The O'Sheas (02-04-2317)

[Cytherea]

Suddenly, Cassandra was whisked away from Matty.

"You're perfect!" The girl exclaimed, "I need you right now." And before either one of the guys could protest farther, she grabbed Cassandra and steered her away by the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Cassandra asked, startled. "I was dancing!"

"Oh, no time for dancing now. That can come later." the girl led her quickly to another part of the room and backed her into a corner. "Now, I couldn't help but overhearing, but we, like, totally need another singer, and, like, you're perfect for it."

"I don't sing in front of people." Cassandra said firmly.

"What about that guy you were dancing with, huh? He's gotta be a person."

Cassandra glared at the girl.

"I'm not singing."

"But we, like, totally need you to! Come on! Timothy really wanted it!"

Cassandra thought for a moment.

"Well, I-"

"Great! Thank you so much! I've totally got to introduce you to my friends. But, like, what's your name?"

"It's Cassandra."

"Oh my goodness! That's so rad! You're all over, like, everything! Does Matthew Fletcher, like, have a heart?"

"What are you talking about?!" Cassandra said, bewildered.

"Never mind. The song's, like, almost over. Then I'll introduce you to, like, Timothy and Lita. It's going to be so totally awesome."

[Zinna]

Mandi

"My name is..." But just then the dance started.

They waltzed in perfect time.

I can't tell him my name. What if he tells my parents? Besides I just met him...

Mandi looked into Shawlin's eyes, and he into hers. She looked away and whispered to herself, "Why am I dancing?"

[Lithium]

Missy

"I'm sorry if I can't waltz very well. It's never been my strong suit."

Missy smiled warmly. "It's all right. I don't mind. It's just nice to have someone pay attention to you and ask you to dance. Like they used to say in the 21st century, "It's the thought that counts." They had such strange, little sayings like that."

She looked up at the stage as a girl began to sing Edelweiss. Then, a girl ran straight through Matthew and Cassandra's dance, breaking them apart and practically dragged her away into another room. Oh my goodness! What is going on?

Missy stepped away from her partner and said, "I am very sorry, but a guest just ran off with one of my guests. Can I promise you my next available dance to make up for this?"

Cheiko

"So... you're a friend of the Fletcher's, right?" asked the guy as he danced with Cheiko. "How long has that been?"

"Yeah. It has. Why are you asking?"

"Just curious, is all. I mean, you're so beautiful and fascinating. I'd like to learn a little more about you."

"All right..." Cheiko replied, all suspicion gone and glowing from his compliment.

"So how long has that girl been with Mr. Fletcher? Is she––"

"Oh? Cassandra?" Cheiko scowled. "She's new. I just met her this afternoon, right before the party."

"What do you think of her? She's quite pretty? Is she Royale or...?"

"She's nice. Very pretty." She looked away. "Can we stop talking about her?"

"So you don't like her?"

Cheiko let go of her partner and stepped away from him. "It sounds to me like you'd rather talk about her than me. If you're so interested in her, why don't you go ask her yourself? She's over there dancing with Matth––"

Matthew and Cassandra were suddenly broken apart by a girl who seemed to be dragging Cassandra away.

She looked back at her partner coldly. "If you'll excuse me, Sir."

Walking away from him with her head held high, Cheiko felt like she was going to break. Not even remotely interested me. Neither of them. That Cassandra. She comes and takes Matthew from me... or at least my chances of having him... then she's capturing everyone's attention.

She ran for the bathroom, locked herself in and sank to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed.

Matthew

Before Matthew could reply or blink, a strange girl whisked Cassandra away from him and took her to another room.

“Cassandra, wait––“

He heard the girl mention something about singing, then watched as Cassandra declined, then gave in and then disappear from his view.

He frowned, then turned away to the punch table.

She needs to meet other girls her age. Maybe she’ll make some lovely friends.

He turned and watched Cheiko storm out of the ball room, nearly in tears, her dance partner looking a combination of triumphant and sheepish.

Matthew stormed over. “Just what do you think you’re doing? That’s my little sister’s best friend you’ve just hurt. What did you say to her?”

The man turned to him coolly. “Oh, nothing. Just asking a bit about that lovely-looking lady friend you’ve just gotten yourself. How do you feel about Miss Sonoda? She was obviously bent up by that new girl. Is Miss Cassandra forcing herself on you? Are you two hiding something?”

“That’s honestly none of your business,” Matthew said angrily. “It’s none of your business at all. So butt out and leave my little sister and her best friend alone.”

The man raised one eyebrow. “Yet, Mr. Fletcher. It’s not my business, yet.”

Matthew went cold. Paparazzi.

His gaze flew to the room Cassandra had just disappeared into, then looked over at Missy who was no longer dancing with her partner, but appeared to be apologizing.

“If you’ll excuse me, Sir.” Matthew dipped his head slightly, then turned away and strode to the punch table to get something else to drink.

[Cytherea]

Endosi

Endosi ran into the bathroom. She had cried in the car as a very beautiful song came on, and her make-up had been destroyed. She opened the door and was about to start fixing herself, when she heard sobs coming from one of the stalls.

Crying? At a party? That can't be right.

She walked to it and knocked quietly.

"Excuse me?" She said in her sweet voice. "Are you all right?"

Jason

"I am very sorry, but a guest just ran off with one of my guests. Can I promise you my next available dance to make up for this?"

"Of course." Jason said with a smile. "I'll look forward to it."


Shawlin

Shawlin thought he heard his partner say something, but it was too quiet for him to hear. He spun her under his arm and caught her gently.

"You know, you waltz very well."

Cassandra

The girl went off to fix her make-up, and Cassandra made her get away. She walked from the room the girl had dragged her in, and brushed her dress off. She saw Matty by the drinks and was walking to him, when a voice stopped her.

"Excuse me, miss?"

She looked over and a handsome young man bowed to her, then took her hand.

"My name is Christopher. What might yours be?"

"It's... uh, Cassandra." she said, and tried to pull her hand away. He held on, though he frowned slightly.

"You must be the girl with that Matthew Fletcher, correct? Listen to me, he's not good for you. You're much better of with someone who cares for you more than his money."

"Matty's not like that." Cassandra said angrily. She tried to yank her hand away, but Christopher still held it tightly. "Now let go of me!"

"Ah. So you've already developed a pet name for him. Matty. What does he call you?"

"Leave me alone!" Cassandra said, trying to pry his hand from hers.

[Zinna]

Mandi

"You know, you waltz very well."

"I...Thank you. I take lessons." Mandi blushed slightly.

Shawlin continued, "I have never seen you before. Are you new?"

Oh no! He's going to ask about my parents next!

"I don't get out much," she lied hoping the dance will end soon.

[Cytherea]

Shawlin

"I don't get out much," she said, though her eyes said otherwise.

"Oohhh..." Shawlin said with a hidden smirk, and let his "oh" drag on.

She is obviously hiding something. She looked to the left when she said that, and she looks uneasy. All right. If she wants to.

"I see. That means you must do lots of inside activities. What's your favorite book?"

[Lithium]

Cheiko

"Excuse me?" A young woman asked. "Are you all right?"

Cheiko quickly wiped her eyes and said, "Ye-yeah. I-I should be all right."

She unlocked the door and passed the girl who had asked as she went to the mirror. She tired to fix her make-up as best she could, then she turned to the girl.

"I know you're a stranger, but I've got to ask someone's opinion and I can't ask my best friend. What do you do if you've been in love with a guy for a really, really long time, but he's never been interested in anybody for as long as you've known him, then some girl just randomly pops into his life and she might take away any chance you ever had in being with him. What would you do? What should I do?"

Matthew

After downing his second water, he looked over and saw a handsome young man "accosting" Cassandra. His hand was gripped tight around her wrist.

"Leave me alone!" Cassandra said, trying to pry his hand from hers.

"Hey!" Matthew stormed over to the man and pushed him away, breaking the man's grip on Cassandra. "What do you think you're doing?"
Missy

"Of course." Jason said with a smile. "I'll look forward to it."

"Thank you," Missy smiled, then went into the room that Cassandra had just been in. She didn't see her or the girl.

She must have left.

Walking back into the dance room, she saw Cassandra. A guy was grabbing hold of her arm.

Missy was about to go over and help, but Matty, bristling with anger and indignation strode over to them and pushed the man away.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Matthew demanded angrily.

Oh boy. You can almost smell the testosterone. I might need to intervene, Missy thought.

[Cytherea]

Endosi

"I know you're a stranger, but I've got to ask someone's opinion and I can't ask my best friend. What do you do if you've been in love with a guy for a really, really long time, but he's never been interested in anybody for as long as you've known him, then some girl just randomly pops into his life and she might take away any chance you ever had in being with him. What would you do? What should I do?"

Endosi nearly felt like crying again.

"I would feel crushed. I mean, love hurts, but that is really painful. Of course, if you do really love him, you'll want him to be happy with whoever he chooses. And, the other girl might be a frod. She might just be trying to get attention. She might be misunderstood and just looking for a friendship, and finds it in him. If he loves her, and she loves him back... it's a very romantic type of love. But there can always be somebody the boy just considers one of his friends." She looked up at the girl. "I'm presuming that is you. He won't think of you specially like the other girl, but as a good friend. There's a difference between "girlfriend", and a girl that's a friend. If he leads you on and pretends that you're his girl, and then finds somebody else that he likes better and ditches you, then he's not worth crying over."

Endosi let out her breath.

"If you are that girl, then you need a hug."

Endosi wrapped her arm around the girl and gave her a hug.

"I am sorry."

Cassandra

"Hey!" Matthew stormed over to the man and pushed him away, breaking the man's grip on Cassandra. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, if it isn't the millionaire Matthew Fletcher." Christopher said with a sneer. "Come to protect your girlfriend? Aww. Isn't that sweet? And don't say she's not your girlfriend. I mean, I'm fine if you don't. I'd love to take a crack at her. She's very attractive." Christopher ran his fingers down Cassandra's face, and she vehemently pushed his hand away. "And you don't deserve someone so beautiful anyway."

[Lithium]

Cheiko

The girl wrapped her arm around the girl and gave her a hug.

"I am sorry."

Cheiko let her guard down and cried into the girl's shoulder. Then, she pulled away slightly and said, "I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself. My name's Cheiko Sonoda. What's your name?"

Matthew

"Well, if it isn't the millionaire Matthew Fletcher," the man said with a sneer. "Come to protect your girlfriend? Aww. Isn't that sweet? And don't say she's not your girlfriend. I mean, I'm fine if you don't. I'd love to take a crack at her. She's very attractive." Christopher ran his fingers down Cassandra's face, and she vehemently pushed his hand away. "And you don't deserve someone so beautiful anyway."

Matthew grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him away from Cassandra, shielding her with his 6' 4" frame. "Let's take this outside so we don't disturb the ladies. Unless you'd like to apologize for your rudeness to both of us."

He let go of the man and shoved him away. "Oh, and for the record. It's trillionaire. And, no, I don't deserve someone as wonderful as Cassandra."

Matthew offered Cassandra his arm. "It's nearly dinner time and we're causing a bit of a scene. Would you like to go to the sitting room with me for a bit?"

Missy

Missy nodded with satisfaction as Matthew released the man and seemed to be ending the argument.

I wonder where Cheiko got off to. She shrugged, then went to the bathroom to check her make-up and hair.

She walked in to find Cheiko sobbing into the shoulder of a stranger.

"Oh! Cheiko! Are you all right? What's wrong?"

[Cytherea]

Endosi

The girl cried into Endosi's shoulder, and she let her.

"I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself. My name's Cheiko Sonoda. What's your name?" Cheiko said, pulling away slightly.

"It's Endosi Brightworth. I'm sort of new around here.

Just then, another girl came into the bathroom.

"Oh! Cheiko! Are you all right? What's wrong?"

Cassandra

Cassandra saw the scene through rather blurry eyes. Matty pushed the man from her and said some garbled words, though she couldn't understand many of them. She made out a sentence as he turned to her and offered his arm.

"It's nearly dinner time and we're causing a bit of a scene. Would you like to go to the sitting room with me for a bit?"

"Of course." She mumbled and slowly slipped her arm into his. They walked to the sitting room which was basically empty, though Cassandra couldn't tell. She followed Matty blindly.

She glanced down at her wrist as a sudden jolt of pain shot through her, seeming to generate through from her wrist. It was a dark, unusual red, with small streaks of dark purple. She felt dizzy and faint, and clutched onto Matty's arm.

Suddenly, she couldn't take another step. Pain coursed through her body, and she couldn't think.

And then, everything went black.

[Zinna]

Mandi

"I see. That means you must do lots of inside activities. What's your favorite book?"

Oh no! He's putting two and two together! Oh stop it Mandi! He doesn't know who I am or who my parents are. Just play along...

"Well I don't really have a favorite book, but I love fairy tales...especially Cinderella. Do you like reading?" Mandi refrained from looking just once.

[Cytherea]

Shawlin

"Oh, I love reading. It's one of my favorite things to do. Read and write. In fact, I've published a book. Three, actually. I don't know if you've read them. They're the trilogy, 'Of Science and Expansion'. Don't worry, though the name makes the book sound dull, it's actually about a 15 year old boy who has many scientific problems. Have you ever read them?"

[Zinna]

Mandi

"Oh those books were amazing." Mandi blushed. She had read those books many times hoping that one day she could meet the author just not like this.

[Cytherea]

Shawlin

"Thank you." Shawlin said, glowing. He twirled her again. "I'm thinking of starting another series. I will need to get input. You seem to be a good thinker. Have anything you've always wanted to happen to the main character, but no one does? I'll include your name in the book. Oh..." he frowned slightly. "What is your name?"

[Zinna]

Mandi

She hesitated, "My...my name....my name is...Sam."

"Sam? Odd name for a Royale"

"Well, it is short for Samathina. It's an old name." It's an old name! He's smart, Mandi, not a first grader. Stop acting so suspicious.

[Anwen]

"Bless my homeland for-ev-er--" Lita finished her song and hurried off the stage as Mr. O'Shea got up onto it "Alright! Please take your ladies back and choose your partners for the next dance! Line up long-ways for Aw Shucks!"

"May I have this dance Miss Isti?" Lita turned and saw Timothy offering her his arm.

"Of course." She accepted his arm.

"Take hands four-from-the-top! If you are ones, switch places, this is an improper dance!" some of the girls pretended to swoon as the ones switched over.

[Zinna]

Shawlin

Shawlin escorted "Sam" to the refreshment table and bowed to her saying, "Thank you for the dance." When he looked up she was gone. He twirled around and, not finding her, preceded to do so. Just as he stepped forward he heard a slight clink and looking down found a small silver heart-shaped locket with a broken clasp lying on the floor. He examined it closely. Inside he found a picture of the girl he was dancing with and the initials B. J.

Mandi

I have to leave! I can't let them see me.

Mandi was running as hard as she could toward home and away from Shawlin.

He was so nice.

[Cytherea]

Christopher watched as Mr. Fletcher led Cassandra off. He smiled, a twisted, suspicious grin.

Slowly, he walked to the door. He knew that if he stayed, he would hear it soon. But it didn't matter. He had accomplished his mission.

"Welcome to Ambia, Cassandra." he whispered.

And with that, he turned and disappeared into the blackness of the night.

[Cytherea]

Shawlin

Shawlin frowned.

And where did she go? I don't see her anywhere... He looked down at the locket. This must be hers. I'll study it tomorrow in my lab and she if it'll help me find her.

[Lithium]

Cheiko
Cheiko looked up and quickly dried her eyes. "Oh! Missy. I'm sorry. I had this horrible dance partner who was just being so rude to me."

Missy

"It's all right," Missy said. "I think Matty already chewed him out for you. It was that really tall guy right?"

Cheiko nodded.

Matthew

Cassandra had just fainted in his arms.

"Uh... Cassandra?" he asked as he slowly picked her up into his arms. "Cassandra? Can you here me?"

She wasn't responding.

"Cassandra! Cassandra? Wake up. What happened? You were fine and then––"

He looked back to see that man they had just been talking to smile malevolently before making a quick exit.

"Oh no you don't," Matthew growled under his breath. He set Cassandra onto a coach and turned to a person next to him. "Can you please stay with her. I've got to go talk to the person who made this happen to her."

Matthew dashed off, following the man. This is quite the... exciting... party.

He saw a white haired girl out of the corner of his eye, running, but he continued on his course.

Seeing the man right in front of him, on the sidewalk outside, he lunged for him and grabbed him by the arm.

"What did you do to her?" He demanded. "What have you done to Cassandra?"

He grabbed him by the collar, pulled him down an alley and pinned him against the wall.

[Cytherea]

"What did you do to her?" Matthew Fletcher demanded as he grabbed Christopher and pinned him against the wall. "What have you done to Cassandra?"

Christopher laughed a harsh, guttural laugh.

"Oh don't worry. She'll be fine soon. Actually, better than fine. But since you're here and so demanding, I suppose you might as well know that she's now officially betrothed to the Senator of Ambia." he smiled. "Need I say more, Mr. Fletcher?"

[Anwen]

"Can you please stay with her. I've got to go talk to the person who made this happen to her."

"Um, ok." Gillean said, as Mr. Fletcher ran off into the darkness, leaving him standing and looking after the girl that Cloe had spoken to in the middle of a waltz. She was very beautiful. Then his glance fell to her wrist. His deep blue eyes narrowed, thinking where he had seen that kind of purple swelling before. They widened as he realized what it was. "Father!" he said into his comlink, "I need you here right now. I have a matter of urgency to discuss with you!" Gillean looked back down at her. Poor girl...

[Cytherea]

Cassandra slowly opened her eyes. Her whole body throbbed, and she felt immobilized. She tried to see where she was, but what she could see looked so vague and unfamiliar. Pain coursed through her, and her brain was filled with different thoughts, all trying to crowd into the same part of her mind. The only thing she could clearly see, was a picture of a young man's face. He was so familiar, but who was he?

Matty?

She looked up and saw another young man. She closed her eyes as another wave of pain went through her.

"Where's Matty?" she whispered.

[Anwen]

Matty, Matty - Ohhhh, Matthew Fletcher, her boyfriend.
"Matthew Fletcher just went after the guy who injected you." Gil said gently. "I'm afraid he won't have much luck capturing him. These guys can vanish like smoke." he said, talking more to himself than her, his sapphirine eyes gazing into nowhere. He looked back at her. "I'm Gillean Elcarnin. You can just call me Gil."

"Oh, I see." Gil looked up, recognizing that voice. His father's secretary, Ms. Plumb, had come in and was inspecting the girl. "Yes, I believe we need to take care of her poor dear."

[Cytherea]

"Matthew Fletcher just went after the guy who injected you." the boy said gently. Cassandra tried to process it as he said more that she didn't hear. The boy looked down at her which made her focus. "I'm Gillean Elcarnin. You can just call me Gil."

"My name is..." she took a deep breath and winced. She felt like there was an anvil on her chest, that was pushing all the oxygen from her lungs. "Cassandra."

Suddenly, another voice projected towards her. Cassandra tried to turn and see who it was, but couldn't.

"Yes, I believe we need to take care of her, poor dear." the woman said, leaning over her. The woman's dark brown hair was in a bun that was rather quickly falling out. Her brown eyes were filled with concern.

"Who are you?" Cassandra said as she tried to breathe.