Princes and Pawns

Last night was the official start of spring parties with the Vanderhaven Spring Opener and since Taryn had tickets sold last year for this, Bianca’s little luncheon did not cut into her charity profits at all. It was a big thing with the ladies of Bishop Vale to bring in more to their pet charity than anyone else does for the various charities are not too picky where their money comes from as they were all smiling and wooingly polite to the sex shop queen with the deep pockets all lunch.

After the function I helped for a short while then left to get ready for the Opener for I didn’t care what Chantal thought as I had waited all year to wear my new Miyagi dress, something I bought before my mother went scrambled and decided that a job would give me character. I mean this dress cost more than Chantal pays me in six months, and Mother paid for it so what point exactly was the point of working for Chantal from the start.

I raced home and lay down for half an hour before having a bath and resting for another half an hour then washing my hair in the shower. I didn’t want to arrive and then be exhausted all night for everyone who was someone was going to be there from Osric Jones to Lynx Garcelle as this was where you could see famous and rich people all together in the one place. Mother scowled in her most disapproving fashion when I came downstairs which made me cranky as I had been working all morning for her precious Chantal the least she could do was show me some support in something I wanted to do. I was just about to tell her this when a noise at the door got her attention so she opens it up and who is standing there looking like they are being stabbed with pins-- Jojo freak boy himself. Yes he told Gervais he was taking me to the Opener but I thought that was just to get him off my back for I never believed that Jojo would actually turn up on my doorstep as He is not what you would call a reliable sort of guy.

Mother took one look at him then goes all fizzy like he had come to take her out, she brings him in and gets all fluffy like he is made of gold. I gave her the black look of death but she was so caught up in Jojo taking me out that she ignored me completely, typical Mother. I had no choice but to grab Jojo and take off before she had us married and living down the street. Jojo seemed a bit confused at our abrupt departure and since he was doing a nice thing for once in his life I told him not to worry that he didn’t have to really take me to the Opener. I would drive my car but he game me with that funny look he that he saves just for me, sort of like I am crazy or stupid or both, every time I try to talk to Jojo he winds up just giving me that look again. He starts the car and saying he was not going to leave me there alone with Gervais and I was so amazed I didn’t know what to say the entire drive there. I was also so relieved that he was not wearing a tux made of camo that I almost told him that he looked really cash in it but his face was all harsh and closed up so I kept quiet.

When we finally arrived I could see everyone was really surprised to see Jojo not only there but looking like a real person. Royce was totally fizzed when he saw Jojo and grabbed him and ran off, probably to skate in the garden or something stupid so I was left standing there like a fool until I finally caught up with Tiah and Coco.

Every rich bood was there in a designer gown trying to out dress each other with jewels of every size and colour dripping off every exposed body part. Taryn greeted everyone like some elegant Duchess with Jago playing the benevolent squire and it made me wonder why they bother when the whole town knows he is too cowardly to acknowledge he is Zizi’s father. When she and her mother Astrid arrived Jago went up and tried to get Zizi to stand with him but she pulled her arm out of his and gave him a look that would freeze his balls off if he had any and walked off to stand alone.

I felt sorry for her not being able to come over to where we were for a year ago she would have been able to but since Jago told her the truth she and Astrid were frozen out by Taryn and Tiah. Royce suddenly appeared and went all funny when he saw his half sister standing alone looking miserable and he went over and started talking to her which was nice of him. Braith was there and not being miserable like I thought he would be without Jazz, in fact he looked really excited about something and kept smiling to himself. Music started and people were wandering into the ballroom to dance but I stayed outside as I was not going to get cornered by some old dude with whiskey breath groping me in a dance.

One minute I was talking to Tiah and Coco, the next I was standing there alone when they wandered off to dance so when I felt a tug at my elbow I knew it would not be good and I turned to find my creepy persistent stalker, Gervais. He was all done up in some silk suit, probably Italian hand made by little old ladies wearing gloves and saying Hail Marys or was that Hail Gervais. I knew he was going to drag me in there to dance and once he had his smarmy hands on me I would be his prisoner all night. I glanced around for help but could only see Liselle glistening in the corner like an ice queen and for a second I thought about appealing to her but knew there was no point. Elyce like some horrible jinx appeared grinning with Taryn guiding her towards Royce and when Royce saw Elyce approaching his face was tragic as the glow drained from it. As Gervais grabbed my elbow and leaned to speak to me when I felt my other arm pulled sharply an I was jerked into the opposite direction. Jojo had grabbed me and almost dragged me into the middle of the dance floor which would have been funny as hell if I was not more interested in fleeing Gervais. He did not dance so much as march me around the room taking time to glare at Gervais as we moved, it was more like a battle march set to music than a relaxing interlude. He leaned down and asked me really rudely why I was talking to Gervais if I hated him so much and I could have kicked him hard right there and then.

The bastard needed setting straight, this had been coming since the first day I started work at Sedero’s and Jojo needed a big dose of reality. I told him that he abandoned me on the doorstep to run off and play with Royce, I told him he was rude, arrogant, ignorant, unreliable and could not be trusted, I told him if I wanted rescuing from Gervais I would have more luck asking Coco for help because at least she could stay with me for more than five minutes of course the middle of my sprackling at him big time the music stops and I am forced to stand there silent while glaring at him.

Then Braith gets the attention of everyone when he comes into the middle of the dance floor with—Jazz Sedero and the entire place starts humming with gossip. Jazz looks beautiful not from her gown, which was perfection but from love and she stands all sparkling beside Braith who calls for everyone’s attention. When the room quiets down to puzzled whispers he says he is proud to announce his engagement to Jazz Sedero and I looked over to see Taryn’s face melting with rage. Jago looked mildly interested, Tiah was pale with shock and Royce was amused. The only person who did not look surprised was Jojo, so this was the reason he made sure he came tonight, rescuing me from Gervais was all lies, he just wanted to see the fireworks and I felt really upset, like some pawn in a game I did not understand. I looked back to find an empty space where he had been and was disgusted at his disappearing act, he only found me so he could have a good view of the announcement and I cringed at being used to blatantly.

Taryn waved the music to start and grabbed Jago’s arm for a dance, ever the socialite she put on her brave face and got everyone back to dancing, the show was over, well at least for now. I found Coco standing in the garden looking pale and upset I suppose she didn’t know that I had guessed she was in love with Braith. I told her I needed to go home but I didn’t have a lift and she said she was leaving so I could go with her. I left with Coco without a backwards look at Jojo for I had no idea where he had got to and did not care to find out.

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