The Book of Masks (Vol. 2)

A Manufactured Rebound

Previously: "Keeping the Company of Facades" 

(Written by Tal)

It's an undeniable fact that Cindy is insanely gorgeous. Shinning long straight blonde hair, large deep blue eyes, and a face so beautiful that men would wage war for. Her smile alone has left a trail of broken hearts across Westside.

But as you've recently learned, this Cindy is actually your friend Keith, who is now magically disguised as her.

He has just proposed you date 'her' to help boost your popularity. Although you suspect his real intention is to torture his nemesis and tormentor, Seth, whom up to last night at the Warehouse, was Cindy's boyfriend.

"So, what do you think?" she asks.

"Wait, are you actually serious? You mean you actually want me to date you?" you rebuke.

"You wouldn't be dating me, you'd be dating Cindy fucking Vrendenburg. And it wouldn't even really be dating, we'd just make it look we are," she smugly adds. "It's not like we'd have to bang. Although —" she pauses and pouts. "Cindy can be really gossipy about her love life. Maybe that could be to your benefit?"

Her expression morphs once again, and all traces of Keith instantly vanish. "Mindy, listen. Will is really great. He's super sweet and thoughtful. And, well... Please PLEASE don't tell anyone this, but he's much bigger than Seth," she finishes with a cute little giggle only to immediately collect herself. "Sorry. I guess I'm getting a bit carried away, huh? It's just that after you do this for awhile, it becomes kind of intoxicating."

You nod cautiously. It's equal parts uncanny and terrifying with how well he can instantly switch to being her.

"Just think, you could totally have any girl you want afterwards!" she gushes.

You ponder his point. Really all this time imposters of Cindy, Eva, and Jessica have been faking their interest in you, all in a crazy experiment to make you more popular. Which surprisingly, has seemed to have worked. His proposition is just as crazy, but could it really pay off?

You suppose that you have already gone this far down the rabbit hole.

"Screw it. Sure, why not?" you decide. "You think this can help me get with someone like Kristy?"

"Why just settle for Kristy?" she adds with a smirk.

* * * * *

You and Cindy return upstairs to the main floor where you find Eva, Jessica and Maria getting ready to leave near the entrance. Of the three impostors, Maria and Eva are having a conversation, while Jessica appears to be checking out her own ass in the entrance way mirror. She's wearing a yellow crop top and pair of almost impossibly tight skinny jeans, with a couple of tasteful rips along the knees.

While she's checking herself out she notices the two of you in the reflection. She turns to you and beams, "Oh Will! Do you think these jeans make my butt look big?" She does a little wiggle of her currently very well defined ass.

"Uhhh," is all you can muster out of your mouth as your heart begins to race.

"Jess, I think you look super cute in them," Cindy cheeringly assures her friend.

"I wasn't asking you, Cindy," Jessica glowers back with a touch of annoyance.

Maria brushes some strands of her dark hair behind her ear and steps forward to interrupt, "So Tilley, I imagine Will has filled you in with the plan tonight?"

"Ya... we're moving the Beta to your storage unit later?" answers Cindy.

"Correct," Maria replies. It breaks your brain a little to hear the normal air headed Maria speak with such assertion. "Do you think Cindy's parents will be a problem?" she continues.

"We kind of just left it in your room," Eva adds hesitantly.

“I don't think the rents should be an issue," Cindy casually insists. "Saturday's their date night, so they shouldn't even be here for long. And—" She grabs your bicep and pulls you close. "They've learned to not bother me if I have a boy over."

Your heart races again.

* * * * *

After a round of hugs between the girls, the three other cheerleaders depart out the door, which in turn leaves you alone with Keith in the Vrendenburg residence.

It's eerie once you return to Cindy's room to see the beta that the others have left. It's a pale white, doesn't have any facial features, and it's just laying there motionless in Cindy's bed. One could easily mistake it for a strange looking mannequin, if it weren't for the fact that it appeared to be barely breathing. Thankfully, it's been covered mostly in a blanket.

Despite this 'thing' laying in her bed, Cindy doesn’t appear whatsoever fazed by it. She just plumps herself into a pink tub chair in the corner of her room and begins to casually text. She lets out a little giggle, and a moment later your phone buzzes. It says, 'Cindy Vrendenburg has added you to a group chat.'

"Now that you're on the team, we need to stay in contact," she happily chirps.

Bzzzt. Your phone buzzes again. You get a text in the chat from Eva: "Welcome Will!! Glad you're in on our fun now :)."

You quickly type: "Thx guys."

"Uhhh you mean GIRLS haha," Jessica responds.

They even text like they’re in character, you unnervingly think. You place your phone down on the dresser and ignore it as it continues to buzz from the chat.

You look over to Cindy, who is simply sitting and smiling to her phone as she texts away on it. "So, Keith," you sternly stress your friends real name. "How much of you is actually in there right now?"

She looks up to you and you're again reminded just how pretty she is. Her deep blue eyes, gorgeous face, all flawlessly framed in thick sheets of platinum blonde hair. "Don't worry Will, it's still one hundred percent me inside here. But, because of this mask, I have all her memories and even her personality. It feels completely normal to act and even think like her." She smirks and presses her shoulders inward which pushes up her breasts in her blouse. "Everything you see is totally 100 percent real. I'll even let you touch them if you want," she offers casually.

Her voice is soft and sweet, but as much as you really don't want to believe it, it's undoubtedly Keith underneath it all.

You decide not to respond to his offer.

“I know it must be weird, Will. But, like I've been repeatedly trying to tell you—" she flutters her long eyelashes at you. "We can have a ton of fun with these masks."

* * * * *

Not long later Cindy's parents arrive, which prompts Keith to quickly rush to distract them before they can wander into her room. You figure it's probably best you stay by the beta while "she" does her thing.

You overhear Cindy explaining to her parents that she has a guy friend over to help her study for a calculus test, and that she will be sleeping over at Chelsea's house later tonight. To your complete surprise, they seem to be entirely trusting of their daughter, and depart for their night out just as quickly as they arrived. You can't help but feel envious from the freedom she's afforded.

Afterwards Cindy returns and stops at the doorway to her room. "So like-- you okay if we play it that way?" she asks meekly with her hands behind her back.

"Uh, play what what way?" You reply genuinely confused.

"Be my calc tutor, you know, to make it plausible and all," she counters in a slightly cutesy voice.

“Make WHAT plausible?"

"Well I'm thinking people wouldn't believe it if you, out of like no where, just started dating Cindy. We can play it off like you have been tutoring me, and things just-- well, you know-- started from there?" she adds coyly, "Unless you have a better idea?"

Next: "A Change of Mind" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 2)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 2)"