Playing Perfect

08. Détesté

08. Détesté

Hated

"I'm so pleased you could make it."

"It's a pleasure seeing you in such tolerable health, tonight."

"How is business, Monsieur Dubois?"

It was like clockwork. A guest would enter, Alice would press a kiss to their cheek and send a polite smile paired with small talk. She felt as though the string of pearls across her neck was choking her.

Quiet music swelled around her, the voices of her guests muttering around her. Another weekend of course meant another Travers soiree. Alice thought of the chemistry practical exam she had on Monday. She'd much rather be buried in her sheets drawing Lewis diagrams.

A silvery head of hair caught her sight and she turned. She recognised his face. His parents had definitely mentioned him before, but he'd never attended one of these parties.

She searched her mind for his name. Ra... Rah...

"Mr Rashid." The name burst from her lips.

The man turned, his eyes falling upon her and then immediately moving away. He tried to sidestep her, but the crowd closed in and he huffed.

"Sorry, young lady, I'm looking for the Travers," he said hurriedly.

She didn't flinch. She was used to it at this point. Most of the guests knew only the face of Mr Travers, and it had not been one Alice had inherited.

She smiled, ignoring his remark, and simply replied with, "Welcome. I hope you have a good night."

Before she could turn to leave him, a voice called out.

"Alice Travers!"

Alice spun to see a petite blonde woman clinging to the arm of a tall, brown haired man the spitting image of Theo. She glanced over their shoulders, seeing no sign of the teenage boy as the crossed the entrance.

Briefly, her eyes wandered to Mr Rashid beside her. He had paused in his tracks, his eyes flicking back to Alice, down to her pearl necklace, glancing over her shoes. He took in her easy grace, her crystal specked dress, and promptly, his neck turned red.

Before he could speak, Alice stepped towards the woman, slinking as far away as possible from Mr Rashid. He'd made his bed, she decided, and so he could lie in it.

"Mr and Mrs McKay!" Alice grinned. She leaned forward, kissing their cheeks. "It's so lovely to see you tonight. Is Theo here?"

"Oh, no, he couldn't make it." Mrs McKay smiled sadly. "He has a big game tomorrow night. He needs his rest."

"Of course," Alice said, keeping her voice level.

She was quiet when her parents rushed forward, slipping past Mr Rashid, and pulling the McKays into a droning conversation on the McKay's law firm and their latest cases. Alice turned with a sigh, letting her smile drop for a moment and pressing a finger to her temple.

Theo did have a big game tomorrow. She knew scouts would probably be there. But Theo was getting into the Elite Athlete Program whether he liked it or not, what with his parents' connections.

She glanced around the room, watching middle aged men discuss politics, and their wives gossip about the latest happenings and newest rumours.

She felt isolated. No one her age had attended. This was one of her parents' more formal parties, the type that involved heavy networking and politesse. Not many teenagers were trained in etiquette, and Emily hadn't come either.