by Kira Blakely
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I was informed you were going to teach me about manners and etiquette, not fashion,” I retorted.
“You’re quite right, and judging by your response, you are lacking both. There is much to be done, my dear. Follow me,” she ordered.
The first thing she did was to teach me all about the different forks and spoons, when they were supposed to be used, and what each one was for. I didn’t understand all the fuss about cutlery when a spoon and fork were basically innovative in themselves. I mean, you use one, you can use it for all, right? But no… not for these snotty people.
“They all look the same, just in different sizes!” I said, looking at the silverware like they were going to jump up any second and hijack my body or something.
“They are all different! They all have a specific place and use, so pay attention! This one is the salad spoon… this one is the coffee spoon… the one next to it is the tea spoon—”
“What? Coffee and tea have different spoons?!” I asked. I’ve heard of a tea spoon, but a separate one for coffee? Really?
“But of course,” she answered simply, turning her nose up at me.
“This is ridiculous!” I exclaimed.
“Only for the uncultured, which we will be able to rectify before your introduction, I assure you,” she said.
“But the party is in two weeks,” I said. “How are you going to get me ready for it in two weeks? I’ll never be able to remember all of these forks in time, much less remember when to use them!”
“Oh, haven’t you heard? We’ll only be doing the brand launch party in two weeks. The one where you’ll be introduced has been rescheduled to the end of this month,” she said.
I continued to stare at her with my mouth open in disbelief, and she turned her nose up at me again.
“I will be the first to admit that I am an exceptional trainer, but even I can’t perform miracles,” she said before clapping her hands together and carrying on with her explanation.
After forcing all that information about silverware that I never thought I needed to know, she then told me the differences between a three-course meal, a five-course meal, and god forbid that it existed, a seven-course meal, and when I should use all those forks and spoons on the table.
I thought the nightmare would end there, but she immediately slammed my back to the chair and tied me up, so my back was leaning on the panel and I couldn’t move.
“Look, I don’t know what they told you, lady. But I only have twenty dollars in my coin purse, and not much else,” I said, half-joking.
“Oh, please. I did not tie you up to harm you,” she said.
“Then why the hell did you tie me up with a scarf?” I asked.
“It’s merely a training tool. Eventually, you will be able to sit, eat, and drink properly without it. Manners matter.” As soon as she finished speaking, the doors opened and servers came in carrying trays of food. The smell made my mouth water, and as soon as the guy put the food down, I made my move. The stupid scarves kept me away from it though, and I struggled to reach for everything.
I asked if could push my chair forward, but my instructor ignored me and ate her own plate of food in that dainty, prim, and proper way she wanted me to. I was about to tell her where she could shove that fork of hers when the doors opened again and Ariana walked in. She smiled widely as she greeted my instructor with a slight hug and those fake cheek air kisses I hate girls doing.
“Mildred, it’s been a while. How is the training?” she asked, giving me a haughty look as she said ‘training,’ and I glared at her.
My instructor rolled her eyes and shook her head like she was disappointed. “It’s not going well at all, I’m afraid. I thought she’d make a lot of progress by now, but it’s going too slow. I would think she’d be easy to train, since you’re her sister, but unfortunately, it isn’t so. I wish she were more like you, though. You were very easy to teach.”
Ariana flipped her hair back and laughed. “Well, of course! What more could you expect from the daughter of a maid?”
I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists to stop myself from taking the bait. If I reacted to her jab this early in the game, then I’d prove that she was right and I didn’t belong here at all. I had to control myself.
“Maybe she needs a demonstration?” Ariana asked, and without waiting for an answer, she snapped her fingers toward one of the servers waiting by the wall and he quickly set up her place on the table. She took the napkin and placed it gently on her lap, gave me a quick smile, and began eating.
She ate like royalty – grace and elegance with every lift of her fork, just like I expected someone born into this world of luxury. It was painful for me to admit, but she was leagues away from me in that department. I already knew that I had a lot of catching up to do to be at the level she was or to even be at the level they expected me to be before the party, but it was different when I had to see with my own eyes just how large the gap was.
They talked to each other as Ariana continued to eat, the conversation more like another demonstration than anything else, and I’d had enough. I cleared my throat, making both of them look at me.
“May I take a break? I really need to go to the bathroom,” I fibbed.
Ariana scoffed and the instructor pursed her lips but stood up from her seat to untie me. I rolled my shoulders to get rid of the stiffness and walked out of the room, not bothering to look at them as I passed by. I didn’t need to see that condescending smirk on my half-sister’s face to make me feel even worse about myself. I turned, then leaned against the wall so they wouldn’t see me, and I waited for them to speak, to say anything about me now that they thought I wasn’t there to hear them. I only needed to wait a couple of minutes before one of them spoke.
“I wonder how long it’ll be before she breaks from the pressure,” my instructor asked
“She won’t last a day,” Ariana replied, and I bristled with anger.
I really wanted to go back to that room and express my rage, as my brain was already thinking up a zillion ways of inflicting pain and agony, but I held myself back.
I’d show her. I kicked myself off the wall and stomped off. I was going to be the classiest girl – nay, woman – this world had ever seen! I’d even give Kate Middleton a run for her money.
She wanted a battle? Well then, she better have her weapons ready, because I was going to give her a war.
Chapter Seven
Sean
I really hated wearing a tie. Actually, I hated going to swanky affairs like this one.
“Remind me again why we’re doing this?” I asked, grumbling about this stupid tie I was supposed to wear. Why can’t I fucking tie it right?!
“Dude, it’s all part of your endorsement contract. Just bear with it, man. They are paying you a million dollars just to wear their shit,” Evan said from the other room. I shook my head at how impossibly thin my apartment walls seem to be if he heard me ask without yelling. Should I get a new apartment?
“Any idea which one it is?” I asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I thought I looked fine without my tie. I was gonna ditch it.
Then again, I look fine in anything, even without my clothes. Hell, probably even more so.
Evan opened the door and walked in, fixing the angles of his bowtie. He looked swell, too.
“You are hopeless. You don’t even know where you’re going?” Evan asked, raising his eyebrow at me.
“Why don’t you just shut up about that and tell me?” I snapped back.
He sighed. “It’s the Jameson Company. They’re holding a launch party for their new line of fashion for both men and women. I’m pretty sure that what you’re wearing is theirs,” he replied, completely deadpan and robotic.
“You know, why don’t you just apply as my personal assistant? You’re already doing such a bang-up job,” I remarked.
“I’m just your temporary leash-holder, Sean. And no, I don’t want to be your PA.
Not for all the money in the world.”
“And why are you going with me? Did they pay you to wear their shit, too?” I asked, ignoring his jab.
“No, but your handler did. He couldn’t come with you because you told him not to, but he said he needed someone trustworthy to keep you in line. Otherwise, you’ll just leave the party early with two or three women at your hip and cause another scandal,” Evan answered.
“That was one time,” I grouched, jutting my lip out.
Evan raised both of his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Okay, no. But I can be a good boy if I want to,” I said, trying to sound convincing, but the look on his face told me that I had failed miserably.
Evan rolled his eyes and handed me a black eye mask.
“What is this for?”
“To cover your eyes, genius. It’s a masked ball. You can’t go in without one,” Evan said, raising his other hand and showing me an identical on. I scoffed and put on the mask before checking myself out in the mirror again.
“Damn, I make this look good,” I said.
Evan chuckled. “Come on, already. We’re going to be late,” he said, walking out of my room as I followed.
“There better be some chicks there,” I said. Maybe that model I hooked up with last time would be there. She was really hot – in and out of the sack. I licked my lips as I imagined taking her perfect, round ass over my kitchen counter again.
Then I remembered that I couldn’t take her out anymore because I’d had my lawyer file a restraining order on her because she turned crazy on me and wouldn’t leave my apartment, crying and acting like we were together and were going to get married soon. She even started stalking me when I finally kicked her out of my place. Yeah. Fuck that.
“Oh, hey, maybe that Ariana chick will finally want some of this, huh? She’s smoking hot,” I said, vaguely remembering the heiress. She was petite for my taste, but I would still tap that.
“Dibs,” Evan immediately said, and I scowled as I remembered that he had the biggest hard-on for her. He had seen her in one of the interviews on TV, and when he realized that I had signed a contract with the company her father owned, he begged me to introduce them, like I had some sort of power to do that.
“Fine. She’s kind of a shrimp anyway. I like my women shopping from the ladies’ department, not the kids’ section,” I jabbed, and I chuckled as he glared at me.
I wanted to bring my truck, but the hosts of the party liked to show off and had every guest come via the limousine they sent over, and we were no exception. I got in first, and Evan whistled as he marveled at the inside of the vehicle. I shook my head as he started fiddling with the switches like a child who had just discovered a new toy. I settled into my seat and closed my eyes. This probably going to take a while, so I might as well get some shut eye.
After all, the after party might last all night long.
***
Charlie
My eyes almost popped out of their sockets as Sarah, one of the maids, pulled the ribbons of my corset tight once more. She’d been pulling at it for what seemed like forever, but was actually twenty minutes ago.
I never knew gowns could be this fatal.
“Breathe in!” she cried, as I started gasping for breath.
“Sarah, if I breathe in anymore, I’m going to suck myself into my lungs,” I croaked, holding onto the dresser for support.
She immediately let up, and I breathed in sweet oxygen like I had been starved for months. It took me a few minutes before I mustered up the ability to speak again.
“Isn’t there another dress that’s, you know, not hazardous to my health?” I asked in desperation.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, er,” she reddened as I glared at her, “um, Charlie, I mean, but this is the only dress that was sent over. Did you put in your request to the tailors?” she asked, and I stared at her in confusion.
“I can do that?” I asked her, and she nodded.
“Yes. Miss Ariana puts in her requests for gatherings like this all the time. Did she not tell you?”
Of course, she didn’t tell me. Why I am not surprised?
I got up and took a deep breath before looking at Sarah with a smile.
“Shall we try this again?” I asked, making Sarah smile and nod her head.
***
Prepping me for this party took about three hours. My hair was curled and sent cascading down my back, and my makeup was light and simple. I didn’t really get the point of doing my makeup though, because I was told I’d be wearing an eye mask anyway, but whatever.
My gown was part of the new fashion line that the Jameson Company would be launching that night, and if I had to describe it, I’d say it looked both vintage and modern. The color was a deep shade of violet at the top of the corset, but the colors started webbing and frosting into a lighter shade until the skirt was a gentle lavender, the tail of it trailing just a couple of inches on the ground. The beadwork on my gown looked like frosting, and the ribbons lacing up my corset added a certain femininity and flair that even made looking at the back amazing.
It amazed me even more that in the few days that I’d started learning about fashion, I could already think up such particularities of my gown. Before I’d come here, the only thing I cared about that was remotely related to fashion was when I was forced to buy clothes and I haggled with the price. And now, I was thinking of the beadwork, trail, and color – details that I usually overlooked because I couldn’t afford them.
I was surprised that the changes happening in my life hadn’t given me whiplash yet.
Sarah gave me one last cursory inspection and nodded, handing me my mask. My mouth opened in awe as I looked at the intricate design. It matched my gown perfectly, and I knew a lot of time and effort had gone into crafting it. I put it over my eyes, and Sarah helped me tie the ribbons around my head as I lifted the upper part of my hair away so she could hide the ribbon under it.
“You look beautiful, Charlie,” Sarah whispered, making me blush. “The car is waiting for you downstairs.”
“Okay, thanks. Is my father ready yet?” I asked.
Sarah’s brows furrowed. “Mr. Jameson, Madam Wilhelmina, and Miss Ariana left for the party an hour ago. They said you would be going to the party alone, as to not draw suspicion before you are formally introduced to the public.”
My stomach dropped. “So, they’re going to make me face those people all by myself?” I cried in disbelief. Were they serious? It had only been a few weeks!
I refused to let myself be overwhelmed by the pressure. This was just another hurdle I had to get through, and if I talked myself out of it this early in the game, then I was only proving Ariana was right in saying I didn’t belong here. I could not – absolutely could not – let her beat me.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror one more time, and the image of a girl I barely knew stared back at me. I steeled myself.
I was no longer Charlie Harris. This girl in front of me was Charlotte Jameson, and she could pull this off.
I was more than ready.
Chapter Eight
Sean
The space between my thumb and forefinger. That was how close I was to falling asleep on my feet.
This party was boring as fuck. Boring and pretentious. When we arrived, there were cameras and reporters waiting outside, held back by metal bars and a few big guys in black suits. Apparently, only a select few were allowed in. This was not unusual, though. What was unusual was how each guest stopped by the double doors where two men wearing wigs and tights stood by, and they had to tell these guys who they were so they could announce them to the people inside.
What in the actual fuck?
“What the hell is this charade for? This isn’t a Jane Austen movie,” I whispered to Evan, who shrugged.
“I didn’t know you knew who Jane Austen was,” he said, but before I could return that jab, he quickly added, “but I guess this is all part of the party theme?”
I rolled my eyes. When it was our turn, I told the guy some seriously messed up combinations of cuss words and dared him to say it. The dude looked like a fish, not knowing what to do, so Evan quickly apologized and pushed me inside.
That’s where my fun ended. There were too many snooty brown-nosers here and not enough women to distract me. Well, not enough women good enough to keep me entertained, anyway.
Granted, most of the girls were hot, but I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. I took a couple of them to the dance floor and it was going fine, but the minute they opened their mouth… sigh. I don’t know. I guess they didn’t have enough… substance?
My eyes traveled toward the side, and I smiled as I spotted Evan talking with the girl of his dreams by the chocolate fountain. She had her hand tucked under her chin as she balanced it on her other arm, but the way I caught her looking at him from top to bottom told me she liked what she was seeing.
Personally, she came across as a bit of a bitch to me the few times we’d talked to each other. She was as arrogant as she was beautiful, and what she lacked in height, her self-confidence more than made up for. She was way too full of herself and convinced she was better than everyone else, but I was hoping she didn’t give my bro the same treatment. Dude was the nicest guy in the world, and he didn’t deserve that shit from anyone.
But while I was happy my best friend was getting some game, I, however, was not. I was seriously considering ditching this joint and haunting some other place.
I saw the double doors open from the corner of my eye and waited for that ridiculous announcement about who it was, but I was surprised that, for the first time, they didn’t say anything at all. Curious as to who this person was, I raised my eyebrow as I waited, and then my jaw… Just. Dropped.