Blue

Chapter Six

After two days and no answer from Sergei, Ilaria was more agitated than ever. She kept changing her mind about whether to say yes or refuse, after asking both Leslie and April what to do at least three times a day. They both raised their eyebrow, a move Ilaria always wanted to be able to do, and asked " Why on Earth would you say no?". They literally used the same words, making her realize she needed to introduce these two girls to each other.

" I am taking you out" said April, entering her living-room. "Tonight, coolest pub in town. I know the Dj, he's cool and plays nice music."

" What? Why?"

Ilaria left down the bowl with chips to look at the red-haired girl, who took the remote to change the channel.

" Why? Look at you. " said she, pointing to her purple striped pajama pants, her white t-shirt and the long, cozy pink dotted sweater. " You have been like this for two days and I can feel how the lack of news from Sergei is drowning you. I guess it mixed with your Connor- issue and you are this giant ball of stress and tension."

" Firstly," defended herself Ilaria, also pointing to her clothes, " I am a walking fashion revolution. And secondly, I am not stressed. I just want to know if Sergei managed to convince the producer to change the script; and it angers me how he’s keeping me in the dark. But that's all. And Connor? Please, I haven't spent so less time thinking about him since... I don't know... since before meeting him."

April rolled her eyes.

" Good. So if you have no problem, then you'll gladly come clubbing with me tonight."

" What? I didn't say that!"

" Come on! It's not like you've got something better to do!"

" Of course I do. I need to continue my book."

April chocked.

" Please, you haven't touched your notes for the last two days. All you can think of is Sergei and how you'll work with him without letting that huuuge crush you have on him be discovered."

Before her friend could finish her sentence, Ilaria already threw, with a quick move, an embroidered cushion at her.

"Shut up. I don't have a crush on him. I just have the huge misfortune of thinking he is dangerously hot."

They both burst into laughter at the same time, as April took a seat on the couch, near Illaria, grabbing some chips from the table. But the laughter died in their throats when, a second after, somebody rang the door-bell.

" It must be him."

Four words. Eleven letters. And the sudden pack of butterflies in her belly.

" Easy, there. You can't go and open the door with this face." April grabbed Ilaria by the t-shirt, stopping her from running towards the door.

Ilaria released a short cry of protest, taking a seat on the couch.

" But that's the only face I have."

" Then wipe the satisfaction and the pervy look from it, and it will do just fine. That if you have the guts to go see him in those clothes."

Ilaria took a quick glance towards her clothes and got rid of the jumper and the pants in a blink of an eye, rolling herself in the blanket that, until a few seconds before, lay on the couch.

" A walking fashion revolution, uh? " joked April, trying to hide her smile.

" Shut up. Just take my clothes and hide in the kitchen."

" Do you want me to hide all of your clothes?" asked the redhead making her most innocent face.

" Only if you can hide his as well."

" Seems legit" laughed April, closing the kitchen door.

The bell ringed again, this time longer and insistently. Ilaria sprinted towards the source of noise, stumbling on the long blanket and managing to reach the door, only to stumble again and fall just as she was opening it.

" Wow, are you okay? You haven't even heard the news and you already fainted? " joked Sergei, helping her up.

" Yes, you knocked me off my feet with your presence." answered she ironically, trying not to roll her eyes, even though she could almost hear April whispering "Subtle" in the kitchen, where she had chosen to hide.

They both remained near the door, shoving a bit uncomfortably, waiting for the other to say something. Sergei looked a bit vexed at the long blanket covering Ilaria and she, catching his glance, blushed. 'Oh, holly goddess of intelligent excuses, where are you now? ' begged Ilaria, biting her lip. Getting over the surprise of seeing her like that, Sergei gave her a flaunty smile.

" You gave up writing for fashion? If so, please go back to the first one." 

'Idiot.' thought the girl, rolling her eyes, suddenly finding her ironical self.

" Your wish is my command, king of idiotic remarks." 

He smiled again, running his hand through the mass of black hair which, from Ilaria's point of view had to be extremely satisfying.

" I passed by to let you know they've agreed. I gave them time to read your book and realize just how amazing it is, and now they want you to turn it into a script."

" Really?"

" Yes. They were deeply impressed."

Ilaria released a whisper of surprise and, in the happiness of the moment, jumped to hug Sergei who, finding himself surrounded by her arms, became suddenly tensed. Ilaria let him go immediately, blushing and biting her lower lip.

" I'm sorry. Too sticky. I'll keep that in mind in the future."

Sergei seemed to pass over the surprise and waved.

" No, it's okay. You just took me by surprise."

" Yeah. Exactly. I'm sorry, anyway."

They stared at each other weirdly. Should she invite him in? Should he go? Ilaria made sure the blanket was still well wrapped around her, then looked up at Sergei to catch him analyzing her. Again. Fearing that her cheeks might heat, she decided to invite him in, using that as a distraction to give her time to get rid of the feeling of his chest pressing against hers, of his well-built body between her arms. He already knew where the living was, so no instruction were needed yet, when he took a seat in the same armchair he had fallen asleep a few days before, the silence became again weirdly present.

" So, what did they think about my book?"

Talking about her book seemed like a nice topic, deviating her mind from remembering how painfully strong and hot his muscles felt under her touch. And it was a topic that interested her even more than her currently non-existent love-life and fantasies with the famous ballet dancer in front of her.

" They thought it was great and can't wait to see your script."

Ilaria smiled.

" Literally, they can't wait to see it. They want it next month."

Her smile froze in an instant.

" What?"

All the butterflies went away and every last bit of lust disappeared. It was as if Ilaria the Rational emerged from her, like a two-faced Janus from the Greek mythology, taking sudden control of her mind and body.

" They need to start filming by July, and by June they need to have a cast, a place... you know, all that stuff required for a movie. "

" But I have only ... what? Three weeks? " the girl was a bit panicked, trying to compile what he was saying.

" More like 22 days. But come on, you are a genius" - Ilaria the Irrational tried to take over- " as Natalia kept telling me while reading your book as often as she could."

The simple remembrance of the name of the ballerina made Ilaria chill down, reminding herself Sergei was spoken for and completely in love with someone else. After all, she was the reason they were doing all of this.

" Thanks."

" Well, so is it okay? You'll meet our director to talk to him, establish the terms and sign a contract?"

" Yeah, sure. I still don't know how I'm gonna finish it until the end of April, but I'll do my best..."

The kitchen door opened suddenly, April showing her head.

" Did you call for me? Did ..."

But she stopped in the middle of the sentence, noticing Ilaria wasn't alone.

" Oh, we've got guests."

Ilaria rolled her eyes. "Subtle..."

" Sergei meet April. April, this is Sergei."

April smiled and he nodded.

" So she is helping you with becoming better in the fashion domain?"

" Oh, she wishes." answered April before giving Ilaria the chance to tell him to f**k off.

And without any invitation she joined them, taking a seat on the couch and making sure that for the next forty or so minutes, during Sergei's visit, nobody felt awkward anymore. 

When Ilaria stood to show him to the door, April made up an excuse to give them some privacy.

" Thank you again, for doing this." said Sergei, offering her a smile.

A killing one, Ilaria might add. If she weren't so fascinated by his deep blue eyes, she would have been completely hypnotized by his smile. But trying to focus on the conversation, and not on him, she just nodded.

" It's okay. After all, it's a great opportunity for me as well. You could say we are helping each other.  It's like a symbiosis relationship. "

She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. Who was the i***t now? Stupid, stupid, Ilaria. But for some unknown reason, Sergei found that funny, starting to laugh. She shook her head and sighed.

" We should just call it friendship. Sounds better, don't you think? "

" Yeah, totally." She agreed, waving good-bye.

" Symbiosis...Subtle..." commented April, crossing her hands over her chest and appearing in the door way.

" I am subtle." answered Ilaria irritated. Because she was, but only when Sergei was not around. " Actually, my middle name is Subtle."

Added she, in an attempt of sounding more convincing.

" Yeah, so subtle it doesn't even show up in your ID card."