Vanity, Dreamy and I soon finished decorating the village square, and Vanity left to go get his Absolution, or Absolve, or whatever. Dreamy left to go hide from the rest of us and daydream. I went right back to my house. I checked the clock as soon as I walked through the door. 5:30. I had an hour before Hefty came over to pick me up. I looked down at my dress. It had gotten a little dirty with all the decorating and chores I had to do that day. I walked to the powder room, then pulled the powder-blue spotted curtain on the white porcelain bath tub. Handy installed this quite a while ago, it makes the water come from a spout higher up, so it's easier to wash away the impurities of the day than it would be to bathe. He called it a "shower", I think. I closed the powder blue curtains on the window not far from the tub, then stripped out of my dirty clothes. I turned a little knob on the pipes, starting the hot water. I felt the water with my hands, but quickly recoiled. MUCH too hot! I turned a second knob on the other side of the pipe, and that started the cold water. Once I'd balanced the temperature, I hung a dry towel over the shower railing and stepped inside the large bath tub. I let the warm water run down my back and through my gold hair. I splashed some of the water on my face, washing away the sweat and grime from the day's chores. I used my favorite herbal soap that Vanity found me for my smurfday to clean myself, then used a touch of fruity-smelling shampoo to wash and condition my hair. I quickly used a razor to shave my legs and underarms, then shut the water off just as it started to get cold. I took the towel down from the rack, and used it to dry off, and wrap up my hair. I took a second towel and wrapped myself in it, then cautiously stepped out onto the pastel pink rug in front of the bathtub.
Still wrapped in the towel, I walked down the hall to my bedroom, and went through my closet for something to wear. Every dress and outfit was sorted through. too small(as if there was anything there to begin with). Too plain. To bold. Too colorful. Too small. Too big. Made my hips look too big. I sighed a little. I've gone through every dress in my closet! I moaned to myself, I'll never find a good enough dress for the party!
Then, I remembered. I had ordered a dress from Tailor a while back, and he'd just finished it and delivered it yesterday. I walked to where I'd left it- on the desk, in a white bag- and opened up the packaging. It was a sleeveless scoop neckline, slit slightly in the middle of the bust-but not too much- and an open back. The midsection had a pattern of black beads curved inwards to draw attention to my thin waist and give me just the right amount of hips. The skirt part of the dress was about an inch longer than where the tip of my fingers reached on my thighs. Accompanied by black heels, small gold hoop earrings, smoky eyeshadow, red lipstick and gold bangles on my left wrist, it truly made me look dressed to kill. I checked the clock. 6:30. Hefty will be here any- There was a loud knock on the door.
I walked down the stairs, and opened the door. "Hefty!" I said, almost surprised, "You're right on time."
He looked absosmurfly dashing. His eyes that gentle shade of green, deep set, and at the same time gentle and sweet. His pants looked a little wrinkled, but at the same time neat, well-kept. Even from where I stood, I could smell his almost spicy-smelling cologne, so much so I could practically taste it. Cinnamon, or nutmeg, or some sort of strong spice. He offered me a small bunch of flowers like daffodils and lilies, with little sprigs of jasmine and sage. "Well, of course," he said, a small smile. "When one is escorting a lady, one must be on time." He held out the flowers to me. "These are for you, too."
I took the small bouquet, and smiled a thank you. "Why, they're so smurfy, Hefty!" I said, inhaling a breath of the flowery fragrances "Thank you. I'll go put these in water right now."
I walked quickly to the kitchen, and found a good vase to put the flowers in, then quickly returned to the door. "Thank you for escorting me, kind sir," I said in a 'proper' voice.
"But of course, milady," he replied, that same joking proper voice and a small bow. "A lady ought not be walking the streets alone at night. Not without a strong smurf to protect her, that is." He offered me his arm, the way a formal escort would. "Shall we join the party now, milady?"
"I suppose we should," I replied, linking my arm with his. "After all, we have absinthe to smurf, and a tantrum-smurfing smurf to face if we don't hurry."
Hefty laughed his deep laugh, and started to lead me the short distance to Vanity's well-decorated house. The party was not yet in full swing, but had plenty of lights, and loud party patrons. Hefty knocked on the door. The door soon swung open, and there was Vanity, dressed in pair of blue denim jeans, flared out a bit at the feet, and a white tee shirt, cut at a V in the neck. "Oh, my smurf, Smurfette! That dress!" he gestured to me and my dress, "You look smurfed to KILL!"
"Don't give her any ideas, the night's not over yet!" Hefty joked a little.
Vanity laughed. "She would, too." He winked at me jokingly. "Come in, we were just about to open up the absinthe!"
I was a little bit… Nervous… Going inside… As soon as Vanity mentioned absinthe, I had this odd sense of foreboding… Like… something was going to happen… But, one smile from Hefty, and that thought was quickly pushed aside. Vanity uncorked a bottle, filled with green liquid. Is that it? Is that the absinthe? Vanity poured us all a small glass's worth that couldn'tve been bigger than my hand. He passed two of them to me and Hefty, then clinked our glasses. "To first tries." Vanity said, a knowing smile.
He and Hefty raised the glasses to their lips and quickly downed the contents. I swirled the little glass around a little and nervously drank the green liquid.
As soon as the alcohol sank in… I wanted more. Second, third, fourth shots slid down my throat. And Hefty's as well. Even after a few drinks, he carried himself so well… so handsome… what was it about this lighting that made him look so handsome? Whatever it was, it made me want to be closer to him… and the strange thing was… he seemed to want to be closer to me, too… So I let him be…
The music slowed down… He took me by the hand, and led me out to the dance floor… all the others around us… they all seemed to melt away… all I could see was me and him… those eyes… he could stare right into my soul… it made my heart pound in my chest… This moment… this very moment… it feels so right… "You look absosmurfly stunning tonight, by the way." He whispered in my ear.
"Thank you…" I slurred a little, resting my forehead against his shoulder. "You look pretty smurfy yourself."
"Thanks." His voice was a little hard to understand, between how much absinthe had passed our lips.
It was quiet between us for a moment or two. The music seemed to fade away. It was just me and him in the room, in this moment… I wouldn'tve traded it for the world… Then he spoke the words that changed my life.
"I love you, Smurfette…"
I was stunned by the words. "W… what…?"
Hefty used one hand to tilt my face up to his. "I love you, Smurfette… I've always loved you… Ever since I found you that day in the forest…" He whispered, alcohol heavy on his breath.
I wasn't sure what to say, at first. Then the alcohol in my system spoke for me. "Hefty…. I've always loved you too…" I couldn't believe these words were really coming from ME. "I wasn't sure what you'd say… That's why I never said anything…"
He smiled an almost loopy smile, and sloppily kissed me on the lips, making the entire world seem to fall away, melt into nothing again. Once he broke the kiss, I wiped excess saliva on my hand, and rested my head against his heart, listening to it beat at a fast pace. "I wish this night never ever had to end." I whispered to him, pressing myself closer to him.
"Who said it had to?" Hefty whispered back, huskily.
From that point on, my memories of the rest of the night were sketchy at best… I remember a lot of heat. A lot of movement. A lot of yelling. And a lot of passion, too. But of course, the morning right after, my head hurt the second my eyes flickered open. I jammed them back shut. Mumbling about morning sun, I snuggled back under the covers. It's so cold…. But this pillow next to me is awfully warm and smurfy…these red blankets must be-! I stopped my thoughts. Wait a second… I don't have red blankets on my bed… I don't even OWN red blankets!
I looked down at myself, only to panic a bit. I was completely unclothed. Nude. In the buff. Naked. Stark naked even. Drawing a quick but quiet breath, I poked my head out from under the covers and looked around. Posters of circus acts and pin-up fairies line the neutral beige-painted wall. This isn't my house! I panicked internally, Why am I naked?! Where am I?!
I heard this noise from behind me... something mixing a yawn, a mumble and a groan. Slowly, I turned to face whatever being brought me here. The blue figure had his back turned to me, I couldn't tell who it was. The figure uttered another yawn-mumble-groan, and rolled over. That's when I recognized him. Hefty. Asleep right next to me. As naked as naked comes. I recoiled in shock, nearly landing right off the bed. I'm guessing I might've nudged him or something, because his eyes started to flicker. I quickly used a portion of the sheets to cover myself up while I scanned the room, looking for my clothes. Hefty seemed to have a similar reaction to mine. He stared at me for half a second, then stared at himself. Surprised more than anything, he looked up at me. "Oh smurf…. Did we…? Y'know…. Smurf…? Last night…?" he murmured.
"I don't remember." I replied, honestly. "But I'm pretty sure we did..."
"Oh smurf…" Hefty replied, again more shocked than anything else. "I… I just ruined our whole friendship, didn't I?"
I shook my head. "I don't think so," I replied, "if I remember right, we smurfed a few good words beforehand." I smiled at him a little.
He thought for a moment, then blushed even deeper than he was before. "Ohh… you mean where I said 'I love you'…. Then when you said it back…" he smiled a little, that almost seductive half-smile he has…"Made me the happiest smurf on this blue earth."
I felt my cheeks flush redder, and I smiled back at him. He put a hand on my shoulder, rubbing gently with his thumb and forefinger. I took his hand, and moved it down so it was next to him. "Hefty… I have to go get dressed." I told him, keeping my smile.
I took the sheet with me so I'd have some cover in case his roommate and best friend, Handy, was home, and started looking for my clothes. Hefty wrapped his lower half in a towel he got out of a laundry basket, and followed me. "Y'know… We can always be a little late to breakfast, if you know what I mean." He said, arching his eyebrow.
I shook my head and laughed a little bit. "Hefty… If we're late to breakfast the others will suspect something… And I sort of want to keep this all under smurfs for right now. Just in case I'd hurt somesmurf's feelings right now." I replied. "It's not that I don't want to. BELIEVE me, it's not that. I'm just thinking we should play it safe."
He nodded in understanding, then went back into his room to go get clothes so he could get dressed. I had already found my dress on the floor of Hefty's room. I left my jewelry on his nightstand. One of my shoes was tossed under a dresser, and the other was in the doorway. My underwear was tangled up in the blankets and sheets. What an odd night that was, I reflected, then yawned loudly. I'm so tired!
Once I was dressed again, I combed through my hair with my fingers in a mirror so it didn't look like day-after hair. Hefty came out of the bathroom he had been changing in, and smiled at me. "So then… are you HAPPY last night happened?" he asked, putting a hand on the nape of my neck. "Are we a thing?"
I paused for a moment. Then looked up at him and nuzzled him a little. "Hefty… We're EVERYTHING." I replied.
He smiled, then kissed me on the lips again, much cleaner and less sloppy than before. Even after the kiss was broken, I rested my head against his strong, firm chest, listening to his heart beat. This feels right…
The sound of footsteps shook me from the spell Hefty seemed to hold over me. "Hey, Hefty, have you seen my-!" I looked up, only to see Handy.
He was dressed in his normal denim overalls, a grease stain on the chest, and smaller oil smudges on his cheeks and arms. He stood with his hand on his hip, a large wrench in the other as he leant against the door opening. "Oh, this is too rich." He smirked.
"Handy!" Hefty tensed up, shaking a fist at him. "If you tell anyone, I swear, I'll-!"
"Hey, hey, calm down, Hef." Handy said, rolling his eyes. "I won't tell anyone. Really." He started out the door. "At least not without snapping pictures first!"
Handy ran out to go find his picture-smurfer. Hefty was about to go after him when out of seemingly nowhere, there was a loud sound of ringing. "You should go change." Hefty whispered, stroking my hair a little. "Sneak out the back; nosmurf ever goes that way."
"Okay." I replied, not moving my head from his chest. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay." He spoke back, kissing me on the forehead. "Now go, I'll meet up with you later."
I slipped out the back exit of the house, and made a mad dash for my house. I changed out of my red dress and washed off some of my make-up, I took out my earrings, then ran a comb through my hair, and dashed back out the door. I ran back to the mess hall, finding an open seat next to Vanity, who was simply admiring himself as he ate. "Hi, Vanity," I said. "Great party last night."
Vanity looked up from his mirror, and yawned. "Hello, Smurfette," He said, then stretched his arms. "OOOOOH smurf, I am TIRED."
I sat down at the seat and stretched a little, listening to the little pops and cracks that come with the morning. "You're telling me." I agreed. "I need coffee."
I never drink coffee. It smurfs up my stomach, and the way Greedy brews it, it's much too bitter. "You? Need coffee?" Vanity looked up at me.
"After the morning I've had." I admitted.
"What was so unsmurfy about it anyways?" Vanity went back to admiring and preening himself. "You came in late… oversleep?"
I shook my head. "Not exactly."
"Oh?" Vanity looked up at me and arched an eyebrow, "care to elaborate then?"
I felt my cheeks flush deeply. "Well… um…. Uh…" I stumbled with my words and started playing with my fingers a little. "I… I woke up this morning…."
"Yesss….?" Vanity nodded, "And…?"
"And… I… I was in Hefty's bed…"
Vanity's eyes widened a little bit. Well… a LOT really. "OH…." He said, plainly. "Well—ehm… Is this a good thing?"
"I… I…" I said, hesitantly, then nodded my head. "Yes. I think it was a very good thing."
"Oh, well then congratulations, Dearie." He smiled, patting me on the back. "It's about time, really. I thought you two would NEVER get together!"
I felt my cheeks blush even hotter. "Thanks… but would you mind keeping it between us…?" I said, "I kind of don't want it to get out right now. You know, with the whole… 'every-smurf-in-love-with-me' thing, I don't really want to hurt anysmurf's feelings…"
He nodded a little and patted me on the back a little. "Of course. Smurf's the word." He said, "Just remember, it'll come out eventually. You can't sneak around forever."
"I'll figure it out eventually, Vanity." I said, finally starting to cut into my pancake. "Who knows, maybe it'll just—come to me."
Little did I know JUST how it would come to me. Or just HOW SOON...
