The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

ELLA POV:

Okay, I’m a stickler for time, and right now it’s 9 PM on the dot, and Jason has officially stood me up. Typical. I don’t know why I thought for one second he could actually be on time. I mean, the guy barely showed up to class half the time. The party was supposed to start now, and here I am, sitting in my room, all dressed up, waiting like some kind of Cinderella—except without the whole fairy godmother thing going on.

Honestly, I wasn’t trying to make some grand entrance. I hated attention like that. The last thing I wanted was to walk into that party late, with every single person there turning their heads to see who was walking in. Nope. I wasn’t about to give the media or anyone else that moment. The mask was already doing me enough favors by hiding half my face, but it couldn’t stop a hundred pairs of eyes from gawking at me.

The gown I’d pulled out—a sleek, dark emerald green that hugged every curve just right—was perfect. And it wasn’t some cheap party-store mask either. I had standards, after all. The mask was simple but elegant, the kind that kept you mysterious without making you look like you were trying too hard.

I checked my phone for what felt like the hundredth time. Still nothing. Not even a "Running late" text or whatever other excuse he could come up with. I stood by the window, tapping my foot impatiently, watching as the minutes ticked by. I could have just gone on my own, but nooo, I had to agree to go with Jason, the King of Lateness.

Ugh. Why did I let him talk me into this?

I sighed, glancing at the clock again. 9:05 PM. Five minutes. Fine, I could afford to be fashionably late. But if he wasn’t here by 9:10, I was leaving without him. I don’t need a guy to show up to a party. I’d walk in on my own, deal with the whispers and stares, and get this night over with.

Seriously, if this bafoon doesn’t show up soon...

And there it was—the knock I’d been waiting for. Finally. I exhaled in frustration, grabbed my purse, and slipped into those cursed silver heels. Whoever invented these things must have had a serious grudge against women. My feet were already protesting, but I was determined to pull through. A quick glance in the mirror told me I was ready to rock this masquerade ball. Kingsley style.

With my gown flowing perfectly and the mask secured, I strode toward the door and swung it open, expecting some half-hearted apology for his lateness. Instead, what I found was Jason, fidgeting like a schoolboy who’d been caught skipping class. But, damn, did he clean up nicely.

He stood there in a black tuxedo that fit him like a dream. The cut was sharp, tailored to perfection, and the way it clung to his broad shoulders? Well, let’s just say he looked every bit the hot, attractive CEO you’d see on a magazine cover. His hair was slicked back, giving him an edge of sophistication that was totally different from his usual casual, laid-back vibe.

For a moment, I was caught off guard. I had been ready to give him a piece of my mind, but now, all I could do was stand there, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. He raised an eyebrow, smirking as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Wow... you look..." He paused, his voice slightly husky as he tried to find the words.

"Like I’m ready to get this night over with?" I quipped, trying to pull myself together.

Jason chuckled, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. "You look stunning, Ella."

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah, well, you clean up pretty well yourself. Now, are we going to stand here all night, or are we actually going to this masquerade?"

He grinned, offering me his arm. "After you, Miss Kingsley."

I took a deep breath, slid my arm through his, and stepped out the door. The night was just beginning, and I had no idea what was in store. But one thing was certain—I was ready to face whatever this party, or Jason, threw my way.

"I don’t want to die today, King! Keep your fucking eyes on the road!" Ella’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts for what had to be the fifth time.

I tore my eyes away from her and refocused on the road, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Yeah, well, could anyone blame me? She was a pretty damn big distraction sitting there beside me, looking like she owned the night. But there was something else. Something gnawing at the back of my mind that I couldn’t shake.

She looked familiar—too familiar.

I glanced at her again, just for a second this time, as she glared at me like she was ready to jump out of the car and walk the rest of the way if I kept screwing around. Those blue eyes... I swear I had seen them before. Not just here at school, not just in passing, but somewhere important. Somewhere I should’ve remembered.

It was like I was on the edge of recalling something, but it kept slipping away every time I tried to grab it. Had I seen her before all of this? Before she became "Ella," the girl who hated me and my guts? Or was it someone else who looked just like her? A feeling of déjà vu hit me like a brick, but I couldn’t place it.

The thought was eating at me, but I didn’t want to ask and sound like some weirdo. She was already pissed that I was barely paying attention to the road, and if I asked her about some weird sense of familiarity, she’d probably roll her eyes at me again or think I was making some lame excuse to keep looking at her.

"Eyes on the road, Jason," she warned again, this time softer, but the edge was still there. She wasn’t playing.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. Whatever it was, I’d figure it out. I had time. But right now, I needed to focus on getting us to that party in one piece. Whatever familiarity or mystery she held, I wasn’t about to let it distract me any longer.

And walla, we were here.

I parked the car and took a deep breath. The party was already buzzing, and I could feel the energy even from outside. All the planning, the changes—everything was falling into place. Now I just hoped the guys wouldn’t screw it up. No one was supposed to know about me until the right moment. The climax of the event. The reveal.

I glanced over at her, still sitting there looking both stunning and annoyed at the same time. God, she had no idea the effect she had on people. On me.

And then there was the part I’d been looking forward to all night: the photos. With my lovely lady right beside me, the cameras would flash, and the world would see us together. I’d make sure to grab every magazine that published those shots and—well, yeah, maybe it was a bit creepy, but I’d cut them out and plaster them all over my bedroom wall.

Obsessed much?

What can I say? For her, anything.

But I had to keep cool. No need to give off that vibe. Not yet. The night was still young, and this was just the beginning of whatever the hell this was going to turn into. I’d take it slow, play it right. She was the prize, and everyone else? They’d see it soon enough.

The second I stepped out of the car, the paparazzi swarmed. It was like they had a radar for high-profile arrivals, especially anyone with the last name King. A few of them had been snapping shots of Amber, but as soon as they saw me, it was like a feeding frenzy. I could feel the heat from the camera flashes against my skin, hear the rapid-fire clicks as they scrambled to capture every angle.

Even with the mask on, they recognized me. They always did. The paparazzi were like relentless bloodhounds, sniffing out the big names no matter how well someone tried to hide. But tonight, there was an extra layer of intrigue. They noticed I wasn’t alone, and their attention quickly shifted to the mysterious woman at my side.

I caught a glimpse of Ella, her mask perfectly designed to cover most of her face, leaving just enough to spark curiosity. She was a vision of mystery, elegant and untouchable, the kind of enigma that drives these camera-happy vultures wild. They would have a hard time figuring her out tonight, and that was the plan. Unlike Amber or the other socialites, Ella wasn’t a household name, nor was she the daughter of some big shot.

They wouldn’t know her identity, not tonight. But they would definitely be dying to find out.