Louis’ POV
“Who are you?” I got asked for the millionth time.
“The Ice King.” I answered… for the millionth time. This party was so boring, so so boring.
“Where is your Queen?” Seriously? That question again.
“She couldn’t make it tonight.” I answered. I wish she could have though. I really did.
“Oh, well… would you like to dance then?” she asked me, her voice high-pitched and annoying.
“No. I don’t want to unless it was with her.” I answered walking away. I know this was meant to be an awesome party, but without her here, it just wasn’t right.
“You would be?” man, another person? Really?
“Ice King.” I answered turning around to look at the girl. Her voice sounded familiar, but it wasn’t Codie. It had an Australian accent though. Her dyed blonde hair had mixed shades of blue at the tips. “What would yours be?” I asked her back. I tried to connect the voice with the blonde hair and those familiar eyes.
“Blue Bird.” Well, that explained her hair, her mask and her dress.
“Nice name.” I replied back. She walked back to her group of friends. A group of four, all of their hair looked familiar. Something about them all seemed familiar. Where did I know them from? Only four, it couldn’t be Codie and her friends because there was five of them, not four. Something was going on here, something was off. I had to find out.
I looked around to try and find them again, while I had been lost in thought they had moved away. You would think it would be easy to find someone here if you knew what they were wearing. Yea-no. It’s not. I looked for like, half an hour before I gave up and sat down at the end of the massive hall. The stage was the other side of the room, and it looked like someone was getting up, or being pushed up onto it. I looked away, still missing Codie when the person sang.
I listened to the person carefully.
I knew that voice.
It had to be Codie.
Hah, here I am, sitting here, missing her. She could be here. The blonde hair was exactly how I remembered it, apart from the fact it was curled and shimmered in the moving lights. The tips looked like they were completely made out of glitter. The dress took my breath away, it had to be her. Only she could pull off that dress so well.
“I know that we are upside down
So hold your tongue and hear me out
I know that we were made to break
So what? I don’t mind
You kill the lights, I’ll draw the blinds
Don’t dull the sparkle in your eyes
I know that we were made to break
So what? I don’t mind
Are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Oh, oh, oh are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Doesn’t mean that we’re bound for life
So, oh oh oh, are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Doesn’t mean that we’re bound for life
So, oh oh oh, are you gonna stay the night?
I am a fire, you’re gasoline
Come pour yourself all over me
We’ll let this place go down in flames only one more time
You kill the lights, I’ll draw the blinds
Don’t dull the sparkle in your eyes
I know that we were made to break
So what? I don’t mind
Are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Oh, oh, oh are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Doesn’t mean that we’re bound for life
So, oh oh oh, are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Are you gonna stay the night?
Oh oh oh oh
Are you gonna stay the night?”
The dress was a blue at the top and faded to white, while it sparkled. That’s why her hair was different. To match her dress. If only I could see her face behind that white mask that covered half her face. As I listened to the lyrics of the next song and her voice singing it perfectly, I realized I had never heard the song before. Was it an original that she had written? Hmm, no. that’s not her style of song. What the hell was going on in her life that I didn’t know about?
She had everyone up and dancing to her song, except for me. I was just standing and slowly walking to the stage, to see her more clearly, but by the time I got halfway there her song finished and she was off the stage. I lost her in the flood of people. Man, so close… yet so far.
What would I do now? Try to find that girl who I suspected was Codie? I think yes.
***
Um, what should I say? She was right in front of me, well, her back was. What if I had the wrong person? What if I wanted it to be Codie that much that I had imagined it was her? What if that was true and she was butt ugly? I would be screwed. She was getting a drink, it was practically midnight. One more minute and our masks could finally be taken off. Wow I was being a creep.
Now, from studying her dress I now knew that it wasn’t the actual dress that changed colour, but the jewels on the bodice. It was a beautiful dress, and it suited her perfectly. I sighed to myself. I really hoped it was her, I really did. 20 seconds of courage. Here we go. I tapped her shoulder and she turned around.
“What do you want?” she asked in an Australian accent. It had to be her, unless she had a doppelganger that I didn’t know about.
“I was looking for someone.” I answered.
“When you say ‘was looking’ do you mean you found them? Because if they don’t have anything to do with me, why are you telling me?” That attitude, it had to be her.
“I don’t know yet. What’s your name?” I asked her.
“The Snow Queen.”
Codie’s POV
This was funny, he still didn’t know for sure who I was. “The Snow Queen.” I answered to his question.
“You know it’s practically midnight, you could take your mask off.” Louis offered.
“I could, but my phone still says 11:59.” I showed him the screen of my phone before putting it back in my strapless bra. I can imagine Elysse being there saying ‘that’ll give you cancer’ and me screaming back at her ‘the hair tie you’re wearing will give you cancer.’ Yeah, we’re weird. Got a problem with that?
“That clock says 1 past 12.” He told me.
“I don't go by that clock mate.” I reminded him. “Anyway, what’s your name?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“Ice King.” He answered. “Maybe we’re paired.”
“Maybe.” I agreed, kind of, maybe.
“You know it has to be 12 on your phone now.” He stated.
“And what if it is?” I asked.
“You could take your mask off?” He practically pleaded and begged.
“How about… no.” I started walking away.
“Take off your bloody mask!” he shouted at me.
“No!” I shouted back before turning around to face him. Instead of looking in his eyes I was taken aback as he kissed me. I grabbed the back of his head and knotted my fingers in his hair. He must have been bloody sure it was me to do this. I never wanted this to end, it had been the first time we touched in practically two months. As we broke apart he pushed the mask to the top of my head.
“I knew it was you.” He said truthfully.
“Well you would bloody well hope so with a move like that.” I told him.
“I know, but I was sure with the voice and the hair and the attitude and the eyes.” He explained to me.
“Okay, I believe you. I was just hoped for the sake of your life that it wasn’t someone else that looked like me.” I told him, holding his hand and pulling him to the dance floor. I placed one hand on his shoulder and interlocked the fingers of my other hand with his. His other hand went to the small of my back. We started slow dancing to the song ‘I’ll Be’ by Edwin McCain. I listened to the lyrics as I stared into his eyes.
“The strands in your eyes that colour them wonderful
Stope me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated
I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be love’s suicide
I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life
Rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake on my bed
You’re my survival, you’re my living proof
My love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated
I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be love’s suicide
I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life”
Louis joined in for the ending, my head resting on his chest. I could feel him singing the words.
“I’ve dropped out
I’ve burned up
I’ve fought my way back from the dead
I’ve tuned in
Turned on
Remembered the things that you said
I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be love’s suicide
I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your…
I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be love’s suicide
I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life
Greatest fan of your life.”
I loved that song, the way it says that I’ll never let you go. Well, it doesn’t actually say it, but… it’s what I think the song means. “You know, that practically describes us.” Louis said randomly.
“Do you even know the lyrics?” I asked him.
“Didn’t you hear me singing it?” he asked back.
“The other lyrics, you dip shit.” I answered.
“Well, it practically repeats itself over and over again.” He said to me like I was an idiot. We kept stepping around slowly, content with each other’s company. We stayed silent, being glad to hold each other. “What would you do if I told you I wanted to give you a ring?” I stopped suddenly at the thought of his words.
“Depends on what kind of ring it is.” I told him. He got down on one knee. “You are not proposing.” I told him.
“I know.” He sighed. “Codie Badress, will you promise that no matter what happens, we will one day get married? Not in the near future, but sometime in the next few years?” I looked at him while I tilted my head.
“Really Louis?” I asked him.
“Yeah Codie.” He answered.
“We’ve been going out for about four months. Why should we do this now? How can we be sure?” I asked him.
“Because I love you Codie. Not ‘I love you but’ or ‘I love you with an asterisk’ or ‘I love you and then I’ll ditch you after I sleep with you’. I honestly love you, with all my heart and the rest of me too.” He told me. “Anyway, two months of long distance practically equals to two years.” he explained.
“I don't know Louis...” I really didn’t know.
“Just say yes, please?” he asked me.
“Why should I?” his face dropped. “Not that I don't love you, it’s just the fact that this is the best and longest relationship I’ve been in. You’ve been a lot of firsts for me, and now, I don’t know. I don't know what kind of love I have for you, because I’ve never felt it before I don't know how strong it is.” I explained to him.
“Why shouldn’t you? Just say yes. It doesn’t even matter about wearing the ring because I don't have one for you yet.” He told me while he laughed.
“Well then, how can I say no?” I rhetorically asked.
“Well, you just move your vocal chords to say the two letter word…” he was really expecting me to say no.
“Of course I will take the imaginary Promise Ring and wear it for all eternity.” I told him as he jumped from his knees and picked me up. “What are you doing?!” I shouted to the world.
“This is the happiest day of my life!” that was the only answer I needed.

Notes