Basil Winters: Lies Never Stay Covered for Long.
Kiss me it's my Party
James:
The party was in full swing. This was my third birthday party this week, I had one with my grandparents where they talked non-stop about how now I was 20 I couldn't hide away under my alter ego - James and that I should take up my full name again, HRH Prince Henry James, I sighed it had been a decade that I had transformed into James. On my 9th birthday, I was nearly abducted. After that I refrained from being in the press. Upon my tenth birthday I asked to change schools, and change my name, taking on my life as a well off boy who just happened to have royal grandparents.
It allowed me a normal childhood and when at school I met Target Henries Jr. My best friend this was the first moment in ten years I wanted to hit him though, as he handed my my t-shirt for the night, it was grey with the words "Kiss Me : It's my Party." he spoke them as I looked at it. Target was the only person to know the truth about my life. He laughed and said "Hopefully you can get laid, your highness and give us a common princess." he smirks as I shove him.
When Target was 17 he slept with his 15 year old girlfriend a month before her 16th birthday and he got her pregnant. Target had decided at 17 that he was going to live bohemian style in a bedsit and focus on his art, and only use the money his mum left him to live a modest life, not the blood money off his father. Target had moved Sandy and himself into their own place a bed sit near her college, so she could continue her education. Target had left home to escape Harley and Harper his stepmother and brother from hell, Harper already had a wrap sheet at 18. OK Magazine ran Harper and Target Sr's wedding, and someone there worked out that Target would be a multi-billionaire once his father dies, but was also already a millionaire due to his mum's money. Sandy, Target's girlfriend found out about the money and married him. Her father made her wait 9 whole months and she filled for divorce. Elijah - Target's now two year old daughter lost out, as he was only given monthly visits with the caveat that if he pushed for access he'd loose her forever.
If I mentioned that I felt sorry for him ever, he'd hit me. We were like brothers, my mother once called him the red-blooded prince - he was the confident version of myself in her eyes.
The second party was with my mother and father, who also wished I'd stop the silly games and settle down with a princess.
This third 'public' party kicked off at 8:30, mine and Target's School and Society friends were the exclusive guests - none of these people knew my true heritage - a few of the girls flirted heavily with the rich men as many of them were knowledgeable they would never make anything much of their lives and that their bank accounts depended on their father's will.
I arrived at 9pm and everyone converged around me and during the pleasantries, I saw HER! A really beautiful blond haired girl who happened to be a waitress, her smile to her friend as they crossed lightened up my heart but then Target nudged me and said "Dude, I want you to meet someone but not the waitstaff, they get fired from agencies for fraternizing. For some of these girls its their only income!"
"How do you know that?" I ask curiously.
"At my Dads birthday party last month, Harper slept with one. She was fired, he'd slept with another one three months earlier - she pressed charges, never got the girls name as dad squashed the case" he sighed and shrugged at the fact of life - money could buy you freedom.
"Okay, she is off limits." I smiled as Carmen walked over glad ragged, she was once a smart A-level law student who by her own admission was 'gawky at school' she had bloomed since then in the last two years but still she was not naturally pretty and this beauty came at an artificial price.
"Jaaames," she dragged out my name sexily as she looked me up and down and then turned back into her bitchy self, if anyone at this party was to kiss me, it would definitely not be her. "What the hell are you wearing?" she seethed, I shrugged - unlike her when I finished college I did not turn into a fashion model.
Target described Carmen as a money whore, she supposedly done nearly every guy who used to attend Eton, she walks off and I see her go and lay across Harper's lap, laughing they were friends. I knew slightly better after a drunken tear fest with Carmen during college when she told me her father had fallen on hard times and that she was unable to continue her studies after as her parents wouldn't allow her to claim government help as it would embarrass her father.
Sworn to secrecy about how Carmen's families hard times had come to the surface, I watch on silently as Target shakes his head, we ignore the exchange and we walk over to the head table. We greet the guests that have circulated and drink a little, I asked one girl with the badge saying 'Bettine' for some more apple juice at about 11pm but she doesn't return.
I then realized that they had started serving the flutes, ready for the champagne toasts, that the events lady had insisted on, even though I myself don't drink champagne. The blond waitress was serving up but I stayed in my seat once Target gave me a 'don't do it look.'
Then I saw Harper go over and tap her on the shoulder, he asked or told her something which made her scared. He then called her a whore, I don't care if she was but he wasn't going to find out at my party, I went over as he starts to harass her.
"Harper, let her go!" I shout over the music.
"Shut up, James. She's a common whore, she's not even supposed to be working..." he shouts and grabs the poor girls wrist and pulls her so harshly her feet leave the floor, he turns to drag her to the door, I grab his shoulder and pull him around and punch him square in the jaw, I'd wanted to do that for years.
I immediately regretted it when I hear the blond waitresses gasp, then the sound of breaking flutes as Harper released her to grab his face with both hands.
I look her over as I pull her up by her un-injured hand, She was beautiful, the small scratches on her face were thankfully not as bad has her hand, that glittered under the lighting, which at this moment changed and two guards turned up one carried Harper to a side door leading to the cars, the other escorted me and the girl, whose badge I can finally see says Sophie, I sigh in my head Queen Sophie sounded nice, I then realise I need to find out why Harper called her a whore.
We sat in the room, and she removed her waist coat one handed so that the blood trickling down her face, and on her hand couldn't stain the satin.
I smile and start to talk, "I'm glad your okay."
"Yeah, thanks for that," she smiles back, I see she wants to say more but the head of the wait staff walked past the small one way mirrored glass.
"So, why did Harper go..." I started hoping to find out whether I should fall head over heals for someone Harper called a whore, as a bouncer returned and announced the arrival of an ambulance for her, it was way to early!Someone didn't want me talking to her too long the head of the wait staff walks past the door and nods as Basil is escorted out.
"Happy Birthday" She says. My last look of her was her small smile leaving the room escorted by the bouncer.
I sighed and then Target walks into the room, his smile turns sour "James, you didn't..." He implied I'd used the girls feeling of my heroism for a make out, when he saw the waist coat.
Her waist coat! I'm going to have to return that, "I have done no such thing she spoke just over three words, that head of waitstaff had her spooked." I lift up the waist coat and decide to leave the room the venue was empty, besides the cleaning staff, my fist now throbbed that adrenaline had left.
I walk to the staff locker room and knock with Target walking in behind me I walked up to the head of waitstaff, "Please may I have the belongings of Sophie, the blond waitress hurt in the brawl, I need to give the police an ID to grab a report." The stern faced woman, nodded disapprovingly but respectively and handed me, her belongings and a small, envelope.
"She doesn't get full pay and also let her know that the agency have been informed that this particular catering company has ask she not be placed on our rotation again." The stern faced lady says and walks off.
Crap, I got her fired from any future jobs all because I didn't remove Harper from the party earlier, i didn't even get her number.
We, Target and I walked out of the room and he sighed "The police aren't getting involved, you know what my dad did for Harper, he effectively gave him an unlimited clean slate..." He then looked me over and rolled his eyes, "Your not involving the police are you? You want an excuse to see her again. James...mate, Harper called her a whore and if anyone would know it'd be Harper." my eyes seethe at this assumption knowing I had the same earlier, but his hypocritical statement threw me over the edge.
"And supposedly you had a warning for sleeping with a certain young girl, but the truth is more than the facts, why can't her story be more complex?" I say earnestly.
"Alright, we're waiting until morning though, she's probably not feeling great." Target put his arm around my shoulder and we walked towards the car.
------------------- Next Morning ----------------
I woke, the throbbing from my hand had needed two paracetamol to ease it while I slept, thumping Harper in the jaw with a closed fist was not a good idea. I decided I'd grab two more paracetamol and get to the doctors later if it didn't ease.
I notice the bag and waistcoat laying on the chair next to my desk and the payslip on the desk, and noticed my search would be easier than I thought as her address was on the front. I decided to grab a coffee before searching stuff, Sophie Fitzgerald.. I typed in her name and the address and smiled when only one result came up under staff at a bistro cafe at the same address. I smiled as I saved the link and kicked the sleeping bag containing my best friend, Target harrumphed and turned over.
"Target, it's morning!" I said it with all the glee of a young child at Christmas.
"Are you still insane?" He gruffed from under the quilt.
I Ignored him and stomped around, eventually he climbed out of bed.
We set off, if not to meet the prettiest girl I ever met - then to make sure she is paid fully and to appologise for her job loss.
The party was in full swing. This was my third birthday party this week, I had one with my grandparents where they talked non-stop about how now I was 20 I couldn't hide away under my alter ego - James and that I should take up my full name again, HRH Prince Henry James, I sighed it had been a decade that I had transformed into James. On my 9th birthday, I was nearly abducted. After that I refrained from being in the press. Upon my tenth birthday I asked to change schools, and change my name, taking on my life as a well off boy who just happened to have royal grandparents.
It allowed me a normal childhood and when at school I met Target Henries Jr. My best friend this was the first moment in ten years I wanted to hit him though, as he handed my my t-shirt for the night, it was grey with the words "Kiss Me : It's my Party." he spoke them as I looked at it. Target was the only person to know the truth about my life. He laughed and said "Hopefully you can get laid, your highness and give us a common princess." he smirks as I shove him.
When Target was 17 he slept with his 15 year old girlfriend a month before her 16th birthday and he got her pregnant. Target had decided at 17 that he was going to live bohemian style in a bedsit and focus on his art, and only use the money his mum left him to live a modest life, not the blood money off his father. Target had moved Sandy and himself into their own place a bed sit near her college, so she could continue her education. Target had left home to escape Harley and Harper his stepmother and brother from hell, Harper already had a wrap sheet at 18. OK Magazine ran Harper and Target Sr's wedding, and someone there worked out that Target would be a multi-billionaire once his father dies, but was also already a millionaire due to his mum's money. Sandy, Target's girlfriend found out about the money and married him. Her father made her wait 9 whole months and she filled for divorce. Elijah - Target's now two year old daughter lost out, as he was only given monthly visits with the caveat that if he pushed for access he'd loose her forever.
If I mentioned that I felt sorry for him ever, he'd hit me. We were like brothers, my mother once called him the red-blooded prince - he was the confident version of myself in her eyes.
The second party was with my mother and father, who also wished I'd stop the silly games and settle down with a princess.
This third 'public' party kicked off at 8:30, mine and Target's School and Society friends were the exclusive guests - none of these people knew my true heritage - a few of the girls flirted heavily with the rich men as many of them were knowledgeable they would never make anything much of their lives and that their bank accounts depended on their father's will.
I arrived at 9pm and everyone converged around me and during the pleasantries, I saw HER! A really beautiful blond haired girl who happened to be a waitress, her smile to her friend as they crossed lightened up my heart but then Target nudged me and said "Dude, I want you to meet someone but not the waitstaff, they get fired from agencies for fraternizing. For some of these girls its their only income!"
"How do you know that?" I ask curiously.
"At my Dads birthday party last month, Harper slept with one. She was fired, he'd slept with another one three months earlier - she pressed charges, never got the girls name as dad squashed the case" he sighed and shrugged at the fact of life - money could buy you freedom.
"Okay, she is off limits." I smiled as Carmen walked over glad ragged, she was once a smart A-level law student who by her own admission was 'gawky at school' she had bloomed since then in the last two years but still she was not naturally pretty and this beauty came at an artificial price.
"Jaaames," she dragged out my name sexily as she looked me up and down and then turned back into her bitchy self, if anyone at this party was to kiss me, it would definitely not be her. "What the hell are you wearing?" she seethed, I shrugged - unlike her when I finished college I did not turn into a fashion model.
Target described Carmen as a money whore, she supposedly done nearly every guy who used to attend Eton, she walks off and I see her go and lay across Harper's lap, laughing they were friends. I knew slightly better after a drunken tear fest with Carmen during college when she told me her father had fallen on hard times and that she was unable to continue her studies after as her parents wouldn't allow her to claim government help as it would embarrass her father.
Sworn to secrecy about how Carmen's families hard times had come to the surface, I watch on silently as Target shakes his head, we ignore the exchange and we walk over to the head table. We greet the guests that have circulated and drink a little, I asked one girl with the badge saying 'Bettine' for some more apple juice at about 11pm but she doesn't return.
I then realized that they had started serving the flutes, ready for the champagne toasts, that the events lady had insisted on, even though I myself don't drink champagne. The blond waitress was serving up but I stayed in my seat once Target gave me a 'don't do it look.'
Then I saw Harper go over and tap her on the shoulder, he asked or told her something which made her scared. He then called her a whore, I don't care if she was but he wasn't going to find out at my party, I went over as he starts to harass her.
"Harper, let her go!" I shout over the music.
"Shut up, James. She's a common whore, she's not even supposed to be working..." he shouts and grabs the poor girls wrist and pulls her so harshly her feet leave the floor, he turns to drag her to the door, I grab his shoulder and pull him around and punch him square in the jaw, I'd wanted to do that for years.
I immediately regretted it when I hear the blond waitresses gasp, then the sound of breaking flutes as Harper released her to grab his face with both hands.
I look her over as I pull her up by her un-injured hand, She was beautiful, the small scratches on her face were thankfully not as bad has her hand, that glittered under the lighting, which at this moment changed and two guards turned up one carried Harper to a side door leading to the cars, the other escorted me and the girl, whose badge I can finally see says Sophie, I sigh in my head Queen Sophie sounded nice, I then realise I need to find out why Harper called her a whore.
We sat in the room, and she removed her waist coat one handed so that the blood trickling down her face, and on her hand couldn't stain the satin.
I smile and start to talk, "I'm glad your okay."
"Yeah, thanks for that," she smiles back, I see she wants to say more but the head of the wait staff walked past the small one way mirrored glass.
"So, why did Harper go..." I started hoping to find out whether I should fall head over heals for someone Harper called a whore, as a bouncer returned and announced the arrival of an ambulance for her, it was way to early!Someone didn't want me talking to her too long the head of the wait staff walks past the door and nods as Basil is escorted out.
"Happy Birthday" She says. My last look of her was her small smile leaving the room escorted by the bouncer.
I sighed and then Target walks into the room, his smile turns sour "James, you didn't..." He implied I'd used the girls feeling of my heroism for a make out, when he saw the waist coat.
Her waist coat! I'm going to have to return that, "I have done no such thing she spoke just over three words, that head of waitstaff had her spooked." I lift up the waist coat and decide to leave the room the venue was empty, besides the cleaning staff, my fist now throbbed that adrenaline had left.
I walk to the staff locker room and knock with Target walking in behind me I walked up to the head of waitstaff, "Please may I have the belongings of Sophie, the blond waitress hurt in the brawl, I need to give the police an ID to grab a report." The stern faced woman, nodded disapprovingly but respectively and handed me, her belongings and a small, envelope.
"She doesn't get full pay and also let her know that the agency have been informed that this particular catering company has ask she not be placed on our rotation again." The stern faced lady says and walks off.
Crap, I got her fired from any future jobs all because I didn't remove Harper from the party earlier, i didn't even get her number.
We, Target and I walked out of the room and he sighed "The police aren't getting involved, you know what my dad did for Harper, he effectively gave him an unlimited clean slate..." He then looked me over and rolled his eyes, "Your not involving the police are you? You want an excuse to see her again. James...mate, Harper called her a whore and if anyone would know it'd be Harper." my eyes seethe at this assumption knowing I had the same earlier, but his hypocritical statement threw me over the edge.
"And supposedly you had a warning for sleeping with a certain young girl, but the truth is more than the facts, why can't her story be more complex?" I say earnestly.
"Alright, we're waiting until morning though, she's probably not feeling great." Target put his arm around my shoulder and we walked towards the car.
------------------- Next Morning ----------------
I woke, the throbbing from my hand had needed two paracetamol to ease it while I slept, thumping Harper in the jaw with a closed fist was not a good idea. I decided I'd grab two more paracetamol and get to the doctors later if it didn't ease.
I notice the bag and waistcoat laying on the chair next to my desk and the payslip on the desk, and noticed my search would be easier than I thought as her address was on the front. I decided to grab a coffee before searching stuff, Sophie Fitzgerald.. I typed in her name and the address and smiled when only one result came up under staff at a bistro cafe at the same address. I smiled as I saved the link and kicked the sleeping bag containing my best friend, Target harrumphed and turned over.
"Target, it's morning!" I said it with all the glee of a young child at Christmas.
"Are you still insane?" He gruffed from under the quilt.
I Ignored him and stomped around, eventually he climbed out of bed.
We set off, if not to meet the prettiest girl I ever met - then to make sure she is paid fully and to appologise for her job loss.