Katrina Jamison

He held his hands up, jokingly. “Hey, I’ll come willingly, no need to get yourself arrested for kidnapping a Member of Parliament, especially not after you just got here. That would be awkward on so many different levels.” Political life had given him a pretty dark sense of humour, although it usually took a glass of champagne or two or three to get him to show any of it. “I’m his boss, and he likes his job, so he wasn’t exactly going to be able to leave me behind even if he wanted to! I’m sure you’ll find some folk to get along with round here. There’s something for everyone. Even if you have weird hobbies, it’s a big enough city that someone else will be just as weird. You’re getting along with me fine enough, though, surely?”

“Well then, I have a date for the near future, look at me,” Katrina smiled just a little. It was perhaps the first joke that she’d cracked in quite a while. “Yeah, my name’s been in the papers enough to last a while, I don’t need that in my life again anytime soon.” She wondered how much to tell him, though if his curiosity got the best of him, she knew all he’d have to do is look her name up and he’d find out. Then what would she do? Everyone that found out looked at her like she was just some lost girl who was weak and maybe they were right but she didn’t want them to look at her with pity or in most cases, disgust that she had been involved in something like that.

“These parties kind of make people a little OTT and showy, and honestly, it’s a relief to find someone who doesn’t want to behave like that.” Ok, that wasn’t totally honest - it was a relief, but he wasn’t exactly wearing his private personality himself. If he was, he’d have been sticking to the wall and talking to people he already knew. “Hostels are hit-and-miss, I know a good one down behind the Edinburgh Apple Store actually.”  Having said that, if she didn’t like horror films, Edinburgh’s cobbled streets and narrow alleys in the Old Town probably weren’t going to be her favourite thing in the world. “Getting lost in a new city is totally normal, speak to anyone at this party and they’ll probably have a ‘getting lost on the Tube’ story. Mine happened when my mate John shoved his way onto the train at the last minute and accidentally left me on the platform with no clue where I was meant to go. He had to come back and find me. Now he manhandles me onto trains like he’s a bodyguard. He’s not, he’s an MP as well. He’s a right character, he’s been in parliament for ages, and came over to join us a couple years ago.”

"I know this is supposed to be about being able to be someone different for a night but I can't be anyone but myself," she pushed the mask up a bit to scratched the bridge of her nose. "Can I just kidnap you and take you with me since you know so much?" Katrina laughed, it was a joke and she was just hoping he took it that way. Last thing she needed to do right now was making someone uncomfortable.

“I went on a visit to a farm once and pretended to understand things about animals. That’s literally all I can say about that topic.” That and he’d given up on attempting to clean his wellies and just thrown them in the bin because it wasn’t like they were expensive anyway. “I wasn’t even gonna try and show off to you, like yeah, I totally understand cows and that. They’ve got a thing called the Free Fringe where there are some shows you don’t have to pay for, but it’s the hotels that are so expensive because the world and his wife is planning to come to Edinburgh then.” Damn. He wasn’t her MP, and there were rules about that. He didn’t want to cross onto another MP’s patch. “I’m gonna be honest with you, that isn’t my area of London and I’m not allowed to step on your MP’s toes. Although, I couldn’t stop you coming by my political party’s offices…” He got a business card out to hand to her. “Charlie Wilson, at your service. Well, strictly I’m at the Queen’s service, but you get what I mean.”

Kat smiled and shook her head. "Trying to show off would have either just made me go quiet or walk away, so it's a good thing that you didn't." Kat was actually having a conversation with someone other than her roommate. She wasn't doing bad and was actually quite proud of herself. "Free Fringe, I'll keep that in mind. If worse comes to worse, there's always hostels, though the movies make me scared to go near one of them."

She honestly had no idea what a MP even was, she'd been sticking to the flat and not going out much or exploring anything to really get to know the culture and set up of the country. Kat didn't want to say that though, no need to embarrass herself or worst, offend him by not knowing things. Taking the card, she glanced down at it. "Well, here's hoping that I don't get lost finding this place like I did when I tried to find my therapist, that was quite an adventure."

“Fair enough. I don’t think I’d manage to live in a really rural place. There’s only so many times you can walk to the village pub without it getting repetitive, I think.” He was surprised she didn’t get the August reference, but she was from a different country so perhaps it wasn’t as big of a deal as it seemed when you were fighting your way through actors brandishing flyers to get to work. “Edinburgh Festival. Half the world’s performers descend on the city and you can find a show about pretty much anything.”  This was starting to sound a lot like the beginnings of a casework story. This will be a parliamentary first - masked casework. Spectacular. “This is gonna sound really weird, but I’m actually an MP and 90% of what I deal with day-to-day is either about immigration or jobs. I can point you in the right direction for support, maybe. What bit of London do you live in? I should probably ask your name, as well.”

"Hmm, yes, somehow you don't strike me as the type to get up in the morning and go to milk a cow or get eggs from the hen house," it was the first time that Katrina had actually joked around with someone in ages but honestly though, he seemed like he was definitely that one guy that would come out and look around with a bewildered look on his face not knowing what to do and that was amusing to her. "Oh, well, there's something I can think of doing in August then if I have money." And if she could actually bring herself out of her shell enough to go. Being around people was still incredibly frazzling to her but she’d learned to just push it to the back of her mind for a while in a effort to have fun.

Looking over, she gave a confused look before smiling a bit, the offer was nice to say the least. "I live near Hyde Park with a old family friend who's a professor. It's not too far from here actually. Oh, right, yes a name would help wouldn't it?" Hesitantly, she held out her hand for him. "Katrina Jamison at your service."

“Don’t we all? I find America really interesting, actually - what brings you to London? Other than not wanting to live in a small town? And I’m sure you’re not boring.” What he was about to say wasn’t totally a lie, so that was fine. “There are loads of boring small towns in Scotland, but I’m from Edinburgh, which is pretty exciting. Especially in August. Anyway. It was a work thing, we wanted to expand into the rest of the UK and I ended up in charge of that. If you want to do anything UK-wide, London’s the place to be.”

Oh there was the million dollar question she always got asked. One that she told the truth but also wove a little white lie into, Kat just smiled slightly. “Just needed a fresh start.” Not a complete lie, she did. “Oh, Omaha, Nebraska is just a lot of cows so it was definitely boring. At least the part I was from, we lived outside the city, took nearly an hour to get to town.” Tilting her head, she pressed the topic of the month of August. “What happens in August? Ahhh, so you’re a businessman. I hope whatever you’re doing here is going well then.I need to start looking for work but all I’m good at is taking notes and answering phones currently and seems that receptionist aren’t something that’s needed around here much.”

“It’s what I like about London, you can choose the kind of atmosphere you want to be in. So if you want to wear short dresses and get drunk, there’s loads of bars and clubs that do that. If you want to wear a mask and listen to classical music, you can do that too. I’m Scottish, so being drunk’s kind of part of my national culture. I’m not going to judge folk for that!” He joked, sipping his drink. He could get used to masked parties, actually, because he could actually enjoy himself without having to worry about impressing rich people the whole time. And it was for a good cause, so all the better.

“Yeah, I guess I just -” Kat shrugged a bit feeling stupid but continuing. “I like the idea of living inside something that’s like a fairytale for a few hours. Better than my normal life,” she smiled and folded her hands in front of her. Awkward turtle was awkward. “I’m just a boring American from a little town, at least you’re from somewhere interesting? What made you come to London and not stay in Scotland? Or were you born here?”

Getting some alcohol would be a good idea. Just some, mind you, because although the masks gave all this a veneer of anonymity, he didn’t want to end up being the one who’s falling into (or out of) a car in the small hours of the morning. As he picked up a glass, he realised that the woman next to the drink table had been talking to him, and not someone she knew as he’d assumed before. “Oh, yes, it’s like some kind of mixture between Cinderella and Downton Abbey, isn’t it?”

Katrina hadn’t actually been expecting anyone to answer her back, given the group around her and how wrapped up they were in their conversations. She’d actually taken to talking to herself in her head because that was safer. Hearing someone actually answer her snapped her out of her little daze and she took a drink of the vodka cranberry before nodding. “Yeah!” She actually smiled brightly, probably the first time this evening actually. “Everyone looks incredibly beautiful and not trashy, I was a little worried to be honest that some would be the very short dresses, showing boobs kind of people that would be loud and drunk. Hopefully I didn’t just curse us all by saying that either.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. This kind of music can be great, if they were playin’ the good songs from this genre. Frankly, I’m massively concerned what kind of rave music they’ve chosen for this event, considering rave music hasn’t been in since the 90s. I’m keepin’ my hopes low, so I’ll actually have a chance of being pleased.” Taking a flute of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray, she sipped at it gradually to make it last. “Ya absolutely thought right. I’m gonna have ta check out that shop some time. Maybe next year I’ll actually show up to this ball in something that isn’t twice worn.”

She was trying to not come off rude, but the face she made at Kamaria’s words about the music just read that she was offended. Not because she liked it but on behalf of the people running it. “I know one of the people that’s running it, I think they have a mix of something for everyone. Rave music never went out of style, it just changed to dubstep or dance or whatever you want to call it. They really all fall within the same genre in the end,” Kat shrugged. She didn’t know much about music, just what she liked. “Second hand clothes are really all I know, so I can’t say anything,” she laughed. “The dress really fits you well though, the draping is absolutely beautiful.I doubt I’ll be around much longer for many people to see me.”

“If ya say so. Me? I think I’ve been ta better parties, with better music. But I’m soundin’ like a total downer. What am I like? Sorry, babes.” Kam gave the girl next to her a good look over. “You’re killin’ that outfit. It’s well gorgeous. You’ve got ta tell me where ya found it, yeah?”

“Hmm?” Kat frowned a bit, listening to the orchestra and giving a shrug. “I like the music, it sets the atmosphere in a way. I think this is mostly for the more aged people here. At midnight the rave music starts, so maybe that’s more your scene?” Kat smiled over to the female and shifted a bit. “Oh, thank you. I got it at this neat little shop near the Chanel store? It has a bunch of costume dresses and masks and everything. I thought it was the perfect place to get something for here. You look very nice yourself, I like the peacock appeal honestly.”

Carter looked down at the piece of paper in the girls hand, thinking for a moment on the best way to get there. “Uhm.” She pursed her lips. “I’m not to sure? Have you thought about getting a taxi, it will be easier.”

Kat bit her lip and frowned a bit. Damn. “I would love to get a taxi but I don’t have any money, I just moved and I-” how does she explain this without giving too much away? “My finances are a bit tapped,” she forced a smile. A lie, but a harmless one. “Thank you though, for not being rude, I’ve asked three people already and they were all rather mean.”

“None. Just keep heading straight and it’s right after that sidewalk chalkboard sitting in front of the music shop.”

Katrina listened, giving a nod of her head. “Right. Thank you. Going to have to get my phone switched over before I start losing myself in London.”