Welcome to the West Side (OPEN!)

[Tara]

It's a well-known fact that redheads aren't supposed to wear pink. That was why Tara had donned a sweeping pink satin gown (without a ruffle in sight). The cleavage was quite generous. There were roses in her hair. She looked good, in an outrageous sort of way. And she'd never been more excited for a ball in her life.

The family butler, Max, stood by the ballroom door, actually announcing the guests as they came in. Tara had told Jack that the newsies could use whatever names they wanted, but she secretly hoped to hear at least a few ridiculous nicknames. And she couldn't wait to see Jack in a suit.

"Tara! Are you listening?" her mother, Henrietta, demanded. She was wearing a modest blue gown and looked straitlaced and demure, like always. Behind her stood the twins, Irene and Isabel, eagerly scanning the crowd for the perfect dance partners. Tara's father was nowhere in sight, but that was hardly unusual. He'd make an appearance quick enough when Tara's brilliant scheme began to unfold.

[jackkelly]

His palms were definitely sweating. This was the craziest thing he'd ever done. He was going to get arrested or punched or something for this. How the hell did he let Tara talk him into this? Well cause she was Tara. He tugged uncomfortably on his suit jacket and entered the ballroom.

[Tara]

Max the butler, who was not a bad sort of fellow, gave Jack an odd look--he didn't recognize this young man from any other society functions. But he bowed politely and said, "Your name, sir?"

Tara, meanwhile, had spotted him right away. She beamed and walked away right in the middle of her mother's lecture about dancing etiquette, heading for the door and actually blushing a bit. Satin and roses were not exactly her usual style. Jack Kelly, on the other hand, looked positively stunning.

"Tara! Where do you think you're going?" her mother demanded, running after her youngest daughter. And of course, the twins followed. And then her father appeared out of nowhere to greet the new guest, and the entire family were staring at Jack and waiting for him to be announced.

[jackkelly]

Jack stared at all of them and then cleared his throat. Well, he had another name for a reason, he might as well use it. "Frances Sullivan, sir. Nice to meet you," Jack said and then winked at Tara as he held his hand out to her father.

[Tara]

((Aahh, sorry I neglected this thread! I was all caught up in the shoot-out/interrogation one. ))

"MR. FRANCIS SULLIVAN!" boomed Max the butler, while Tara's father, Jonathan Fields, raised his eyebrows at the young man's accent. He shook his hand coolly, than said, "Tara, might I have a word with you?"

"Sorry, Father, I mustn't be a rude hostess!" Tara laughed and bowed to Jack, satin gown and all. "May I have this dance?"

Her parents were exchanging a horrified look, her father's face turning steadily redder, as she dragged Jack out onto the dance floor. The twins, however, were sneaking slightly envious glances at them. "That was brilliant," she told Jack breathlessly, grinning. "And you look...brilliant. Want a drink or anything? Are the others coming soon? Do you even know ballroom dancing? It's so boring, you wouldn't believe it..."

[jackkelly]

Jack started to laugh and then took her hand, "You look gorgeous," he said to her and he meant it. There was something about pink on her that he liked for some reason.

"I think Rae just got here," He motioned toward the door where Rae was entering.

[Tara]

"Thanks," Tara said, smirking. Then she followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped. She stared just a little too long before focusing on Jack and their slightly awkward dance again. "She, uh, looks gorgeous too," she observed as Max announced her.

Over in a corner, she could see the twins glaring at Raven. "Those are my sisters, by the way," she murmured. "Reenie and Izzy. They liked you, but I don't think they like Rae one bit. Oh, and my father's glaring at you," she added cheerfully.

[jackkelly]

"Oh great this is gonna be a fun night." He took her arm, "Keep looking at Rae like that and I'll have to distract you another way." He whispered into her ear as he led her off.

[Tara]

"L-like what?" Tara said, blushing uncharacteristically. She'd never actually told Jack that she swung both ways, so to speak, but from the number of girls she'd checked out since they got together, he could probably guess.

A moment later, however, she was taking control, pulling him into a shadowy corner and kissing him. She found herself quite thoroughly distracted, and hoped he was too.

[jackkelly]

Jack kissed her back then laughed. "oh ya know something like that."

[Tara]

((Somehow I forgot this whole plotline existed. I SUCK.))

She grinned her approval and then looked around thoughtfully; more awkward-looking kids with funny-sounding names were starting to arrive. She could see her parents whispering in a corner and sending glares her way, and her sisters were headed in Raven's direction. "Oh dear," she murmured, sounding more gleeful than remorseful. She was fairly certain the twins couldn't handle a Brooklyn girl. "Want to introduce me to some of your friends?"

[jackkelly]

"I would love to introduce you to some of my friends," he held out his arm to her very galantly and smiled. "Have you sisters lost their minds?" He whispered into her ear.

[Tara]

"They aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer," Tara said, rolling her eyes. "Irene can be all right when she's not with Izzy, but that doesn't happen often. What's going on over there?" she added, raising an eyebrow - she could see Tristan in the distance with a fellow redhead who had to be his wife, but she seemed to be snarling at some other girl, while a curly-haired boy stood back and looked awkward.

[jackkelly]

((LMAO!))

"Tristan and his wife haven't been getting along. I think he cheated, cause he's known for that." Jack said with a shrug, "So it doesn't surprise me that they're arguing. Why is David over there...oh Zippy. Yep Tristan definitely cheated."

[Tara]

She let out a mock-scandalized gasp, then narrowed her eyes in Tristan's direction. "Really, though? He seemed so nice...in a scary kind of way..." Her eyes immediately bounced to a curvy olive-skinned girl with a really tall, handsome partner. "Oh! Who's that?"