffed in irritation, glowering at Quinn a moment before shaking her head.


To lighten the mood Quinn changed the subject. "We've got a new face joining the club! Her name... well I can't really pronounce her name so she said to call her Suzy."
 
Suzy saw Quinn look back at her--she stood there for a few moments processing the excitement that Quinn displayed at Ziying joining their club. She couldn't help but let her smile beam through her face as she thought about the ideas and possibilities this club would bring to her--no more would she have to go straight to the library to spend hours of her life tearing away at a career she didn't want--no more would she have to walk around the halls of Canton high feeling like she was the only unmasked girl--no more of that. Here she believed she could be free--and she could be among other liberated people.


She pushed up her glasses and pushed aside her hair and started walking towards Quinn and Adela. She didn't hear much of their conversation, but arrived just as Quinn had mentioned her. Ziying's face blushed heavily at the sound of her introduction--she also smiled to herself as Quinn mentioned not being able to say her actual name--it was becoming something of a normal now and she was wondering if she should just introduce herself as Suzy from now on.


She looked down at the ground and let her hair fall to the right as she flipped it back to the left and fidgeted with her glasses before looking at Adela and introducing herself. "Hi, I'm Suzy--I didnt' mean to listen on yours and Quinn's conversation, but I heard her introduce me to you." Ziying looked at Adela and Quinn, looking for signs of acceptance--she actually enjoyed Quinn's warm demeanor and persona--these were exactly the kind things she wanted to bring out in herself someday. She looked again to Adela and Quinn and spoke in her calm, collected yet nervous voice "Don't worry about my first name--its--its tough for non Taiwanese to say"--she fidgeted with her fingers and flipped her hair again--"I am honored to join your club, and I'd like to stay and help with something--anything here is better than going back home, so if you need me to do something, I will". She was nervous, and her heart was beating faster than it normally did, but she was excited and she wanted to spend her time here.
 
Edgar stepped through the halls in a daze, Chris calling after him. He heard his name continuously until his wrist was fiercely gripped by a strong hand. Edgar felt a lump


in his throat biting his lower lip as he turned around to face the familiar mask of his friend.


"Dude, I've noticed for awhile now. How you're shirts sleeves have slowly became longer but I kept to myself. But now I'm not entirely sure, why are you afraid of your own arms?" Chris questioned hurt evident in his voice. While Edgar couldn't speak, confrontation his biggest fear.


"please, please la gå(please, please let go)" he whimpered not enjoying the force of his friend.


"Oh god are you cutting?" He exclaimed gripping Edgar's sleeve and tugging it up to reveal the disgusting colors which littered his arm.


"No!" He cried in protest but it was in vain, the purples meshed with gross yellows and dark greens and blues. Making his skin look unnatural and disgusting. His biggest fear coming to life, while Chris began to shake.


"What happened?" He asked before throwing Edgar's arm down,


"Who the hell did that Edgar!" He shouted, the tone of his voice and emotion torn into it had never been heard before.


Edgar couldn't respond instead he lowered his sleeve swiping a finger under his eye as he turned and ran. And bursted through an exit quickly and outside running at top speed.
 
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"Well, we still need to finish getting the tin man in his outfit... " Adela offered, pointing to where one person was helping a boy with a mask painted silver into a pieced together outfit.


"And we need a narrator... I know you mentioned your English isn't quite as good? Or were you just saying it wasn't at one point? Either waaaaay, you're free to be Narrator if you'd like." Quinn offered, smiling. She just hoped this all went over without a hitch... everything looked pretty good- the costumes were cool. She knew people were going to love Chris as the Scarecrow, he did a great job... and Edgar had been extremely helpful in so many different ways.... acting as a director and as a stage hand and whatever else was needed... The only thing that kept catching Quinn up is that their Dorothy was someone who didn't wear a mask... and the Great and Powerful Oz also didn't wear a mask... everyone else in the play did in an attempt not to shock people out of watching it completely... "Or, you could help me and Adela finish setting up these stage props! We'll be the ones moving them around when the play starts. Adela is playing the Wicked Witch so I won't have her help anymore..."
 
Chris stood in shock, the boy who played the role of Oz came up to him grabbing his arm before he could run after the closing door.


"Don't," he stated simply, before Chris tugged his arm savagely away from him. As he stared at the boy, though it wasn't seen his face was a beating red.


"Shut up Tim!" He shouted in anger, he couldn't help it. Someone was hurting Edgar and he was going to figure it out as soon as possible.


Then it hit him, FoS, that group pretty much hung with him as much as Chris did perhaps more.


And with the lead he had he ran towards the room he believed Quinn had been in, the straws of his costume rustling and leaving a trail behind him.


Finally he reached the door, the sprint not even fazing him.


"Does anyone in your club, like pick on Edgar? Or anyone exactly?" He spoke eagerly and quickly, each second mattering to him. His body tense, that alone showing his irritation.


While Edgar ran through the humid air, pumping his arms by his side. It was surprising to most but his long strides made him quite difficult to catch and provided him with a lot of speed.


It hurt after awhile, he lived far from the school and knew he couldn't keep sprinting like this. So at some point he stopped when by the park and collapsed into a bench. Finally a tear began to slip down his cheek in disappointment. As he pulled at his hair, stupid he thought. So stupid.
 
Quinn looked up at Chris, slightly shocked, as she processed his question. "Pick on Edgar? I should hope not... I've never seen anyone treat Edgar badly, Chris." Quinn said, setting the prop down to rub at her chin thoughtfully. It was obvious Chris was serious for once so instead of freaking out... Quinn took the time to seriously think about it. She closed her eyes, thinking back to all the meetings they had had, all the times she had seen Edgar, any time she had ever been around him.... but she couldn't remember anyone ever act maliciously to him... or even jokingly besides Chris.


"Everyone I know absolutely adores Edgar... that or they just don't talk to him at all... but that's more because they don't want to make him feel awkward, I suppose. Edgar's a really important part of this group, afterall. He chose the name!! But uh... well... I mean we'd all be getting bullied, right? Why are you asking Chris... did he 'say' something? What's going on?" Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Chris, trying to read him. He was really worked up about something.
 
Chris' hands shook furiously until he slammed his fist into the wall. He hadn't been breathing the whole time he finally noticed and took a small breath.


"Sorry.." He mumbled before falling into a nearby seat and running a hand through his golden locks. Before running a hand down his left arm,


"Bruises, all along this arm." He stated wearily. It made sense that she didn't know anyone that would pick on him. Edgar was a chill guy, and made nice friends easily. And even if he said anything you wouldn't understand. Chris was always with him except for six period, they where learning English and he was having difficulty. Maybe someone was making fun of him for it, he'd check it out tomorrow.
 
And that kicked Quinn's energy back into gear. "Bruises?! What? How? Edgar doesn't take me as a sports playing guy..." Quinn said, jumping to that conclusion from the bruises she'd get from basketball and volleyball in the past. She looked down at her arms... then again, what sport would have you getting bruises on his arms. "If it were someone else I'd suggest that maybe they boxed but then... well... It's Edgar, isn't it... I just... Edgar is such a good guy! Who the heck would pick on him?" Quinn said, beginning to pace. "What kind of bruises, Chris? Like... ... alllll over his arms? Or like... certain spots? I mean... you're not stupid so you wouldn't freak out about bruises that someone might get from falling over, right?" Quinn ran a hand through her hair, messing up the style she had carefully done that morning.
 
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