Where We Started

Rich Kid Parties

When six o'clock rolled around John got dressed in the outfit Sherlock had given him, it fit extremely well, as if it had been made just for him, for once the pants didn't cover his entire foot, like most of his own jeans did. He went down the ladder and checked his reflection in the water, fixing his hair the best he could with his hands with full knowledge that he was extremely rough around the edges. His hair hadn't been trimmed in awhile, he hadn't shaved, and the last time he brushed his teeth felt like Roman times, which, evidently, wasn't that far behind them. When John decided that he looked presentable enough he put the black mask on, feeling a bit Phantom of the Opera like, but he thought he looked rather good in a mysterious 'who is that hobo' sort of way. John snuck out the barn door, joining in the crowd of rich people crowding into the house, all in their big dresses and black suits, coming out of their carriages like swarms. The entire driveway was light with oil lamps hanging form posts and trees, and there were candles in a sort of ring around the entrance, which John thought was an extreme fire hazard. Hemixed into the crowd, and as Sherlock had promised, he had no trouble getting inside the house. The problem now was finding Sherlock himself, who was probably mixed in somewhere. The masks only added to the problem really. The crowd lead to a large ballroom, with glass domed windows and golden banisters, filled with people of all kinds all in different colored ball gowns. John looked around desperately, a bit intimidated by all the rich people, but was immediately taken by the snack table, where one little meatball probably cost all the money he had. So he took a handful, walking around with the delicious food and scanning the crowd for Sherlock. Surely they couldn't make him work throughout could they? When he was starting to make his first loop around the ballroom the band started up, instruments of all kinds joining together to make a lovely sounding song. The people fled into the ball room with their partners, swaying and swinging to the music, smiles all around, so this was what a rich party was like apparently. John was able to spot Irene, over by the corner, swarmed with boys, all trying to ask her to dance. John even saw Greg in the mix, stepping on some other guy's foot to get closer. John just rolled his eyes because the minute she opened her mouth they'd flee. Sherlock was nowhere to be found, which kind of worried John, but also took the some weight off of both their shoulders. If John couldn't find him then Irene certainly wouldn't be able to, and if Irene wouldn't be able to maybe he could avoid proposals, if one was even coming.
"Hi John!" said a happy voice next to him. He turned suddenly, almost running straight into someone wearing a red mask, and it took a minute to realize itwas Mary, the tailor.
"Oh hi Mary." He said, happy to see a familiar face in the mess of rich people.
"I see your clothes hold up right?" she asked, casting a look to the recently hemmed outfit he was wearing.
"Ya, fit fine, which is a shock because Sherlock is taller than the Empire State." John laughed.
"The...what?" Mary asked, cocking her head slightly in confusion. John realized just how pretty she was now that she was out of her work uniform. Instead of a dull grey dress she was wearing a feathered white gown, and her once hidden blonde hair was partially braided over her shoulder, lose strands curling out over her forehead.
"Never mind." John muttered. He decided against scaring yet another commoner with his story, he could barely believe it, so how could these people come to terms? Mary nodded, crossing her arms and looking into the dance floor. John felt the urge to ask her to dance, not only because she was nice and pretty and all that but because she was staring almost longingly at the dancers, as if she had been looking forward to the opportunity for a while.
"Quite a party." She observed.
"You can count on these rich people to throw one, especially when Irene is involved."
"I heard about her, awful girl according to Sherlock, do you two know each other?" she asked.
"God no, well, I've heard her, but Sherlock complains about her constantly. According to him she's a no good flirt, rolling in so much money that she doesn't see past her own words." John shrugged.
"Awful." Mary agreed.
"So, uh, care to dance?" John asked, shrugging. But Mary's face lit up with a smile that must have raised the mood of the whole room.
"Of course!" she exclaimed, leading him out to the dance floor in a hurry, asif she had been waiting for him to ask. John had to admit; he'd never danced with a girl before, or danced at all. School dances were mostly something he avoided at all costs, and if he did go he would play basketball in the gym with the rest of the normal guys. Thankfully Mary seemed to know what she was doing, and it wasn't a step by step loser thing you see in the movies. It was fastpaced and he was more the anchor than anything, she spun around in his arms and he just moved along with her. Mary was obviously having the time of her life, her smile never wavering but just growing progressively larger as the night led on. John smiled right back, knowing that no one back home would believe them if he told them about this night, just because of the fact he was able to dance with such a beautiful girl. The music paused for only a short minute, letting the dancers catch their breath and collect themselves a bit. Mary kept hold to John's now sweaty hand, which he definitely noticed but didn't want to point out.
"That's quite fun." Mary decided with a guilty laugh, as if she had done something wrong by enjoying herself.
"I've never really danced before." John admitted.
"Well you're plenty good at it, and I haven't had that much experience either." Mary assured. She flipped her golden hair over her shoulder once more, as if it were bugging her as it flopped against her back. But before they could get another word in the band started up once more, announcing that it was some type of dance, John didn't know what it was and barely made out what they had said, but he just joined the once again swarming crowd. After a couple of minutes though, Mary let go of his hand and moved on to another man, right next to John, and before he could start thinking just how rude that was he realized the entire room had shifted, it was a switch partner type dance, and another, shorted brunet was thrust into his arms. He really had no idea who this girl was, but it wasn't like he was complaining, she'd be on her way in a good three minutes. The dance was extremely hectic, people moving to and from, but John was able to somehow keep up, it was as simple as dancing when someone was with you. Towards the end of the song, however, a reasonably attractive red head was making his way to him, just about to come, when she was pretty much elbowed out of the way by a very tall boy in a white suit and mask.