Side Thread -- Ivan and Whisper

Whisper picked her espresso up from the counter and walked over sitting down in the chair that Ivan had pushed out for her. She leaned her chin gingerly on one hand and regarded the boy from lowered lids. The corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile. He was pretty handsome and something about him gave her the impression that he would prove to be very interesting. "So whats your name?" she asked with a small half smile. She lifted her espresso to her mouth and took a swig.

He rattled out a seven name long moniker, the name his mother and father has settled on when they'd been unable to settle on which parents' names to exclude, then smiled broadly and said simply, "Ivan. And you're Whisper. I've seen you."

The way he said it, with a slight uplift of one end of his mouth could have been interpreted as I've been watching for you. She was ... was what? He couldn't settle on a word for her. Cute, beautiful, sexy, exotic ... erotic? They all had their short comings. Interesting was a word used often to describe girls who were a bit different, as she was, than much of The Real World crowd -- which he still wasn't sure she considered her part of.

But interesting had some negative ... connotations? He thought that was the word. No, he would never call her interesting. He didn't know what to call her. One thing he would consider calling her was back to bed.

He smiled broadly at the thought, causing her to give him a questioning expression.

"I dont know wether to be intruiged or disturbed, but call me Wisp." she said with a small smile. She took another drink of espresso analyzing him from beneath her mussy bangs. Though she wouldnt admit it she had noticed him around on the rare nights that she entered the night club. As much as Wisp enjoyed her time here she didnt see herself as a part of the Real World crowd. She was to much if a loner for that. "So what is it that you do here Ivan. And dont try to say you work here at SJ, 'cause I work here." Wisp said with a small smile.

Ivan laughed at her statement that she worked there, then -- realizing that he'd inadvertently made it sound like why would anyone work here? -- he quickly added, "Too wow ... I never, I mean ... you know, I never -- have never -- seen you here, is what I was trying to ..."

He realized he was stumbling all over his words and only saw one of two things resulting from this: she was either going to think he was an idiot, or she was going to think he was a rude idiot.

Quickly, he asked, "Wanna go out?"

Wisp raised an eyebrow and tried to repress a laugh. She took a deep draught of her espresso. She waited a few moment pondering the question he had just asked her. She tipped her head to the side swirling what was left of her coffee in her cup.

"You're an idiot. But sure why not." she said.

Wisp stood and drained the rest of her coffee. She pushed her hood back off of her head and tossed the cup watching it sink into the bin perfectly. Turning back she smiled at Ivan.

"Well come on then." she said with a light laugh.

"You're an idiot," she said, quickly adding, "but sure why not."

Ivan laughed, surprised at her forwardness, then blushed when he realized she'd said yes.

As she walked away to deal with her cup, he watched her closely and wondered why she should interest him so much. By the time she returned to him, he'd realized what it was: she was real, and she wanted to be with him because he was real ... or so he assumed. He wasn't after her money or a night in a comfortable hotel room; and she wasn't after his service between the sheets or any of a number of other less than socially unacceptable services he provided when asked.

"Well come on then." she said with a light laugh.

He stood, sucking down the cocoa rich last drink of his mocha, asking, "Whatcha wanna do. Name it. I've got a couple extra bucks from-- I gotta a couple of extra bucks."

He smiled, hoping she didn't know anything about his money making habits. He had an opportunity here to spend some time with a real girl; he didn't need his past getting in the way of a future with Wisp, whether it be an future as long as lunch, a film, a clothing-less weekend, or what ever.

"I think I should be asking you that." she said her eyes smiling. "I dont know much about this place other than work and the club."

She turned her eyes on him and looked up at the skies. She enjoyed spending time with Ivan. He undoubtably had his secrets, like everyine here seemed to... But he seemed more down to earth than most of the men she had met here. He was a classic guy and got nervous at the simplest things which Wisp found impossibly attractive. As far as she was concerned, as long as she got to hang out with him, she was sure whatever they did would be fun.
"So where do you reccomend we go." she said peering at him from under her dark bangs "You're the one who asked me out."

"Lunch," he answered gesturing her toward the sidewalk cafe's exit. He pulled out his cash -- he'd exchanged the hundreds for smaller bills, enjoying the look of having a thick wad for the first time in months -- and ripped off a ten, flashing it at the barista and tossing it upon the table. "I know it's early, but I'm hungry."

They headed out onto the sidewalk and -- laying his hands on her hips in a soft though too-familiar way considering they'd just met -- he turned her the other direction, saying, "Let's go to Vegas. They don't have a show, of course, but they're serving lunch until five. And I know the Manager."