Participants:
| Scene Title | Just Tonight |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Raquelle works on making Nicole look fabulous for the evening's gala. And her ailing self-esteem. |
| Date | September 24, 2010 |
Tranquil and Fabulous wrapped up in warm and inviting colors and the sleek lines of Japanese architecture…Cambria Salon and Day Spa is a fashionable paradise. Dark almost black wood paneling has been used through out the salon, fresh flowers are found in glass vases and exchanged with flower shaped candles every day at 4 PM. There is a different theme for just about every day of the week, but nothing set in stone. There are 8 or so individual work stations with leaf shaped mirrors and comfortable chairs. There are a couple of private rooms for waxing, facials and massages and the like including a private station and office for the owner. The reception area is designed for comfort with the black seats and couches, glass coffee tables and glass/wood reception desk. Over all the salon is edgy and sleek, it is Cambria Salon and Day Spa.
It's been a while since Nicole's actually gone to a salon. A nail parlour, sure. Despite having the cash to actually treat herself well when she decides to do something for herself, she's still prone to strip mall manicures. Today is different. Feeling rather haggard and like she was punched in the gut yesterday, she actually made an appointment at Cambria for the morning. For the works.
Nicole is actually dressed comfortably today in a pair of faded skinny jeans with black chucks and an off-white tee shirt with the words 'NEW YORK CITY' screened in black, blocky letters. She drops an empty paper cup that once held coffee into a trash bin in the reception area. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, the woman seems wide awake and alert as she takes in the salon and its decor with an appreciative nod.
Raquelle comes out of his office, tying on his black little apron/toolbelt like thing as he tucks his various tools into the appropriate pockets. He wears a pair of fitted black jeans, docs with green laces and a green and black stripped fitted t-shirt under a black blazer, his fedora has a band of green around it as he chuckles softly as he approaches the front desk.
He scans his appointment list, scribbling something on the clipboard before his eyes fall on Nicole and he quirks an eyebrow. "Hey early riser, how can we help you today honey?"
"Ah, I'm Nicole Nichols," she offers with a smile and an outstretched hand. "I'm hoping to get a manicure, pedicure, some colour and maybe a cut." Somewhat self-consciously, she brings one hand up to fluff at her shoulder-length hair. "Maybe I could use a facial, too."
A huff of air puffs out her cheeks before blowing past her lips. "I've got this thing tonight, and I'm… kind of wanting to turn heads." Nicole's smile is sheepish, and hopeful. "And I heard you guys here are the experts."
Raquelle gives Nicole a quick once over, laughing softly and giving a small nod. "Okay honey. Mani-pedi…" He writes things down as he goes. "Color and cut…facial…" He continues to write things down, turning to see who's in the Salon for work and then back to Nicole, smiling. "Okay honey, we'll have you all primped and fabulous before you leave. Don't worry." He crooks a finger to the woman and turns smoothly to head towards a chair.
"What type of thing you goin' to darling? It sounds like a big deal."
Nicole seems to relax visibly at the assurance that she'll be primped and fabulous. She follows Raquelle to the indicated chair and has a seat, shoulders slumping faintly. "I'm going to the big grand opening at d'Sarthe's. It's a big charity thing, too." She frowns, "And the guy I like is going to be there with this pretty young blonde and I just have to look better than she will.
"Or I'll just die." It isn't like Nicole to be so wound up over something like this, but chalk it up to stress making every little thing seem so much bigger and worse than it should be lately. She rolls her eyes at herself and offers a quick smile to Raquelle. "I never care about this stuff. I just put on a little black dress and go. But she's cute, and I feel threatened and I'm being ridiculous."
Raquelle rests a hand on his hip and just gives Nicole a look and a roll of his eyes. "Oh honey you can't get fabulous and primped just to beat another girl, honey then you'll always feel like you're being competed with." He sighs and points to the seat. "Go on and have a seat, let me see who's gonna do your facial today baby."
As he studies his clipboard he worries his bottom lip. "You are a real pretty woman, you have nothing to worry about but I'll do my best to give you a killer hair style honey, just for your own self confidence, which obviously you need a lot more of." A pause. "Unless the man you like isn't actually your man and he's with the pretty young blonde and you just want to steal him away…then we're entering high school or soap opera territory and wheeew boy, that's always an interesting one."
"Lord, no." Nicole even finds herself surprisingly candid this morning. Something about talking to someone who doesn't know the situation first-hand makes it easier to talk about. "He's in my bed, not hers. And I want to keep it that way is all." Sinking back into the chair, she tips her head back and kind of looks toward the ceiling. "He is just so gorgeous and it would be a lot of fun to make him double-take tonight. Then I can cross be a pretty princess off my bucket list."
Her shoulders come up in a shrug. "And I've been dying to put blue streaks in my hair for ages. My little sister will freak." The thought draws a grin from Nicole.
Raquelle quirks an eyebrow and adjusts his hat, smiling softly and offering the woman the book of potential dye colors, listening and tilting his head to the side as he runs his fingers through the woman's hair testing the weight, length, texture and such. "So you want a punky fab look then? Subtle blue highlights and a hint of a curl to give it a wave and body?"
He sighs as he listens and just smirks gently. "You know, in Japan they call those type of women…ahh, I think the direct translation is concubine. Or whore. I mean if he'll sleep with you but prefers the other as arm candy…maybe you don't need to be after a man like that baby. You're better than that."
"You could be right," Nicole reasons, peering through the colour choices. Unsurprisingly, she points to an electric blue. "I'm thinking that one. And maybe something kind of piece-y? I don't wanna go too short with it. My mother had short hair, and I look enough like her these days as it is."
A thoughtful frown is given to her reflection, trying to picture what Raquelle is suggesting for her. "You know, a bit of curl would be different. Let's do it." Nicole smiles and nods her head in approval of the idea. "I mean, he's my friend first and foremost. I just like when he pays attention to me, too. I haven't had much luck with men in my life." Which is probably the understatement of the millennium. "Logan is a very nice change of pace right now."
"Piece-y?" Raquelle's nose wrinkles as he takes a deep breath. "Your wish is my command…but I'll still try to make it blend best I can, you don't want to look like a muppet." He chuckles softly, slipping on some gloves and starts to mix together some dyes as he listens and then he almost drops the dye bowl, eyebrows shooting up. "Uuuh, your asshole of a Logan friend isn't like real metrosexual, well dressed and…polished is he?" He asks carefully.
"I haven't done anything with my hair for like three years, so seriously use your best judgement," Nicole laughs. "Just make me look amazing however you think that would best be achieved." She taps her foot anxiously on the rest at the bottom of the chair, blinking with confusion when Raquelle nearly drops his mixing bowl. "Yeah, that sounds like Logan. Likes animal prints, wears shoes that cost almost as much as the monthly payment on my condo." If not more.
"Three years? Heavens honey, how can you not do anything with your hair for three years?" Raquelle tuts as he clears his throat and continues mixing, lashes fluttering. "…and you honestly want that man to pay attention to you? I have no idea how women work but I hate to see them get themselves hurt." He sighs and shakes his head slowly, setting the bowl aside and draping a purple cape around her shoulders.
"He's nice to me," Nicole says defensively. Although, really what she means is that he perhaps isn't as cruel to her as he may be others. "When he smiles at me… Well, my heart doesn't quite flutter, but something flutters. I'm not in love. And neither is he." She sometimes wonder if he even has the capacity to love, but only when she's feeling surly. "You've seen him. He's good looking. He'll make some woman a great trophy husband someday." Likely an older woman with money he won't have to work hard to earn.
Raquelle pinches the bridge of his nose before starting to get to work with the foils and so on and so forth, using the brush delicately and carefully. He stays quiet for a few moments. "Ahh, so you just want to screw him." He just ahhs softly and gives a small chuckle. "Very well baby, I doubt anybody would marry him but hey. Whatever rocks your boat, I'm just a hairstylist."
"I would sure never marry him," Nicole agrees with a rueful smirk. "Just for one night, I want to be the person he can't take his eyes off. Then he can go back to being the centre of his universe." The woman sits up straight and lets her eyes close, a contented expression coming over her features. "Just tonight."
"Mmhm…" Raquelle sucks his teeth sympathetically but he continues his work and spaces out the streaks but he knows what he's doing which is a good thing, finishing up and taking a few steps away. "We'll let it sit for a lil' while, then get it all washed and rinsed and get to the cut and styling, okay baby?" He flashes a smile before sighing and turning away to start cleaning up his mixing bowl and the dye mess.
"Oh, I'm excited." And Nicole isn't talking about the gala tonight. Her dark blue eyes open and peer at the spacing and amount of foils in her hair, her smile brightening. "It's funny, though. My little sister seems to think he and I would be a smart match. She's kind of… naive about some things." And way too worldly when it comes to others. "I don't even know what's going on with her love life, but I'm pretty sure she's dating two different girls and they're cool with that." What is this world coming to? her expression asks.
Nicole is offered her choice of bottle of water or cup of coffee by another attendant who kneels down to ask if she can examine her feet to prepare for the pedicure. Raquelle listens intently, head tilting to the side. He just looks thoughtful, folding his arms over his chest and leaning against a work station as his eyebrows raise from time to time and he finally laughs softly and shakes his head. "There's no smart match for people like Logan unless they were cloned." He winks. "Your sister's into girls though? You should feel a bit better then, no chance of her stealing any of your men after you rope them in tonight with your new sexy hair."
"That's true," Nicole reasons. "I think she wants to set me up with one of her friends, though. Which feels very weird." Her nails are in good shape, thankfully. She obviously keeps up on manicures and pedicures. Just not her hair. "I mean, getting set up on dates by my little sister. I just know she's going to set me up with someone her age and make me look like a cradle robber."
Raquelle smirks and shakes his head. "Is she like 16 or something honey? If so then oh dear, that would be awkward. If they are 18 or older and hot and respectful and all around good and fun and yummy? Then you have no room to bitch." He winks and points towards the sink. "C'mon, lets get you washed up honey, if you're going to be a cougar, don't want your streaks to run."
Nicole laughs and raises from her seat so she can move to one by a sink. "A cougar. Maybe I should just be wearing a tracksuit to the event tonight." She pulls a face as she tips her head back into the sink. "On second thought, I should never wear a tracksuit." Ever.
Raquelle gets his towels and his shampoos and all the other stuff he needs, setting up his station and turning his attention to the process of removing foils and leaning the woman back juuuust right and then getting to washing and rinsing…he's a professional after all. "What are you planning on wearing then? Something sleek?"
"I have this dress that I bought on a whim a while back," Nicole muses, tugging her lower lip between her teeth for a moment as she visualises the garment in question. "I haven't found an excuse to wear it yet. It's this floor-length grey thing with a halter top, open back, and it's a snake skin pattern." Her eyes open to look for an approval or veto in Raquelle's expression.
Raquelle gives neither a 'yay' or an 'ew' he focuses on letting his fingers massage Nicole's scalp. He does just offer a small smile. "Close your eyes so I don't get anything in your eyes." He suggests, doing one rinse and then doing another wash. "Grey is still in fashion aye, how low is it cut up front?"
Nicole obediently shuts her eyes again, a emitting a small sigh of contentment with the way Raquelle's fingers work over her scalp. She should do this more often. "It's low enough to be flattering, but not so low that I'm going to worry about falling out of it if I move wrong." One hands comes up to kind of draw the line over her tee shirt to demonstrate.
"Ahh, you have everything worked out then. You know the image you want to present, your hair will make a statement and then the complete package should be very interesting." Raquelle smiles and wraps a towel around Nicole's head and points to his chair. "Head back to my chair honey, I need to go get a curling iron and some more oil."
One hand comes up to hold the towel around her hair as she heads back to the other chair. Nicole resists the urge to unwrap it and peer at the new colour. She can wait another couple minutes for that. "I make my living thinking ahead," she says of having everything worked out. She doesn't feel like she's been very good at thinking ahead, or having things figured out recently. That worry only shows briefly on her face. She shoves it down and allows the excitement of a new look replace it.
Raquelle tousles the hair with the towel, removing the towel and starting to comb through it as he hmms softly. "I make my living thinking about the moment, funny how folks are different like that isn't it?" He grins and continues working, narrowing his eyes as he starts snipping off dead-ends and measuring the length and all the fun stuff. "What do you do for a living anyways?"
Nicole looks a little nervous as the snipping starts, but she knows it's a necessary evil if she wants her hair to look good. "I'm an executive assistant. Sometimes just in business, but I do a lot of work in politics, too. I double majored in poli-sci and philosophy. I've been told that means I'm a little weird." She smirks at that.
"Hunh, interesting." Raquelle works on touching up the layers, emphasizing the streaks before beginning to work on the actual styling, there's drying…there's curling iron…etc all while he talks. "I've always thought of politics as poly-tics, many blood sucking bugs." He grimaces. "But not all of it just a lot of it, sucking me dry." He makes sucking noises and winks. "Business woman, good choice."
"Oh, you aren't wrong," Nicole chuckles. "There's a lot of blood sucking bastards in politics. It's knowing how to wrangle them and still make a difference in the world that's the tricky part." And so far she's only met with mild success in that department. Success that's been undone by some of those very blood suckers. "Business is the safer route, for sure. I enjoy them both, though. Politics is fast-paced. Keeps me engaged. I don't have time to worry about myself when I'm working on a campaign." Which is both a good and a bad thing, all things considered. It may make sense as to how she could go three years without a haircut now.
"Mmhmm baby…" Raquelle mmhms and nods, tsking from time to time as he listens but mostly concentrating on the hair style. "You want an up-do or it just around your shoulders and so on?" He asks distractedly, taking out a few bobby pins and taking a step back to carefully arranging the curls, licking his lips thoughtfully.
Nicole hmms. "Up, I think. With a few curls down?" She twirls a finger in the air by the side of her face to demonstrate where they might frame. "I've got this tiara that I think I could wear tonight…" She grins. "God, it looks fabulous. I'm pretty sure this counts as a miraculous work."
Raquelle laughs softly and gives a small nod. "I'll do some up work, put some crystal beaded bobby pins in there to spruce it up for you." He agree. "Then go on ahead with Tina, she'll handle your mani-pedi, okie dokie?"
Nicole smiles and turns her head slightly so she can actually peer up at the hairdresser, rather than just looking at him through the mirror. "Thank you. You've been really great.
"I promise I'll be back in here sooner than three years."