Blue

Two

" Oh, why would I need Halloween make up when I already have the dark eye circles and the half dead look?" inquired Leslie after staring at her reflection in the mirror of the sweet penthouse Ilaria and Sergei had booked for them.

" Oh, don't be so dramatic, you look fine. We'll just put a bit make up on to hide the trauma of the flight. And you can borrow my Wonder Woman costume for the night, since Sergei insisted he already has something prepared for us."

" Oh, right, when do I meet your Mr. Hot? Is he around?" asked Leslie, suddenly excited.

" No, he's out with Xavier and he'll return just in time to pick us up and escort us to the party."

" Xavier? Mmmmmhmmmm, Ilaria Wilson, can't you get enough from one single guy?"

" Oh, shut up. He just happens to stay with us because he and Sergei are old friends. Don't make it sound as if it was something more than it actually is."

" More than a menage-à-trois? " smiled Leslie and Ilaria chuckled.

" Sometimes I really miss you, but if you keep making such remarks, I'm afraid Sergei will kick you out before you got the chance to know him."

" Fine, then. I'll behave." agreed Leslie solemnly. "Now show me that costume and let's get ready for the party!"

***

" Damn, girl! My costume fits you perfectly!" exclaimed Ilaria, staring at Leslie who, after a thorough shower and a skin care mask looked amazingly cool in her Wonder Woman costume. "Let's do something about your hair now, because this shade of blonde just doesn't work with your look."

" I'm not dying my hair." warned her Leslie.

"Not even temporally? I've got something that washes off after 5 or so baths. But it's more of an ocean-blue than raven black."

Leslie looked at herself. She admired her friend's skills in make up, as well as her taste in choosing costumes ( which, she had to admit, was nearly as cool as her zombie costume) than sighed. Her straight, shoulder-length hair seemed indeed not to match the look.

" Fine. You may die it; but if after the fifth bath my hair isn't the same, I swear I'm gonna murder you, even though I'm not going to be able to eat donuts and Nutella in prison."

Ilaria looked at her with a grin, than shrugged. 

" Okay. Now let me find that hair spray. I had it somewhere in the bathroom. In the meantime, tell me what I've missed. How's New York?"

"As crowded as always. Seriously, nothing changed much since you left. But I must say I'm surprised that in between filming and writing you new book, you still have time to wonder about old New York."

"I'll always make time to wonder about old New York and my BFF. You know that. Now close your eyes so that I can spray your bangs."

Leslie obeyed silently, and after the sound of a shaking tube and a pitched "fssssss", a small gasp echoed.

" What?"

"Uhm. Well... ah. Let's just say it's more blue than ocean." murmured Ilaria.

"What?"

Leslie opened her eyes in an instant and stared at herself. Instead of her blond locks that always used to annoy her each time the wind blew a bit stronger, she was shocked to discover something very similar to that shade of blue specific to a smurf.

" Dear God."

She tilted her head a bit, unsure of how to react.  That shade was strikingly weird, and yet... She did not have time to wash her hair until the color went away, and she was certainly not going to go to the party like that, with only a part of her hair blue, so she took her seat again.

"Finish what you've started."

***

When Sergei knocked at the door, Ilaria was still applying her make up, so Leslie went to open, preparing herself to meet the three-months boyfriend of her best friend. But no matter how many times she had seen him in pictures on Google or on posters and ballet magazines, the reality was unbelievably hotter. His dark hair was long enough to play with and wavy, his skin porcelain-white and his eyes a deep shade of blue she found herself compelled by. She took in a deep breath, reminding herself that this was her best friend's boyfriend she was thinking like that about, then stepped aside and allowed him to come in.

"Hello."

"Hi, you must be Leslie." he answered, giving her a small smile and entering the apartment.

The fact that he knew her name gave her small butterflies in her belly, but she mentally slapped herself.

"No, I'm her dragon-shaped guardian."

"Yeah, at a second look, i think you may be right. We were expecting a blonde, not some blue-haired smurf." joked Sergei, winking. "By the way, I'm Sergei. Sergei Polunin."

" Yes, I know. And not as in "Bond. James Bond". I'm Leslie. Leslie Cass."

" Not as in "Bond. James Bond." either I presume. "

" Nah. For me is Bond all the way. I'm a huge Daniel Craig fan."

He smirked then went straight in their bedroom and kissed Ilaria for something that seemed endlessly for Leslie. She was truly happy for her best friend, because they looked perfect together and she knew he was treating her right; and yet there was something, something like a claw griping her stomach at this sight.

"Are you ready, babe?"

"Yes. But I still need the costume."

" Oh, yes."

From under the bed he pulled out a small suitcase and revealed two pirate costumes, handing the female one to Ilaria.

"Try it on."

Fifteen minutes later, Leslie was in a cab, accompanied by a couple of veritable pirates, feeling a bit weird. Maybe she was showing too much skin. Or maybe her hair was too blue. She was definitely out of her comfort zone and she didn't feel like it was such a good idea anymore to go to that party with them. She tried to tell that to Ilaria, but she just gave her a "don't get me started" look and winked, adding to that how baldly she wanted Leslie to meet Xavier.

" He went to the party when I came to pick you up." said Sergei, surrounding  Ilaria's waist with his arm and pulling her closer. "We'll meet with him there."

"Who's this Xavier you keep talking about?"

" A former colleague from the short time I've been dancing at the opera here. We didn't work much together, but he is really cool so we kept a friendly relationship."

" So he's a ballet dancer as well?" inquired Leslie.

" Yes."

" Than I can't wait to meet him!" she laughed.