[SF] Evelyn Conner's Auction

[Evelyn Conner]

This was likely the last place Evelyn wanted to be, and no matter how many times she twisted and turned it, she couldn't fathom why anyone would ever sign her up for this stupid event. Surely, anyone who had met her knew that she wasn't exactly the kind of person you wanted to bring on a date. In fact, she actually hoped that no one would bid, so that she didn't have to go on a date with, well, anyone. Surely, she could always bid on herself, right? There was no rule against that, was there?

Well, she supposed she could only hope.

Even so, Evelyn could at the very least take some pleasure in the event, knowing that she could toss off the horrible school uniform and wear one of her designer pieces, which she honestly, felt a lot more comfortable in. After all, she'd always had a taste for class and style - which Montana had little of.

Clad in a simple, lace dress, Evelyn's name had been announced and she'd already found herself a seat on the middle of the stage. She sat with her hands neatly folded in her lap, a fixed scowl on her face as she looked at the crowd with a dour expression.

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

When Akeem heard of the auction for the summer festival, he seriously considered putting down his name. Just the thought of him getting on stage and releasing enough pheromones for those gathered to fight for a date with him had been awfully tempting. Even the fact they might literally fight for him was. But those who organized the event might disagree, amongst other things. Besides, there was still a chance they’d find a way to block his power somehow. And what if no one bid on him? If Akeem needed a lot of attention, he also dreaded the chance he might be ridiculed. Besides, something else could be done that was equally tempting.

He was the one who suggested Evelyn’s name. The thought of the girl, walking to the center of the stage with her emotionless face, just staring at everyone like they weren’t even there, waiting for this to be over... That was worth any pleasure he would have had being the one there. And he’d bid on her. Starting with small amounts of money. Just because it would be hilarious if he won her for nothing.

He doubted he’d have any competitors here. The only two he believed might bid on her would be her brother to save her from this and that bodyguard following them around. The first, well he figured it would be easy to argue that it was not really fair, and rather gross, that her brother bid on her for a date. If he wanted to give so much money to this charity, he could just sign a check and let others enjoy it. As for the other one, Akeem didn’t think he was a student and he was hoping he could use that against him. Still, there was a chance the two men teamed up. He supposed he’ll have to see for himself.

A smirk appeared on his lips when she showed up. She had exactly the kind of face he expected her to have. Winning her would be so easy. They finally told people to place a bid. Akeem waited a little, looked around, just to see if someone would bid. She was, after all, rich and influent. Others may be interested. He’ll see. For now, he didn’t want to appear too interested right from the start. He heard some starting with hundreds if not thousands. If he could manage to get that sum, he didn’t really want to spend that on her. “Fifty,” he announced after a moment. He was close enough of the stage, because he wanted her to see who just offered that for her. He would have offered twenty only but after what others bid in previous auctions, he didn't want to appear too cheap. Still, wouldn't that be amusing if he won her only for fifty bucks?

[Drew Conner]

Drew Conner couldn't help but look over the entire spectacle that was the date auction with a certain sense of amusement. The memories of last year's event were fresh in his mind and served as a reminder how much fun creating a scene could be. Given the way the last year had gone, it also was also interesting to think how far things had come since he'd hired actors from the Kalispell Theater Group to help him present a briefcase full of cash at Erika's auction. He could still see the look in her face when he stepped up on stage. It had been one hell of a moment and now he got the pleasure of seeing his twin sister take up the date auction mantle.

Drew was in attendance only for appearances sake. He'd convinced his parents to make consistent, generous contributions to the charity the auction was funding and his wife was milling about somewhere enjoying the festivities leaving Drew with little reason to actually participate. It was nice to be out and about with his fellow students, partaking in a harmless little game that was, ultimately for a good cause. It didn't hurt that maybe, just maybe the whole thing would pull Eve out of her comfort zone for once. He doubted that, though he figured she'd have to start somewhere.

Eyes narrowed at the paltry sum that had been the opening bid. Moving through the crowd, Drew shot a glance toward the young man who'd put up the offer. Drew wasn't surprised to find none other than Akeem as the perpetrator. A thin smirk touched Drew's lips as he turned his gaze back to the stage where his sister stood. He had no intention on bailing his sister out of this. But if someone wanted to win an outing with Eve Conner they were going to have to work for it and prove their worth. "Five thousand." He said calmly, lifting a hand for the auctioneer to point him out.

[Evelyn Conner]

As the biding started, Eve almost hoped that no one would and she could walk away, pretending that none of this happened. Then, as the familiar voice called out, Eve's gaze immediately snapped to the source. Brown eyes narrowed slightly, which could only be best described as a death glare was turned towards the oh so familiar young boy, whom honestly, looked as if he was having far too much fun.

But before Evelyn could say anything, like for example telling the auctioneer that Akeem's bid didn't count, because there was no chance in hell that she would ever go on a date with him, her brother spoke up. Eve issued a low sigh, hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she silently shook her head.

Of course her brother would make some kind of game of this. She supposed she deserved it for the way she'd blindly tossed him and his wife into the fiery depths of pre-school.

"This is so not happening," she muttered under her breath.

[Gabriel Lewis]

Gabriel was at the fair and he heard about the auction, and had to look. Mostly because he hadn't really paid attention to who up for auction until he saw eve. He hadn't really gathered an opinion on her and her brother, he had other things to worry about than the Conner twins. Mostly the building of the hotel, it was going okay but nothing was without problems. Mostly the rainstorm threatening to delay things, and then there was the upcoming winter. He didn't have time to gather intel on people so he jumped at the opportunity to actually have a chance to form an opinion on the twin. Besides the cold hearted ice queen thing she had going. He wasn't sure whether she was the normal stuck up ice queen or the one that had a reason, it made him wonder.

"Ten Thousand" He offered up from where he was standing, his hands in his pockets as he stood there waiting for someone to outbid him. If anything at least the money was going to charity, his grandmother liked that kind of thing.

[Drew Conner]

With a smirk playing on his lips, Drew's eyes shifted over to the third, and much more ambitious bidder. He knew of the young man and, affluence aside, Drew assumed Gabriel was of very little relevance to either Conner sibling. Regardless, for whatever random, utterly foolish reason this veritable stranger was offering to drop a rather large sum of cash simply for the chance to go on what was sure to be a horrible, disaster of a date. Drew was reminded of a very simple saying he was taught early on in his life. "A fool and his money are soon parted." He uttered to himself as he pushed his way up toward the stage.

"I trust you'll have as much fun with this as I had last year." He called once he'd drawn close enough to speak to Eve without yelling. His eyes glinted as he looked up to her and he offered a short, two fingered salute. With a faint nod, Drew turned away from his sister and started off, away from the stage and into the crowd. There was no purpose for him to remain. He'd already pushed the bidding for his sister well above expectations. Drew's work here was done.

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

Akeem couldn't say he was surprised Drew tried to bail his sister out but he might have flinched a bit at the amount he gave. Those Conners were too snob for their own good. They might weigh a lot more than that Evelyn was not worth five grand. Akeem had been ready to offer more if someone tried to bid, but maybe ten times more at the end. Not a hundred.

Luckily, since he thought it might happen, he came prepared. First, he looked over to make sure he knew who talked, as if it had not been obvious enough. Then, a bit of pheromone sprayed in the air around him to make sure those around would listen to him. They looked at him, as if wondering if he'll go over this. "Don't look at me like that. Not all of us consider five thousand pocket change. If he wanted to buy the date with his sister to get her out of this, I can't stop him," he told them. They nodded, starting to agree that it might be a bit excessive. And unfair that the brother was bailing his sister out of this, when everyone else agreed to it before. He was satisfied about this. They would be the ones complaining and those who organized the whole thing would have to deal with it, whether they accepted the amount or not. He was even ready to back away a little before betting something else if they refused Drew's bid. He could afford five thousand but his father would not like that. And she was not worth that much money when she would spend the whole evening staring at him like he was a worm unworthy of her. She was the one unworthy of any of them.

But then some idiot had to bid over the five thousand. And bid twice that amount. If he only slightly flinch before, this time he was shocked. What kind of idiot bid ten thousand? On Evelyn freaking Conner!? Those affected by his pheromones murmured something about that amount of money and how there really could be no competition when rich kids decided to show they were rich but at least it was more than what the brother offered so they could not complain.

Obviously, that guy had no idea what he was bidding on. Had he not looked at her? Either way, Akeem was giving up. That amount of cash, he wanted to spend it on a car, not Evelyn. His father would have a heart attack if he chose to spend that much to charity and then demand the same sum again for his car. He left the auction. She won, this time. But he'll have her some other time.

[Addison Sloane]

Addison had just finished a set at the fair concert and had parted ways with Jun Aaron a little after so she was just milling about, looking at the stalls the fair had to offer before she stumbled across the date auction. And who else could it have been but Miss Conner herself, the one she had so enjoyed bugging the crap out of a few weeks ago.

The last bid made by some scruffy hobo-looking dude had Addison raising an eyebrow. Either he was very generous or just very desperate for a date with the pretty but very curmudgeony lady on stage.

She saw a familiar face in the crowd about to walk off and realised it was Akeem. She smirked and shrugged before piping up. "Ten twenty-five." She raised a lazy hand and waited for someone else to outbid her.

[Evelyn Conner]

Looking over the scene that happened before her, Evelyn couldn't help but issuing yet another loud sigh. Clearly, these people had no idea what they were doing. Although, she couldn't help but being slightly pleased that Akeem was being outbid by none other than Gabriel Lewis. Now, she had no romantic feelings towards the guys, and she didn't particularly like him, but she had to admit that at least he was better than most of the scruff around here.

Tossing a glare in her brother's direction, Evelyn's head shook faintly. It was obvious that her brother was enjoying this and had the roles been reversed (again), she'd likely find this just as amusing.

Then another voice rose up between the crowd and Evelyn's brown eyes immediately flicked towards the source and her jaw tightened as she looked at the brunette she'd met inside the training room, whom had clearly managed to strike a certain special nerve within the brunette.

"Oh dear god, no," she muttered under her breath.

And then the auctioneer stepped forward; "Ten twenty-five going once..."

[Gabriel Lewis]

Gabriel rolled his eyes and raised his hand again "Eleven hundred" He said shrugging and the stuffing his hands in his pocket. He wasn't all that sure what possessed him to bid again but he did anyways. After all it was for charity and he had nothing better to do with his time, since everything was going smoothly business wise. He wondered if business men were half busy as they pretended to be. At any rate he was hoping that they would hurry up the whole process so that he wouldn't have to run off in case something did go wrong with business. It was like everything was going good untill you thought about having time off and then got bad.

[Drew Conner]

What was this? Another contender had stepped into the spotlight, vying for Eve's time with a hefty bid of her own. Drew knew all too well who Addison Sloane was, many people did. It wasn't every day mutants left the Academy to go on European tours. Addie had been a person of interest for a while now and Drew made no secret he'd charted her success from the beginning. Whether or not the two had anything in common, or to offer one another, Addison was the type of mutant Drew needed to keep an eye on in case she suddenly became a potentially valuable ally.

The fact that Drew had also caught the scowl that immediately distorted Eve's usually stoic features was just icing on the cake.

The Smirk came out to play again as Drew slipped deftly through the crowd, drawing closer to the petite brunette girl who's bid was suddenly overtaken. Yes, Drew could have left behind the lucrative bidding war content that he'd already driven up the price on his sister's auction to ludicrous levels but there was something about the way Eve looked at Addison that made him want to twist the knife in just a little more. After all, there was the daycare issue that had remained unsettled. "Just keep bidding until you win." Drew said discreetly after moving up behind Addison and lightly touching her upper arm with the back of his hand.

[Addison Sloane]

When the bid escalated to at least a whole month's pay for her, Addison threw her hands up and decided to throw a glare at the guy who put in such a ridiculous bid. Ugh, look at him in all his grungey homelessness glory. Addison had a reason to be here, what was his motivation? He didn't even seem interested in Eve.

She jumped slightly when she felt the tap on her side. "What the sh-" she clutched her heart at how stealthy Drew Conner suddenly appeared beside her, telling her to go up.

"Dude, you're not like...tryina use me to Jamie Lannister your sister do you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow before throwing a hand up. "Eleven fifty." She even threw a glance at homeless dude as though to challenge him.

[Gabriel Lewis]

Gabriel looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow and shrugged his shoulder "Eleven fifty-five" If she wanted to get in a bidding war with him that fine. He was sure thay eventually she'd run out of money. He was okay with giving money to charity, this wasn't even about to Eve if he was being honest.

It was mostly about the challenge, he wanted to win as simple as that. There was no other reason to put that much money besides winning. At least it would be fun until he got bored.

[Evelyn Conner]

With an exasperated look, Evelyn watched the scene unfold before her. She saw her brother move towards the girl, and she saw the two bidders challenging each other. With that, the palm of her hand slowly slid down the lines of her face as she issued a low sigh.

This simply couldn't be happening right now. Who in their right mind would even bid this much money on her? Or even better yet, who in their right mind would even vote for her to be on this thing? Surely, her brother wasn't quite that stupid. No, it had to be someone else.

Waving her hand, Evelyn took a step back and allowed the two bidders to go on at their business. For once, there was little else Evelyn could possibly do.

[Drew Conner]

Drew smirked as the bidding went higher and higher. The dollar amount placed at the feet of his sister was beginning to approach ludicrous levels. Regardless of the reasons behind it, as a Conner he felt a certain amount of pride that his beloved sister had been the recipient of such a steep price. Drew didn't know Addison all that well, nor did he care who ended up going on a date with his sister. Eve was the type would ensure any date with her would undoubtedly be a waste of pocket change, let alone the five figure sum she was currently demanding. There was one thing, though, that was spurring him on: He absolutely hated real estate moguls.

Naturally Drew would never reveal his ace in the hole when it came to the date auction. He could twist and manipulate this event with ease and had proven it both with Eve's auction and the previous year's when he'd made such a theatrical event out of it all. There was a very simple reason behind this, of course, but Drew would be damned if he'd ever give up that bit of information easily. "She bids fifteen thousand." He said, grabbing Addison's arm and raising it.