Meeting Kelsey Ch. 02: Missing Kelsey

"I ... I think I should go home. I'm not ready for this." I was about to cry.

"It is your option of course. I can get you a cab. But, let me tell you something Jessica. Life is full of opportunities if you don't miss them. This is an opportunity of a lifetime. You have been invited to THE club. The annual dues here are fifty thousand dollars a year and include nothing. Are you following me?"

I gulped. I never really had aspirations to be rich. It wasn't an expectation of mine or even a dream really. "I don't think I can ... I just don't think I belong here."

Chloe laughed. "Jessica, I didn't belong here, I promise you. But I do now." She got up and walked over to me and took my coat. She then gave me a hug. "You can do this. You SHOULD do this. You will regret it for the rest of your life if you leave now, believe me."

Then she returned to her desk and a gorgeous woman burst through the door. "Oh my God Chloe! This is her?! I need more time."

I guessed this was Janet.

"Up to you, dinner is at five, I'm washing my hands of it now." Chloe grinned and gave me a wink.

"Well come on girl, don't just stand there." Janet grabbed my hand and practically drug me through the door to a hallway.

"I..." I'm not even sure what I wanted to say, but she cut me off anyway.

"Don't care, don't want to know, don't get paid for small talk." Janet said brusquely. "What I do need to know, is whether this is your natural hair color."

"Y-yes." I stuttered.

"Your eyes? Are you wearing color contacts?"

"No, these are my eyes." I said, still being drug down the hall.

"Good, they have a very workable hue." Janet gave me my first 'compliment' of very few to come.

She yanked me into a door where two other women were waiting. They wore uniform black skirts and green silk blouses. "We have zero time ladies, get her undressed, measure her, clean that garbage off her face and fingers and get me some 37 on her toes and fingers, primrose on her lips, blend in some emerald 18 on the lids, very light on the base and just a dab of pink on the rouge. I want the hair curled. Where the hell is Alice?"

My clothes were being taken off carefully, but quickly and I blushed profusely when they soon discovered I had no underwear on.

"She is in the back prepping Miss." One of my assaulters told her.

I was soon naked and shoved into a chair. One of the girls was at my feet and I turned bright red when she gave the air a sniff and smirked at me. I must have smelled ripe.

They never said anything though. They gave me looks. But they never said anything demeaning to me at all. Well, they asked me my sizes. Then they measured to get the correct sizes and told me that I was wrong. I don't think I ever stopped blushing, being naked in a chair while they fussed about my body.

They stripped my nail polish. They roughly shampooed my hair. They practically sanded the bottoms of my feet. They shoved my hands and feet into slimy conditioners. They dyed and without asking me what I wanted at all, they styled my hair. They even cut and shaved around my pubic area, in spite of my complaints, which were constantly disregarded with a shushing sound.

I must have heard, "We know what we are doing, just stop fidgeting and do as you are told."

I cried a little when they shaved my vagina. It was very humiliating, but not nearly as bad as when they douched me to get me 'smelling fresher'. They shaved inside my butt cheeks. They waxed me in various places, including between my eyebrows. I was plucked, polished, pushed, pulled and just moved like an inanimate object as they went about their work. Four against one, I didn't stand much of a chance.

"Now, you need to knock off this silly crying, I need to do your makeup." One of the girls said calmly, but authoritatively. She wiped my eyes and I blew my nose and I stopped. The worst part was over anyway I guess. Nobody was near my private areas anymore.

Finally, they got me up from the chair and started to dress me. No bra, there was no need anyway with my small breasts, and the dress they put me in would have precluded its use anyway. They did give me a thong to wear under the dress, ensuring me that anything more would leave terrible lines. I hadn't seen much of what they had done to me this entire time. I could see that my nails were pretty and of course had seen the devastating work they did to my pubic region.

Before I stood, my feet were strapped into some open toe black heels, about three inches tall. I had worn heels before, they evened out my height a bit. The point being, I was comfortable walking in heels. The thong was pulled up over my hips and the dress up right behind it. It was very tight and the back was open with a clasp behind my neck to hold the separate pieces of cloth that encased each of my breasts before meeting just below them and then leaving an open circle of flesh visible between there and below my belly button.

The gown was long, coming to my heels, with a slit up the right side to the bottom of my hip, allowing it to expose a long expanse of leg and thigh if it were pushed one way or the other. The design was such that it encased my ass like a glove. It felt absolutely scandalous, but the look of it was actually quite elegant. When I was finally adjusted into it properly, with much tugging at my breasts to get them in just the right place, I was turned to look into the full length mirror for the first time since this all began.

I could not recognize myself at all. My mouth went open and I looked at myself for a long time, my eyes going from feet to hair and back down again, slowly taking in the unbelievably beautiful woman that could not really be me. I started to fan my face, tears were pending.

Janet stood behind me smiling. "No don't mess up that makeup." She handed me a soft cloth to blot my eyes.

"Thank you." I couldn't smile, I was astonished.

"We are two minutes late, you really must go out there now." Janet smiled widely. I guess my reaction was her payoff. Well, that and probably a nice paycheck.

"Be sure to hold your head up high and walk smoothly. Don't over pronounce the sway, but do bring your feet nearly in front of each other as you walk. A lot of eyes will be on you, it will be a splendid entrance. Just keep smiling and briefly meet as many eyes as you can. Miss Mason will be towards the center of the room, slightly to your right. Look as though you know her table, don't ask."

While Janet was giving me instructions, she was guiding me down the hall towards what I assumed was the Dining Room of the club. "At her table will be Mr. Kingsly, Mr. Mason, Mrs. Mason, Miss Bevins and Miss Devincent. I don't know if you know them all, but expect the introductions regardless. Do not take your seat, the only empty one, until the men stand and the waiter pulls out your chair. Be charming. Answer questions as you wish, but keep your answers short and hold back some mystery, don't be an open book."

"Hold your head very high all night. Do not look down, there is nothing interesting about your shoes. Look people in the eye. Smile, keep a smile at all times. Be gracious and remember names at all costs. You will meet some of the most influential people in the world tonight. Well, at least in Virginia, it is the holiday after all. Be one of them, you are in the door, what you do now is up to you."

I was fanning my face again. I felt so hot and overwhelmed. Janet took my shoulders and turned me to face her. She was beaming. "God, I'm good. Jessica, it is your time. Everyone has their time in life. This one is yours, take this opportunity, don't waste it. You were handed a ladder and the top shelf is within your reach. Don't be afraid of it."

I must have looked like a fish out of water. "Take a deep breath and hold it."

I did.

"Now, when that breath leaves your mouth, you are not Jessica anymore. You are Miss... Well, whatever your last name is. You are whoever you dreamt of being as a girl. Now, think of who that is, exhale and make your future." One final smile and she turned me back to the door.

I let my breath out and lifted my chin and the doors opened in front of me after a soft knock by Janet. Panic would be an understatement for what I hid beneath the façade of my smiling face. In spite of the holidays, the Dining Room was relatively packed with people. All the men wore jackets and ties. All the women wore gowns, most seemed less tight and revealing than mine, but I suppose there was a point being made here by Kelsey tonight and I was going to garner attention for whatever purpose that might be.

The dining room, and I would later learn, occasional ballroom, was magnificent as the rest of the building. The ceiling went up for ages and was rounded. Beautiful, ornate glass adorned the walls all the way up to the top, where the rounded ceiling met the flat wall to the back of the room. There were burgundy curtains that must have been two stories high pulled out to the left and right of the curved back wall that looked out onto the golf course. The floor was so shiny, it gleamed from every shining light of each of the chandeliers.

The tables were decorated mahogany, dark and beautiful, though I had no time to take all the details in at this moment, for I was being looked at by at least half of the people in this place and I was eager to get out of the lime light.

I tried to remember all of Janet's instructions. I kept my head high and made eye contact, though very brief with anyone who turned to gaze at me. I took small steps, nearly crossing my feet in front of me with each step. I knew this gave an exaggerated swing to my ass, but I did make a conscious effort not to overdo it. I kept a smile sewn to my lips and held my hands to my sides, though the urge was there to grip them together. I had a sudden urge to use the ladies room or bolt this place in tears, but I fought them back and made the journey towards the center of this massive gathering of the wealthy.

I spotted Kelsey almost immediately, while getting a quick gauge of the room, but I did not maintain my focus on her. I engaged each table I passed with a smile and short eye contact. I knew nobody. But I acted like I knew them all. I never felt superior to any of them, I knew I was far beneath them on the social ladder, but I played their game nonetheless and pretended to be one of them if only for a couple of hours.

I thought I might hyperventilate by the time I made it through the throng to Kelsey's table. When my eyes left the table just to the left, I caught her smiling at me. She actually looked surprised. I kind of liked that and I smiled quite authentically at her. I waited at my chair until it was pulled back and Jake and Kelsey's dad stood and greeted me.

Jake was being charming, I'm quite sure for his audience and not for my benefit. He was in a tuxedo, as was Kelsey's father. Kelsey's father was an attractive man in, I'd guess, his late-forties. He looked very professional and I'd guess he played football in his younger years based upon his frame. He took my hand in his and kissed the top of it and I blushed at an act that seemed from another world, a fairy tale world in which I did not belong.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jessica, Kelsey told me you were a beautiful young woman, but she was remiss in her description, you are absolutely stunning." Mr. Mason told me.

I blushed. "Flattery like that will certainly assure that I remember meeting you for a long time Mr. Mason." I smiled sincerely.

"Please call me Seth." He maneuvered himself to my side and his hand touched my lower back in a friendly way, not creepy. "This is my wife Jenny." He motioned to her and at that point she stood and shook my hand. It was a polite gesture, with a slight touch of condescension I noted, but I smiled sweetly just the same and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Of course you know Jake and Kelsey. These are Kelsey's closest friends, Brianna and Sade" I shook each girls' hand in turn. They were both breathtakingly beautiful, though not prettier than Kelsey. I recognized Brianna from school, but Sade was new to me.

After the introductions, I sat and Seth pushed in my chair behind me before taking his own seat next to his wife.

"Kelsey tells us that you are an English major Jessica." Seth began what I assumed would be an evening of polite conversation as I drew my linen napkin into my lap and reached for my glass of water. I heard a slight giggle to the left and noticed Brianna and Sade smirking. Before I could turn red from the slight, I re-engaged my eyes on Kelsey's father.

"Yes, I'm in my first year, so I haven't had any of the more exciting classes yet." I answered.

"English and exciting, my you are sure to be a great lawyer some day." Seth smiled.

I was confused a moment, but I caught myself, hopefully before the look spread to my face. "Oh, I don't aspire to be an attorney Seth, I plan to teach English while writing novels."

Another giggle to the side and I completely ignored it this time.

"What a fine teacher you will be." Seth smiled. "I'm sure you hold your student's attention well."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt." Jake added. I looked at his smirky grin and just fought the urge to childishly stick my tongue out at him.

"Well, I find the English language to be exciting, I hope I can convey my love for it to my students." I smiled, ignoring the fidgeting to my left. "As evenings dew does cascade down, the roses sweet to fertile ground, and all the world begins to wake, around that drop the earth partakes, and springtime sun then does arise, to fill the leaving winter skies, and kiss that drop upon the dirt, to fill the world with newborn mirth, then I the sleep still in my eyes, from my warm bed do rise, and gaze upon the springtime bed, of future roses just now bred, I know that with each passing day, more drops of dew will fall that way, and every time the sun does rise, to kiss the earth from fiery skies, another vine will climb to that kiss, another rose for summer's bliss, and I a meek and humble maid, shall reap the pleasure of each day."

I stopped as I had engaged not only my table, but those around me with the nonsense of the poem that really had no meaning except to stop the stupid giggles to my left. I smiled and looked at the audience briefly. "Sorry, I'm not sure what came over me."

"Not at all, I'd love to hear the rest of it." Seth smiled. "Who is the author?"

I laughed softly, as melodically as I could manage. "I wrote it when I was twelve, in innocent times when flowers were more important to me than they are now."

Seth's eyes widened. The sound to the left was a deep exhale of frustration now. I smiled and took another sip of my water. I heard slight murmurs spread at the tables closest to us and felt giddy.

"Well then Jessica, I shall look forward to reading your first novel, in shorter order than I would have expected." Seth grinned.

"I will see to it that it is delivered to your door before it is available for purchase Mr. Mason." I returned his grin.

"Kelsey, you definitely short sold your new friend." Mrs. Mason added.

"She is full of surprises." Kelsey replied, smiling at me brightly and giving me an almost unperceivable nod.

"I feel disadvantaged." I admitted. "I know absolutely nothing about you Seth." I got the impression that this man was my ally now. This was, after all, a battle. I was the new pawn in this game and I had to make my alliances quick or I would be destroyed. I gathered that quick enough. I may be from a very humble background, but I read books and had an inkling as to how the game was played.

And that was just the introduction I needed to buy myself some time to survey the battlefield. While Seth went on about his business, not really a matter of interest to me, though I did pay rapt attention, I noticed the others at the table did not, surely they had heard this self-indulgence before. Kelsey's friends were my enemies. That was obvious from the start. I had no chance to sway them. Jake and Kelsey would have to be friends since they brought me here, even if it were for self-serving motives.

That left Mrs. Mason. If I could sway her, I was in. I had won. This was a gutsy move, but as Mr. Mason was telling me about his third acquisition of a multi-million dollar conglomerate, I interrupted. I held my hand up politely to invite him to stop and turned to Jenny, "That is a very interesting pendant Mrs. Mason, where did you get it?"

Seth looked put off from the interruption for a moment. I saw him out of the corner of my eye. Then his eyes rounded the table and I swear I heard him chuckle. He was no novice to the game and knew exactly what I was doing and I think he applauded my effort.

Well, Jenny, or Mrs. Mason, had no qualms about telling the story of this very expensive pendant on her neck, that had been given to her grandmother by a dignitary from Russia. And the battle was won that fast. I had four allies against two enemies and the table was mine for the rest of the night. I won't go into the conversation. For the most part it was boring, though I acted like it was the most exciting and interesting discussion of my life.

Of note, both Mr. and Mrs. Mason were not first generation wealth. They each came from generations of wealth in this country and if I had to make a guess, Jenny had more wealth in her family and intended to keep it that way. She probably had the better contacts of the two, Seth concentrating more on contacts of wealth and Jenny on contacts of power. She seemed to know a few politicians by first name, but was not a name dropper by any means.

I also noticed that others were eavesdropping on our conversation, which never lulled. Also, of note, Kelsey's friends rarely participated in any of the discussion, in fact they seemed to engage in a side conversation of their own, where they failed repeatedly to keep Kelsey's attention with them instead of with me, her parents and Jake.

Dinner was fantastic. Plates arrived, and were taken away to be replaced with more plates. Everything was delicious and I was sure to leave something on each one to be taken away. Like I said, I read a lot. I have never been to a country club, or even a course meal above an appetizer and dinner, but I have read many books on etiquette and how the rich behave, so I did not come off as socially inept.

Somewhere between the third course and the fourth, I excused myself to the ladies room and Kelsey joined me. When Kelsey offered to accompany me, Brianna and Sade did likewise and the four of us went together to the rest room. I followed Kelsey since I had no idea where it was.

Once safely inside and noting a lack of closed doors, Kelsey took my hand and pulled me into a large stall with her. This was not your typical rest room. There was a couch, some quite ornate sinks, linen hand towels and a woman dressed to the nines with a collection of hand lotions, perfumes, nail polishes and makeup.

The stall actually had a loveseat inside it, and at Kelsey's direction I took a seat. She lifted her dress and did her business. I heard Brianna and Sade in the next stall, whispering to one another in hushed tones that I was obviously not intended to hear.

"You are doing very well Jess." Kelsey gleamed at me. "Here I thought you would just embarrass yourself and get all horny in the process, but you have surprised me. That doesn't happen often."

I blushed at the compliment. "So, what is your plan now?" I asked, a little concerned that she might be devising some other way to humiliate me.

"Oh, I haven't one. You will come to my room after dinner and we will talk a bit there. Jake and I are in room 53 in case we don't leave together. One question, are you wearing any underwear?" She flushed and stood up and let her dress fall after pulling up her panties.