With Morality Like a Polynomial

Cause I Was Only A Kid When I Fell- II

M'Gann rolled her eyes with an exhausted sigh, "oh my gosh, hours, and they had to redo one of them because they messed it up when they were putting the ribbons in, I don't know why I bother anymore with those people from the boutique, I need new stylists honestly."

"yes I know the feeling," Anastasia tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "gosh when I was your age so many of those attempted stylists would just tug and weave and pull and I'd always end up thinking I could have done better on my own in my room in fifteen minutes."

"Annie," one of the girls on the table cut in, "where have you been hiding this one? How many times have I said I need more models and you had this flower?"

"Oh no, no, Melanie, this is Delilah," Anastasia said, gesturing to the whole table now as she introduced M'Gann's alias, "she's one of Bee's... well we used to call them handmaids back in the day, but I..."

"secretary," M'Gann nodded as she filled in the space Anastasia was leaving open for M'Gann to fill.

"oh I see," the woman who cut in nodded, "secretary, right, well if you ever want to get off of this continent and over to the new world," she grinned and extended a business card to M'Gann across the table, "here's my card. Melanie Flint, lovely to meet you."

M'Gann smiled politely and took it, pretending to read it and consider before tucking it away in a hidden pocket in her dress, "thank you, I'll keep it in mind."

"I wouldn't take her up on that one," said a low voice, and M'Gann looked back up to find her target smirking secretively, "I've heard all her girls end up taken care of too well. Too many complimentary cupcakes. Can't keep the model shape going."

"oh stop it you," Melanie hissed jokingly with a light slap, "this is Cyrus, he's my rival, if you side with him I'll be eternally wounded."

"you're in the modelling business as well?" M'Gann asked.

"you sound so surprised," Cyrus gasped as if wounded, holding a hand against his chest, "do I not look like a fashionista? Oh, no, goodness no, Annie has my hair gone limp? Is it the scarf?"

"calm down honey, she meant well, no need to be so dramatic," Anastasia sighed exasperatedly.

"no, I must depart and lick my wounds," Cyrus sighed, "and go to the bathroom while I'm at it." he slid out of his chair and fake pouted as he avoided M'Gann's gaze and walked away.

M'Gann waited till he was farther away before she turned back to the table and burst into giggles, Anastasia and Melanie joining in almost immediately.

"don't mind him, honey, he can't do anything halfway. Its either drama or snooze; no in between," Melanie said.

"oh I can see that," M'Gann snorted.

She split her attention between the two women with her at the table and keeping an eye. Soon she saw Cyrus in the corner of her eye once more as he left the bathrooms, and she excused herself from the table with a meaningless excuse. She wasn't sure how she'd keep Cyrus from re-joining the party, but he was still meandering the halls of the mansion the party was in when M'Gann managed to intercept him.

"did you need a break from the noise?" she asked as she stepped up next to Cyrus. The walls were lined with paintings, and Cyrus was analysing them like they held the answers to life itself.

"this building is older than my great grandmother," Cyrus said, "the only reason I bothered to come to this shindig was to have a chance to see some of the history these people refuse to let the rest of us see."

M'Gann blinked in confusion, frowned, and followed Cyrus as he stepped to stand in front of the next painting, "how do you mean?"

Cyrus gave her a confused look before he said, "you don't know who I am. Or who Melanie is."