Name Blame, the Bonding Game

Boulevard Central

"Your coat M'lady." One of the butlers says holding out my red cape. I slip into it and it covers my dress completely.

"My beautiful sister ready before me?" Holland asks.

"Isn't that always the case?" I tease him as he walks me out to the waiting car. We both climb into the back and the driver begins to pull away from the manor.

My phone begins to ring. Ivan <3 I answer the phone with a smile.

"Miss me already?" I ask him.

"Are you at the dance yet?" Ivan asks.

"No, we're just leaving the manor why?"

"I just found out from very reliable sources, that your date for the night is one of the Blakely Arch rivals."

"Drake Vanderbilt?" I ask him. "That's unbelievable, why would my parents do that?"

"Maybe they don't think I'm the right boyfriend for you." He answers softly, "Drake has a lot more than I do to give you."

"But what you give me is more important than what he does." I tell him, "I don't love him. And he doesn't love me. With all the money in the world that he could offer me. It's meaningless without love."

"I love you Marisa Keaton," Ivan says, I can tell he's more relaxed and he's definitely calmed down.

"And I love you Ivan Blakely, " I assure him, "And no Vanderbilt will change that." I promise. "There are three men in my life that will always be important to me. My father, my brother, and you."

"I have to go Mar, I'll talk to you at school tomorrow. I won't take any publicity from tonight get to me without hearing you out first."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." I promise him "I love you. Night Ivan."

"Night Marisa, I love you too."

~~

"Presenting Mr. Holland and his sister Miss Marisa Keaton." The Butler introduces. I let Holland walk me to the bottom of the steps and that's where Drake Vanderbilt is waiting for us.

"May I escort my date around the floor?" Drake asks my brother. Holland gives me a questioning look. I give him a what else can we do shrug. He hands me off to Drake and goes to find the girl he's supposed to be with. Molly Seelie, shes really sweet and pretty.

"Miss Keaton, so nice to see you." A few of the guest greet. I smile and greet them politely.

"Miss Keaton, may I have this dance?" One of the boys asks, a friend of Ivan and my own from class. I nod and take his extended hand. Drake stops me from going far.

"Isn't it customary for the date to get the first dance?" Drake asks.

"I didn't know you hadn't danced already." The boy lies easily. "The next dance then." He gives a polite bow and heads off to dance with one of the other girls. Drake leads me in the dance, and the next four.

"Would you be apposed to me cutting in now?" The boy asks. Drake can say nothing now, so he begrudgingly lets me go. "Hey Marisa." He grins, "Hope I'm not too late to save you"

"Hey Dillon." I greet him with a smile, "And better late than never right?" I ask him as we dance around the room. "I can't believe my parents made this guy my date. I wish Ivan could've come."

"Your date does seem a bit clingy."

"You know, you were the first guy to ask for a dance, Holland asked after the first dance, Drake didn't even let my brother dance with me. Then five other guys asked to cut in. Drake wouldn't have it, as soon as I'd agree, he'd become this clingy you can't dance with anyone else guy. Nothing ever looked so unattractive."