"This," D'arcy says, holding up a yellow pencil, "is the salad fork."

We're sitting on the floor in my room. D'arcy is kneeling over our makeshift dinner set, explaining how everything works.

"So what's this?" I ask, pointing at a Sharpie.

"That's the dessert fork, it goes above the plate."

"Why do I have a stack of plates?" (In actuality it's a stack of books.)

"They take the plates as we go through the courses. First. the soup bowl or salad plate. Once you finish they remove the top plate. Next, the entree."

"So the really big plate is for dessert?" I ask, sounding a little too hopeful.

"That's a charger," He explains. "There for show. They'll bring your desert plate out."

"Then I use the Sharpie?"

"Exactly."

I pick up the stapler, or "fork" I should say. I guess I'd use this for the main course. "Why can't I just use this the entire time?" I hold it up for him to see.

"Eating with a stapler?" He scoffs. "Ridiculous."

"Seriously, D'arce. Is it always this... fancy?"

He shakes his head, "We're having guests tonight. Normally dinner is more casual."

My stomach knots, "What kind of guests?" The last thing I need is to eat my dessert with a stapler in front of important dignitaries.

"Friends. Our families are very close."

"Are they like...?"

"Well respected. Wealthy. Not royal, no." He starts cleaning up our 'dinnerware' as he continues, "There's Uncle Glenn. Father met him at University. Then his children: Bronwyn, Carrick, Jessamy. The lot of us grew up together."

"Well... those are names," I mumble, already forgetting how to pronounce two of them. Not that I'm one to talk...

"Don't worry. They'll love you."