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Espy slipped silently into the ballroom. She has just taken a breath outside; she was never too great around people in a formal setting. Looking around, she was amazed: The people who, just a day before had been in more casual attire, were now decked out in their finest displays. There weren't too many people downstairs yet, so Espy could afford to keep a small distance for a while.

Besides the people, the ballroom itself was a wonderful place, with luxurious curtains around the huge windows that spanned the room from ceiling to floor, and beautiful tapestries in a wide array of colors. Several tables already had a few appetizers on them, and the tablecloths, chairs, and platters all matched the grand air of the ballroom.

((Ok, I won't be on Tris until 4 PST today/tomorrow/Wednesday/whatever...Have fun XD))

Nikko looked over to Ginger nodded some walking over to the table taking the seat across from her. "Evening Ginger how are you?" he asked her.

Ginger was still smiling as Nikko took his seat. "I'm great! I am really excited for everyone to show up. How about you? You look dashing for the dinner." She eyed the treats in the center of the table. "These appetizers look amazing." Ginger plucked a baked Crab Rangoon from an appetizer plate and took a small bite. Her eyes suddenly lit up and sparkled. "Oh my gosh! You have to try this..." She was a seafood fiend. She especially loved Asian platters.

Unconsciously tuning in to random conversations in the ballroom, Espy restrained the urge to run over to the table and try the appetizer that Ginger had just tasted.

((Crap, will be back in an hour and a half.))

"I'm well a little shy about everything and about being here." as he reached over took one, having a bite out of it. "This is good."

Nodding with understanding, Ginger agreed. "Yeah, I'm pretty new to this kind of thing myself. I don't know what to say half the time and I worry about making myself seem weird. I guess this is a learning experience for the judges and the contestants alike." Ginger giggled when he tried the appetizer. "Told ya. This resort really has some great chefs."

She looked over and a waiter was coming to the table with a stack of 13 menus. He sat each one neatly at every chair. A waitress came by with two pitchers of ice water and placed them at each end of the table. Ginger looked through the seafood section in the menu and her mouth watered.

About six minutes later, a different waiter came to our table and cleared his throat. "Hello and how is everyone this evening? Is everyone ready to order?" Ginger sat up tall in her chair. She was ready to eat! She waited to see if anyone was going to order first, and when she felt the coast was clear, she replied "Yes, I think I'm ready. I'd like the Crab Stuffed Salon with buttered rice, steamed brussel sprouts, and fried shrimp wontons on the side. For a drink I'd like hot lemon tea please. That would be it for me, thank you." The waiter jotted little notes on his paper as fast as he could as she was ordering. "Alright thank you, miss. Is anyone else ready?"

Espy had taken a seat at the same table, and was flipping through the menu slowly. "I might need another minute. Would anyone else like to go first?" she asked, skimming down the pasta section and checking for spiciness. She was not one to handle chili peppers well.

Nikko looked the Menu over looking to see what he would want as he saw Ginger order then Espy pass hers up for a bit more time. The man nodded some looked to the waiter about what he would like to order for him self. "I would like to have the baked salmon with the prime steak that comes with a some rice mixed veggies and glass of black berry Marlo please" he said top the man then looked up at Ginger, "One for Miss Ginger also. If that is okay for her lady ship." he asked her.

Ginger accepted Nikko's offer of the Blackberry Merlot. She hadn't tried it before, but judging by the photo on the menu it looked tasty. She had a feeling it was going to tickle her taste buds.

The waiter nodded some walked away. "Thank you for accepting my offer Ginger." he smiled to her, he was timid person. For man who stood about 6'8" with strange different colored eyes he was shy but that how he always been even as a child come to think of it Ginger may have been the first person he had spoken with since he had gotten to the hotel. He couldn't read people well but he was kind to all and saw kindness in others regardless of who they are though they can irk him in so many ways.

When Duchess arrived, it irked her tremendously that people were not grovelling at her feet. She decided to ignore that little nuance and pick up a menu from the waiters.

"I'll have the Foie Gras to start please, followed by the Homard Bleu and a bottle of Dom Pérignon," she said after skimming the menu for a while. She handed the menu back and proceeded to glare at Perfectly Wicked.

"What a simply stunning outfit" She seethed while biting her thumb. At least now she knew who her competition was....

"Your face is showing Duchess," Jess carefully warned her about the not-quite-so-pretty face she was involuntarily making. Duchess' cheeks turned bright red and covered her face with her fan. Her eyes darted around the table, surveying the other contestants clothing.

The tall man looked down the way to see Duchess come into the area, it was the first time he had seen her since he was at the hotel but had had to admit that she was lovely this evening in her gown. He quickly adjusted his sleeves some then nodded a bit to her then looked back at Ginger.

((Hahaha....I love how Duchess has to have just about the most expensive stuff in the world XD And...I'd love love love to be able to have what Espy orders down there irl....that'd be sweeeet. Except the bill for that would probably be over $150.))

Double-checking her menu again, Espy finally spoke up. "I would like to have the oyster appetizer, as well as Fugu sashimi and roe. And..." Espy flipped through the menus again, "...smoked salmon. Sauvignon Blanc would also be nice."

Closing her menu, Espy looked around, then stopped the waiter as he was about to take another order. "Wait...I think a sampler platter would go down well. Could you bring two?"

((pfft..Somehow that doesn't sound bad. I once went to dinner where I ate a main course that cost $300...alone.. which is like $50 US xDD for a rack of lamb and macaroni casserole. I also ordered wine, soup, salad...and desert 8D Happy b-day to me ~))

Duchess watched Espy ordered a ton of food and grimaced. "Ugh. Does she have no respect".

The waiter brought over her entrée and wine which she thanked him for before popping open the bottle and drinking straight from it.

"Madam!" Jess' eyes opened in alarm but Duchess simply shooed her into silence with a wave of her hand.

"It's nothing, nothing." She assured with her eyes narrowing into slits. She put the bottle down, 3/4 full now, and began to eat her foie gras with painful delicacy.

As the two sampler platters came over, Espy asked the waiter to place them near the center, where everyone would be able to try out the baked potato skins, breaded fish in tartar sauce, and wide array of sushi, as well as other appetizers.

She put the Fugu and oysters to one side and started on her smoked salmon, sensing Duchess's reaction towards the ton of food Espy had ordered. She took only a small bite before sipping the sauvignon, which had a more delicate flavor than any she had had before. She didn't care to match Duchess's caution, or, rather, lack thereof, but was careful enough to not make a fool of herself.