“Hello?” I answered my ringing phone

“Hey, it’s me” Came my boyfriend’s voice over the phone

“What’s up?” I asked

“I’m running late, so I’m not gonna be able to pick you up for the ball tonight” He said

“Oh” I sighed. I shouldn’t have been too let down, this had been happening for a couple of months.

“I’ll see you there, though and then if you wanted you could come home with me” He said

“Yeah ok, cool” I answered

“I have a limo to pick you up at 8:30, though” He said

“Ok, what time will you be there?” I asked

“Hopefully before New Year, but I can’t promise anything” He said and I heard him blow the horn in his car.

“How will you know me?” I asked

“How could I not know the prettiest girl at the ball?” He asked. That made me smile

“We’ll be wearing masks” I answered

“Not all night my darling. I gotta go, I’ll see you later ok?” He asked

“Ok” I said

“Love you” He said before hanging up.

I sighed and put the phone down. I looked at my gorgeous gothic style ball gown that was black and a very deep purple hanging from the rack. I’d chosen it with Nick in mind. He’d said to me once that the gothic style turns him on, even though he wasn’t attracted to gothic girls at all.

“Hey girl, who was on the phone?” My best friend/flat mate, Jenn, asked coming into the bedroom.

“Just Nick. He’s gonna be late” I sighed

“Things aren’t goin well between you and Nicky are they?” She asked

“No. And he just doesn’t seem to want to make things work anymore” I said

“Whatcha gonna do?” She asked, sitting beside me on my bed

“Go out and have fun. When I see him I’ll tell him that I don’t want to be with him anymore” I sighed. She rubbed my back and gave me a smile.

“Just see how tonight goes. You need help with your dress?” She asked

“Not yet, gotta finish everything else” I smiled. She nodded and went back to her room.

I sighed, not even sure I wanted to go anymore. Fuck it. I’m going and I’m gonna have fun. Nick can get fucked I thought. I went back to the bathroom where I finished waxing my legs and then started doing my recently dyed, wavy hair. I’d dyed it a dark brown and gotten platinum foils through it.

When I was finished, I had dark ringlets held up with a purple, velvet clasp. With my hair out of the way I put on the black velvet choker that I’d had for years, but never worn along with the rings and bracelets that Nick had given me over the years.

I looked in the mirror, satisfied with my hair and then started applying my make up. When I was done, I puckered up my deep red lips in a mock kiss and chuckled at myself. Back in my room I pulled on my underwear and garter belt fish net thigh high stockings. I pulled on my chunky black lace up boots and did them up before slipping on the dress. I didn’t know why I was bothering. Maybe I could have some fun with Nick before I told him.

“Jenn” I called as I slipped into the dress and pulled it up. She came in in her robe and smiled.

“Lookin sexy” She laughed. I grinned and turned around so she could do up the corseted bodice. As she tugged on the ribbons I breathed out, but kept my back straight. When I was done I turned around, careful not to step on the dress and Jenn breathed out and smiled.

“Woman, you are gonna be breaking some hearts tonight” She grinned. I smiled and went over to my mirror.

“Are you coming with me?” I asked

“Yeah, I’m just about ready. Just need you to do me up” She said.

I follwed her to her room and waited as she slipped on the dress and turned around. I slowly pulled up the zipper, letting her adjust her breathing. When it was done up we grinned at each other and went out to the lounge room and cracked open a bottle of champagne.

“You look so hott” Jenn said looking em over again

“Well you look just as good, that dress really suits you” I said as we carefully sat down and drank our champagne. Her dress was emerald green with black trims and stitching. It was beautiful and suited her to the ground. She also wore chunky boots beneath her dress. She to had on a choker.

“I think we’re both gonna be breaking some hearts” I smiled and took a sip of my champagne, before carefully standing up and going down the hall again. I grabbed my mask and my purse and put my stuff in it and went back out to Jenn who had topped up our glasses.

“Jenn, tonight, I’m single ok?” I said

“If that’s what you wanna do hun” She smiled. I nodded.

“Fingers crossed there’s a spunk there” I sighed

“You’re not gonna know with the masks” Jenn said

“As Nick pointed out, we’re not gonna have them on all night” I said

“True” She agreed. I smiled and had more of the champagne. There was a knock on the door and I went to answer it.

“Your ride awaits” Smiled the limo driver. There was a gorgeous white stretch limo parked out the front.

“Thanks” I grinned and went to get my stuff. Jenn grabbed the bottle as we went out the door.

Out the front of the function centre we stopped and waited, composing ourselves and trying to calm the excitement. I pulled my purple and black mask on and fixed my hair. Jenn did the same and we headed inside. It was gorgeous and decked out in old fashioned decorations and everyone was wearing their masks. There were cats and birds and rainbows everywhere. The men looked great in the Tails and top hats and the women were beautiful in their dresses.

We walked around for a while before heading to the bar. Drinks were free so we hit it hard. 2 hours into it we hit the dance floor and danced up an absolute storm. That’s when I saw him. He wore his tails and top hat, but his mask was completely white, with no decoration what so ever. I stopped dancing and looked. His intense blue eyes stared back. His lips formed a mischievous smile. Then someone decided to walk in front of him and he was gone.

“Hey are you ok?” Jenn said loudly in my ear

“What? Oh yeah, can we get a drink?” I asked. She nodded and we walked from the dance floor to the bar where we fought to the front. I pushed my mask on top of my head and smiled at the bar keep.

“Scoth and coke and a corona” I said. He nodded. Even he had a mask on. He produced our drinks and I handed Jenn’s to her and we found a table.

“So what’s the go?” She asked, sipping her drink

“I just saw this guy and I couldn’t help but look at him” I said

“What did he look like?” She asked

“I don’t know. He was wearing a mask. It was completely white. Like Phantom of the Opera” I said

“Weird” She said. I nodded and took a swig from my bottle.

I checked the big clock at the front of the room. 10:30. I scanned the bar area for Nick, but couldn’t see him. I finished my drink and put my maks back on. We walked around for a while before ending up back on the dance floor.

“There he is” I said to Jenn, pointing.

“I can’t see anything” She answered. I pointed again, staring at the guy. Jenn shrugged and turned to me.

“There’s no one there” SHe insisted. I watched him and again, he smiled mischievously again and turned away. I noticed he was wearing a cape.

“I think you’ve had a bit much to drink” Jenn chuckled, pulling me in the opposite direction. I soon forgot about the guy as we met up with a couple of other friends and danced and drank.

I glanced up at the clock, it was 11:35. Still no sign of Nick. I’d found a quiet corner and was just sitting. Not particularly excited about the coming new year. I couldn’t actually picture my life without Nick. I’d been with him for close to 7 years. The 7 best years of my entire life, but at the same time the worst. We had our good times, of course and there were quite a few of them. But our bad times were horrible. I remember one time when we a fight, I keyed his car and he retaliate by breaking every single one of my crystal figurines that I’d been collecting since I was a little girl. We were vicious and ruthless, with name calling and even a bit of shoving (on my part). But the love was always there. Except for the last few months. Now. Today. I missed him, the person that he was before.

A bunch of people walked through my vision and there he was. The phantom. Again the mischievous smile that I now realised I’d seen before, but couldn’t, for the life of me, remember where. He turned and started weaving through the people. I jumped up and started to follow. I had to know who it was.

As I pushed through the crowd, chasing the phantom, I heard people complaining. I ignored them. I pushed through a double door out into the cold winter air and stopped. He was no where to be seen. I scanned the dimly lit balcony, hoping that he was here. He wasn’t. I sighed and started turning around to go back inside and there he was, with that smile and the bluest eyes I had ever seen.

“Who are you?” I asked. He put his finger to my lips and just smiled before taking my hand and leading me inside, but in the opposite direction to the party. His fingers on my skin sent bolts of electricity through my body and I became addicted. I wanted and needed more.

He lead me up a gorgeous wrought iron spiral stair case and into a room with a couch, day bed and arm chairs. It was beautifully decorated like a room from the Renaissance . He stood in front of me and I went to speak but he put his finger to my lips again. He took both my hands in his and pulled me against him, pressing his lips against mine.

They were soft and sweet and I completely melted into him. I totally forgot about Nick and instead wsrapped my arms around him, hugging him close. His lips left mine and trailed to my neck and I gasped as tingles swept down my spine.

It didn’t take him long to find the exact spot on my neck that made my knees weak and when he found out, his strong arms caught me as I fell, but he managed to keep kissing my neck. I whimpered softly, wanting more. He lifted me with ease and carried me over to the day bed where he lay me down and kissed me again.

Almost without me even realising, he had lifted my skirts up and was stroking my inner thighs softly, as he kissed me. It was a magical combination of pleasure and I almost moaned. His fingers glided across my skin, up my thighs and across my crotchless panties. I felt him grin against my lips and that time I did moan.

His fingers dipped inside me, but only for a split second, before he withdrew them and softly swept them across my clit. I gasped and writhed beneath him as an orgasm rocked my body. I was shocked beyond words. He smiled that smile at me before ducking below my eye sight, pushing up his mask as he went. I struggled to see, but my skirts were piled to high at my waist. I felt his tongue on my clit and gasped again, still not quite recovered from the orgasm.

I desperately wanted to see his face and struggled to see him. He stopped what he was doing and slowly lifted his head. I held my breath, but wasn’t rewarded with a picture of his face, He’d put his mask back on. I whimpered and he smiled and held his fingers to his lips.

“Shh” He said and disappeared again. I lay back and closed my eyes as his tongue flicked across my clit, creating ripples of pleasure that made my entire body tremble. It didn’t take long before another orgasm shuddered through me and I cried out.

He stood up and I thought he was going to leave, but instead, he smiled again and started undoing his pants. As I watched, my breath caught in my throat and I felt my body start to shake and throb. He lay over me and I looked up into his eyes that were a complete mystery to me, but it was like I knew him already. His lips brushed against mine as he slipped inside me and both of us moaned softly.

His love making was like nothing I’d ever been witness to before. It was neither slow and gentle nor fast and rough, it was a neutral balance between both and it was absolutely brilliant. I clung to him, tightly, never wanting this to end, but knowing it would, hopefully not for a while. He kissed me again and cupped my corseted breast in his hand.

I heard the party downstairs erupt in cheers and applause before the muffled sound of Auld Lang Sine could be heard and I realised that Midnight must have passed. I thought of Nick, but in a flash the thoughts were gone, replaced by the perfect feel of this mans hands on my body. I wanted to see his face and reached up to lift his mask, but he ducked his head and kissed me again, quickening his pace a little as an urgency grew between us.

I moaned loudly and clung on to him. He lowered his head into my neck and whispered 3 words in my ear and those 3 words threw me over the edge, never to return and I gasped and arched my back up, as a multiple orgasm slammed my body, with him quickly follwing suit and letting himself go. I cried out again, but the only sound he made was a small moan. I closed my eyes completely relaxed, puffing slightly and lay back.

“Holy shit” I murmured. The phantom brushed my lips with his again and carefully stood up. I opened my eyes and watched him. Before I could say anything, he turned and smiled and quickly left. I struggled up to follow him, but when I reached the door he was no where to be seen. I turned to the wall and slammed my fist against it in drunken frustration before finding a bathroom and fixing myself up before going downstairs.

I found Jenn near the bar, at the place we arranged to meet if we were separated.

“Where did you go?” She asked me

“To the toilet” I said, not quite meeting her eyes

“Ok, then. Let me rephrase. Who were you with?” She asked with a knowing smile

“Just a guy” I shrugged. She chuckled.

“I think I might head home” I said

“No, one more drink” She said. It took a bit of convincing, but I ended up staying for a couple more drinks and then I said goodbye to Jenn and headed for the limo.

At home I pushed open the door and looked for any signs that Nick was here. He wasn’t. I flopped down on the couch and picked up the phone, dialing his cell number.

“Hey it’s Nick. I can’t take your call, so leave a message” Came his voice. I hung up and dialled his home phone. Maybe he’s home but hadn’t turned his cell on from the plane trip.

“Hey it’s Nick. I can’t take your call right now, so leave me a message and I”ll get back to you asap” Came his answering machine.

“Hey Nicky it’s me. I uh, just wanted to see if you were home, but you’re not. I missed you tonight. We need to talk, call me when you’ve had a sleep” I said and hesitated before I hung up.

I sighed as I was overcome with guilt from what I’d done. I’d never been a cheater until tonight. I sat on the bed and started to cry. I sobbed for a few minutes on the bed before I stood up and struggled out of my dress, still sobbing. I hung it up and got out of the underwear I was wearing and went and had a quick shower, my tears mixing with the hot water. I got out and stood in front of the mirror, taking my make uo off and carefully letting down my hair and brushing it out. I’d stopped crying.

I dried off and walked naked to my room where I pulled on a pair of little shorts and a tank top. It was warm inside, since we had central heating. I crawled under the covers and cried silently until I fell asleep.

“Morning Angel Eyes” Nick whispered from beside me ass I slowly opened my eyes.

“Nicky” I mumbled, half smiling and snuggling further into him.

“You said you needed to talk, so here I am, talk to me baby” He whispered.

Last night came flooding back to me and I sat up, surprisingly, not hung over. He sat up with me.

“Nick. I don’t think we can be together anymore” I said, struggling to hold back my tears

“What? Why? I mean I know I’ve been a bit distant lately, but-” He started saying

“I had sex with another man last night” I said. He was quiet

“I know it’s not much of an excuse, but I was drunk. I don’t know why I did it. I mean I know why I did it, but I don’t know” I blubbered on. Still silence.

“You hate me” I said, not looking at him. He lifted my chin with his finger and turned my head to face him. He was smiling.

“Why are you smiling? You should be getting angry with me right now” I said, standing up and crossing my arms over my chest

“Seriously, I know what I did was wrong and I’m sorry. That’s why I don’t think we should be together” I said

“Baby, it was me” He said

“I love you and all, but. If this got out, it could stuff up the tour and everything” I rambled

“Angel, listen to me. You didn’t cheat it was me” He said

“I’m such an idiot” I said and started crying. Nick came and stood in front of me and took me in his arms.

“Listen to me Angel. You didn’t cheat on me. That guy you were with. It was me baby” He said in my ear and I finally heard him.

“You?” I asked

“Yeah. Me. Jenn helped. Didn’t you wonder why he wouldn’t talk?” He asked, pushing me to arms length and smiling that same mischievous smile that I remembered form last night.

“Asshole” I said shoving him away, anger replacing guilt and sadness.

“I wanted to give you a New Years you’d never forget. I didn’t think you’d break up with me. I’m sorry baby” He said

“Jesus christ” I said. He chuckled and hugged me tightly.

“It was good right?” He asked. Reluctantly, I nodded against him.

“Mean though” I said

“Yeah I’m sorry” He laughed

“Normal guys just give their girlfriends engagement rings” I mumbled. He chuckled and lead me back to my bed.

“Want me to do it all again?” He asked. I nodded and let a smile cross my face. He grinned and dipped his head and kissed me.