“So how about we make this bloody party more interesting, then, Mr. Downer?”
Dan rolled his eyes, fixing his tie as he looked in the mirror of his hotel room. His cousin was lounging around on the bed – entering the room uninvited, of course. Though, Dan could never exactly say no to Jess, so her making herself at home was pretty much the bloody norm. Annddd fine, he did miss her… just a little… tiny bit….tiny. A year and a half of not having her in Beryl made the entire experience a bloody bore. “Would have been more interesting if you didn’t invite the De-Idiot. I mean, at least it’s one of the interesting DeLoughrey’s, but still.” Daniel responded – mentioning her date, otherwise known as Dylan DeLoughrey, who was currently in another room getting ready. Dan was perceptive enough to notice the slightest frown meet his cousin’s lips at his comment, and he knew it was because part of her missed the other idiot but let’s be honest, Jess was better off without that btch ass Dorian. If only Jess knew about the sh!t Dorian had spread about Jess when she left, but, he rather not put his cousin through any pain – especially when it involved an irrelevant individual who would never be in her life again. “Fine, what’s the proposition” Daniel added before she could say anything about his comment – an attempt to bring her spirits back up.
“Well, darling, I dare you…. to get through this entire party as an American and not mention you’re the “revered” Daniel Parker. I think you could pass as a Scott.”
“Do I look like a bloody Scott,? My god, don’t answer that question. The answer is fck no. Anyways, how do you propose our family won’t recognize me?”
“It’s a mascarade, love. Pull a Cinderella – if that idiot prince charming had to check the feet of the entire kingdom to find a blonde white chick, I’m sure you wearing a mask and changing your accent could convince everyone in the room you’re someone else”
“Yeah…no. How about I not take life advice from a children’s book?”
“Oh come on you party pooper. Oh, I get it, you just can’t do it.”
“I could do it, I just don’t want to. Americans are terrible, and I’m the opposite. Darling, I’m bloody amazing. Why the hell would I want to pretend to be anyone but the amazing Daniel Parker”
“You don’t have to lie to me Dan, I’ve heard your American accent. It’s abysmal…”
“Excuse you, it is no-”
“No no, it’s okay Danny. I get it, it’s too hard…”
“YOU KNOW WHAT FINE. JUST YOU BLOODY WATCH.”
A smile fell on his cousin’s lips and a sigh left Daniel’s lips at the realization that he was just handled. Damn you Jess. “Ground rules, Scott. You can’t tell anyone your real name, and if our family recognizes you, you lose.”
“I’M NOT A BLOODY SCOTT”
“Sure, Scott,”
“Good Evening. Scott is it? The Duchess Pierce sent me over here telling me that I just had to talk to you. I’m the Duke of Lavington – close relation to the Queen of course, but don’t worry, I won’t make you bow. I’m doing a new farming expansion in the Netherlands, and she told me you have an expertise in it in the States? Tell me, how is it farming in… Michigan?”
OH FCK YOU JESS. Behind the golden ornate mask, Dan sent a glare in his cousin’s direction who was grinning from the side before sending him two thumbs up. You know what signal he wanted to send her? Dan could tell you right fcking now, it did not involve his not his thumb. Scott? A FARMER? Fck you Jess. FCK YOU.
The man standing before him was also possibly one of the dumbest members of his family he had ever met. Thank God the relation was distant. Daniel had often told the man to his face that he was an idiot half the time. No really, like who the actual fck wants to make a theme park in Antarctica? DUDE. And one of his genius ideas was “Penguin rides” for toddlers…. Dan had to berate the man a good amount to get that thought out of his mind… and he still tried. Let’s just say: long story short, Lavington was pretty much broke now.
Clearing his throat, a boyish voice left his lips. God, he hated doing the American Accent, but JESS WAS WRONG. He was not bloody bad at it. “Sorry to disappoint, I believe the duchess heard wrong. I’m a franchiser in the states, not a farmer. Don’t worry though, I’m sure it happens all the time and between you and I, I’ve heard the duchess is hard of hearing.”
A soft smile met his lips as he looked at the idiot in front of him, cutting him off before yet another stupid sentence could leave his mouth. “If you don’t mind, I’d love to continue this conversation, but my girlfriend is waving me over.”
With those words, Daniel navigated away from the idiot, but he actually heard the man yell SCOTT after him which only made him walk faster. God, he needed to lose him… Setting his sights on a girl near the middle of the ball, Daniel walked behind her – his hand going gently around her as he leaned in and whispered – continuing the idiotic accent as he spoke to the blonde. “Just go along with this for a second”
“Scott, sir. A franchiser is even better – you must know the business of opening a theme park then. I’m currently in negotiations…”
OH FOR FCKS SAKE. Jess just had to send the village idiot, didn’t she?
“So sorry Duke of Laughington, like I said before, I promised my girlfriend a dance and I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to dishonor her by not… dancing? We’ll talk later okay?”
Daniel stated, walking away as the duke attempted to correct him – his hand on the back of the blonde he had yet to look at. Though, when she turned, he found himself for the first time meeting her eyes. Her features were covered by a golden mask of her own, though he could tell she was gorgeous - her features delicate from what he could see. Her long blonde hair fell down her shoulders, and an amused expression met her lips.
“Duke of Laughington, huh?”
“Might as have well been, darl…” he found himself reverting to his usual self and had to clear his throat to continue the accent. “All I know is he’s a joke… and you…. don’t seem like the type to appreciate his type of humor.”
“So you know my type then? Slightly presumptuous, don’t you think?”
“Not presumptuous… but I can tell you have good taste”. . For a second, Dan allowed his eyes to travel down to her red dress which complimented her skin tone perfectly. What? He couldn’t help himself - he was appreciating beauty okay?
“Wow, a boyfriend, a compliment, and you checking me out all under 5 minutes. You move fast. Am I getting a wedding ring at minute 10 then?
Dan let his eyes wonder back to hers and he couldn’t help the smile that met his lips. So beauty and wit - well, that just added to the allure then.
“I was thinking more at minute 15 myself,"
“Oh were you? I think I was promised a dance - maybe be could make up that 5 minute difference, Scott,”
A gentle frown met his lips at that wretched name - though Dan hid it almost immediately as he picked up her hand gently and led her to where the participants were dancing. Placing one hand in hers, he allowed the other one to go to her waist. “I don’t think I caught your name.," he whispered, as he moved through the movements of the dance he had learned as a child.
“That’s because I never gave it,”
Dan shot up his eyebrow, watching her bemused smile grow at those words. “And why not?"
“What’s the fun of a mascarade if you know who the other person is, Scotty?”
“And what If I told you, that wasn’t my name?"
“Well that makes this whole game more interesting, doesn’t it? Anyways, you don’t look like a Scott.”
SEE JESS. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT DAN WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN EARLIER. Where is Jess? Let’s take this girl over to tell her exactly that. Oh… but then he’d lose the bet. Sht. Never mind.
“So what should I call you then?"
“Your girlfriend, obviously.”
A laugh met Dan’s lips at the words as he twirled her, soon having her back against him as they swayed to the classical music. “You’re different,”
“And you need to learn how to give a better compliment.”
She was… something. A good something… and perhaps the most interesting girl in the room by far - something Dan would know since he had been to more than his fair share of these types of bloody parties. He found the music ending, but honestly, for the first time in a long time, he didn’t want it to end. Girls honestly hadn’t interested him ever since his break up with Yara - honestly most seemed dull in comparison. But this girl in the golden mask and red dress… well… it just felt different.
“And what do I have to do to get your real name?”
“Learn how to live in the moment.”
“Who says I’m not?”
“Excuse me, Mr. Scott? I’m so sorry to be a bother…”
Dan sighed, turning behind him to face another man which Dan recognized as his 3rd Cousin, Trent. He was quite literally a 14-year-old who tried to act as if he knew what he was doing. By that, Dan honestly meant tried because he often failed. “No,” Dan got out, putting his hand up at the kid before turning around to face the girl he was with… only to realize she had disappeared. What… the fck.
Well… the rest of the party was a bloody bust. Not the acting part, that much Dan did easily. Pretend to be American and have no one recognize you? Check. Well… mostly. His favorite 3-year-old cousin recognized him and wanted to dance but Jess totally didn’t see that… totally. It didn’t count okay? She had like… child intuition. The reason the rest of the party was a bust was because he couldn’t find that girl again… honestly she up and disappeared.
Dan found himself standing in the balcony alone - a drink in hand as he pulled out his phone. Frowning as he immediately went to looking at an instagram page he had since unfollowed. Yara Keller… there was a photo of her on a flight to New York City. To broadway… that was always her dream and sure… maybe Dan had made it happen so that he wouldn’t have to… deal with her being near him. But… well… it still hurt. It hurt that she looked happy… that she… no, fck her. She deserved no compliments from him… so why was he so infatuated by taking in every detail of the photo?
“Is this your version of living in the moment?”
The familiar voice hit his ears, and Daniel found himself immediately turning towards her. The moonlight illuminated her entire being and it was honestly impossible to look away. “Who would like to know?” Dan questioned cheekily as he walked towards her, closing the distance before taking another sip of his drink.
“Nice try,” There was a laugh to her voice, but he found her hand reaching towards his and before he could do anything else, he found her grabbing the drink he had and taking a longer sip.
“You disappeared.”
“Did I?”
“I think I at least deserve to know your name after being left alone by my girlfriend,.”
He found her laughing as she handed the drink back. “How about I give you something else?”
"And why would I… Dan didn’t get to finish that sentiment before he found her arms around his neck and her lips on his. The shock of it all faded quickly, and soon, all that mattered was the taste of her which honestly left him breathless. How long had it happened? God only knows - because Daniel Parker was lost in kissing her. His had moved to the back of her head, and he had her pressed against the side wall.
“OH MY GOD”
Daniel found himself cursing slightly as he moved his bruised lips away from hers, turning to find a woman with her child - covering his eyes. “You two should be bloody ashamed. You’re at a public party. What is your name Sir? I’m going to make sure you are never invited to an event hosted by the queen again. How dar-”
Yeah she wouldn’t bloody shut up. Walking towards the woman, Dan simply removed his mask - instantly being recognized by the woman who went from yelling to apologizing. “Just leave” Dan got out - turning around to see the girl again uncaring if she saw his face or not… the only issue… she wasn’t there anymore.
Daniel Parker never saw that girl again - the one in the red dress and for months after, she filled his mind. Sadly, no amount of hacking the guest list helped him figure out who she was - all Dan knew or… maybe gathered about the situation was that she was an uninvited plus one. Did that mean he didn’t look for her at parties after that one? No… he looked. And then, slowly, that memory simply dulled.
Well… until now.
Dan stood confused, looking at a red dress with impeccable similarity to the one the girl had been wearing that night. It was… impossible. Daniel unzipped the clothing bag that it was in to get a better look, only to find the mask settled to the bottom. It was in his distraction that he found arms wrap around his torso. “Already regretting letting me move in, love?” Dan turned around to look at Valerie who he had been helping unpack for the past… 3 hours? “Oh I forgot about that dress. Haven’t worn it in…”
“4 years?”
“4 years”
@CerealKiller - The Girl in the Red Dress/ Yara
@Littlefeets - Idk why but I feel like Kai was at this party and invited Valerie
@astxrism - Dorian Trashed and Dylan Mentioned
babies are multilingual unlike the typical grown American.
" 
That meant that…that both Shay and Zoe would be stuck with the mean nannies who always invited their friends over and ignored them when daddy wasn’t home. Booooorrring. So obviously, Zoe was crying. Well, their dad wassss leaving tonight so Shay could understand why Zoe was sad. Honestly, if Shay hadn’t made her BRILLENTLY plan, then she would be sad too. Buuuuut, Shay had made a plan soooooo SHE WASN’T SAD. yay.
