Star-crossed

She resembles an angel.

Even if she wore those fake white wings on her back, anyone would think that she is an angel for the vision of her in a white dress will make anyone feel serene and peaceful.

Her long brunette locks flow with the gentle breeze as she walks down the balcony wearing a simple, white chiffon gown that free falls around her body. Even if she's well covered, her small waist and wide hips suggest of her beautiful figure. She looked quiet with that soft smile she wore on those humble lips. Even her pale skin that softly gleamed against the fluorescent light would give you an idea of how soft her skin is even by just looking.

She's such a vision.

That simplicity is all but beauty.

And the vision of her had him stop in his tracks and stare; breath hitching as his eyes followed her figure as she now slowly descends down the marbled stairs and stopped beside her sister before looking in front of her—at the people who gathered for her so-called father's name day.

With a mask upon his face, he steps forward; eyes locked upon the angelic vision.

He thought: She's the one.

The family's princess; the most precious jewel. She must be for she seemed fragile and delicate. And all that beauty will make anyone think she's very well pampered and loved. That's what he thought.

He's not supposed to be there. He wasn't invited and he never will be but nevertheless, he and his brother and two of his cousins; along with a few of his men went there with their masks on.

It's a masquerade after all.

They can't be there for when the master of the house learned that they're at the gathering, all hell will break loose. Or so the master would do if he wasn't so drunk already even if the party hasn't begun yet.

But with all the danger of entering the enemy lines, they still went there unbeknownst to the family that hosts the party.

Who knows how many of them can make it home if they're found out? But they all have one goal that will keep them going despite the danger.

The feud between their families had been going on for generations. They want their name to be on top. Their clans had been at war; from their ancestors to their descendants' times.

It seemed as if this dispute is inherited and they had no choice but look at the rival family with resentment. Even if some of them had not done the others wrong, they're compelled to consider the other as a rival.

And as generations pass, the dispute seemed to get worse with the prettiest of the pettiest reasons.

However, the reason that has pushed them to come to the enemy's territory tonight is not even close to petty.

It was a crime covered up with money and power.

With a deep, aged voice, her father starts his blabbering speech; and his words and boisterous laughter were like a clap of rolling thunder across the hall; everyone's attentions were focused on and they all listen. When he laughs, everyone chuckles not because what he's saying is amusing but he has the presence that commands an attentive response.

The people who attended this gathering is a somebody, but her father is someone somebody should know and respect. She belongs to one of the most powerful and influential families in the west in the west. But instead of having a privileged life of the wealthy was not the case for her.

She was told he was her father but the truth can't be hidden forever. It wouldn't feel like they're hiding it either for they hadn't made her feel like family. And all these people all have their attention at her father, his wife and their daughter. Their family casts such a huge shadow and she remained in that darkness despite standing next to them.

Nobody would pay attention to her.

Except for one person who took the angel's attention from the fake crowd. A man, wearing a black mask that hides half of his face. Tall, lean and attractive; wearing a red fitting coat with golden buttons resembling that of a ringmaster from a circus.

And he moves forward, never taking his gaze off of her.

She looked side-to-side to see if anyone above the pedestal sees him but none of them was looking at this man's direction.

Then, they caught each other's gazes. Her heart skipped a beat when she found him at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her.

Something about this man is so attractive that she couldn't look away from him.

Never had such a man did this nor any other man looked at her like this.

The master of the house then announced to begin the party, making everyone cheer and it also took the two out of their dazed state,

Everyone else went to their own business; drinking, eating, mingling and flirting as if their husbands and wives weren't around. However, he just stood there at the bottom of the stairs, staring at her form and she just stared back at him, not moving an inch.

Then, her heart pounded when a smile grew on his lips. A soft, sweet smile she had seen before but cannot recall where and when she had seen it and whose.

"Ella, come." Her sister commanded which has instantly snapped her out on her dazed state yet again.

The man looked at the woman who called her but the moment the angel broke their gaze, he took a step up the marble stairs—intending to chase her.

She looked back at him once again and found him coming closer. A smile crept to her lips, returning those smiles he gave her but she had to leave and attend to her sister's side.

However, his teeth gritted the moment she turns her back on him. It was his chance and it escaped.

But the night is young and he has a lot of time to find her.

Ella sought solace from the boisterous, smelly crowd from inside the mansion. She's never been fond of the crowd nor the crowd is of her.

Despite being beautiful, her silence in front of people has made her invisible.

Attractive nowadays wouldn't be of a beautiful face or great body figure; but of popularity, poise and charms which she seemed to be lacking.

Or maybe, money is attractive.

She may be wearing a beautiful dress but it never made her feel pretty. Not even in the slightest. For with any beautiful dress that hugged her body her sister would boisterously laugh as an obvious insult.

People don't see her for she stood behind a larger shadow of her sister... literally a larger shadow. The sister never introduced her as a family. She may not say it directly but she had always thought of Ella as her nanny.

If there would be one person who did not regard her as a servant, that would be the butler; the elderly butler that she considers a real father figure.

She had been treated like a servant despite the blood relation but due to her biological mother's mistake, she remained treated as such. It was a mistake hidden and masked for it had brought humiliation to the family's name.

The butler was never harsh nor crude to her. He would help her in things she couldn't do and would also do her bidding despite not intentionally asking the man to do anything for her.

He was good to her and so is she to him.

But nevertheless, she'd still feel alone in this household.

She would always find solace and comfort at the courtyard by the pool where she decided to soak her feet yet again.

No rowdy crowd. No stinky breaths, and most especially, no sister that would tell her to do things she can perfectly do herself.

"Tired of the party?" A man drawled behind which made her turn her head sharply over the shoulder to have a look.

He then steps out the column that holds a structure up. Keeping his mask on and a friendly smile on his, he walks slowly towards her.

Ella's breath hitched as the man approaches, recognizing him as the man who had stared at her lovingly earlier.

"Yes... I guess. You too?" She replied shyly, turning her gaze back at the cerulean water that glistens with the soft lights underneath the pool and from the lampposts around the courtyard.

"Yeah, it's too loud in there. Never liked crowds. They always appear to adore you." He replies before sitting beside the angel without soaking his feet despite the inviting calmness of the water.

"That's the exact opposite of the crowd to me." She smiles as words escape her lips, stating what she had observed and ended the response with a chuckle while keeping her gaze at the water.

"Only the blind wouldn't be able notice you." He retorted.

"Perhaps people are blind?" She asked, turning her gaze at the man beside her. "Why do you still have that mask on? Nobody's gonna see you here." She continued.

The man took his hat off and brushes up his silky raven hair between his fingers before a sigh escaped his lips, "People have been blinded by brief pleasure they always want to drown themselves on, that's for sure. But the pain remains. It rises back after being drowned, like the sun at dawn."

It was a curious remark that vaguely connects with what she meant. But then again, she realizes the connection of his remark with the words she used.

"You sounded like you know pain very well." She mutters, staring at the man whose eyes immediately met hers but half his face still hides behind the mask.

"I do... and it's not someone I'd like to introduce to you." He replies as a gentle smile grew on his lips, "but... meeting it is inevitable." He continued.

His smile, yet again, caught her eyes. She still couldn't point out who it belongs to; however, this smile somehow gives her comfort. Ella doesn't know why she felt this but she somehow knew it's genuine.

"Do I know you?" She dared to ask.

The man then takes off his leather gloves off and reveal his manly, veiny hands, "Maybe... maybe not."

"I'm taking maybe." She chuckles softly along with that smile of hers that caught him off guard. Due to the comfort she felt, she had somehow let her guard down in front of a stranger. Never had she felt comfortable to a person within a few minutes into the conversation.

She's really pretty and he didn't expect she could be any more prettier after that sweet smile she graced him with.

He was starting to get dazed again like how he felt the first time he saw her, mesmerized by those pearly whites and luscious lips. But hindering this sudden feeling of comfort around her— pain can also blind people and it is pain that snaps him out of that dazed state.

"What a waste..." He whispers which she had heard clearly so she quickly responded with a questioning hum.

"You have a pretty smile. What a waste it is because people don't notice." He says. His words were honest but it also meant differently.

"Well, someone saw it." She averted her gaze, smile turned sheepish while her cheeks felt warm as the blood rushes to her cheeks.

"It's hard to miss..." He replied, tilting his head to peek at those lips and chubby cheeks with that smile she seems to hide from him while she tried to look away— for his actions and words are starting to make her heart flutter fast.

"You look absolutely beautiful. You're living up to your costume." He complimented, flicking the feathered wings on her back that she still wears.

"Thank you. And so do you." She shyly responded.

"Can a beautiful angel take away the sins of this sinful man?" He asks which had her turning her gaze back to him with brows furrowed in confusion before realizing what he meant. She had only heard of this line from a movie and read from a book. Yet, this line seemed so appropriate in this situation despite how it perfectly imitated that from the movie.

"What can I do to take away your sins?" She asked, smiling softly.

"A kiss would do."

His words made her breath hitch. Never had a man looked at her in a loving way and now, that man asks for a kiss that he assumes would absolve him from his sins.

It may be one of the oldest pick-up line in history but it had hit her heart despite knowing that he's just trying to get under her skirt.

Ella had never been attracted to anyone in just one meeting. She's just not attracted to anyone, until him. And love at first sight is just a fantasy young hearts dreamed of.

But as she stares into those deep-set of hazel eyes, she's slowly convinced that fantasy may happen in reality. And right now, the embodiment of fantasy is looking intently in her eyes.

The fantasy she could never have.

But maybe, tonight will be different.

Now is the chance and it could fleet away like the fog in the morning or the smoke from the cigarette. And like the man told her, the pain will rise again like the sun in the morning and all the good things pleasure brings will disappear once the party is over.

"I-if you take off your mask..." she bargained, earning the man's chuckle.

He willingly obliged with her term and took off the mask that's been hiding him.

Ella had imagine what he could've looked like but seeing his whole face had proven her imagination isn't as good as reality is, for he is just as beautiful as fantasy would offer her.

"Now, can I absolved from my sins by your kiss?" He whispers, leaning closer to her until her face were inches closer to him, their eyes being pulled to each other's lips.

"Alright, I'll take your sins." She responses in a whisper, doing what he asked as her eyes closed shut.

After a second, she felt those soft, luscious lips of his upon her lips and it moved so serenely that it was easy for her to respond back. His warm, huge hands then softly touches the crook of her neck and she immediately hold onto his wrists gently while they share this soft, slow kiss.

Feeling a sudden satisfaction despite how quick that kiss is, he slowly pulls away only so he could look at the lips he kissed and the beautiful face it belongs too.

For a moment, he forgot why he was there. He's forgotten his purpose and his goals.

For only that moment, he lived only for those soft lips that took all those sins in his mind; the sins he committed and the sins he plans to commit.

For a moment, he felt peace.

No pain, no anger, no worries.

She had indeed taken it all.

Realizing that moment that the kiss was not enough, be begged in a drawling whisper, "Give me my sin again."

He then gently pulls her by the side of her nape, catching her lips with his and drowns himself from the softness, the fragrance, the sweetness and the warmth this angel can offer.

She had dreamed of this. A kiss that would make her weak and trembling, but most of all, happy. It's exactly what she had expected but there was more to it. The warmth of his touch that melts her, now that his hands had taken over her waist to bring their bodies closer; the feeling of dizziness inside her head that's slowly taking over her consciousness and replace it with pleasure.

Their lips soon parted after being satisfied once more. Her eyes slowly flutter open only to find his eyes adoring her face.

"Just as I expect a kiss would be." She whispers and it earned a soft peck from him while he caresses her cheek. It was such a kiss by the book.

"What's your name?" She asked, looking intently at his eyes while caressing the wrists she held softly using her thumbs.

"Andrew." He answers the proceeds to softly peck her nose this time.

His name rings her memories. She knows the name yet she does not want to point who it is for the name and the face he owned belongs to someone hated by the family she grew up with. And now that she realizes who he might be, no other person comes into mind other than him.

And now that she stares at his beautiful face, there's no other Andrew she knew than that from the rival of her family.

"Andrew Summers..." She confirms the name herself which earned a soft nod from the man that nudged her nose with his.

"I am that person your family hated." He says but he held her inside his arms nonetheless.

Ella's pure heart does not hold her tied to what her family believes and despises. His name nor the family he belongs to does not dictated her of who to avoid.

It was just a name.

He's someone who hadn't done her any wrong.

She thought: What's in the name? By which a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Why is this situation so similar to that story?

It's just a name and it won't hold her back.

"I am but myself and no name can hold me back from what I want." She retorted back whispering.

Andrew's brows furrowed tightly upon hearing her words. He'd been taught that the rival will take everything from him if he won't defend what's his. That was proven almost all his life.

Yet, this girl that belongs to the rival spoke differently.

"ELLLAAAAAA!"

Her shoulders jumped in surprise due to a loud voice calling her name in a the highest falsetto. She had dreaded to hear her calling and this is the only moment she hoped to never hear that voice. But it called her again.

"I need to go." She said, excusing herself as she slowly pulls away from the arms she may never hold again.

"No..." He protested softly, hand sliding on the soft, silky skin of her arm as she stood.

"I hope to see you again, Andrew." She smiles painfully but jumped in surprise as her name was called loudly yet again.

Now this might seem like the story of the star-crossed lovers that lived in fair Verona. But unlike in that story where Romeo quickly fell in love with his Juliet at first sight and fought all odds to stay together...

Andrew's once gentle touch turned to a death grip around her wrist which alarmed her instantly.

He then stood and towered over her, not letting her go. "You're not going anywhere."

His once genuine smile turned to an evil grin and those loving stare were long gone as she looked up to him anxiously.

"Y-you're hurting me." Ella stammers while she tries to pull her wrist back from his tight grip.

His once gentle tone turned to a sinister drawl, "I told you, meeting pain is inevitable."

Here, our Romeo seeks revenge and poor Juliet is his only way of taking it.