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“You look lost. Did your parents drag you here too?”
Zoé looked up at the voice to see a tall Native American girl leaning against an ornamental column at the edge of the ballroom. She wore an expertly tailored dress with simple, elegant lines which complimented her figure perfectly.
Not at all like the pinchy, poorly fitted dress Zoé had been squeezed into.
The girl's long black hair was styled in an elaborate updo, making Zoé very self-conscious of her own blonde hair which she'd barely had time to put into a bun with a nice decorative hair comb before it was time to leave.
The other girl had a plate of snacks, and was munching on them in a decidedly un-ladylike fashion.
“Oh, um yes, my father is Mr Lee. Who er whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?”
She had no idea if she needed to be so formal. It had been a bit of a whirlwind of her father sending word that she was expected to attend the Gala with him at the Keynes Manor. Her father had barely said two sentences to her, and one of those was ‘Don't embarrass me.’
She had had a tightness in her chest ever since, like she could hardly breathe.
The girl looked thoughtfully at her with piercing grey eyes as she chewed on a snack before continuing.
“‘Mr Lee’ eh? Very formal. So he's your Dad, what's your name?”
This was not at all how TV and books had led her to believe high society galas were supposed to go.
“Oh um I'm Miss Zoé Lee.”
She extended her hand, because it seemed to be the done thing. The girl just stared at it before putting a snack in it.
“You should eat something ‘Miss Zoé Lee’, these things go long and they're stingy on the food.”
Zoé blinked in confusion as she looked at the food and back at the girl, who smirked at her.
“It's not poisoned.”
She took a tentative bite. It was nice! She took another bite and it was gone. The girl offered her the platter and Zoé grabbed some more of the horderves, getting an approving nod from the girl.
“This is your first one of these huh?”
Zoé looked up in embarrassment, blushing. “How could you tell?”
The girl laughed in amusement.
“Because you're acting like this is one of those Jane Austen deals. Pretty much we're just here to look pretty for our parents while they all act like they're best buds, even while they're thinking how to screw each other over in business or whatever. Other than photo ops they don't really care what we do.”
She ate another snack. “Just be thankful they haven't packed us all off in a side room.” The girl rolled her eyes. “Most of the other kids I meet at things like this are stuffy and snooty and think they're better than everyone else because their ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy’ is rich…” She gave Zoé a piercing, appraising stare which Zoé felt peeling back any pretence she might have up, as if seeing right to her core. “...but you're not like that, are you, Zoé?”
Zoé sagged “No… but my Dad said not to embarrass him, so I thought I should do things ‘properly'”
The girl scowled at that, before returning to her seemingly default expression of resting disinterest, and passed the now empty plate to a passing waiter as she slung an arm around Zoé’s shoulder, guiding her back towards the other kids.
“Stick with me Zoé, none of these twerps will dare bother you then.”
“Why not? And what's your-?”
Before she could finish the question, another girl hurried over. She had warm, chocolate brown skin, and wore her dark brown hair in dreadlocks, which unravelled into loose curls tied with ribbons, resting on her chest on her right hand side. Zoé's gaze travelled down to the girl's shimmering white and gold dress which put Zoé in mind of Egyptian queens. Just like the first girl, this new girl's dress was fitted to perfection, and expertly tailored.
“Speaking of twerps…” The first girl snarked affectionately under her breath from where her mouth was still beside Zoé's ear, as the new girl rushed up to them.
“Jess! Our moms are looking for you for the photos!” Then she seemed to notice Zoé and her face broke out into a warm, welcoming smile. “Hello! I'm Aeon Hill, Jess's sister. You are Zoé Lee, correct?”
Zoé blinked, slightly distracted by ‘Jess's’ arm still around her shoulders.
“Oh. Er, yes! It is a pleasure to meet you, Aeon… wait…”
Oh no, oh no. She covered her face with her hands.
“If you're Aeon Hill, then that means you're Jessica Keynes, which means your mom is-”
“Barbara Keynes.” Jessica said with an amused smile.
The host of this gala, and the owner of the mansion she was currently in.
Her chest tightened further and her words came out in a breathless tumble.
“I've messed up, my Dad is going to be so mad. I'm so so sorry for not recognising you Miss Jessica.”
Jess gave her a reassuring squeeze of the shoulders.
“Don't be! You've made this whole thing far less boring. As for your Dad, you can tell him you've been schmoozing with the host’s daughter. They love things like that. Oh, and call me Jess, all of my friends do.”
Aeon smiled reassuringly at her, but kept looking over her shoulder insistently.
“I'm sorry to interrupt, but they are waiting for us!”
Jess hooked her arm around Zoé's elbow, and Aeon did the same on her other side, and the two of them accompanied her to where the photos were being taken.
***
“It can get quite hot and stuffy in those ballrooms, can't it? I often come out here to catch my breath too.”
Zoé jumped at the voice, her hands reflexively gripping the railing of the deserted balcony, where she had been gulping in big mouthfuls of air. She pulled at the fabric of her dress's bodice as she turned - why was it so tight? - and turned to see the tall, statuesque form of Olympia Hill - Barbara Keyne’s wife - beside her, smiling warmly, a look of sympathy in her blue eyes, looking down at her from behind a large pair of glasses.
“Oh!” Zoé gasped, trying to get her breathing under control. “Mrs Hill, I'm sorry I didn't hear you come out.”
The woman shook her head dismissively.
“Olympia, please, or Aeon and Jessica’s Mom if you'd prefer. Mrs Hill is so… formal, and formality has no place among friends.”
Mrs- Olympia said it with a kind smile, and through a slight blush, Zoé weakly returned the smile.
“You've made quite the impression on my girls, Zoé, was it? That's not an easy thing to do in these circles. I don't think they've ever taken to any of the other children who get dragged to these events, and certainly not so quickly.”
“They are both very nice.” Zoé murmured.
“Then what are you doing out here? They got worried when you ran off after the photos.”
Zoé covered her face with her hands.
“I got overwhelmed, I just- I don't know how- my Dad has never invited me to one of these before! I don't know how to behave, I don't know which me I'm supposed to be!”
Olympia put a gentle hand on Zoé's shoulder.
“I'll let you in on a secret Zoé: I've been coming to these events for years now, and I'm still not used to this world.”
“This world?”
Olympia chuckled. “High society! I grew up on a farm before I moved to the big city, and Jess's mother swept me off my feet.”
Zoé couldn't help but smile at the fondness in Olympia's voice, and the warm haze of recollection in her expression before she turned back to Zoé.
“I also know a thing or two about putting on fronts for other people, wearing masks… especially in this world, but if you want my advice?”
Zoé nodded eagerly.
“Be yourself! That's who my girls met today, isn't it? I suspect Jessica caught you off-guard, didn't she?”
Zoé nodded again in embarrassment, and Olympia's face took on a caring expression.
“You don't need to keep your barriers up with them, I know I am biased, but both of my daughters are genuinely kind girls - let them get to know the real you, and I'm sure you'll all be fast friends.”
Zoé let Olympia's words sink in for a moment.
“Thank you, Mrs- er, Olympia.”
Olympia put an arm around Zoé's shoulders.
“Any time, Zoé. Now!” The woman steered Zoé back towards the ballroom. “Why don't we go and find those girls of mine, and you three can make some memories, and take some photos of your own, just the three of you?”
Zoé smiled as she let herself be led back inside.
She soon spotted Jess, who was looking around, and when she spotted Zoé, she let out an excited shout.
“Zoé!”
Jess dashed over to her, and Aeon appeared from elsewhere in the room, summoned by her sister’s shout.
“I thought you'd left!” Jess said, concern in her voice.
“No…” Zoé said, looking up at Olympia who smiled down at her before stepping away to give the girls space. “...I just needed some air.”
“Are you ok now?” Aeon asked, and Zoé nodded.
“Why don't you girls take Zoé up to your room? This will still be a few hours, and you know how dreadfully dull they are.” Zoé stifled a giggle as Olympia wrinkled her nose, getting a mischievous glance from the woman.
“Won't Mom freak out?” Jess asked.
“I can handle Barb, don't worry.”
Zoé had a sudden sinking realisation. “My dad, he-”
Olympia's hand again came down on her shoulder gently. “I can handle him, as well.”
Zoé still wasn't sure… but getting to spend some more time with Jess and Aeon did sound very nice…
So she didn't resist as the two girls excitedly tugged on her arms and led her towards a door to the rest of the house.
As she was hurried up a stairway, it felt like the tightness in her chest loosened.
She didn't know what her future held with Jess, but she had a feeling it would be interesting, and for the first time in a long time, she felt as though she could finally breathe.