Blue

Three

By the looks of it, the venue where the party took place was extremely big. And crowded. And when someone from New York considers a place crowded, it's like hearing Hitler saying about a punishment it is too cruel.

" I think I'll just stick to you." whispered Leslie to Ilaria.

" Don't be silly. I'll introduce you to most of the people here and you'll be just fine."

Leslie frowned.

"But they are French! They speak croissant and not all of us had been listening to Madame Bertille in high-school."

" They are not French. I mean, some of them are. But most of them are producers and stage managers and actors from different theatres around the Globe. Sergei and I have to meet some possible actors for the film."

" So you're not here only for the fun and champagne? What have they done to you!?!"

Leslie's half shocked expression made Ilaria chuckle.

" Our first goal tonight is to talk Xavier into accepting the role our producer offered him. "

" Never leave the house without an agenda, do you? You took that too serious. You can't even enjoy a party now?"

" Parties are never just for pure enjoyment. Not when you're an artist." commented Sergei, then whispering something in Ilaria's ear and placing a short kiss on her lips, he disappeared into the crowd.

"And that's how we're only 2 left." murmured Leslie, rolling her eyes. "I thought people were supposed to multiply at parties, especially at those with such few clothing."

Ilaria started laughing then pointed towards a guy with a weird mustache and a policeman costume.

" I'm sure that one would love to..ah.. multiply you if you asked nicely. Actually, I'm sure he'd love to do that even without your nice asking. He's been staring at your hips for the last five minutes."

Leslie felt a shiver down her spine, then mimicked puking.

" I think I'm fine with getting fewer if you put things like that. And I need a drink."

" The bar is over there."

" Aren't you coming?"

" No. Not right now. After Sergei and I have convinced Xavier, we can definitely celebrate with a drink or two."

" Fine. Then I'll just find another drinking buddy for now."

Ilaria smiled, then disappeared into the crowd, just like Sergei have done a few minutes before.

" And now what?" murmured Leslie, approaching the bar with small steps.

Being alone among all those people made her feel terribly aware of her hips and legs, as they were way too exposed by her Super Woman costume, and she could feel a few stares lingering on her.

" A gin and tonic, please." ordered Leslie as soon as she took a seat at the bar.

" I'll have what the lady ordered."

From her right, a tall stranger with dark, chocolate like eyes and a turquoise costume spoiled with gold that made you think of a Prince of Persia smiled at her. From beneath the turban, a dark shade of brown mass of curls seemed to want to escape. Taking a moment to analyse him, Leslie smiled back.

"I didn't know royalty blends with such mortals as ourselves." tried Leslie to joke.

" Oh, but I'm not a real prince! It's just a costume." exclaimed him with a bit of surprise.

Leslie tried hard not to roll her eyes. Good thing he was handsome because she was sure his brain, like his royal title, was not real, but only part of the costume.

" I know. It's a costume party! Or do you think I'm some kind of a crazy chick that truly thinks she's Super Woman?"

" My darling, with those looks, you can totally be my super woman."

Leslie laughed softly, grabbing the glass of gin and emptying it. If she wanted to keep that conversation going, which she thought she did, she definitely needed to get drunk.

" Really?" asked she, licking her a drop of gin from her lower lip. "And what would you need a super woman for?"

" I could give you a few examples if you want. Very specific ones."

Now, that was beginning to sound like a nice start for that evening, so when the handsome stranger bought her another round of drinks and asked her to dance, she couldn't be more pleased with herself. After all, Ilaria's costume seemed to give her a boost of confidence.

Nine shots and a great deal of dancing later, Leslie was graciously demonstrating her French kissing skills, her hands frantically pulling his dark curls that finally managed to escape the ugly turban that was now lying somewhere on the floor. Taking a moment to breathe, she looked at the bar and, pulling the prince of Persia after her, she approached it.

"Where is my queen going?" asked him, whispering in her year and beginning to place small kisses on her neck.

"I want to dance!"

"But we were dancing!"

"No, I want to dance on the bar!"

He started laughing then, offering her a hand, he helped her climb on it.

"Oh, that's my song!" cried her when Wild Thoughts by Rihanna started playing.

                                 ***

" Please tell me that's not a certain blonde gone wild." whispered Sergei in Ilaria's ear, surrounding her waist with his arms.

They both watched Leslie's crazy dance, while she was showing all of her moves on the bar, swinging her hips, shaking her shoulders, turning round and round and seeming either to have a great time she won't forget, or to be too drunk to remember any of it the next day.

" That's definitely Leslie. "

" Should we do something about it?" asked Sergei.

" I know her. When she goes crazy, there's no way to calm her down. Plus, it's not that bad. She still has her clothes on and she's not throwing up."

" Yet. "

Ilaria turned her back to the show Leslie was offering, which was watched by now by a big crowd of people who were cheering and waving their hands in the air and faced Sergei, placing her hands around his neck.

" Love, she is fine now. Trust me, I know her. She's just acting out. It's her way of getting rid of all the stress she accumulates in New York and at work. She'll be fine tomorrow; back to her serious and calculated self."

" Fine. " gave Sergei up, capturing Ilaria's lips in a deep kiss. " You are very beautiful in this costume. Did I tell you?"

" Now you did." answered Ilaria smiling and kissing him again.

***

Leslie felt the world spinning around her. Or wait... perhaps she was spinning around the world ?... She saw the face of the guy she made out with and tried to remember his name. Percy was it? Did he tell her his name? And more important, did she care? She stopped moving, but the room and the faces of the people were still spinning around her. Ok, that was not good. Not good at all. And she was on the bar, which didn't seem that fun now. Perhaps she should go down. From the crowd, a hand reached for her and she took it in order to get down. Unfortunately, gravity and alcohol weren't her best friends in that precise moment, so instead of graciously stepping off the bar she graciously... feel off the bar. Or not. She closed her eyes, waiting to feel the impact with the hard floor, but it never came. Maybe she was too drunk. Or she was immune to pain. She opened her eyes to find herself staring at the dazzling blue gaze of a pirate. So beautifully blue, so mesmerizing... She felt her legs melting and her heart skipping a beat. Looking into them and feeling his hands on her waist, firmly holding her, made her stomach feel empty and nauseated, almost aching, almost as if she might...

Leslie turned her head and puked on the floor. The people around her began laughing and cheering and somewhere in the crowd someone shouted "You know it's a good party when there is somebody this wasted" and then everything went black.