You Can Be a Queen for a Night

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

Khalid ran through a checklist on his phone. He spent the whole afternoon getting ready making sure he was groomed to perfection. His parents forbade dating or even asking to spend time with a girl, but the rules were much more lax in America. There was no worry of class the next morning, so a late night out would hardly be detrimental. The boy looked himself over the mirror hoping he had the appearance to impress. He wore a wine red dress shirt with a matched silver tie with dark red stripes. Naturally, the material was silk. He finished the outfit with a black sports jacket and pants. Dark socks and dress shoes didn't draw attention, and a pocket square that matched the tie gave the black jacket a bit of pop. A charcoal grey wool coat never went wrong. Silver cuff links and a metal watch with a black leather band looked classy without over accessorizing. Since this was going out for dinner, he elected to wear a plain tie clip just to avoid any unhappy accidents while eating.

Earlier in the week, he left a note for Liana with Dyrim's tack. The ivory colored envelope had his family's name embossed on it in Arabic calligraphy, and the maroon interior matched the bordering on the note card itself. His own name was monogrammed on the note with the English printed underneath both in maroon print. In fancy lettering he wrote, Miss Liana Mars, I extend this cordial invitation to join me for dinner this Saturday at Blue Waters. A car will be ready at 6:45pm at the parking lot between the barns. I look forward to spending some time with you. Khalid

At 6:40, the boy was standing next to a sleek 2015 Mercedes Benz E-Class chatting with the driver in Arabic. As soon as Khalid was certain he would be attending school in America, Ahmed started reaching out to his contacts in search of a driver to make any trips between the school and airport and to be available if Khalid had any other needs. In exchange, the driver received a fixed salary. If Khalid wanted to make several trips during the month, then the driver came out at a slight loss, but if only a few trips were requested, then he came out ahead. More often than not, the driver made a good profit.

He kept the jewelry box with the necklace in it tucked away in his pocket. He called ahead and made reservations for 7:00, and it wasn't a very long drive into town. Taking a care was just much fancier than trying to ride or walk.

Tag: Liana Mars
OOC: Next post will be at the restaurant.

[Liana Mars]

Liana had left Dyrim early that day, grooming him quickly and then leaving him in his stall with his dinner as soon as she'd finished working him. At least she hadn't had to worry about classes holding her up, seeing as it was the weekend, and she'd completed all of her coursework ahead of time in anticipation of spending plenty of time preparing for this dinner. Well, it was certainly more formal than most of the peasants here at this school could hope for, but it didn't surprise her in the slightest that Khalid had good taste, and it was a good sign that he was willing to share that taste, if he was indeed interested in her... Which he made it seem like, at least. Although Liana wasn't sure of how far she would allow that to go.

After a thorough shower, Liana dried her hair and then set about preparing herself, first getting dressed in her burgundy sleeveless dress, then shrugging on a bathrobe to keep the dress clean while she did her hair and makeup. The dress itself was sleek, a crystal-embellished bodice leading into pure burgundy, and like the dress, Liana was planning on keeping her hair and face simple. Her hair she curled, but then allowed to fall down over her shoulder, while her makeup was done to the point where it was noticeable that she'd taken the time, but only barely. One wouldn't want to overdo it, after all. The high neckline of the dress meant there was no need for a necklace, although Liana did go with a silver wristwatch and small, understated silver earrings.

Once she had shed her bathrobe and checked herself out in the mirror, Liana nodded, then picked up her already-packed matching evening bag, burgundy with a crystal accent, as well as her burgundy shawl (It was cold outside!). Perhaps it was slightly overkill, but Liana would rather dress the part than try to tone it down. Taking a deep breath, Liana calmed herself, trying to ignore the nerves that were building. It was only Khalid, it wasn't like this was a date-date... Or was it? That wasn't helping her nerves at all, although her poised face would never show them. “Guess I'm just going to have to see how this goes, Raijin, won't I?” She spoke to the cat, who was lounging on her bed, watching her preparations, although he didn't respond. Shrugging, Liana made sure that she'd silenced her cell phone (always a precaution, although she had no plans to use it during dinner), and then stepped into her silver strapped heels, although she'd gone with small heels. They weren't visible under the dress anyway, and she'd rather not break an ankle, thanks.

Finally happy with her appearance, the girl left her room, locking the door behind her, and then walked out of the door, taking deep breaths as she walked down the stairs. She'd be fine, Khalid was nice, and things would go well. She smiled as she thought of the invitation, so formal, that she'd had sitting on her desk for the past few days, because it made her smile every time she saw it. See? It couldn't be so bad.

When she made it to the parking lot that had been given, she spotted Khalid standing next to a Mercedes, talking to what appeared to be the driver, although she couldn't understand what was being said. With a smile on her face, she stepped up to the pair, “Good evening.” Not knowing the driver's name, she stopped short of addressing the greeting, not wanting to shut him out completely. Sure, he was just the driver, but he had the ability to wrap them around a tree if he really didn't like them, “You look very handsome, Khalid.”

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

If ever angels came down to earth in the present day, Khalid felt sure he was looking at one. Well, if nothing else, this dinner would be more than one cut above what any peasant could afford. In another lifetime, he would have treated her to a dinner with the best wine and champagne available, but alas, neither of them were old enough to drink in America, and Khalid avoided alcohol entirely himself anyway. Did luxury Coke exist? The driver responded with a simple Masaa alkhayr¹ while Khalid struggled to form a sentence.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you are a lady from Paradise. Liana, may I introduce you to Bilal. He'll be our drive for tonight."

Bilal bowed in greeting. "Don't worry, young lady, I'll make sure you get home safely." Khalid could hardly believe that this was actually happening. At home, dating in the Western sense of the word was forbidden. Then again, he wasn't sure what to make of this. He wanted to do something nice for his friend, but this certainly was a lot more than going out to coffee or on a trail ride. He opened the door for her and gestured an invitation for her to get in.

"Shall we?"

Khalid made sure Liana was settled in first before closing the door and getting in the car himself. Bilal was the last person to get in and made sure both teenagers were comfortable before starting the engine. The drive itself only took a few minutes from campus, and the roads were mostly clear. He wasn't sure what to say to her in Arabic or English and kept his mouth shut to avoid sounded like an idiot. He couldn't help but cast glances sideways feeling the heat rise in his collar every time he did so. The boy wasn't even sure Liana knew just how absolutely stunning she looked.

The driver pulled into the nearest parking spot to the restaurant entrance. He opened the door first for Liana and offered a hand to help her out. He opened the door for Khalid as well. It was the little things in etiquette that could really make an experience feel polished and professional. The Arab boy made sure to open doors for Liana as a show of courtesy. Of course she was capable of opening them herself. For tonight, he wanted her to feel special like royalty. Blue Waters was the nicest restaurant near the Academy without driving into one of the bigger cities in Kentucky. The place came with great reviews and had a menu selection that was sure to satisfy anyone. The host greeted them warmly, and Khalid smiled with his best foot forward.

"Good evening, I have a reservation for two at seven under Kuwari."

The man checked her book and picked up two menus. "Okay, if you'll follow me." He led the way to a free table for two with a bit of space between them and the other patrons. The restaurant had a decent crowd for the evening without feeling too full. Their table was next to the window that overlooked Blue Ridge. The host set the two menus down on the table and pulled out the chair for Liana. Khalid draped his coat over the chair and settled himself at the table. Only his menu listed prices.

"You can get anything you want, Liana. And feel free to get pork if that's what you want."

¹Good evening

[Liana Mars]

Liana smiled at Khalid's words, “Flatterer. Although I thank you all the same.” She nodded to the driver as he was introduced, chuckling at his words, “And make sure the car won't turn into a pumpkin?” They couldn't be out until midnight anyway, sadly, due to the stupid curfew, but she appreciated the driver's reassurance.

As Khalid opened the car's door, Liana smiled, “We shall. Thank you.” She settled herself into the seat, careful to pull in the hem of her dress before Khalid closed the door. She leaned back and buckled her seatbelt, force of habit, before she turned to watch Khalid get in. As the car started, she turned forward, watching as the driver pulled out of the academy and staying silent, thinking about the dinner that was coming up. It was exciting! She wasn't too worried about her manners, since she'd learned them and had had plenty of time to practice them with her parents at their fancy dinners, but still. A meal with just another person her age, a male person at that, was something different.

The drive passed in silence, and before too long the driver – Bilal – had opened her door, as they were already at the restaurant. She took his hand to help her out, although she didn't really need it, and then shook out her dress before she smiled at the man, “Thank you, Bilal.” She stepped forward to allow him to close the door and then waited for Khalid to join her, following him to the building and then stepping through the opened door, “Thank you.” She allowed him to take the lead again, since he'd made the reservation, and then took the seat that was pulled out from the table for her. She settled herself, and then picked up the menu, “Thank you.” She hadn't even thought about Khalid's restriction of pork, but now she was glad that he'd mentioned it, even if she hadn't had any intention of ordering it. This was going to be a learning experience for the both of them, dancing around each others' cultures, but hopefully to a good end, “But I think I'll go with the lamb.” She pointed out the Abruzzese-spiced lamb on the menu, “I am a fan of Italian, and the spices are usually good in Abruzzo-based dishes.” Depending on the restaurant, but she couldn't help but expect the best from Blue Waters. “What are you thinking of getting?”

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

He looked through the menu a couple of time, his mouth almost watering at how delicious everything sounded. Even all the appetizers looked amazing. Of course, he did plan on sharing with Liana. "Hmm, the braised lamb chop with fennel and orange looks good, but so does the cedar plank salmon. And I hear the chef specials are always really good." A waitress came over to the table with a leather bound checkbook in one hand. She was dressed smartly in a white blouse with a black apron. Her makeup was tasteful and gave that extra bit of professionalism of someone who cared about standards. "Hi, welcome to Blue Waters. Have either of you dined with us before?" Khalid shook his head. He didn't know about Liana, but since they arrived close to the same time, he suspected no as well. The waitress explained the selection of specials all of which sounded amazing.

"I'll have a virgin mimosa to drink, and the spinach, garlic, and parmesan tartlets." Liana was free to order what she wanted if anything. Soup, salad, appetizer, nothing was forbidden. There was no way they could possibly run up a huge tab since neither could drink alcohol. Khalid considered himself the luckiest boy in the school. He felt the necklace in his pocket and wondered when the best time to give it to her would be. Be patient and set the mood. Khalid waited for the waitress to leave before inquiring about her life. "So, how are classes going? Do you still like living in Red House?" Be interested, but don't sound creepy about it.

[Liana Mars]

Liana smiled as she listened to Khalid listing his choices, her eyes running down the menu as he mentioned each item, “You're right. They all sound so good, it's hard to pick.” She didn't know him well enough to suggest taking bites off of one another's plates to try, although she wouldn't have hesitated with her family. She didn't want to put him into the position where he'd have to either refuse her or be uncomfortable with the proceedings. How else could one try all of the amazing things, especially here? They wouldn't have the same menu each day, let alone each season. As the waitress came over, Liana looked up, giving the woman her attention, although she shook her head as she was asked about dining there previously. She hadn't had a chance, although all places were similar. The various specials all sounded pretty good, although Liana was going to go with something light.

After Khalid had ordered, Liana smiled at the waitress, “Another virgin mimosa for me, please, and a market green salad.” The salad wouldn't be amazing, at this time of year, but she really wasn't in the mood for soup, or anything heavy until the later course. After the waitress had left them, Liana turned her attention back to Khalid, setting down the menu and folding her hands in her lap, so she wouldn't be tempted to fiddle with her hair, “My classes are going well, although I wish I could spend all of them in as good a company as judging and hunters.” She smiled at the last few words, naming the two classes she shared with Khalid, of course. “I don't know if I could say I ever enjoyed living in Red House.” She curled her nose slightly, “It's not the house I would have picked, although I suppose it's a nice enough room. Wish I could be in Blue Ribbon.” It wasn't like her living in Red Ribbon house had changed anything about what her father was trying to avoid, but Khalid didn't need to know that, “Want to tell me all about the fun activities I'm missing out on, in Blue Ribbon?”