2017.04.12: Beach Born Prospects

Beach Born Prospects
Tavia gets a job offer
IC Date	April 12th, 2017
IC Time	Night
Players	Tavia, Elle (Patty)
Location	Surfer's Cove

Elle is in a hole. A hole? Yes a hole. Apparently there was a rather round hole three-feet deep-ish with a fishing pole sticking out of it. An ugly-looking Dodge Van was sitting with it's lights on, pointing toward the hole and blaring loud shockabilly. Elle is dressed no warmer, cut-off jeans and flannel shirt tied exposing her midriff, laying back on a beach towel at the bottom with the fishing pole stuck at her feet.

Having come down to the beach for another time of reflection and thought-processing, but it's hard to ignore the Dodge van that was parked on the beach with it's lights on. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a sneaking suspicion she knew who this was. Once more, curiosity draws her near, the music and soft sand concealing her approach, at least to any normal individual. Tavia lingers near the van first, peeking in through a window before coming 'round to gaze down into the hole. Yep. It was the same woman as before.

"Hey!" She says, having to shout a bit in order to be heard over the music. She smiles down at Elle. "You know, you have better luck catching fish at dusk and dawn. Better feeding times!"

Elle snorts and removes the sun hat from her face, smacking her lips. She had apparently fallen asleep, waiting. A bleary-eyed look was given to her, as if she were annoyed someone had bugged her nap, but seeing who it was she grinned and waved sleepily, "Oooooh.. it's you. What time is it?" She stretches and moves, stand all down her legs from where it had collected on the towel. "...fish...oh yeah fishing. I got bored waiting, so I just took a nap."

Tavia pulls her phone out from her jacket pocket. For a brief moment, her face is luminated by a blue-ish glow. "It's twenty-three thirty." she says, then tucks the phone back where it had come. Tavia then sits on the edge of the hole, only sticking her feet in. "You hang out here often?" She asks, wonderingly.

Elle stands and dusts off her rather long gams, sand flying everywhere, then shakes out her way hair, pulling it into a ponytail, "Here? Sure.. It's nice and freeing, you know? Run all you want, surf.. I don't surf, but I could, I guess.. I like being a beach bum. Nothing like this in Spokane." She cants her head, "What the fuck is a twenty-three thirty? You in the army, doll?" She walks over to the edge of the sloping hole.

Squinting her eyes and putting her hands up defensively from the dirt, Tavia holds back a laugh, though the smile is evident. She listens, but then she actually does laugh at the last question. "Eleven thirty." She corrects herself, then shakes her head. "No, but my father was."

Elle rears back, and with a bit of effort and sliding runs up the side of the hole, kick sand back into it as she stumbles forward toward the van. Standing in the headlights, she turns and flips her hair over her shoulder, "So I was catchin' fish.. well catchin' Zs, so what's your excuse?

Tavia puts her hands behind herself so she can lean back, glancing up and eying Elle in the van's headlights. "I've always liked the beach." She says, looking about for a moment, as if remembering that's where she was. "I've always enjoyed being outside. A good place to think, away from distraction."

Elle shrugs at that, "I dunno, it can get a little dull. Fishing is.. CRAP!" She zooms past Tavia and leaps for the pole as it flies out of the sand and into the ocean. Her leap is short and it's gone, shaking her head, "Eh screw it. I never fished in my life, this is probably a bust."

"Life needs variety." Tavia says, then gasps as the pole is yanked away. Elle's attempt to grab it was quite the sight. With a big grin as Elle comes up empty handed and comments exasperatedly, Tavia gets back up to her feet and steps over to stand beside Elle, gazing out into the water. "You probably shouldn't have had the reel locked..."

Elle frowns, "Well what the hell?? What do I know about fishing? Not much fishing in the suburbs." She dusts her chest off, glancing at Tavia again with a smile, "...you sure you didn't come out here to see me?"

"Should I have?" She asks, playing along a bit. "I thought I needed alone time to think, away from the sounds of the city." She then answers, a bit more honestly. "But finding you here is not unpleasant."

Elle smiles, "Well that's not so bad then. You work a 9-to-5? I used to skip out on work and run to the beach, but had to quit when the boss caught me one day." She reaches in and turns down the tunes, shutting off the lights and leaving them in the dark.

"Well, not really a set schedule. I have classes at UCP, and I work random hours at the bank." She says, her gaze trying to keep track of Elle as her eyes try to adjust to the darkness. "Not exactly my dream job."

Elle is just a silhouette and eyes now, moving around and leaning against the van as their eyes adjust to each other. "Any good with cars?" Her tone was odd, but she continued, crossing her arms over her chest, "We can always use people who are good with blowtorches and wrenches. Even need people who can drive 'em for us to our client after they drop 'em off."

"You're offering me a job?" Tavia asks, somewhat surprised. "I... well..." She trails off as she considers things. "I have no idea what goes on under the hood. But driving one is easy enough." The cadence of how she spoke suggested there was perhaps something more to her driving ability.

Elle smirks, "Well.. it's not like a job at Enterprise." Her face was illuminated by the light of her zippo, taking a deep pull from a Camel before letting it curl from her lips. "You'd have to be paid in cash and all that. No taxes, but no payin' Social Security." The cherry of her cigarette smouldered and glowed.

Tavia steps closer and leans her back against the van, the smell of Elle's cigarette bringing back strong memories, though she didn't share them. "Doesn't sound so bad." She puts her hands in her jacket pockets, then leans her head back and gazes up at the stars above. "Would be nice... you sure about me? I could be a terrible employee. You don't know me." She smiles over at Elle.

Elle shrugs, "All that's needed is a passport, a lead foot and tight lips." She glances over at Tavia a moment and gave her the once over, "It's just an option. I know the whole daily grind bullshit was killing me, so I decided to take an opportunity. Weeell, it found me and insisted, but.." She shrugs, "You got my card still, right? It's just an option."

Nodding, Tavia recalls the card and where she had left it on her night stand. "Yeah, I still got it." Picking a foot up and placing it against the van, her knee jutting out at an angle. She then leans forward to peer at Elle's face. "You own the place?" She asks.

Elle nods casually, taking a drag, "It took a while to earn the bread to start the place. Pat's my middle name. Eleanor Patricia." Her hazels dart over to her, "Don't call me Patricia." She then let's the smoke escape her nose like a dragon, "...Everybody's gotta make a living, right?"

Tavia shrugs. "Yeah, I suppose. It's no small feat to start a business and run it. Impressive, really. That takes tenacity." She smiles at Elle. "I don't know if I could do that." She admits.

Elle is solemn for a moment. She takes a drag, then offers it to Tavia, "You'd be surprised what you can do when life goes.. south." She seems to change her tune a bit though, and chuckles to herself, "But what is there to complain about? It's California, beautiful beaches, beautiful women.." She watches Tavia.

Tavia's only reaction to Elle's words is a cryptic half-smile, then a nod. Taking the offered cigarette, puts it to her lips and takes a slow drag. Practiced. She opens her mouth and lets the smoke dance around a moment before she pushes it out and gives the cigarette back. Finally she says "Anyone can be beautiful, if you know how to look."

Elle's look turned into a glare for a moment, her demeanor turning sour, "...yeah, well. About that." She takes another drag and then lets it all out in a puff, "Pretty takes money too, and what's the fuckin' point of that, anyways? ..it's a waste." She stubs the cigarette out on her shoe, then tosses the stub into the hole, "Know what I mean?" Elle beeps and she glares down at her phone, pulling it from her rather ample chest and checks the number. "...Speaking of pretty useless.. I better get going."

Tavia obviously struck a nerve with her words. Curiously, she couldn't help but ask. "No... I don't know what you mean...?" but she trails off as Elle begins to escape. "Is something wrong?"

Tavia pushes off the van and stands there, looking somewhat perplexed.

Elle gives her a discerning look, then adds, "..dude, there's always something wrong in the world. We're just playin' catch-up. If you mean now, though, yeah. Had a no-show for a while, and now they're popping up in my life again. Bad pennies I guess." She circles around to the drivers side and hops in, forgetting her towel and hat, "Remember my offer, chick. It stands firm."

Tavia continues to stand there, chewing the inside of her cheek. She simply nods, then gives a halfhearted wave. "Ah... alright. Good-bye, then.",,