A first date. Great. First dates are always so cheesy and awkward. Well, I guess I’ve kind of already been on a couple “first dates” with Dom. So this one hopefully won’t be too awkward.
Anyways, we’re supposed to pick what to do. Well, I know what I would’ve chosen before the ball, and I know what I’d like to choose now. And lucky for me, they’re not too different, at least to start out, so I can have a little fun with it.
I head up to Dom’s room to get ready for the date.
He opens his door immediately. “Hello?”
I flash my winning smile at him. “Hi.”
“Are you hear for your date?” He asks
I nod slowly, seductively.
Dom smiles, and I can tell he’s close to laughing at me. “So what do you have planned for us?”
I flip a section of hair over my shoulder. “Well, I was thinking we could stay in your room,” I say, pushing on his chest to lead him back into his room. He raises an eyebrow at me, but backs into his room anyway. I shut the door behind me.
“So now that you have me where you want me, what are you going to do with me?” He asks.
“Whatever you want to do.”
Dom smirks. “Well, then. How about we finish what we started before the ball?”
I grin back at him. “I was thinking the same thing.” I walk backwards, keeping eye contact, until I reach his closet. I quickly turn around and open it, searching for what we need. I find it and pull it out of the closet, then turn around to face Dom again. “So, what properties did you have when we finished last time?” I ask.
Dom takes the Monopoly box from me to start setting it up. “I’ll figure it out. All I remember was that I was winning.”
I gasp dramatically. “You were not! I was so winning!”
Dom rolls his eyes at me.
***flash back to before the ball***
“So what do you want to do instead of getting to the ball on time?” He asks.
I smirk and shrug at him. “Have some fun.”
Dom smiles. “Well, then, come on in.” He waves me into his room and I gladly follow. When we’re both in his room, he asks, “So, what kind of fun are we talking here?”
I walk up to him confidently and slowly undo the top button on his nice shirt. “First, I was thinking we could lose a few of these extra layers.” I pop off another one of his buttons.
“And after that, what do you have in mind?”
“I think it’s pretty clear what I have in mind.” Another button.
I feel Dom’s heartbeat quicken, and I mistakenly attribute it to excitement. “Listen Melody,” he says, “are you really sure this is what you want to do?”
I hesitate for the briefest of seconds, but I can see that Dom notices. “Of course, why?”
Dom reaches up and takes my hands in his to stop me from undoing the next button. “Because I get the feeling that you’re just doing it because you think it’s what I want.”
I look at him curiously, confused. “Isn’t it what you want? You are the Playboy Prince, after all.”
Dom sighs. “I’m not actually like that.”
“Really? Because there are dozens of girls who say that you’ve taken them to bed with you. Are you saying they’re all lying?” I ask, though not too harshly.
“They’re not lying… exactly. We did… go to my bed. But I didn’t… sleep with any of them.”
I gape at him. “Are you saying you’ve never had sex?”
He doesn’t answer, but his look tells me that it’s true.
I gasp. “Oh my god. But… everyone thinks you’re not a virgin. Everyone thinks you have sex with every girl you meet.”
“I know… I’ve kept up the façade mainly to annoy my father, because he expects me to be so perfect. You’re the first person besides Alina that I’ve told.”
I laugh. “That doesn’t make any sense. Being known as a player doesn’t scream ‘perfect’.”
“Alright, so he expects me to be perfect, and for so long I tried to be perfect for him. At some point I realized I would never be perfect in his mind, so why should I even try? So now I just keep this up because I can’t handle his expectations. Now he just has no faith in me.”
“That sucks,” I say honestly. I know all about too-high expectations. Not necessarily from my parents, mostly Diana, but still. “I wish I was still a virgin…” I add quietly.
Dom just watches me with sad eyes for a minute. “I’m sorry.”
I shrug, not wanting to get into my baggage. “Ok. I came in here to have some fun, and talking about this isn’t fun. So what else can we do?”
Dom looks around his room. “I have monopoly. We could play that,” he suggests with a shrug.
I shrug. “Sure, let’s do it.”
We only play for a little while before Dom says he actually needs to go to the ball, but we definitely had fun, and he said we’d for sure continue our game some other time.
***back to the future ((it’s not really a pun but there you go Kat)) ***
I won monopoly.
“You cheated,” Dom accused.
“No I didn’t! It’s your fault for practically giving me Park Place!”
“I thought completing the monopoly on railroads would be worth it,” he complained.
I shook my head. “Then that’s your fault. You made winning this game a walk in the park… place.” I smirk.
Dom glares at me. “I hate you.”
I flip my hair behind my shoulder again. “No, you don’t. You could never hate me.”
Dom shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but he has a smile on his face. “Get out of my room.”
I gasp. “You’re kicking me out?”
“Yeah! Cheaters aren’t allowed in my room.”
“Fine, I’m leaving. Sore losers aren’t allowed in my personal space bubble. Bye!” I turn and start walking to his door.
“So I’ll see you later?” He asks.
I turn my head over my shoulder. “Definitely. Next time I can own you in Clue.”
ooc: Alex and I have been planning a thing and this kinda introduces the start of it. Anyway, sorry if any of you saw my last post that didn’t even include my fic. Whatever. Here it is now. Also features @domschreave and @princepercyschreave.
I’m honestly not sure what I’m supposed to be doing anymore. I’ve already told the princeling that I’m only here for the Elite and then I fully plan on being eliminated. But in the meantime? What? Am I supposed to pretend to actually care about Dom? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear I have no interest in a relationship.
And now I’m supposed to go to some stupid ball and schmooze with the royal family. I honestly don’t care what any of the royals think of me. I’ve made enough friends in high places, I don’t really need the connections with the royals, not that they have all that much say in the entertainment industry anyway. But there will be photographers at the ball, and they will expect to see me having the time of my life enjoying the wonders of the palace. And Diana would likely kill me if I didn’t show up in any magazines for having the best dress or anything like that.
But it still left me with the question of what I was supposed to do. Who do I even talk to at this thing? I don’t need to waste the time of my fellow bitches in the Bitch Squad who are actually trying to make a good impression on the royals, and I certainly don’t want to waste my time talking to any of the other loser Selected. So that leaves random guards and the royals. Well, I guess when the work is done, what’s left but fun? And I can definitely think of some ways I can have fun.
I find my source of fun just as he’s exiting his room, likely on his way to get to the ball early. I have some other ideas for him.
He looks surprised when he sees me. “Melody? What are you doing here?”
“Were you on your way to the ball?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’m not supposed to be late,” Dom says.
I smirk and walk a little closer. I place one hand on his chest and look up at him through my thick lashes. “Are you sure you can’t be a little late?”
He grins as he looks down at me. “I guess I can be late.” He opens his door behind him without moving an inch away from him, then starts stepping back into his room, pulling me with him.
Once the door shuts closed behind me, I wonder if I’m the first girl to be brought into the Prince’s room. Or the first Selected. While Dom seems like the type of guy to have brought many girls into his bedroom, I sometimes wonder if it’s all just an act. If he actually is much less experienced than he likes people to believe.
“So, what do you want to do instead of getting to the ball on time?” He asks.
I smirk at him and shrug, faking innocence. “Have some fun.”
Some time later, we both make our way out of his room and over to the ball. Dom enters first and I wait another few minutes, because he thinks it’ll be less obvious this way. I’m pretty sure it will be plenty obvious when we’re some of the only two people to show up late to the first royal ball of the Selection that we were doing something together. But I’ll humor the princeling if he chooses to pretend his reputation is something that can still be salvaged.
When I first open the doors to the ball, I’m amazed at how many people there are. I suppose there are still quite a few Selected left, but there are many more guards and servants than I had expected. It almost seems like a full-sized party. I spot Dominic already talking to one of the other Selected, though I can’t be bothered to remember who. It isn’t one of the Bitch Squad, I can tell you that. I quickly eye the rest of the room. I see the Bitch Squad scattered, each talking to different royals or other people. Good for them. They need to make impressions on these people. If only I cared about any of it, I’d probably be doing the same. I almost wish I did care enough, because at least it would give me more of a purpose here.
I fix my hair, which had become slightly messy after my activities with Dom, as I make my way into the ball. I set my sights on a different prince, one I expect to have a very meaningful conversation with.
“Prince Percy, we meet at last,” I begin, sliding up next to where he stands at the edge of the crowd.
He looks at me and gives me a once-over. I know I look good, and I’m extremely used to it from guys, but it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes at him. He should be setting his sights somewhere else.
“Eyes up here, princey,” I scold. “I hear you’ve wanted to meet me for some time now.”
Percy grins at me. “Well, obviously. What sane man wouldn’t want to meet a gorgeous girl like you?”
“Save the flirting for Charlotte. I just thought I’d say hi since you seemed at a lack of company for the moment. And so I don’t have to be some mythical figure for you to dream about anymore. You’ve met me, now you can forget about it.”
At the mention of Charlotte, Percy’s face grows red and he looks around the ballroom nervously, as though worried he’s about to be caught cheating.
“I don’t… dream about you,” is all he says.
I shake my head and smile reassuringly. “Of course you don’t,” I patronize.
“Whatever,” he grumbles and walks away.
I laugh to myself. It’s fun making little boys uncomfortable about their obvious attractions.
Well, enough fun. Now back to work. I grab a champagne glass from a passing server’s tray and make my way to some of the photographers. If I can’t actually have fun, I have to at least look like I am. I pose for the photographers and pretend to socialize with some attractive guards for the rest of the night. Because that’s basically what all my life is: pretend.
Are you planning on looking for replacement members when your bitch squad members get eliminated. That way you still can be a 7 deadly sins?
No, we’re not just going to add more people to our group. Each girl was hand picked by me for a reason, so if someone didn’t make the cut before, why would they now? The Seven Deadly Sins thing was fun while it lasted, but it’s not the whole purpose of the group.
How would you describe Melody's personality in a sentence?
((I guess I’d say that Melody has a very strong personality and doesn’t want to be hurt by anyone ever again, so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to prove that she’s the best.))
I’m sick and tired of people getting hate from things whether they’re in their control or not. IFFFFFFFF Percy chooses Charlotte, that’s his/my decision and is in no way a reflection on Aricia. It’s also nothing that “Melody decided to have all the Bitch Squad end up with the royals” like I said before… I’m just favoring people who have actually rp’d with me, and they are. There’s also nothing nefarious that Charlotte is doing to win Percy. I came to her first with the idea for it.
Anyway, the rule. I have turned off anon on all my characters, because I’m hoping people will follow my example. I also blocked exposing illea and illeas confessions in hopes that I won’t have to see their posts anymore. I know not everything they post is hate– but wait! It’s not hate at all! It’s just CRITICISM
Yeah sure. Criticism would be like “Dom should spend less time on his motorcycle”, hate would be like
ooh how bout dat one? anyway, whether or not you mean to hurt anyone, I get really worked up whenever you hate say things about anyone’s characters, and I really just don’t need that in my life.
So! I turned off anon and blocked those blogs. If you want to ask a random question to a royal like “what’s your favorite number?” ((mine is 4)) then I don’t have to take it as an in character thing because it’s just a random question. If you want to be sure I take it as ooc, then put it in parentheses or something.
If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t have sent hurtful messages to people. I’m pretty sure the only people this drastically affects are the people sending hate because if you were sending anon love, just put your name on it, who cares? And if you wanted to send an anonymous question, who cares if they see who does it? Literally the only time I can think that you’d HAVE to be on anon is when you’re sending something that you don’t want people to know you sent (aka hate)
If you have questions let me know
Also, I know I have no way of forcing you to turn anon off, but please just do it. I don’t want anyone to be hurt like this anymore and I’m trying to make it a “rule” so that it’s not just one person, it can be as many people as possible.
((I’m not Alex, but you guys seriously need to give her a break. She’s single handedly running this whole thing for us and if you just keep aggravating her like this, who knows? Maybe she’ll pull a Haiden and just not choose a winner. Like seriously just stop))
I didn’t even watch the Report when the names were announced. At the time I’d already been ushered into a limo on the way to the set of a talk show where they would discuss my entry in the Selection. Diana had it all pre-planned, since she already knew I would be Selected.
“So how did you feel when you first saw that you were Selected?” The talk show host had asked, even though she knew I hadn’t found out in the same way as the other girls. But we both knew how I was supposed to respond.
A wide grin graced my face. “Oh, I was so excited. To be able to live in the palace and compete for Prince Dom’s hand in marriage is like a dream come true.” I remember hoping the sarcasm was only evident to my ears.
The host had then continued asking me questions about the Selection and what I thought of the other girls. She ended by noting how much my popularity had increased in nationwide polls since the announcement of the Selection only an hour before. I knew Diana would be ecstatic with that news.
Immediately following the talk show, Diana hustled me back into the limo and back to the beach house. There she began discussing the game plan for the Selection.
“Here’s what you need to do,” Diana began. “First of all, as we already talked about, you need to do whatever you can to convince Dominic to keep you until the Elite. How far past the Elite you go doesn’t matter, but you must reach at least top ten. How you do that is up to you; put on the charm, tell him your plan, whatever. Just do it. Secondly, you need to surround yourself with other power players. The Twos, the celebrities, the girls who already have a name for themselves, or will soon enough. Whether you want to call it a friendship or alliance doesn’t matter, just make sure you have a strong enough support system that you never look weak or alone during the Selection. You’ve been acquainted with Evadne Leventhorpe and Annelise Newstone in the past, maybe you could start with them.”
I sighed at her dictation. She really just wouldn’t let me be. She never lets me make decisions on my own. Maybe I don’t even want to go to the palace. Maybe I don’t want to date anyone so soon after Trey.
Diana left after giving me my orders, and I immediately started calling up Vad and Anne. I told them I was forming a group… a squad… of powerful girls who aren’t afraid to make a statement. I decided to coin us as the Bitch Squad. After searching through the list of other girls in the Selection, I decided to also call on Isabella Faulkner, whose modeling career made her enough of a celebrity to catch my eye, Seraphine Chamberlaine, whose ambition and fire seemed a good fit for the squad, and Kat Dempsey, who wasn’t a Two anymore, but who had the attitude of one, and whose scandal would certainly be enough of an attention-getter to make her a hot commodity. I figured I might need someone like her on my team. After getting responses from each of them agreeing to join me, the Bitch Squad was born.
It’s been almost a week since Diana’s so-called “pep talk” and the send-off is today. I have to go to yet another stupid event that the province of Angeles is throwing for me. It’s supposed to be a way for the people of Angeles to show their support for me and get to know me before I’m overcome by the fame of the Selection. Like the Selection is actually going to change me. I’m already famous, these people already know who I am. All this send-off is really doing is letting the people think that I’m just like them. I’m not. I’m not just “one of the people” I’m not an average “daughter of Illéa.” I’ve made a name for myself and earned the fame I have. Everyone knows my name and my face already, so I don’t even really know what the point is. But it’s tradition, so who am I to ruin that?
The send-off that Angeles decides to throw is an elegant dinner gala. At least they have some class. Some provinces just have the girls stand on a stage where people can stare at them or throw roses. I do my best to play nice at the gala, shaking hands with people, taking pictures with young girls who want to be me when they grow up, blowing kisses at all the boys heartbroken that I’m the Prince’s property now.
After the gala, I’m ushered directly to a limo to take me to an airport. Of course, I don’t really need to fly on a plane to get to the palace, since it’s only about an hour drive from my house, but again, it’s “tradition” for the ladies to fly in together. I meet the other girls at the airport and see that they’re all wearing the traditional white blouse and black trousers. At least for this tradition Diana got me out of it. As soon as the gala was ending, she had me change into a dress with a black lacy top and a white skirt. Opposite coloring to the other girls. Already she was making changes to help me stand out and to show the world that I’m not just one of the Selected; I am so much more than that.
Luckily, Kat is one of the other girls on the plane with me, and I am so grateful that at least one of my fellow Bitch Squad members is with me. It allows me to establish myself right off the bat as someone with friends and allies everywhere. The other girls on the plane, while all Twos, seem fairly insignificant to me. A few of them try to start conversations a couple times, but it dies off when I turn to Kat to talk instead.
When the plane lands, we’re immediately surrounded by adoring fans holding posters with our names on them. Some of the other girls are caught up by the attention, but it’s something I’m very used to, so I quickly make my way down the red carpet, signing a few autographs and talking some selfies along the way.
Maids and servants immediately rush over to us as we enter the palace and lead us to the Women’s Room for the makeovers. The stylists fawn over me for a few minutes, saying how much they love my hair, my eyes, my everything. They know they can’t change anything about me, since I have an image to uphold for my career, and I know they wouldn’t want to anyway. They give my hair a little extra curl and apply some more makeup before sending me off to find a dress. They take a few pictures of us and then we’re set free to mingle with each other. I quickly find the rest of my bitches and we form a circle to officially introduce ourselves and discuss our plans for the Selection.
I noticed out of the corner of my eye one of the other Selected approaching us hesitantly. I turn to appraise her. I don’t remember her name; she was probably someone I skipped right over when I was first looking for girls to invite to my squad, but at least after the makeover she looked fairly decent. Not like some of the girls who were definitely trying too hard. I squint my eyes at her. “Excuse me, who are you?” I ask.
The girl clears her throat and strengthens her back. Suddenly she seems more courageous and empowered, and I admire that. “I’m Charlotte. And I have a proposition for you.”
She tells me that even though she’s a Six, she recognizes that there will be groups, cliques, forming in this Selection. She doesn’t want to be part of a weak group, or left in the dust entirely. She says she can see the Bitch Squad for what it is: a group of powerful girls working together to strengthen our positions for during the Selection and after. And she wants in.
So we come to an agreement that she will do her best to support the members of the Bitch Squad when we need someone at our backs—or our feet—and in turn, we will help raise her societal status by association. I can certainly admire her ambition and her ability to recognize the Bitch Squad as the top dogs of the Selection.
That night, Vad and one of the others decide to plan a sleepover for all the girls. Personally, I find it idiotic to try to plan such a small scale party for thirty-five girls, but I know this is what Vad loves to do, so I must support her.
When I reach the party rooms—fashionably late, of course—I see the party is in full swing. And by swing I mean half the girls are literally swaying on their feet. They’re all completely drunk off their asses. I honestly can’t believe these girls are stupid enough to get drunk the night before they first meet the prince. Do they honestly believe a hangover is sexy or attractive? Trust me; been there, done that. Don’t need to do that again.
I stay as long as I can, just to show my support to Vad, but I honestly can’t stand the insane drunkenness of the girls. I assume it’s because most of them haven’t had the freedom or wealth to have much experience with alcoholic beverages, and went a little overboard with their first times. But that’s still no excuse. Everyone knows everything is better in moderation.
Eventually I can’t handle being bumped into by the girls who can’t even stand still on their own two feet, so I apologize to Vad and leave the “party” if you could even call it that. It felt more like a seedy bar at two in the morning, if you ask me.
As I leave the cacophony of the party behind, I try to think. There must be something more productive I could be doing with my time. My feet are already walking to my destination before my mind has fully processed the idea.
Once I reach the hall where the royals’ bedrooms are, I find myself a comfortable alcove and lie down in it with a faux casualty. I pull up my dress a little so my legs are slightly more accentuated, and I wait.
I don’t have to wait long, as Dom emerges from his room within a few minutes.
I pretend to not notice him and play with the hem of my dress.
“Uh, hello?” Dom asks.
I lift my eyes and feign a look of surprise. “Oh, hello. I didn’t see you there.”
“Did you come to find me?” He asks with a sly grin on his face as he takes a step closer to me.
I gasp and pretend to look insulted. “Of course not! That’s against the rules, isn’t it? I was simply looking for a place to rest. Walking around this huge palace can get so exhausting.”
Dom had been walking towards me even more as I spoke, and I began to sit up in the seat as well while he approached so that when I finished talking, our noses almost touched and we were at eye level.
“Well, if you really need a place to rest, my bedroom is right there. And my… bed,” Dom suggested.
I gulp. How far am I really willing to go with this? I really don’t want to sleep with him on the first night, but I don’t want it to seem that way. “I don’t think that would be very proper. After all, we haven’t even had our official introductions yet.”
“But I certainly know who you are already, Melody Nolan.”
I give him a smirk. “You don’t know everything about me. There’s so much more to learn.”
Dom smirks back. “I look forward to it.”
I quickly hop down from the alcove and turn my back on him. Once I’ve taken a few steps, I turn my head back to look at him. “See you soon, princeling.” I give him a smirk and a wink, then turn back and make my way back to my room.
Once back in my room, I shut the door quietly behind me and then sit down on the floor, pulling my knees to my chest. That wasn’t so bad, right? A little minor flirtation is something I can handle. Before the introductions tomorrow, I’ll have to make a decision, though. Do I tell Dom about my plan or not? If I tell him, he may think I’m not here for him and eliminate me immediately. Or he may agree to it and I won’t have to worry about seriously trying to seduce him. If I don’t tell him, then he’ll think I’m actually here to win his heart, and will likely keep me a long time, but I may have to resort to doing things I may not actually want to do.
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