True Colors (The Masks #1)(15)

My feet were aching by the time I reached the Standard Hollywood Hotel, further down Sunset Boulevard, and still I hadn’t seen the man yet. I was fully fighting tears as I turned to head back to my car, but then the thought that the street had two sides hit me. I crossed the busy road and started my search again.

Ten minutes later I found him.

It was pure chance really. I spotted a black boot sticking out from behind a dumpster. I didn’t recognize it as his or anything, but I was pretty desperate by that stage, so I headed into the smelly alleyway.

“Hello?”

The boot twitched.

“Hello, sir?”

I gingerly stepped past the green dumpster and poked my head around the corner. And there he was. Those pale eyes took me in and then a smile of recognition eased across his face. “You’re welcome,” he said.

“I’m welcome?” I couldn’t help my sharp tone.

He nodded and grinned, struggling up from his spot. He looked weak and tired, but once he was standing something about his demeanour changed. He was no longer a desperate lowly man, but now stood with a confidence that was almost charming. In spite of the grey pallor of his skin, his face was the picture of serenity, his eyes dancing with a smile.

“You were kind to me. I wanted to repay you.”

“By ruining my life?”

His forehead crinkled. “Ruining your...no. I gave you a gift.”

I scoffed. “No, no you didn’t. You cursed me.” My finger was shaking as I pointed at him.

“No.” He went to reach for my hand, but I yanked it away. “Sweet child, the ability to see behind people’s masks is a gift. It will protect you.”

“Protect me! I’ve never felt more vulnerable.” I hadn’t actually known that, but now that I’d said it, I realized just how vulnerable I did feel. I blinked away tears. “All you’ve done is exposed me to everyone’s true feelings...and you know what, I don’t like them very much!”

“I understand.” Regret flooded his expression. A big tidal wave of it crested over his face as if he knew exactly what I meant. Squinting his eyes he looked to the ground and took a deep breath.

His expression turned from sad to pensive as he gazed back at me.

“What?” I barked.

“Rather than throwing anger at me, maybe you should ask yourself why these people’s feelings bother you.”

“They’re bothering me because my boyfriend, who I just dumped thank you very much, obviously only wanted me for sex and my best friend doesn’t even care. In fact my pain seemed to bring her joy.”

“Well, don’t you think it’s better to know this than live with a lie?”

“I—" Throwing my hands in the air, I stepped away from him. “I don’t know. Lies make life easier sometimes.”

“Ah.” The man nodded. “So, you’d rather play the ignorant fool.”

I threw him a black glare, which made him chuckle. “It is the safer option, I guess.” Once again with the regret. His eyes brimmed with it until he blinked rapidly and shook his head. “What is your name?”

“Caitlyn,” I mumbled.

“Well, Caitlyn.” He smiled. “The first time I saw you, I knew you were a good soul, and when you came back to prove it, I knew I had to pass this gift to you. I have never shared it with anyone before.”

His warm voice made me feel privileged somehow, but I still couldn’t stop my head from shaking. “Look mister, I appreciate that you were trying to be nice and all, but I don’t want it. So can you please just, you know, take it back?”

He looked hurt by my suggestion, but not offended. It didn’t really matter what he felt, because he still shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s yours now. I passed it onto you. I can’t take it back.”

“So, you, you don’t have it anymore?”

He shook his head, looking at peace about the whole thing.

I frowned. “Well, if you liked it so much, why’d you give it away?”

“I’m dying.” He shrugged.

My breath evaporated along with a little of my anger. I swallowed as he kept talking.

“I don’t know how much longer I have. The day the doctors told me, I had a bit of a breakdown.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “When you can see what people are really feeling, it’s easy to tell when they think you have no chance at survival.”

“I’m—I’m sorry.”

He flicked his hand as if it didn’t matter. “I was a busy businessman...driven. Being able to read people gave me power and I abused it.” Shame flooded his expression. “I never gave myself time to fall in love or have...a family.” His voice wavered and I could see the lie. He’d had a family alright. One he'd probably abandoned, which is why he didn't want to say anything. What's the bet he couldn't handle seeing what they really thought of him and so he left. My eyes narrowed as he continued talking. “And then when I had no time left, I realized I needed to pass this gift on. But I knew no-one worthy of it.”

“How did you end up on the street?”

“When you know your life is coming to an end, things don’t matter anymore.” He tipped back on his heels. “I gave away everything I had. There were others who needed it more than me. But this gift of sight...I knew that was for someone special. I wanted someone compassionate to have it. Someone who could use it to help others.”