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Katarina brushed her brown tresses sighing ever so slightly. Looking at the clock she winced, the thing felt more like a time-bomb than a keeper of time. She did not want to go, she did not want to see hundreds of couples, nor did she wish to share in their merriment. Turning in the mirror she studied her reflection. Warm brown hair laid piled on the top of her head, small gold beads intertwined in the long locks, some fell around her face, in tight ringlets. A gold and blue mask lay nestled on her face cover only her eyes, and the top part of her nose. The sides of the mask fanned out into abstract swirls, jewels and beads layering it. The mask for the most part was blue, with bronze metal detailing and jewels studding around the top of the eyes before fanning out. The only gold was found in the swirls that littered below the eye and up the nose, traveling to a gold detailing that rested over her forehead and slightly above with a single gem in it, giving off the slight appearance of a crown.

The gold gown she wore glittered in the light, the entire bodice laid with gems and glitter, it fell down in waves half way down the bottom. Peaks of a lighter gold tulle showing under the dress. Blue roses held the low swoops of glittered fabric over the tulle. To her it looked like a princess ball gown, reminded her of Belle's dress from Beauty and the Beast slightly. Shaking her head she went to the door when she hear a knock, her life was not a Disney Movie. A light knock brought her from her musings.

"Coming!" Katarina called walking over to the door. Pulling it open she was met with her best friend and co-working Kelli.

Kelli was dressed to the nines in a beautiful green gown completed with a green and silver mask, that had a dark green feather poking out from the right side. Stepping aside Katarina allowed Kelli to enter her apartment. Kelli's emerald silk dress flowed gracefully around the pale girl's curved form. As she turned Katarina had to smile at the mischievous glint in her normally hazel, now green eyes.

"Hot damn baby girl!" Kelli said gesturing for Katarina to twirl. "Don't we look beautiful tonight, and that mask! If that doesn't make your eyes look like molten gold I don't know what will."

Katarina laughed at her audacious friend rolling her eyes. She had to admit though Kelli was right about one thing, her eyes. Normally they were a soft honey colored, somewhere awkwardly between yellow and brown. To others they always looked warm and inviting, but with the gold accents of her mask the made her eyes pop more, giving them a more golden look.

"Are you ready?" Kelli asked lightly.

"Yeah, let's get this over with." Katarina said grabbing her clutch, making sure that all the necessities were inside of it before slipping on her gold heels and grabbing her jacket following Kelli to the door.

"Oh, it won't be bad. It'll be like all the company's other events." Kelli said laughing as Katarina struggled to lock the door.

"All the other events aren't masquerade balls." Katarina pouted. "Who even came up with such a ridiculous idea?"

"Bob from accounting, but ya know that he is the third cousin removed or something like that from the head honcho." Kelli replied leading the way down the hallway to the elevator.

"That would explain why he was hired in the first place." Katarina muttered remembering the incompetent man.

"You just don't like him because he hits on you." Kelli smirked pressing the down button.

"You're right, and the fact that he leers at all the females, and let's not forget that he's lazy, incompetent, and doesn't understand personal hygiene!" Katarina ranted practically throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Well he's no Prince Charming I'll give you that but you may want to retract the claws kitty-kat." Kelli teased stepping onto the elevator hitting the basement button.

"Don't call me that." Katarina pouted. "You know I hate that old nickname."

"Awe but that's what friends are for. It's your fault for dressing up as a cat for Halloween." Kelli retorted snorting at the memory.

"I was ten years old!" Katarina defended.

"Yeah, that was also the first time you really let your sarcastic self-run. Honestly I thought that other kid was gonna pee his pants." Kelli said looking back fondly on the memory. "But then again your bark is worse than your bite, or should I say your meow is worse than your bite."

"That's a horrid joke." Katarina grounded out, stepping off the elevator making her way toward Kelli's car.

"Your right, your meow is so bad it's like you actually claw the person." Kelli muttered following behind her friend.

"Let's just go to this stupid event and come home, a warm bath is calling my name." Katarina said slipping into the passenger side of the car. "And so is a glass of wine."

"At least try to have fun." Kelli pleaded starting the car, letting the SUV roar to life. "I know at least ten guys that work with us that are dying for you to notice them."

"And you would know all about that." Katarina stated rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry about Tim by the way."

Kelli waved her friend off. "It's no biggie, so he had to go on a business trip for the business running the event. He'll come with me for the next one."

"Have you picked a date?" Katarina asked gesturing to the substantial engagement ring on her friend's finger making the girl blush.

"Oh! No, we've only been engaged a week you know. He had to leave right after so we are gonna start talking about it when he gets back." Kelli said

"Am I a bridesmaid?" Katarina teased.

"Of course! You and Emily are my top two. Tim will want a small wedding so I don't think he'll want a large wedding party but I know he will do at least two if I beg." Kelli said confidently as she turned the corner, the lights from the streets and buildings flashing into the car every so often.

"I'm touched." Katarina badgered placing a hand to her heart to prove her point.

"Oh hush you! How are your nephews and brothers?" Kelli questioned. Katarina was the eldest of 7 with only brothers. The three eldest had married and kids of their own, all sons. She was going to kill someone if she didn't get a little girl soon to coddle.

"Good, Vincent's wife is pregnant again you know." Katarina said casually looking out the window.

"Really? What would that make his third child?" Kelli asked brows raised.

"Fourth, your forgetting about Peter, he was born last year remember." Katarina replied smiling at the memory of her youngest nephew.

"And his wife is already pregnant." Kelli muttered. "You family really does boink like bunnies."

"Please stop reminding me, between my 6 younger brothers, and 8 nephews I'm ready to tear my hair out from the testosterone." Katarina said lightly.

"And yet here you are, your parents only girl, there little princess, never having had a boyfriend let alone your first kiss." Kelli teased. "Oh! And heaven forbid having sex."

"Hush you!" Katarina whined.

"I'm telling you, the girls and I are taking bets on when finally going to find someone and what'll he be like. We've all agreed on one thing though, if he manages to get you to date him, he's gonna be the sexiest thing we've probably seen on two legs." Kelli snorted nodding her head seeming to agree with herself.

"Oh look!" Katarina yelled making Kelli jump. "We're here!"

When Kelli pulled her car up to the valet, Katarina practically leapt from the car, smiling at the valet who was about to open her door. Kelli rolled her eyes following after her friend, dropping her keys in the man's hand.

"Ya know. Just because you walk away from a discussion doesn't mean its over." Kelli said as the entered the building, handing their coats to a man who gave them each a piece of paper with a number and took them to hang up.

Katarina continued to walk on, passing through the marbled entranceway awed by its grander but refusing to show it outright. Kelli ran lightly to catch up wary of her heels. "Are you listening to me?" She questioned Katarina annoyed.

"Listening not caring." Katarina replied entering the large ballroom, were masked people were already standing or dancing mingling with each other. "Oh for the love of God."

"Oh come it doesn't look that bad!" Kelli exclaimed gleefully practically running down the stairs. Not wanting to lose sight of her friend, Katarina followed quickly not enjoying large parties.

"It would be better if there was a place to sit." Katarina muttered. She weaved through the dancing people, trying to trail after the girl in the green gown. "Kelli!"

Kelli stopped hearing her name. She turned sharply smiling impishly at her friend and waiting patiently for her to catch up. "Oh stop being such a grump."

"You know I hate these things." Katarina murmured grabbing a glass of champagne from one of the servers who were making their way around with food and drinks.

"I know but isn't it just beautiful!" Kelli exclaimed sipping on her own glass, looking around the room with eyes filled with child-like wonder. "Oooh! Maybe I'll do a themed wedding."

"No, trust me you will regret that." Katarina said blandly looking over at her friend. A man came over to Kelli, bowing as he kissed her hand.

"Would the Lady like a dance?" He said his blues eyes alight with mirth.

"Oh John! Where is your wife?" Kelli bubbled giggling at Tim's best friend.

"Alas, my lady has left me to freshen up. Tim would never forgive me if I did not ask his Lady love for at least one dance." John replied running a hand through his golden locks.

"Well than I accept." Kelli said happily, setting her glass down haphazardly.

"Oh! Kat if you see my wife will you tell her were I went?" John asked looking over his shoulder as he led Kelli through the crowds. He turned back once he saw Katarina nod her head in affirmation.

Katarina stood off to the side, somewhat in the shadows as her co-workers and their loved ones twirled around the dance floor happily. The girl's dresses glittered under the light, their masks unable to hide their wide smiles or bliss filled eyes. The men all looked quiet dashing if Katarina did say so herself.

"Oh Kat!" A voice called. Katarina turned her head to see a woman in a simple blue dress walking toward her, she had met the woman enough and talked with her enough to know who it was.

"Hello Kaleen, John's out dancing with Kelli." Katarina said as the blonde woman approached her.

"Yes, I saw them. I figured that's where he was anyway. How are you?" Kaleen asked curiously looking down at the brunette woman.

"Good, as good as I normally am." Katarina replied kindly, this girl was the only one of John's lovers that she could stand and was quiet happy when they married.

"Nothing new?" Kaleen asked.

Raising a brow, though Kaleen couldn't see Katarina turned. "Are you asking me nothing or no-one?"

Blushing Kaleen looked down. "Sorry, it's just Kelli and I have been talking and we don't understand why you aren't putting yourself out there."

Katarina shrugged in response their discussion cut off as John and Kelli rejoined them. John kissed his wife on the cheek, resting his hand gently on the small bump of Kaleen's stomach.

"I think we are going to go in search of some food." John said grinning at his wife, before leading her off.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Kelli asked panting lightly from the dance.

"As much as I do at all of these things." Katarina replied sipping her second glass of champagne. Kelli squealed lightly her eyes trained on the stairs at the entrance. Katarina watched as Kelli weaved through the people toward a man standing at the base of the stairs, a man that looked very much like her missing fiancé.

Sighing Katarina set down the empty glass, grabbing a third as she walked by a server. She needed fresh air. Making her way to a pair of double glass doors, she pushed them open slipping outside quietly. There was no one else out here, as it was a very chilly night. Her friends just didn't understand, they kept telling her to put herself out there, to give it a shot! But it wasn't that easy, she didn't even know how to put herself out there! And even if she did, at some point she would have to embarrassingly admit that she had never kissed a man, he would probably laugh.

She looked up at the moon, noticing how clear of a night it was. Beautiful. Katarina shouldn't complain, truly she had nothing to complain about. She had a loving family, great friends, an amazing job, a beautiful apartment. Truly she had everything. Everything except for the one thing that made all of the people she knew so happy. Love. Life wasn't a Disney movie and she wasn't going to magically find her Prince Charming.

A shooting star flew through the sky. Make a wish. Biting her lip she closed her eyes. I wish for love.