Pick-Up Chicks

Participants:

stella_icon.gif victor_icon.gif

Also featuring:

brenda_icon.gif

Scene Title Pick-Up Chicks
Synopsis Victor meets Stella, a probationary employee a bar, and they hit it off extremely well.
Date February 17, 2009

Old Lucy's

Old Lucy's has a vibrant and lively feel to it, from the dark wooden floors to the shady crimson walls lit up by neon lights and many times, the flashing of cameras from the oft-crowded floor. The mirror behind the bar reflects prices of various drinks, bottles lined up, as well as the entire saloon as seen from the bartenders; bolted-down stools line the other side, and there are loose tables and chairs placed all around, though many times they find themselves pushed back for more space within the center of the saloon. A few speakers are placed at strategic places and around a raised stage to the far corner from the bar. Above the counter, an obviously well-used bar is hung; it is this that the girls working will use should there be dancing, which is one reason many patrons choose to come aside from the drinks. Across the bar and near the back, there is a door that leads to the owner's office and just inside a stairwell that leads a apartment on the floor above the bar.


Stella has been humming happily to herself since Isabelle let her audition continue into the next day, hoping this was a good sign. She has been on her best behavior, making sure every customer's drink was filled, serving everyone with a smile, and keeping her mind open for any brewing hostility. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out during her time here. Brenda, the other barmaid there, flipped two bottles, one in each hand, so they spun in the air before she caught them and poured her customer's drink. Stella gave her an envious stare and vowed to master that trick soon, as she bustled around refilling drinks.

If Vic doesn't watch out he'll become a real regular here. He's already been here twice this past week, and here he is again sitting at the bar. Word's gotten around enough that he is no longer carded and no longer tries to get drinks because he is precisely one year underage. But oh well. A guy can still have a sobe.

Looking completely bored, he sits with his cheek propped on a palm propped on the bar by an elbow, watching the TV over the bar. It seems it's always sports events. The news is so depressing these days, who would want to watch that at a bar? Not that Victor Childs' thoughts are caught up in things like sports or news, or even drinks. All he really seems to have picking at him are two names. Jennifer and Gillian. Jenny and Gilly. And the fact that of those two, Jenny is dead, and Gilly might be wrapped up in that.

\Whoah, hottie alert.\ It was Brenda's thoughts that made Stella look up, locating her coworker's gaze. She couldn't help but agree, grinning to herself as she ran a hair through her curls. He had a black cloud of gloom around him, though, that was clear to anyone with eyes. Stella walks over to him, leaning in to be heard over the music. "You look like you need a drink, if you don't mind me saying so."

Belying that cloud of gloom, Vic almost immediately snaps out of it when he's spoken to. He really is rather naturally upbeat. It's just that whole situation with Jenny (her name again) that's haunting him. "Hey. Yeah. Uh…I kinda got one?" he says, holding up his sobe.

Empty sobe. Okay, so he's already killed it. When did he drink that? Oh god, is he doing things in superspeed again without realizing it? Vic rolls his eyes at himself and allows, "Okay, you got me. I need a drink." And then grins widely at Stella.

Stella gestures to the bar, where all the drinks live, "What'll it be?" She quirks an eyebrow upwards quizically, along with a corner of her mouth, that patented Stella half-smile. "If it's liquid, we've pretty much got it. Take your pick."

Golden curls fall down to chin-length, framing a heart-shaped face. Eyes the green-blue of the carribean on a sunny day are deep-set under light brows, and beneath them is a pert nose, followed by full lips made for smiling. Stella stands at about 5'6", with the lithe, athletic build of a runner.

Vic is all grins as he takes a moment to admire Stella more than casually. And it doesn't take a mind reader to see that he's happy with what he sees. "Why don't you pick for me? Seriously. I don't care so long as you bring it." It's a flirt, but at least it's a goodhearted one.

Stella does indeed notice him eyeing her, but doesn't seem in the least bothered. In fact, those turquoise eyes of hers are doing a little sweep of her own over this newcomer, and she's quite satisfied with the view. Her grin is full of flirtatious mischief, and she winks at him. "Coming right up." Brenda calls over to her as she starts pulling out bottles, "He's underage, so don't give him any of the hard stuff." Stella nods, fills a glass with ice, and begins to prepare a pina colada, humming that song about them as she does. She adds an umbrella, leaves out the rum, and brings the drink over to the man. "You seem like the kind of man who likes umbrellas in his drinks. That's my type of man," she adds boldly.

Unsurprised by the virgin nature of the pina colada, Vic nonetheless grins when one is put before him. He takes it and plucks the umbrella out, twirling it in his fingers while checking out the cute bartender some more. "Well they're useful, you know. They keep the rain out. Of your drink. So it doesn't you know…get acid rain in it…or something. Help me here."

Stella giggles as he flounders, "I'm sure that's exactly what they're for. Acid rain protection." She tried to maintain a straight face while nodding, and failed miserably. "I'm Stella," she offered, reaching out a hand towards him. "And you are?"

The hand is met and grasped in Vic's warm hand. Stella? Wow. Pretty name. "Hi Stella, I'm Vic. Thanks. I was trying to play off the song you were humming but I didn't think talking bad about just normal rain would go over, so I went with acid rain. Who likes acid rain?" And simply because she said her type of men like umbrellas in their drinks, he puts the umbrella back in his drink and has a sip of it.

Stella lets her hand linger in his for longer than is strictly necessary, not yet drawing back. "Vic, huh? Is that short for Victor? And do you know that song?" She sang a few bars of the chorus in her sweet soprano, "If you like pina coladas / and getting caught in the rain / if you're not into yoga / if you have half a brain / if you like making love at midnight / in the dunes of the Cape.."

"Yeah, Victor. Victor Childs." Since she asks, he's all too ready to give the full name. "I thought everybody knew that song." he says with a grin, unable to help thinking that he likes all the things in that song. In particular making love at midnight. Hey, he's a guy. "I like your voice."

"Victor." Stella draws out the name, rolling it around in her mouth. "I've never met a Victor before. Do you prefer Vic or Victor?" She asks with a tilt of her head, smiling at him as he compliments her voice. "Thank you. My mom sang, too.. I guess it runs in the family. I can play a little guitar, too. Do you sing? Or play any instruments?"

"I wish." replies Vic with a roll of his eyes at himself. "I can play a stereo and that's about it. And really I don't mind either one. But only my parents really call me Victor." And his sisters. Gut-twinge. Sister now, singular. "I suck at music but I'm good at other things."

Stella notices something flit across his face when he mentions only his parents calling him Victor, but doesn't probe into his mind to find out what it's about. She simply says, "Vic, then. So what are you good at, Vic?" Stella props an elbow on the bartop and leans in, grinning a tad suggestively.

Vic's grin back acknowledges that he can guess what Stella's getting at. But he just nibbles at the bait a little. "Lots of things. Just not music." He chews his lip and watches her while he takes another sip of colada. Easy to stare at this girl. "No, really? I do a lot of individual sports. Bungee jumping, parkour, stuff like that. I used to skate a lot in high school but that's kinda old. Though I'm pretty good on a snowboard when I get a chance to do that."

Stella whistles, impressed. "Bungee jumping? Wow. I've always wanted to, but I've been too scared. I mean, intellectually I understand it's safe, but.." She gives a little shudder. "Same with things like parasailing and skydiving and all. So you're an athlete then, hm? I never really had the knack for that kind of stuff. Maybe you can show me sometime." A warm smile followed these words.

"I'd love to." admits Vic, hoping he's not being too eager. Because he really would love to. Briefly he glimpses at Stella while taking another drink and tries to figure out her weight, doing a couple of rough figures in his head while he does so to figure out what kind of cord she would need to bungee jump. He's got a knack for numbers. "How long have you worked here? I haven't seen you before. New?"

Stella nods. "Brand new. Isabelle is letting me audition and if she likes what she sees, she'll hire me. I really hope she does. I just moved here from upstate - Woodstock - and I hear this place pays really well. And so far I've met some great people." She tipped her head towards Vic. "Like you."

With a grin Vic shares, "The last girl I met here ended up being very not interested. But I hope you get the job too. I'd show up more often."

"Her loss, my gain," Stella says flirtatiously, grinning lopsidedly. "Who was she, anyway?" Curiosity in her tone, she cocks her head to the side.

Vic cranes his neck to look around Stella, as if the girl in question might be behind the counter. "Abby. She works here, or did. I haven't seen her in a while. We're friends, but she's just got a lot going on in her life and I know how to take a hint."

Stella shakes her head, "I haven't met her yet. Only Isabelle and Brenda. I'm assuming you've met them. So are you from around here? Have you lived here all your life?"

"I'm from Queens, but after high school I moved away and went to USC for a year. And…" he dropped out because he sucks at school "…it didn't work out. I came back home after some family stuff happened, and…" dropped out of college again "…well, now I'm just kind of looking for a job. I may not be cut out for school." This is more typically the kind of confession a bartender hears. Vic isn't proud of any of it.

Stella purses her lips thoughtfully. "You're too young to work here, but maybe Isabelle knows someone who's hiring? She seems like the type of woman who knows what's going on pretty much everywhere, unless I'm wrong, and I'm usually not about people. I'm sure we can find you a place." There's confidence in her voice, and in her face as she smiles at him.

This is where Vic stops being too honest and starts being more or less polite. He'd really rather not work here if he can help it. "Maybe. I've got a place of my own to stay and stuff, even a room mate. It's not hard to find work if you'll do pretty much anything. But I heard you're not supposed to date coworkers and I had this crazy idea about asking you out." He takes a sip from the virgin colada while watching Stella's reaction.

Stella turns a soft pink in pleasure. "Well, you have to be 21 to serve drinks, anyway," she begins, trying to speak logically while her stomach does flip-flops. "I just meant, maybe Isabelle knows a place somewhere else that's hiring. Not here. I heard the same thing about dating co-workers, and I fully intended on saying yes. Sorry if that takes out the whole element of surprise." A corner of her mouth quirks upwards.

"I promise I'll be totally surprised." Vic says with a bigger grin than before. He shifts on his barstool, getting his cell phone out and pulling up his own number. "I can give you my number and you call me when you're off? I don't wanna get you in any trouble with your boss since you're like, still kind of interviewing or…you called it an audition." Right. "That'd kinda ruin my chances huh? If I cost you your job?"

Stella grins, pulling out her own cell and handing it to him. "Put it in there and I'll call you when I'm off. I think Brenda just assumed I was taking my break now, but Isabelle would've had my head. It'll be our little secret that I slacked just a tiny bit." She places her index finger against her lips, and nods solemnly. Brenda, overhearing this, gives a giggle and says, "I've got your back, babe."

"I can keep a secret." promises Vic easily, reflexively flashing through all the secrets he currently keeps in his mind. And there are a lot, most all of them belonging to other people. Victor himself keeps very little about himself private compared to most. He takes Stella's phone and cycles through her phonebook, finding her own number and repeating it several times in his head until it sticks, all while entering his own number into hers and having it entered under "Vic (Hot Date)".

Stella takes back her phone and slides it into her pocket, chuckling as she notices what he's entered his number as. "Do you want another pina colada before I get back to work? I'll even get you another umbrella."

Vic props his chin on his hand and watches Stella with a smile. "Yes, please." he answers.

"Coming right up." Stella puts some sway into her hips as she goes to make his drink, adding extra pineapple juice and adding some whipped cream, just because. Whipped cream /and/ an umbrella. What a super duper drink. "Ta-da!" Stella strikes a pose as she brings the drink back to Vic, sliding it over to him. "I hope you like it."

It could've been dirty tapwater and Vic would still like it. "I do." he says without even trying it, giving Stella a look that lingers. "What time do you get off again?"

Stella glances at her watch. "Bout an hour. Maybe less, if it's really slow and Brenda lets me go early. Too bad we can't speed up time.." She says wistfully.

"Talk to you then." replies Vic, not responding to the time comment. He can speed up, but not time. Then he begins to sip at the drink.


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February 17th: Priorities
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February 17th: How Stella Got Her Groove On
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