Scattered

2

Pale Platinum

'What about red?'

Olivia mused aloud, following immediately with a spoonful of Ben & Jerry to drown the rising bouts of pity for herself. She had fled to her friend's apartment as an impromptu sleepover when she found Mrs. Reed waiting for her at her doorstep as she was coming back from her work. Her pride was in tatters; that would explain the strawberry ice-cream and the cheap romantic comedy running in Natasha's plasma TV. Olivia didn't tear her eyes away from the TV screen even when the said friend plopped next to her with an annoyed huff.

'Honestly, what is wrong with your platinum blonde hair? You know, people pay to have your kind of hair and here you are planning to dye it red!'

Olivia munched her cold treat in thought. Natasha would always get defensive and emotional about Olivia's hair since they were in high school together and that was one reason why it was still the colour of death.

'But Tash, look at her.' Natalya, Natasha's rouge twin called out from the rug on the floor she was laying on, 'White hair, lightest of grey eyes and pale! She looks dead.'

'Thanks, Lee.' Olivia grumbled at the unintentional verbal assault at her very delicate ego.

'No, I didn't mean it like that.' Natalya got up and crawled over to the foot of the bed on which Olivia lounged demolishing the ice cream tub. 'I meant that you should bring in more colour to your life, babe.'

Olivia sighed as she looked at Natalya's warm browns, just like that of her identical sister. Natasha and Natalya --- Tasha and Lee to avoid the inevitable switcheroo---- was Olivia's two of the most closest friends. She met these mismatched strawberry blonde twins the first time in her freshmen year and struck with them ever since. Tasha had always been the preppy diva she was, her wardrobe as well as her attitude equally bright and vivacious. Her sister Lee, however had been a committed Goth all her high school life. She was a force of nature, impulsive and a certified troublemaker; she had always been the dependable shield of protection that Olivia had enjoyed in her school. When Tasha followed Olivia to the university of science and technology to learn forensics, Lee had gone solo to art school. She now worked in a magazine as the assistant creative head, happily settled with her girlfriend Amber who worked in the same magazine.

'Liv looks fabulous and she has all the colour she'd ever need.' Tasha defended Olivia with a grunt, 'And God forbid she dye her hair black like you have done, Lee.'

Tasha had never gotten over the fact that Lee got her hair dyed raven black one fine day. It took her weeks to come around and accept that Lee liked having her hair the colour of night.

'It's not permanent, Tash.' Olivia said with a shrug, 'The temporary ones stay for like, a week maybe? I could always dye it again.'

'No!' Tasha exclaimed, 'That's where you are wrong! They damage your hair so much---'

'Enough, Tash. I think we all got the point. Let Liv do whatever she wants, okay?'

Lee intervened her sister's possible breakdown. Tasha calmed down with a sigh, sinking further into her watermelon shaped pillow as the rom-com in the TV neared its climax. Lee took a deep breath and turned to Olivia with bright eyes.

'Now, I heard you both met the Konstantinos brothers. Tell me about them.'

Olivia shook her head as she took a huge scoop of pink treat and swallowed it with confusion lacing her expression.

'What is there to tell?' She asked and Lee looked at her incredulously.

'Do you know how exclusive they are? No media or paparazzi or anyone basically mingles with them. I have heard that they are really good looking.'

Olivia chuckled, 'Oh, very. At least Keres Konstantinos is. His brother wasn't there.'

'Yeah!' Tasha jumped in enthusiastically, 'That man is a boon to all women on Earth. Those eyes, that body and that accent... that man is a total package, hun! What I don't understand is why anyone with that face wouldn't show up on TV.'

Olivia reluctantly kept her tub away. 'Well, that's about to change now. Tucker suspects that the Konstantinos brothers have got something to do with the murder. If that is true, they would end up in news.' Olivia said with a frown, her mind running over the complex pile of evidences and the mysterious man.

'I doubt it. I mean, they are super rich right? They could easily hide the case from news.' Lee's voice lowered conspirationally.

'Totally' Her twin agreed with a vigorous shake of her head.

'Too bad.' Olivia extended her fake sympathy as the movie running in the background rolled its credits.

'Now, go to bed you two!'