Inspiration [closed]

[greatstuffing]

Tom had the wind taken out of his sails that day. He was normally a relaxed guy with an easy smile, the kind of casual confidence that made people feel comfortable around him, and a simple but elegant style in his casual jackets and smart corduroys that would have discrete designer labels.
Today he was down and it was easy to tell from his manner. He walked down the Kings Road without the usual swagger he affected on the busy London streets, more of a trudge today and he barely picked up his loafers.
He flopped into the diner and into a seat. He'd probably chosen it sub-consciously for the female waiting staff in their him hemmed skirts, but even when he ran a hand through his shaggy mop of light hair he hardly looked up and barely noticed them.

He laid both his phones on the table next to his black leather holdall and flipped through the pages of a well-thumbed Sports Illustrated, occasionally turning it sideways and squinting at some tiny detail.
"Coffee." He answered the waitress with a half-hearted smile that was his attempt to remain polite despite his mood.

 

[BlackTeen]

- Only a coffee? You probably don't know we got the best waffles in town, mister.

The waitress said this with a smile, a broad, gentle, genuine and inviting smile. The kind of real profound smile a waitress has in her first days, before having too many hands on her skirt, before having too many rude remarks with explicit content, before she had encountered all the sarcastic and never-happy customers. Sophia, that was the name on her badge, was probably around 20, a tall, slender and thin girl with a pale skin, long brown ahir that was almost red and could be like a burning fire depending on the where the sun shone. Her blue eyes flickered and sparkled. And there were a few freckles across her nose that gave her a certain charm.
She was standing next to the customer table, pen and paper in hand to write down his order, looking down at him.

- Tell me what you like on your waffles...

 

[greatstuffing]

An eyebrow quirked in reply, on someone else it might have looked like annoyance but on Tom it looked like amusement crossed with the mildest irritability.
"Waffles? Yeah sure, why not."
He had a twang to his British accent that was faint and hard to place. Someone with an ear for it might have said American, someone with real talent would have recognised it was California and a little bit of Vancouver.
Tom looked at the woman for the first time, her youthful charm seemed undamaged by cynicism though and he decided he would think of her as more of a girl. Even though she was probably only five or six years younger than him, she did not have his worldliness or experience. World-weariness it was today, he reminded himself.

He was used to being around the most beautiful (and petulant women) in the world so he barely gave most women a glance, but something in her manner, her honest welcoming made him hold her gaze, and he regarded her in return, honestly and openly. She was beautiful he decided quickly, probably a university student paying her way, waiting for the first big downer on her life to make her jaded and cynical like everyone else. She would make a nice wife for a lawyer or banker one day he thought, and hated himself instantly for what his work had done to his outlook on life.

"Sophia, I like maple syrup and blue berries. Or butterscotch and ice cream. But that's what happens when you spend too long abroad, it's not usually what you get in London. Why don't you tell me what you like, I'll have that."

 

[BlackTeen]

She smiled back at him...

- Well we have that, but...

And she leaned towards him, like to tell him a secret. Her way of coming closer than the usual customer-waitress distance, was genuine. There seemed to be nothing willingly seducing in the way she moved closer to his ear. This way, some of her little hairs went almost tickling his ear, and her perfume sent fresh vanilla flavor.

- if youa sk for my advice, I'd say strawberry syrup and vanilla ice cream. Mixing the heat and cold give it a really terrible feeling. And the fruity taste makes it perfect. That's my favourite.

She stood straight again with a little smile.

- Of course, I'm a natural strawberry fan from many years, so I'm not really objective for this choice. So strawberry it is?

Without waiting for his answer, Sophia turned her back to him and walked with a soft swaying of her hips towards the kitchen. Flat shoes because of the long hours of work, but her legs were just slender and perfect that way.

 

[greatstuffing]

"I would have guessed you wre a strawberry girl," Tom winked and agreed, though Sophia had hardly waited for his reply, and he enjoyed the sudden rush of blood to his groin that she had caused with her sensual flirtation. His trousers quickly became uncomfortable and he could not help but watch her leave from behind, enjoying every movement.
When she had left, he chuckled. She was a sexually thrilling creature and while she did not have the classic looks of a fashion model he could easily see himself working with her. But he could also see them - probably mutually - seducing each other and he thought how delightful Sophia would be between his sheets. He had a dilemma, business or pleasure?
His business was not great at that moment, she was unlikely to save it, so he was ready to plump for the latter and enjoy himself to improve his mood.

But then his phone rang. He was wary as he answered it, cooly distant with the person on the other end. He kept throwing backward glances to the kitchen, distracted. Then he suddenly exclaimed, "Wow!" and his voice sounded elated as the discussion continued.

 

[BlackTeen]

A couple of minutes later, Sophia came back with a plate. On it, waffles arranged in the discussed way. On her other hand, a coffee. She leaned over the table to put them in front of the man. He seemed to have a great and important phone call. She smiled at him, and stood back.
Sophia walked to the next table, where a man in a suit had just seated. he began by complaining he had waited so long and that this place should take more care of its customers. She kept her genuine smile, trying to calm him down and asking for his order. "You gonna bring me apple pie and coffe, sexy girl." His eyes were like those of a predator on a prey, already undressing her in his mind.

 

[greatstuffing]

He was startled when the plate appeared, so intent was he on the phone call and so lost in his other world, but he lowered the phone to his shoulder and gave her his full attention.
His eye were wide as he took in the plate and then he beamed at the pretty face looking down at him. He had those perfect white American teeth and broad lips that blended with his light, even tan. His mouth looked straight and small but his smile was lop-sided. It was as though one half of his face was gleeful and childlike while the other remained more controlled.

His light brows raised on his broad forehead, almost hiding under his floppy fringe and his bright blue eyes looked thoughtfully at Sophia. He mouthed "Thank you" and held her gaze for a moment before returning to his call.

Tom watched her bustle about while he took a pad and a silver tipped pen so he could write notes, with his phone wedged between the yellow stubble of his cheek and his shoulder.
He was nodding and writing when he heard something that made him scowl.
Without looking up he said loudly, "Her name is Sophia." in a matter-of-fact way with a hand over the phone. He looked up briefly and told the other customer, "She has a badge." as though that explained everything.

 

[BlackTeen]

The man in the suit turned towards the waffle-customer. He seemed angry at first. But the other guy's assurance, self-confidence and attitude seemed to be enough. He stood up and walked out in the street.
Sophia sighed and came back to the waffle-customer, who still had his phoine at his ear, with a hand on it, and she smiled. She made a little bit of a curtsey, a very greaceful move, and she mouthed a nice "thank you" with her full pink lips.

 

[greatstuffing]

Tom watched the other guy leave, then rolled his eyes and said "Twat."

It was probably the best outcome in a situation that was unavoidably aggressive, but he still felt slighty bad that the café would lose out, even if it seemed to be doing well enough.

He looked over to Sophia and felt his heart throb at her undeniably cute curtsey just as he put his phone down. Then he laughed a gentle chuckle and said, "Well I'm glad that wasn't your best customer... Or your boyfriend!"

Then he stood with a smooth movement, coming to stand in front of her without a shred of hesitation.
"Tom." he said and held out a rough hand, tanned a shade darker than his face. His fingernails were so neat that they might have been manicured. He wore a thick chain of a dark grey-silver on the wrist.
"You put together some mean strawberries Sophia, will you share with me?"

Tom gestured back to his table.

 

[BlackTeen]

"Well I'm glad that wasn't your best customer... Or your boyfriend!"

Sophia giggle, blushign abit and looking sideways.

- No mister, dont' be afraid, I never seen him before. it was very nice of you to say this, I'm not supposed to react, my boss said.

She looked down at his hand, nice, firm, tanned, and slid her own thin pale hand to shake them together lightly.

- nice to meet you.

"You put together some mean strawberries Sophia, will you share with me?"

She blushed more, enlightening her pale complexion and her freckles, looking down, visibly a bit embarassed.

- Well, I'm working mister. If my boss sees this, ... it won't be good for me. Please sit down and finish these, I have some other customers to attend to.

And she turned her back to him instantly, closing her eyes an instant and taking a deep breath. This seemed so strange, so... there was kind of a fairy tale in this, like in os many movies where the future lovers meet in a very ordinary place, this way. She chuckled and told herself how idiot she was.

And Sophia moved to another table, wher a very noisy family had seated themselves and were going to make a huge order.

 

[greatstuffing]

Tom's heart was pounding, he couldn't remember the last time a girl had made him feel like that, it was scary but amazing, exhilarating too.
He was a man who would seize a moment, but for once he hesitated. He wanted to seize this chance to win this incredible woman and show her a different life, but that was the old fashioned romantic in him. That could be a disaster he could not risk. His heart was telling him that he must have her as a lover and though he couldn't admit it, his agency didn't want to lose the fantastic model she could be as well.

In fact, Tom was determined to have her as both, and that would require patience.

He sat down and ate his waffles, staring off into space. His careful business plans blended with fantasies and his emotions whirled. Halfway through he opened his bag and took out an instant camera which quickly produced a print of him comically enjoying his food. Then he finished and approached the counter with it.

As he paid, he handed the photo to Sophia, his number written on the back.
"Let's swap?" he requested, pointing the camera at her but waiting for her permission.

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia hesitated for a second. She froze, wondering if she had to give her number to a stranger. A nice handsome gentle and caring stranger, but still a stranger.

She smiled, agreed with a move of her head, and... just at the moment he took the picture, she darted her tongue at the camera with a broad smile, in a comical way. She then took his picture and wrote her own on the pic that had just been printed. She wondered if that was a right thing to do. Mum would not agree... not at all.

- Hey Sophia, screamed a fat man from the kitchen. You believe these plates are going to walk alone to the tables?

She smiled at Tom again... "got to work, Tom", and she turned back towards the kitchen, apologyzing to the fat man.

 

[greatstuffing]

Tom touched her arm as she went to turn away.
"Let's get dinner some time. You can let someone wait on you for a change." he winked and waving the newly exposed photo like a fan, he left.

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia ended her shift later than she should have... as usual... And all under the screams of her boss.
She took her badge off, put her coat on and moved out in the grey streets, walking towards home... Towards mum and 3 younger brothers. Leaving a job to meet other responsiblities. She had already given up on her studies in order to provide her family with the needed incomes of a regular job, because her mother's ones weren't enough since dad had left... And she wondered if she was giving up on something else too, on a life, on meetings, on people, on discovering the world. Oh she would love to travel, to meet people, to entertain her curious mind. But reality was there : one mum and 3 bros that she loved more than anything else, and she had to provide the money...

 

[greatstuffing]

Tom left feeling light on his feet and carefree. He could not believe the day had started.so badly with one big piece of work in Milan being cancelled. After a succession of blows like that over the last year he was fearing he would have to downsize his agency again, there would hardly be anything left of the business he had built.
But now he had the phonecall telling him he had won the contract with the airline tourism office he had been after, and that meant a deal with their resort chain as well. He was elated.and.busy planning how to exceed all of the expectations.

He got back to the office late, exhausted from a day of meetings with fashion directors. In his east London studio, an old converted stable with a wooden loft, he handed the business cards he had collected to his assistant Beth, along with some magazines with notes.
He was about to take the stairs up when he felt the last item in his pocket, the photo of his beautiful waitress. He smiled at it and the.memory, surprised how quickly he had forgotten it, and gave it to Beth as well.
"This lady will make a fine subject for the new shoot!" he beamed and Beth responded with an arched eye brow.
"I'll have to school her and manage her properly of course. We must get her." he spoke.more seriously and professionally.

---
The phone rang and rang until it was finally answered. The woman's voice was proper, classy andand also a little sultry in a dangerous yet alluring way.
"I hope it is not inconvenient to call." she began, but did not wait for an answer.
"I am requested to invite Ms. Sophia for an audition at the Paris & Hallbrook studio, for the Precious Model Agency. We can of course pay your expenses and will compensate you for your time if you are unsuccessful. How is Saturday at 1pm?"

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia gasped.
She asked if this was a joke.
She called her freind's names, sure this was one of them.
She finally dig p on the internet the number that was on her cellphone : "Paris & Hallbrook studio".
She giggled, trembled, tried to find words.

- But... where... when... how? Well...

She was thinking quickly. her schedule.. No job on Saturday before 5pm. But she was supposed to take care of Barry, the eldest one of her brothers (4 years younger than her although). but that wouldn't be a problem. he could take care of himself for a moment, or she may probably take him with and let him in the waiting room. An audition? For a modelling agency? What the hell? And how did they knew about her ? her number?

- Oh yes madam, yes I'll be there. I'll take the train, no problem..

She was going to hang down the phone but...

- Oh madam, please... how did you get this phone number?

 

[greatstuffing]

"You were recommended to us by Mr. Paris. I understood he had discussed the matter with you. Regardless, please ensure you bring proof of your age and eligibility to work in the UK. Will would prefer a copy of your passport now, we will certainly need one at some stage to acquire your visas for travel."
Beth continued to sound slightly snooty and suspicious, but a conscientious professional, she did her job well.

 

[BlackTeen]

- OK, thank you.

Sophia put her phone down and sighed. What that hell was this? A joke? Some candid camera or something? Anyway, she would go. But being prepared just in case. But if it was true, then... well, she would have to be at her best...


*******


Saturday...
Sophia had agreed with a friend that she would take care of Barry for the afternoon. That was one thing solved.
She then get to her clothes. She put some lacy underwear, nice pinky stuff, delicate, soft and thin, something which outlines won't do marks thorugh clothes, but that could be a pleasant little sight in the birth of a cleavage. She chose a little blue top, with short sleeves, tight. And along a knee-long white sirt. Little heels filled the whoe thing. A bit of makeup and she was ready.
Sophia took public transportation to the adress mentionned. She had planned it well to make sure to be in time. She even had time to drink a soda before 1pm. Tehn, 5 minutes before 1, she entered the place and went ot the reception desk.

 

[greatstuffing]

The studio had kept the low ceilings and the dark oak beams of the old stable, and it made the most of them, letting little alcoves and recesses hang in shadow to give them depth, while the open areas were clean modern and well-lit.

Next to the reception desk was a sitting area with large sofas and a long wooden table decorated carefully with magazines. There was an open fireplace with a large stone mantle where a small gas flame burned in front of a large sheepskin rug.

The woman at the desk was in her thirties, meticulously coiffured blonde hair and a string of pearls, strong boned face and handsome womanly features. Her bust was large but heavily confined under a ruffled shirt and crimson jacket, and her tight black pencil skirt clung to her powerful buttocks, revealing dark tights and extremely expensive shoes. Everything about her said "firm", and when she spoke it was the voice on the phone, not to be trifled with.
She nodded positively in approval at something Sophia had done right, probably arriving on time.
"Ms. Sophia, welcome. I will give you some forms, if you take a seat while you fill those out I will let them know you are here."

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia was baffled bythe place. It was so ... exquisite... so big... so impressive.

She thanked the woman and took the forms. Compared to the woman at the desk, she was feeling so childish, so freaky, so "out of society standards". Wow. Sophia went to the sofas, sat cross-legged on one and began filling in the forms, wondering about what all this meant.
With one eye, she was looking for the recording devices or something. Wasn't someody makng fun of her?

 

[greatstuffing]

With the forms completed, Beth took them from Sophia and introduced herself as "Ms. Hendricks, but you can call me Beth." although she said it in an attempt at a motherly way, it was with the barest smile that said it was the only favour she was willing to grant.

Despite having seen the completed forms, including surname, she indicated the stairs and said sweetly, "Please join us upstairs Ms. Sophia" and then followed across the wood with the knock knock knock of her high-priced heels on the wood.

Up the spiral stairs the loft overlooked the downstairs and Sophia could see a small kitchen and watercooler on the other side of the receptipn desk. The loft was wide open with wooden floors and the dark thatching of the roof overhead, except for two large screens set up.
One large thick white sheet was laid on the floor in a rough square, with two poles hing with lamps all pointed at a big white screen. Several coloured sheets hung over the back, ready to be added to change the screen background.

There where three brown leather chairs near the top of the stairs, and opposite was a large wooden screen hinged in three places so it had folds. It formed a rough line sectioning a quarter of the space and there was a bright very white light behind it as well as some voices.
"Would you like a drink Ms. Sophia?" Beth asked indulgently.

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia took her time looking around, discovering the place. She almost rumbled and falled once or twice because she was paying too much attention to her environnement. This all seemed less and less a joke. It was all too big for that.

"Would you like a drink Ms. Sophia?"

- Oh, hm, yes Ms Hendricks. A diet soda please.

And as the woman turned to bring her the drink.

- And who did you say it was that give you my phone number?

 

[greatstuffing]

Beth's statuesque form was a perfect hourglass from behind, not a wrinkle or hair out of place. She turned back briefly, the eyebrow arched again but this time Sophia thought those big red pouty lips had the hint of a mischievous smirk.
"Why, Mr. Paris did, my dear." she answered and she gestured dramatically to the partition where two people were talking.
"Mr. Paris?" she called, with her eyes locked on Sophia, "Your one p.m. is ready for you."

Then she turned sharply and tock-tock-tocked down the stairs.

The conversation stopped for a moment. Then a few final words were exchanged while Sophia stood there alone.

Tom appeared with a bright smile, he was wearing white linen trousers and suede loafers with a tight pink t-shirt. His tan looked a touch darker but only because of his light clothes.
His face fell, he looked horrified, and he stuttered. Then he smiled uncertainly, "So-Sophia..."

 

[BlackTeen]

Sophia's jaw dropped. And her eyes widened... Tom... he was... How did he do this?

- Well, hm, hello Tom.

She tried to look stern...

- What's this all about? You never told me why you were asking for my number? How did you manage to lureme into this? YOu should have asked and...

Her voice was fading as her mind was racing too fast. The situation was really strange.

 

[greatstuffing]

Tom looked down and his face grew angry for a moment, "Beth..." he growled through gritted teeth.
He mastered himself and.looked up, a weary but concerned expression showed Sophia he understand her own shock.

He gestured to a leather armchair and sat down after her, leaning forward over his knees.
"I am so sorry, there was a confusion and... this happened too fast, I wanted to talk to you properly. I... wanted to take you to dinner..."
Tom's thoughts were speeding past, trying to get ahead of his tongue. He was feeling scared.he was going to lose her altogether, but he was discplined enough.to pull himself together.
"I think you would make an amazing model, but is not my decision whether you should do that or not... And not anyone else's! I wanted to get to know you first, then maybe see if it was something you were interested in later, much later..."

He sat back in the chair to relax and be less intense. "There's no pressure today. I just hope you understand that, and give me a chance to do this the right way."