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More people! This was getting better and better by the moment, and noting that this new girl had crutched her way over, it looked like permanent company! Maybe she might even convince this new and built green-haired young woman that sharing crutches was in the spirit of charity. This was one time that the bluenette didn't mind being a 'charity case', of a certainty! Blowing a teasing and grateful kiss at Zora with a wink, Audrey patted Lucas' arm comfortingly. "Well obviously they do, didn't you have a nice dance with that mint-haired girl? I think her name is Serenade, we went to school together for a bit and I think she was in Ursula's play." At least, she thought so? Either way, Fallon had spoken of the girl once or twice as an acquaintance, which is where she'd picked up the name. "And I'm sure Serah here is just dying for you to waltz her into a stupor." Okay, so she'd picked that line out of a movie, but hopefully nobody caught on. It was a cute line!

Holding out a hand as soon as the other injured party was carefully arranged, Audrey turned on her best 'nice girl' smile. "Hiya, I'm Audrey and I'm a crutchaholic." Nerves were turning into adrenaline and making her perhaps a bit more jovial than she would have been for the occasion, but it was just so nice to be out and around people again! Even if none of them went to her school, and half of them would never speak to her again after tonight. You never knew when you'd find a lifelong friend, and that was the most valuable thing Pasha'd ever taught her. That, and how to coordinate neons. That was invaluable as well.

If Vanessa was going to be honest with herself, she'd have to admit that she wasn't all that surprised by Jada's answer. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. If the other girl had been a princess, Vanessa would have spent the rest of the month floating on a cloud; rubbing the fact that she'd met one in the faces of anyone who'd listen to her.

There was an upside to this bit of news. It made talking to Jada much easier. It was harder to be intimidated by the smell of wealth that wafted off of the young debutante when, glamour aside, she'd basically admitted to being an ordinary girl. A rich girl, but a normal one.

"If I was a princess, nobody would trap me in a tower," Vanessa seemed very certain of this fact, and then preceded to smile as Jada gave her a name. "I'm Vanessa. Rae. I came here with my brother, the kid with the plate full of food."

She pointed at John Jr, who was chatting with an elderly lady, and then at her father, who was dancing with some woman Vanessa didn't know.

"That's my dad. We're here to support the charity, even though the only money we've spent for this thing was on my new dress. Yours is beautiful, by the way. But it looks a little like a wedding dress." She paused and then added, "Not that that's a bad thing."

He had been trying to find Audrey. He had not been trying to do much else. And he most certainly had not been trying to impress Jada's younger sister who was now doing the worst attempt to stalk him ever.
Elzo had attracted jailbait. He did not find this amusing.
Weaving in and out of the crowd, he tired to loose her. He really did. But the damn shorty was a leech. Her eyes were glued to him and no matter where he went she was right behind him. She hadn't approached yet, but it was only a matter of time.
***

Marlo had found what could only be described as the gaggle of girls. Though Jada wasn't among them, a few of his acquaintances were. "Ladies." He bent at the waist. "Have any of you seen Elzo? I'm trying to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." He looked at Fallon and Audrey, pink hitting his cheeks. "Not that we haven't already. I'm just wanting to make sure he doesn't try his normal antics. Like sneak wine or flirt wi-" Marlo looked at the other Chamberlyn siblings. "Am I interrupting something?"

Kayley found him. Her Mr. Xanis. Seriously, the scene going through her mind as he ducked and dove was like a bad movie, with Grease's Summer Love playing in the back of her head. 'Summer Lovin, happened so faaaast~ Summer Lovin~' Ugh. Okay, Kayley. She was better than this childish simpering. She straightened herself up, pretty curls and all, making sure she was as adorable and adult as she could manage, and approached the man she knew only from her mother's 'Mr. Xanis.'

"You must be Elzo." she said, trying to keep her tone very adult. For thirteen. Her small hands pressed together as she looked up at him. She was wearing 1" patent leather shoes, which put her at almost 5'2- taller than her sister already, and almost five years younger. It surely gave her an advantage!

How did she know it was Elzo? Well, any information could have been gleaned from her drugged sister. Including that an Elzo and Marlo Xanis had been her mall saviors. And she'd met Marlo before. Not this hunk of beefcake! Her teenage heart fluttered, and she tried not to giggle.

*

"I'll do my best." Zora said firmly. "I'm not much of a slack-cutter, though."

Gabbie's compliment brought a soft blush to Audrey's cheeks and she shook her head in denial. "Don't say that too loud, Mrs. Chamberlyn might hear you and then I'll be tossed out on my head. Thank you for the compliment, though I might disagree. Everyone here is so absolutely glamorous and...they fit in." She stuck out like a sore thumb; bum leg, blue hair, saree, that eau de riche that she was absolutely devoid of despite the borrowed diamonds. Leaning in a bit to elaborate on this while the siblings squabbled around them, her face turned several shades of red rather rapidly when Marlo Xanis stepped up to the table.

"Marlo!" Oh god, did her voice squeak? That was lame. Stop it, Audrey! Gold eyes looked him from head to toe approvingly, though it was a bit like that Twix commercial - need a moment? She certainly did, especially when he mentioned his brother. "Elzo? Elzo came too?" Red was replaced with white and shame crept into her gold eyes at the memory of the night before when the pair had stumbled onto a bit of hedonistic revelry. "Well, I guess he'll find me too, eventually." Habitually her fingers reached up to tangle in her sapphire curls and her smile eased with effort. "Do you want to sit? We've got the best company in the room so far, you could only add to it." Head tilting, she indicated the two newcomers along with Fallon and Serah, but slowed a bit when lingering on Zora and Lucas. "Might have to kick the kids out though!"

Gabbie's quick ear caught Audrey saying Elzo's name. And thought she picked up a little hint of... something. Interesting. She might have to find a way to make Elzo take Audrey to the prom rather than herself.

"Do you know Elzo?" she asked rather than try to argue over whether or not Audrey fit in this place. "Curses! Foiled before I could begin!"

Then, turning to Jaimie she grinned and returned the shrug.

"Chuck Norris triumphs at all."

"They never mean to step on your toes. And out gowns don't help much either." She shifted, letting her dwess sway so Vanessa could see what she meant. "These things hide our feet, so the partner never quite knows where they are." Purple eyes lifted up to the other girl. "Well, it is sort of supposed to look like one, in a sense. Representative of a young woman's purity. Or more importantly to the rich old roosters when this little ritual started, their virginity." Jada said it blandly, her lips barely moving. "And I'm old enough to be married with a parents consent. My father won't consent until I'm eighteen, but mother has been trying to get me married off since I turned seventeen."

Technically sixteen was when she'd started throwing Jada around the social hoops, trying to get her noticed, like a broodmare.

A gentleman stepped up to them, interrupting with a clearing of his throat. "My next dance." Jada apologized to the other girl. "Perhaps I can find you later?"

*

Zora's attention shot to Marlo when Audrey squeaked his name. "Hey! It is Marlo! How's it going? Mom was furious after you left at the hospital." her purple eyes were gleaming. "I was surprised to see you made it." She stuck out her hand, intent on a shake. She had no clue of why Audrey was squeaking, unless- Did Audrey have a crush on the guy who was crushing on Fallon?

Wow, what a tangled web her sisters friends wove. High School was going to be amazing.

She glanced back at Gabbie and Jamie. "Of course he triumphs over all. He's Chuck Norris."

Calintha watched Jada's introduction with fascination. It was all very interesting, like seeing firsthand how the other side lived. She wondered if all girls had Debutant balls, or if you could opt out of them without seeming terribly uncouth. The girl bit her tongue a bit to keep from ooing at Jada's incredibly extravagant bow. It seemed incredibly uncomfortable and unnecessary, but then again it was also elegant and obviously took skill to attempt. Calintha was sure that she would fall over if she ever tried.

She looked a bit confused as Howl discussed dancing with his mother, but she kept a polite smile on her face until it became all too apparent what the boy was planning. Hopefully she would be better this time, having danced with Howl before. Though, Calintha was slightly afraid this time that her dress was going to end up getting in the way and cause her to trip.

Nevertheless, she took Howl's proffered hand and nodded. "Of course." As Howl stepped over to her, she remembered her (researched) manners. "It was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Mrs. Wickham." Calintha allowed Howl to steer her at this point, seeing as she wasn't practiced at the art of ballroom dancing, and was even less practiced at the art of ballroom dancing in a ballroom full of people.

Once away from Howl's mother, she gave him a smile that seemed more like her normal smile. "Its good to see you, Howl. I was afraid that I wasn't going to know anyone here but Fallon." Despite being ill-practiced at dancing in her shoes and dress, the blonde girl managed to flow along quite gracefully, only snagging once or twice.

***

Adira wandered about the dance floor a bit, making sure to greet any businessmen that she recognized. She wished at least one of them would mention her presence to her father, hoping to garner a gleaming review from the aloof man. A bright flash of blue caught her eye from a table at the corner, causing her to look twice. It was one of the girls from Jada's court, which was excellent.

She'd had her eye out for the debutante, but so far the girl had either been preoccupied, or just recently had disappeared all together. Adira made her way over to the table casually, addressing the small group of teens that were gathered there. "Pardon my intrusion, but I'm looking for Jada and was wondering if you might know where she is." The girl smiled politely. It wasn't strictly in good manners, but she figured the group of unescorted invitees would prefer the informality.