My Playful Heart 2

Worried about his look, Owen seeks his girlfriend, who looks stunning in her powder blue flowing silk dress, for an opinion. He is wearing a three-piece suit and a top hat.

"Darling, how do I look?"

"Fantastic as always, darling!" she answers, fixing his necktie.

"Really? I am not so sure about how I look, but you--- you look lovely," he says before kissing her exposed shoulder.

"Look at us, darling!" he says as they stand in front of the mirror. He embraces her from behind. Then, his hands explore, one hand cupping her breast and the other rolling up the hem of her dress.

"Darling... we don't have time for this!" Keira tells him, stopping his hands for further exploration.

"Ugh! Can't I just cuddle you for a minute?" he complains.

"No~ I don't trust those hands... and my self- control. So, let's get going," Keira scolds, fixing her fancy blue headdress with floral design.

"Do we really have to attend this tea party in a formal suit?" Owen complains, feeling uncomfortable in his clothes.

"Yes... we have to--- in these clothes!" Keira replies.

It is a cloudy day in England--- well, the usual weather in the country. They arrive at an elaborate garden at the back of the Earl of Gloucester's palatial home.

"Jesus Christ!" Owen exclaims while looking at the fancy people chatting and enjoying their time. "Thank goodness... you let me wear these or else I will look stupid in their eyes."

"Posh parties are normal events here in the UK, especially for the upper-class families," Keira explains.

"This is crazy. I have never seen anything like this in my life! Anyway, where's your father?" Owen mutters with awe so apparent in his voice. Keira chuckles.

"Maybe, he's~"

"Lady Keira! You made it," a handsome lad approaches them.

"Prince Christian! Good to see you," she exclaims before kissing each other's cheeks.

"Look at you--- beautiful as always!" he joyously says.

"Enough of your flattering. Anyway, I would like you to meet my date, Owen Mcknight. Owen, Prince Christian of Spain," Keira introduces.

"Nice meeting you, your Highness!" Owen says, extending his hand.

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Mcknight!" Prince Christian replies while firmly shaking his hand. There is an undeniable tacit competition starting to build up between the two gentlemen.

"Well... I'll leave you two to enjoy. I have to say hello to the host," Prince Christian says. Then, he pecks on Keira's forehead. Owen clenches his fists controlling himself not to punch the Prince.

"Thanks, my prince! You have to go around before they think that you're snubbing them," she tells him while laughing.

"Care to explain what's going on?" Owen asks without masking his jealousy.

Keira smiles. "Darling, are you jealous?" she asks.

"No~ I am very much delighted!" he replies sarcastically while forcing a smile on his lips.

"There's nothing to be jealous about coz' Prince Christian and I are just friends. Good friends," she explains.

"How about the "Lady" thing?" Owen asks while doing the quote and end quote with his fingers.

"Okay. Look. My father is the Earl of Gloucester, a 2nd cousin to His Majesty the King, so technically I am a "Lady" by the peerage. However, my dad wants to make his own name without the shadow of his bloodline. Therefore, he carried his mother's last name. He allows us to be called by our titles only during formal events like this," Keira explains.

"Wait. What? Are you saying~"

"Yeah. The Earl of Gloucester is my dad."

Owen is speechless, in his brain is hovering in disbelief.

"And... this palace is our property, but it is converted to a museum and a place for receptions," she adds.

"Whoah! What else don't I know about you?" Owen asks with a downcast voice.

"What do you mean?" Keira says, confused about her boyfriend's reaction.

He sighs. "Nevermind. Let's not ruin the day," he utters with a faint smile.

"May I ask my daughter, Lady Keira, to join me here," the Earl says. Keira and Owen saunter to the stage. Her hand clinging on his arm fuels speculations since some partygoers begin to gossip and camera flashes are everywhere.

"Who is this gorgeous lad?" a woman whispers to her friend.

"I am not sure, but he seems familiar. I just can't remember where I've seen him," the other woman replies.

" I heard that he's gay," another lady whispers.

"No way! That's horrendous!" the two women gasp in disbelief.

Owen keeps a straight face as he listens to the gossips about him. Keira removes her hand from his arm and holds his hand. People gasp at their PDAs.

The Earl's face tightened at the sight, clearly distasted. But he manages to smile when Keira and Owen stand beside him.

He clears his throat before speaking in front of the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" Keira's father announces.

"As part of our annual Royal Regatta, which will be held a couple of days later, the members have agreed that each team will pick an additional member, one be royal or commoner, famous or ordinary, man or woman--- status doesn't matter! The team members will have the freedom to choose whoever they desire," he continues. They cheer--- all excited for the upcoming event.

"What's a regatta?" Owen, the only person left out, asks Keira.

"It's a sailing, rowing, or boating race," she explains.

"So may I ask the team captains to announce their chosen members," The Earl says. All five athletic good looking men climb up the stage. The first three captains and their choices are given raucous claps.

"Our team decided to include our friend, Bruno Chavez. I know. He's not a famous person, most of you may not know him, but he's a very skilled sailor," Harold, the captain of the team Brotherhood--- a UK rowing team famous for their golden trophies from international competitions, announces while most people hesitantly clap their hands, seemingly uninterested.

Owen is amused at how these bunch of elites deliberately snob people from the lower class.

"Did I just witness a Posh Snob?" he asks his girlfriend in a soft voice.

She chuckles. "Yeah! People here are kinda snobby and yet they all crave for the spotlight. One of the reasons why my father always wanted a low key lifestyle," she answers.

"After this party, I want you two in my office!" the Earl says in a soft, but firm voice.