Smiles (Chapter 1)
Patricia:
He smiles too much, but maybe he’s an idiot. I can work with that.
I smile back; let’s get this shit over with.
After being abducted by aliens, brainwashed for a week of their prison ship, and then paraded around for two weeks at these ridiculous balls like we are socialites in the regency era instead of sex slaves, I’m ready for a change.
So why am I going along with it?
Because I haven’t been able to escape these assholes’ tight security, but I’m betting my life on the fact that this friendly fool will hardly have any security at all.
The air is heavy with nervousness and excitement. The kidnaped women, dressed in fine wrapped silks, peer over the men lined up on the other long side of the candle-lit ballroom. Men playing strange instruments are crowded together in a corner while another corner hosts drinks and snacks.
It’s made to look familiar to us earthly women, like a dance, rather than foreign and strange. But they failed to realize no one has been to a ball in 100 years on earth unless we are counting high school prom, and my prom was themed ‘a night to remember’ which clearly meant tacky blue chiffon throughout my ugly high school gym. This, this was something out of a Jane Austin novel.
“And who might you be?” the man asks smiling widely, turning towards me, the lights in the candles dancing in his kind brown eyes.
“Patricia Samson” I smile sweetly, sugar wouldn’t melt in my mouth. I have been watching for the perfect man- well alien- for the past two weeks. I need someone who will trust me easily. I spotted this one from across the room talking with a few other men and I immediately picked him out as the easy-going type- aka perfect.
I saw my opportunity to approach him when he left his friends by the wall and went to the snack table, and I went for it.
I go for a handshake, but he reaches out he grabs my hand lightly. Bowing down he kisses it gently.
Fucking weird planet.
“I’m Kin” he says and he straightens. He wears something similar to a grey suit with thick gold chains across it. His blond hair is brushed to the side and a dimple pops out on his left cheek. He’s cute, but not my type, not that I really care about that right now.
“So, are you looking for a partner or attending with a friend?” I’m direct, I’ll admit it, but I don’t want to waste my evening flirting with this guy if he isn’t here to close the deal.
He chuckles, “No, I’m here looking for a chosen.” He glances around the room, “so, um, tell me a little about you.”
I smile as I try to think quickly, what would a guy like this want in a girl? “I like… drinking tea and reading romance novels” I hold back my gag, “and um… I use to work in a clothing store” that much is true at least. It’s also true that I am a kickboxing instructor who likes to drink beer on the weekend while playing video games, but I don’t think that is the type of girl he would go for.
“I also enjoy a good tea in the morning” he smiles. God, he’s so gullible it almost hurts.
A man comes up behind Kin looking at the snack table, “excuse me.”
Kin turns his head to look and looks briefly at him before realizing we are blocking the snack table. He takes a step away before turning back to me and offering his hand “Perhaps we should move. Care to come and meet my companions?”
Ugh, shit. I mean, it’s probably a good sign that he wants to introduce me but his friends could easily disapprove of me and I would like to have more time to convince him I am the right choice first.
But not having much of a choice, I grab his offered hand and smile, “Sounds great.”
His hand is warm as I let him lead me across the room to the wall where the men and their friends and family stand. There are fewer men than before, but many of their families remain watching everything. I follow him down the room until we stop in front of two men conversing.
The men have similar black hair and fine noses, but that is where the similarities stop. One is nearly a giant while the other is… one of my teachers on the ship. Aw, fuck.
Neither of them smiles as they turn towards Kin who is beaming, “Gentlemen, this is Miss Patricia.”
The giant nods his head in greeting, but it’s Mr. Hertilz my teacher who speaks, “How are you finding the dance, Miss Patricia?” His voice is unwelcoming, to say the least, and his eyes roam me looking for any fault.
Well, fuck you too. “It’s lovely” I beam and then nervously glance at Kin who thankfully is grinning like a kid in a candy store, “So many have turned out this evening.”
“Indeed” Mr. Hertilz replies slowly still watching me. It’s safe to say that he doesn’t like me. It might’ve been the sarcastic comments I blurted out during his lectures or when I yelled at him that he was a pimp when he was explaining the choosing process, tough to say.
But I’ve changed in these few weeks. Not that accept this- this fucked up world. No no, no I’ve changed strategies. No longer am I disruptive and aggressive. Now I am sweet and charming, at least until I find my opening to escape.
“Senator” Mr. Hertilz addresses Kin. Senator, huh, that’s interesting. “If I could have a-“
“Let’s dance!” I exclaim loudly tugging at Kin’s arm towards the dance floor where couples are pretending to dance around. Seriously, don’t these Pinns know that nobody on earth dances like that anymore?
Kin immediately turns away from Mr. Hertliz and towards me with a chuckle, “lead the way, sweetheart” and I pull him away from his friends towards the center of the room.
Suck it, Hertilz.
