Part of the Plan (Book 2 in the 'part of' series)

Chapter 16 Let's get the party started

Chapter 16 Let's get the party started

I couldn't swarn that I saw some colour come to his cheeks but it vanished almost immediately. "Pleasure to meet you Harlow." Karim held a hand out to me with a smirk. "You're the one that Em talks near non-stop about?" He questioned as I gave a chuckle and shook his hand.

"Well, I don't know any other Harlows." I raised an eyebrow at Emi. "Unless there's something you haven't told me?" I faked an over-dramatic hurt voice. "Emi, how could you do this to me? I've been so faithful to you. " Karim watched with an amused look in his eyes, yet his expression didn't change much from the smirk he had a few moments before.

"I'm so sorry Harlow." Emi joined in and copied my tone. "It's just...you're so tame and mundane, pardon my rhyming, I longed for something more exciting." I couldn't help but let a few sniggers out of my mouth. I shook my head with a grin and got more comfortable. This is the kind of conversation that I was used to having.

"So, who dragged you here?" Karim asked me. He had his arms crossed over his chest which made the arms of the blazer stiffen slightly, it didn't seem to fit him too well. I found this odd, considering the sheer size of this place, they could've gotten a fitting suit. "Please don't tell me you're here willingly."

I pointed at Emi accusingly. "Emi did it." I used a normal volume, not wanting any other guests to hear what was going on. I didn't spend enough time looking around when we first entered the manor. "Though if Emi didn't, my father probably would." Karim raised an eyebrow and turned to Emi and then back.

"Your father? Is he a-" He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before Emi stood on his foot. He gave a rather pained grunt and turned back to glare at her. "I'll take that as a 'shut up' shall I?" He had his teeth gritted together and seemed rather annoyed. Emi gave him a rather exaggerated nod, I was ultimately lost.

"Anyway, Harlow, I'm sorry this is your first taste of an office party." I saw Karim roll his eyes and lean back, probably still cursing Emi in his mind. "It's honestly not too bad once everyone is drunk." That made me feel even worse, I would have to go home with a drunk father. I usually avoided him in that state at all costs.

"Just admit that it's going to be awful." Karim urged her with a slight nudge. "We're just here for whatever's going to be announced at eight and then we can all settle down and ditch." I felt a little bit like the new kid at school, or the kid who was forced to sit with the cool kids. They seemed so casual and as comfortable as they could be here. I wasn't used to hearing words like 'ditch' unless it was from Emi. Once again, I don't socialise much and try my best to do what's expected of me.

"An announcement?" I raised an eyebrow which caused the two to nod. I guess that they didn't know much about it either. "Well, we've got two to three hours. What do you guys usually do at these things?" As soon as I asked the question, Karim stood up and walked over to a table. He opened the drawer and pulled out a deck of cards, showing them to me with a smirk.

"Any good?" He asked, I nodded and we immediately shifted so that we were all able to have our own hand of cards. "Usually, we would play games for two, though we could probably make it work." He shuffled the cards with a few fancy gestures and motions. "Old maid?"

I rubbed my hands together with a grin. "Now this is more my speed." Emi gave a chuckle, she hadn't actually seen me play before, nor have we played together. It was something I did at home a lot, I had learned to be strategic against my family, it had been a while since I played with strangers. "Won't anyone notice that you're gone though?"

Emi scoffed slightly. "We're entertaining a guest." She was mocking a rather posh tone. "Or introducing my date to my cousin, either one works." Karim's hands hesitated as he was serving the cards. He looked up at us with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face.

"Didn't know you swung that way Emerson." I wasn't sure which part of the comment caused Emi to swipe at him but he swiftly dodge the oncoming hand. "Alright, I'll start." So we played a few games of cards, I didn't do badly but I could tell that these two did it often enough to know each other's tricks.

"The fifth time?" Emi groaned lightly as she tilted her head back with a small smile. "You have too much free time cuz." She joked and nudged Karim playfully. In response, he shrugged and had a small smile of his own. He had become a little bit more comfortable it seemed. "We gotta up our game Harlow."

"Good luck with that, you two." He then started to shuffle the cards again efore we heard a rather loud clunking noise. The two cousins tensed up slightly, as though they were listening to something. They held their breath before they heard the noise again. "Time to face the posh pricks."

Emi gave him a small glare as she stood up and straightened out her dress. "Yes, but we can't say that to their faces." She turned towards me and held out an arm. "Time to test our acting skills." I stood up straight and held out my arm for her and moved so that her arm could link mine.

"I have superb acting skills my dear." My back was to Karim so I couldn't see his reaction. It was something that I wasn't quite sure why I cared but a part of me wanted to turn around and look at him. "Shall we?" She nodded and we headed towards the lounge area. It was not unlike the room we had previously been in but it was much larger.

"Ladies and gentlemen." A feminine voice called from the centre of the lounge. "May I have your attention please?"There stood a woman with brown hair and brown eyes, she had some of the same features as Emi. The tug on my arm confirmed my suspicions. "We have something we need to announce."