The whole day from the time I woke up in the morning (in my bed somehow) til now had been getting me ready for this special party tonight. It started the first time my eyes opened at exactly 6 o'clock AM.

"Wakey, wakey miss Jessica! Mr. Copland sent us up to make sure that you look perfect for the party tonight. He has asked that you be his date." The old women smiled and giggled at my bewildered expression.

Date? I wasn't sure we were even friends. I sat there for a moment with the women setting all of their supplies down on my table and desk.

"Now sweetheart Mr. Copland gave us all of your dress sizes so we picked one out that we thought would fit your skin tone perfectly." She was so excited about it I couldn't help but smile at her. She clapped her hands together and then unzipped the covering that kept the dress safe.

I gasped when I saw the fabric. The beautiful lavender pink dress was all ripped and torn apart. The beads that I assumed were once sown on rolled out of the bag as soon as it was opened. The cute old lady looked as if she was about to cry.

I climbed out of the bed and put a hand on her frail shoulder, trying to comfort the sweet old lady. "It's alright I'm sure we can find another dress that's just as beautiful." I smiled encouragingly. She frowned and dropped the ruined dress to the floor.

She sniffed and nodded. "Chrissy, Daphne, would you please find another dress for miss Jessica. The lavender one seems to have been ruined. She is a size 2." Two red heads left the room. The only ones without grey hair. "Well dear I guess we'll get started then.

She motioned for me to sit at the table that had been transformed into a makeup store. Everything you could imagine being in one was in front of me. A large mirror had been placed on the table. I cringed and tried to brush my fingers through my knotted hair before the woman came over. No matter how hard I yanked my hand it just couldn't get through the tangles on its own. So I pulled my fingers out of my hair and waited patiently until a round little lady came with a comb and brushed everything out leaving me hair smooth and shiny.

"Hello love, I'm Gloria." She smiled at me through the mirror. Her British accent only made her cuter. She hand smile lines by her eyes making her look very inviting and kind. "I'll be doing your hair today sweetie."

Her frail hands moved surprisingly efficiently through my thick hair. First she put some stuff that I had never used before in it. She said that it would make it look shiner and have more volume. She then continued to pulled the sides back and then brushed the rest of it over to cover the pins. It looked very simple, but I wouldn't have liked anything too extravagant.

After she had finished she rubbed her hands together and sat down on the bed to rest her feet from standing.

Not long after though another lady a bit younger maybe in her early 50's came and started with makeup. She put powders, and lotions on, and plucked my eyebrows then filled them in, and then added some color to my cheeks and eyes to make me not look like a plastic Barbie. All in all I sat there for a couple of hours until the whole process was done. Never in my life had I worn this much makeup, but when I looked in the mirror I had to admit that it looked wonderful. The woman had done a fantastic job.

By now it was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. And just for the record lunch had not yet been served. "Ladies. As much as I'm enjoying all this I think we should have lunch."

"Oh dear me!" The woman that seemed to be in charge exclaimed. "I'm so sorry honey, us old folk don't have much of an appetite these days." She smiled softly and cupped my cheek. "I'll have something brought up." She shook her head." My oh my, you do look like an angel." I smiled brightly and she poked my prominent dimples. "Those help a lot too!" She chuckled and then left to have lunch brought up.

The elderly were my favorite company.

****

It was almost time for me to leave when Chrissy and Daphne came back with the dress. Needless to say everyone was on the verge of chaos. People were in my closet trying to find something suitable that I could wear in case they didn't find anything. Clothes were all over the floor and bed. I was a bit worried that these elderly woman would slip on something seeing as how they didn't have the best balance in the first place. It never happened though.

It was like a flood gate had been opened when Chrissy and Daphne flew through my door. The tension and anxiety that had been overwhelmingly dominant in the room was replaced with a new different kind of anxiety when they arrived. Giddy anxiety almost.

"Oh thank the heavens your back! Do you even realize what time it is?!" Gloria the hair stylest exclaimed rushing over and grabbing the dress along with 2 others.

"Sorry." Chrissy said. "You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a dress suitable for someone as important as her."

I raised my eyebrows. Important?

"Hurry miss Jessica! We have to get you into the dress and down to meet Joseph in 20 minutes!" She said panicked.

I hurried over and slipped the dress over my head and zipped the back up. By the time that I had my hair all laid right 10 minutes had already gone by leaving me only another 10 minutes to get across the mansion to the party/ball room.

I slipped on the peach and black heels that were laid out for me and rushed out the door. I began to run until I heard all of them yell behind me. "Don't run! You'll get all sweaty, or you'll fall and hurt yourself in those shoes." At least they were concerned for my welfare.

When I arrived at the doors Joseph wasn't there, and that could only mean 2 things. Either he already went in without me, or he's the late one. I was really praying that it was the second option. I didn't want to walk in alone. "Excuse me." I asked one of the men standing stationary at the door. "Has Joseph already gone in?" I asked politely.

"No." Was all he said back. I nodded and leaned against the wall on the other side of the hall. I rocked back and forth onto my heels, almost falling a couple of times but hey, it was entertaining.

I stood up straight when I heard multiple foot steps approaching. I watched Joseph appear around the corner with his usual stern expression. I smiled brightly at him, and I swear he smiled back.

The smile instantly melted away though when I saw Mandy hanging on his arm. I frowned in confusion. Was he planning on taking us both. Cause that wasn't going to happen. When they got closer I opened my mouth to speak but Mandy beat me to it.

"Jos I'm sooo glad you asked me to accompany you to the party!" She giggled. "We're going to have so much fun together." She said lower but still loud enough for me to hear.

"It's Joseph. Or Mr. Copland." He said with no sympathy. I would have laughed if not for my despair. "Hello Jessica. Glad you could make it. You look beautiful." He eyed me up and down then took my hand and pressed his lips to the back of it just like he had the first time we met. I avoided his eyes and shrunk back against the wall when he let go. He looked at me for a couple of seconds and opened his mouth to say something when the doors opened behind him. He sighed and turned and walked into the brightly lit room and the doors were shut again quickly after.

I closed my eyes in a desperate attempt to keep the tears from falling. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Since when has anything ever been this good. I should've known it wouldn't last. I stood there for awhile with my eyes closed, breathing hard.

"Did you think he asked you to be his date?" The same man I asked a question to earlier asked me. I nodded and bit my trembling lip. He nodded back at me. "This isn't the first time this has happened, believe it or not." I looked at him curiously. "He always asks Mandy to go with him because his associates know her and her family. She comes from a very wealthy and respected backround." He continued. "He always asks her and yet every time a new girl comes and waits for him here, only to be heartbroken when he shows up with her." I scrunched up my nose. "If you want my opinion, I think Mandy tells you girls that he wants to go with you, when really she already knows she's going with boss. She's a slippery little snake if you ask me." He shook his head and I smiled slightly at him in agreement. "You look like a nice girl so I'm gonna give you some advice. You go in there and act like what she did didn't effect you at all. Make her feel like the stupid one for thinking she could screw you over." I nodded slowly.

"Ok." I said shakily. I walked forward and nodded at him to open the doors. "Thank you. I didn't get your name."

"Gavin."

"Thank you Gavin. This means a lot." I said in sincere gratitude.

"No problem babe, go get em." He smirked and I laughed. I stepped through the doors. Apparently I was fashionably late because the room was packed already. I gulped and moved toward the drinks. I had never been a fan of huge crowds.

I mixed a bitter alcoholic beverage with a sweet soda and it actually tasted pretty good. I'd never really been much of an alcohol fan. I stood there for awhile watching people socialize with old and make new friends. I being the anti-social person I am stayed quiet and didn't engage in conversation with anyone.

"Alright everyone we're going to play a slow song, if everyone would please get a partner and join us on the dance floor," the Dj said over a speaker.

My heart started to pound rapidly in my chest. I didn't know anyone here, and I couldn't find Ruben. What if no one asked me to dance and I was just sitting here by myself while everyone else danced. I was about to bail when a man stopped in front of me.

"Hello, I'm Daniel. I would love it if you would dance with me." He smirked slightly and held out his hand. He was attractive, blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. His facial features were almost positively sculpted my god himself. I smiled and placed my hand in his and let him lead me to the dance floor. He placed his hands on my waist and pulled me close to him.

I laughed and laughed throughout the whole dance. Daniel was hilarious. Pretty much everything he said made me laugh out loud. It wasn't that awkward laugh either where someone is trying to be funny and then you feel like you have to laugh so they don't feel bad or get embarrassed. He was a genuinely happy and light person.

We danced for 3 more songs after that. I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life. We were about to start another dance when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked behind me to find a frowning Joseph Copland.

"Joseph." I said politely. "This is Daniel. He-"

"Yes he's one of the prime ministers sons I know." He said almost bitterly.

My eyes widened. Prime Ministers son?! I was dancing with the Prime Ministers son.? I looked at Daniel and he was smirking like usual. "You're the prime ministers son? Why didn't you say something?"

"I liked how relaxed you were. I didn't want you to act like, well like you are now."

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" Joseph cut me off again. I looked at him annoyed.

"Sorry to interrupt but Jessica can I have this dance?" He didn't sound very happy and I honestly didn't feel like dealing with an angry Joseph. Never the less I accepted his offer.

"Thank you for the dance Daniel, I had an amazing time." He walked off and I turned to Joseph.

Another slow song began playing when Joseph and I started our dance. He pulled my body almost inappropriately close to him. "You honestly must not notice the looks you've been getting from all these power hungry bastards. The looks you've been getting from me." He paused and looked me straight in the eye. "Cause if you did you would've already run for cover." He growled.