Who: Fleur and AJ When: This weekend Where: Some fancy restaurant What: A Charity event Warnings/Ratings: Low Status: Complete when posted
Fleur brushed a curl out of her face as she looked out over the assembled crowd. It was another good showing. As a professional dancer, with international recognition, she was expected to be at these black tie events and to mingle. Truth was she didn't mind in the least. She was beautiful and she loved the chance to dress up. Not to mention she came from money and made plenty of her own. It was her chance to give back to the programs that had helped her so much.
"Do you come to these things often?" Fleur asked in her accented English as she gave the man next to her a charming smile. He was someone she wasn't sure she had seen before.
"Merci beaucoup," Fleur said as she lifted a champagne flute the waiter offered her. "It always amazes me the wide array of people that come to these things." They weren't as stuffy as people thought they were.
Anthony wasn't really ever the charitable sort, per se, but he understand the necessity of such functions. He had money, and a certain social standing, and being new to the OC it would do well to get some networking in. He was quietly sipping his own champagne when he was interrupted by a young woman.
"I do," he replied, accent sounding English with maybe a touch of Welsh. "Though this is my first one here. I admit, the Yanks sure know how to throw a party."
Fleur sipped her champagne a moment, the bubbles feeling a bit unpleasant as they slid down her throat. It was far from her normal preference but it was the thing to do at these type of functions even if she wasn’t technically old enough. “More extravagant the better too in their eyes.” The European parties were more refined though.
“Nothing quite like at home but I think I like their idea of a party too.”
He laughed, then extended his hand.
"Anthony Crowley, recent UK import. A pleasure to meet you."
“Fleur Delacour, French expat, though I was hardly there. I spent more time in Russia and London with the Royal Ballet.” She told him easily as she shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Here on business or...” Sure it was a nosy type question but Fleur was a curious type of person.
Ah, France. Anthony had always liked France. The southern bits, anyway.
“I’ve just moved from London. My husband quite likes the ballet, maybe I’ve seen you and don’t even remember.” He laughed, then shrugged. “Business. I suppose so. My firm’s opened their first West Coast branch and I guess you could say I’m here as a representative of good will.”
“Only if you went to the Academy’s performances,” at the time she had been too young to be a full performer so she had been limited to performing with their ballet school or as a fill in for the Corps when another dancer got injured. “The Royal Ballet is marvelous though I am glad he enjoyed it.”
Fleur nodded and refrained from asking what kind of business. Even her curiosity knew some bounds. “Should I be congratulating you or offering my condolences?” Not everyone wanted to get up and move to California she was finding out. Fleur angled her body slightly toward her conversation partner as she talked hoping the bartender that been hitting on her all night would get the point, she wasn’t interested.
“I think it’s wonderful out here. Don’t get me wrong, London will always be my home, but I like the way Americans do things. They have a certain level for opulence that I have to admire.” Anthony laughed. “And the weather’s a vast improvement.”
"Nothing will ever be quite home," Fleur had to agree with that. "But you are right the Americans do have their own way."
"Do you miss home? I find sometimes I do long to go to France but it is nice to have beach weather all year."
“I don’t, not really. I think my better half does, but he’s an old soul. He likes a quieter lifestyle than I do.” He sipped his champagne with a light shrug. “What does a ballerina do here, if you don’t mind my asking. I would have assumed the east coast was more the place for dancers.”
Fleur gave him one of her easier smiles surprised he had picked up on her living choice. Most didn't even realize the oddity of it, especially a ballerina with Fleur's resume. "Trying to get away from the ballet life or the more internationally know places. It's only glamorous to outsiders." It was actually pretty grueling.
"Or maybe I was just trying to get back at my parents. I have danced ten hours a day since I was seven. So when I turned eighteen last year I went as far as I could go. To a place with no dance but I missed it so I joined a lower key place. The money is nearly as good without the same level of stress."
“Smart girl,” he said, looking amused over his glass. “That’s the way to do it, really. Take charge of your life when you’re young otherwise you might never do. Cheers to that, then.”
Fleur had to laugh softly. “They sure did not think so but I thought it was rather magnificent at the time. Still do somedays when I realized all the things I have gotten to do.” Simple things like take a college class in a real school instead of online or even be able to do something like eat ice cream guilt free.
“So come to these things often? I find I like to people watch and talk to random strangers,” she told him with a bit of a smirk.
“If I’m going to be honest, it’s not really my sort of scene, as they say,” Anthony admitted. “I certainly don’t mind them, but I can’t say I go often. I hope you don’t think me a bad person for saying that,” he added, laughing.
Fleur shook her head, "Non, it is not for everyone. I am immune because I have been coming to these things almost my entire life. My parents are big social people and now I have to do it for work."
"If you were smart you would run away while you still can before the big boss comes around and hits you up for money."
He laughed. He liked her, he decided, she had a sense of humour not unlike his own.
“Well, in that case,” Anthony said, drinking the rest of his champagne, “I think I’ll go hide out on the other side of the room for a moment before I can make my hasty escape.”