Hope and Sue: Haircuts and Handbags

[x-invisiblegirl.livejournal.com]

Sue and Hope head into the city for the trip to the promised hair salon.


"This feels weird," Sue noted flicking her newly curled hair out of her face. My hair feels...bigger. More poofy," she grinned wryly at hope before glancing down at her image in the reflective table. "I've gotta admit, Francois was right. It does look cute."

"It truly does." Hope noted with a smile. "They might not even recognize you when we arrive back at the school." She smiled again, as she quickly glanced at her own reflection in the table.

"I don't look that different do I?" Sue inquired, she had asked Francois to change up her hairstyle but she wasn't looking for a complete makeover, at least not right now. "So you like your new haircut then do you?" she asked Hope, a smile playing across her lips.

"Not really from the front, but from the back you will appear quite different." Hope easily clarified as she eyed herself once more in the table. "And yes, I do like it. I just hope the sun will come out a little more or otherwise it will not be that noticeable."

"Oh I dunno, we could always get you one of those glowing scarves," Sue teased with a smile, "I think something that glows neon green or pink might suit you." The blonde took a sip of her tea before she glanced over at Hope, "If you'd gone for something a little less subtle then you wouldn't be so reliant on light." she pointed out.

"Layers and a few highlights might be subtle, but I have found they can often be just as efficient as bold and sweeping statements." Hope gestured to Sue's hair. "Though bold and sweeping carry a message all of their own."

"There isn't much in this world that is as effective as a bold statement," Sue objected. "subtle has it's place it it can't really be as effective since it is forced to make smaller gestures." The teenager nodded at a couple who were walking in, "Opening a door doesn't have the same effect as flowers and chocolate, or hiring an entire orchestra to serenade someone."

"Hiring an orchestra to serenade someone can also send them running for the hills. I think I would." Hope commented thoughtfully. "I remember one of my mother's friend going to see a certain physician and her bold and sweeping change certainly send people running into the hills. Though your hair is no where near as bold as that state was.... I think you might have found the chocolate and flowers balance."

"I think it'd be romantic," Sue disagreed. "A grand romantic gesture, it would make you feel special that someone was willing to do that for you; even if you were running for the hills," she smiled inclining her head at Hope. "Hold on, you're comparing me changing me hairstyle to someone getting plastic surgery? I mean you're right, this is a good balance for wanting to change something, but seriously?"

"There is something said for some things being too much. I would wonder what he is trying to hide by making such a grand gesture. Is he trying to divert my attention away from something he desires for me not to see?" Hope tried to clarify her position a little more. "And I was talking about change to ones appearance in general. Plastic surgery was just an example of something that can often be too bold. Along with the fact it's nearly impossible to change it back.With ones hair people can make nice statements without possibly damaging themselves for live."

"You have a very suspicious mind, you know that right?" Sue teased, "Sometimes a grand romantic gesture is just that, simply cause they want to do it. Oh sometimes people will do it cause they wanna hide something sure, but there have to be the few diamonds who'll do it just because." Sue sighed, "It's still a pretty dramatic comparison to make Hope, can't argue with you though, you can do a lot with the right hairstyle and clothes, and you can always change it to suit your mood. Something that surgery can't do."

"Don't tell me you haven't encountered the people in social circles who love to make a big production of being all 'nice', but whom then tear you down behind closed doors, usually by what almost amounts to slander?" Hope raised an eyebrow at Sue.

"I've seen them around," Sue confirmed, "The kinda people who try to ingratiate themselves by picking on people." The blonde shrugged, "Mostly people try to boost themselves by being obsequious and trying to hitch their wagon to someone else's star in the kinda parties I go to."

"And I bet they paint other who try to do the same with tar as black as possible." Hope replied glumly.

"Yeah, they do," Sue shrugged, "It's a dog eat dog world out there and they'd happily stab each other in the back if they thought it'd help." the blonde smiled wryly, "Almost everyone would."

"Doesn't mean one has to enjoy that fact." Hope grumbled back. She took a deep breath though, clearing the thunderclouds from her face. "Sorry about that."

"No," Sue agreed, "But we have to learn to live with it if you wanna get anywhere in the world. Besides you don't have to think about it today, we're supposed to be out here relaxing, not worrying about what people say about one another at parties. It's not really conducive to a good mood."

"You are right." Hope agreed easily and banished the last remains of the thunderclouds of her face. "I do have to admit... Françoise is a true master of his art. I need to add his salon to my list. How did you manage to find his though? His salon is not the most... obvious place for a girl our age to go."

"My grandma introduced us a while ago, she said that if she couldn't always be here then at least she'd make sure that my hair always looked good." Sue told Hope with a smile.

"Your grandmother sounds like a smart woman. Like someone I would enjoy meeting sometimes." Hope said with a smile. "But... is it me or is the waitress taking a very long time here?"

"You have plans to rush of somewhere?" Sue questioned returning Hope's smile, "weren't we just talking about sitting back and relaxing? Besides, she's still probably all confused by your coffee order."

"Truly Sue, the order was not that complex. It should not take that long. Besides, those sandwiches on the menu look very tempting." She picked up the menu and studied it a little closer. "What do you think?"

"I was leaning more towards a salad myself," Sue shrugged, "It's pretty hard to go wrong with a plate of raw vegetables and a piece of grilled chicken. Not that it couldn't be done I'm sure but it'd take some pretty impressive skill of it's own to mess that up."

"The salads look quite good as well." Hope commented, shifting her gaze to that part of the menu. "Oh, this one has slightly spicy marinated chicken and nuts. That sounds like a nice variation to the grilled chicken."

"Well it's always good to try something new" Sue acknowledged, "In food and fashion, you never know when you"ll stumble across something you'll like. Or be tempted to try something more adventurous next time." The blonde grinned at Hope, "like maybe bright red highlights next time?"

"Perhaps I first should see how I like this before I start making plans for yet another new look. I think food is a slightly easier area to be adventurous in." Hope eyed the menu one more time. "I am going for the spicy chicken salad, I think." She put the menu to the side, looking around again for the waitress.

"I wonder when Maddie and Tandy are going resurface." Hope commented idly.

"Maddie? Tandy? Who are these people you speak off? I don't remember anyone with those names," Sue replied with a laugh.

"Let's add Billy to the list well. They almost seem to live at the high school at the moment." Hope teased back. "Even Clint has gotten snared."

"It is only a few weeks to the play," Sue pointed out, "I'm surprised we actually see them at all."

"True. I am assuming the rehearsals will only get more intense." Hope turned far away for a moment. "I remember preparing for some of my recitals. In the end it sometimes seemed like rehearsing was all I did."

Sue shrugged, "I've never really experienced that, but then I could spend all day playing around in a lab even if I didn't have a looming deadline," she informed Hope with a smile, "Who knows, with spring break coming up maybe they'll get the chance to take a breather between practices."

"I am surprised they did not get you in their clutches for the play." Hope teased.

"I'm not the artistic one here," Sue pointed out with a grin, "I'm happy to just sit in the audience and cheer the others on. I'm kinda surprised you're not at the school ripping things up with the orchestra there," she said remembering their first meeting.

Hope's gaze dropped to her hands. "I believe there were already enough violinists at the school to fill the necessary spaces in the orchestra. Besides, practice has fallen a little to the wayside this year."

"It has been a pretty busy year," Sue agreed, "But you can't let that stop you from doing stuff you enjoy otherwise you'll never get a chance to get back to it." The blonde grinned at Hope, "Besides, you're better than any of those violinists at the school. They'd be lucky to have you."

"Oh, it's not that I don't practice at all. It's just that there have also been other things that I enjoy and that I wish to do. Things I never quite had the chance to do much when I lived at home. It is more like I have to find a balance between those things." Hope explained.

"So it's just a case of you spreading your wings while you're in New York then?" Sue asked as a grin blossomed onto her face, "Awww, our little Hope's growing up so fast."

"Just a little." A faint blush covered Hope's cheeks. "I am finding that I... I am finding that I have opportunities here that did not have back home."

"That's why we go to school," Sue noted seriously, "especially a boarding school like ours. Gives you a chance to spread your wings and break free of your parents plans." she winked at Hope, "Or so they tell me. Seems I'm headed down the same path as dear old dad."

"Xavier's does seem to be a place where there is space to discover whom you really are." Hope commented neutrally.

"Even if it's not quite what you thought you'd be," Sue noted wryly, raising her hand to indicate to the waitress that they were ready to order.