The lucky new member of staff {open}

[Reece Turner]

The door swung open to reveal the darkened interior of the dance floor, which had long tables and matching wooden barstools. It was saturday morning and the night before had been incredibly busy as it usually was a friday night. It wasn't that early mind you, since Reece had got home at half past five. He was grateful for the fact that his first interview was closer to lunch time then to breakfast time.

Reece reached in and flicked the switch for the automated shutters before grabbing a stick from the other side of the door to go and open the high widows at the right side of the dancefloor, hooking and flicking them open. Once that was done, to let in the air and out the scent of human sweat, he moved over to the side bar area to behind the bar where he flicked on the coffee machine. God only knew, he could do with one having only slept five hours.

He plopped his bag on the side of the bar and pulled out a file with most of the applications he'd recieved when he'd announced that he needed a new bar tender. The coffee machine finished his coffee and he moved himself over to a shorter table in the corner of the bar area which was usually reserved for spectators and he sat himself down there and read through his applications, particularly the one of the applicant who was about to come threw his door.

One a mild shadow fell across the floor by the entrance, his eyes flicked up to see the person who'd come in.
"Oh hey there. You're early. Never a bad trait to have. "
Reece got to his feet and moved over to the door, holding out his hand to the applicant.
"I'm Reece. Welcome to 'I Love Salsa'."

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

Take a dance lesson. That's what her therapist had suggested to her. How could someone like Emmy even possibly survive in a dance studio? Lord knew that it was probably dripping with sweat and germs and how often were those bars even cleaned? She took dance lessons as a child with her sisters and she'd always been good. Something she now attributed to the element of water she had such a close connection with now. She moved gracefully and was build gracefully. Emmy was tall and slender with long legs and long lines. She had a beautiful figure. But it all went to waste the second she started developing her O.C.D. tendencies.

But alas, she was ready to try and tackle her problems and dancing was something she did as a child that her therapist thought could help her now. Baby steps. So here she was early on a Saturday morning knocking on the doors of the dance studio she'd walked past so many times but never dared to go in.

She was happy it was early, part of her hoped that no one would be there and fate would just prove that she wasn't meant to be there. She walked up to the building and tried the door. It was open. Damn. She took a careful step inside. "Hello?" She called hardly over a whisper. Oh well guess no ones here. She was turning on her feet to leave when she heard the voice of another swooping in to prove her otherwise.

"Oh hi!" She said putting on a charming smile and then carefully went to shake his hand in return. "I'm Emmanuelle LaBeau... uhm.. what am i early for?" She asked stupidly. She wanted to kick herself in the pants the moment after it came out of her mouth. She hoped she wasn't intruding.

[Reece Turner]

Reece was surprised at the strikingly beautiful girl in front of him. God. If he had to judge on looks alone, she'd have scored the job right then and there. A tight little outfit on her slim little form, high heels and her hair tied up into a tight pony tail and she'd be the perfect eye candy for the STRAIGHT men that came here to watch the girls sway their little forms against their male dance partner's bodies. Reece tilted his head at the careful hand shake. She'd barely touched his hand and so gingerly as well as if she was scared he might grab and never let go.

Reece frowned when she asked what she was early for.
"Emmanuelle... Emmanuelle..."
Reece moved over to the table where he sat and leaned over flipping through the applications and finding no Emmanuelle. Reece believed in fate though so his blue eyes flicked up to the girl by the door before he staightened up.

"I'm doing interviews today, for a part time job behind my bar. How old are you cause going on looks you'd be fantastic..."
Reece picked up his cup and moved back over to her standing a few inches away from her and sipping at his coffee while he waited for an answer. She looked about 21ish. He bet that she'd be easy to move as well. So lithe and slim. She'd also look killer in heels. His eyes skimmed her body before he realized he was checking her out and he cleared his throat and glanced into his cup instead.

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

Emmy hadn't even noticed that it was a bar. She smiled, she'd only been in a bar a couple times and that was back at home. Here people tended to card more and she was only 18. On the times that she had been to bars though she'd had a good time once she was drunk enough to forget about her phobias.

She watched as the male flipped through the applications. She hoped she wasn't steeling someones place but at the same time there was something about this boy that made her not care at all. Perhaps it was his striking blue eyes or the fact that he was the boss that made her particularly interested. She wondered what it'd be like to kiss him. If he'd be the type of guy to wait it out or kiss her right then and there if he had the chance. First kisses did tell so much about a person after all. But there she was getting ahead of herself again.

"I am actually looking for a job." She told him. It wasn't completely untrue. She did need a job but she hadn't been looking until right that second and judging by the looks of this place it could use a hand like hers. It was clean. But she could bet there were some pesky germs hiding in the cracks and corners and she'd be able to make this place sparkle. Not to mention picking up some skills in making drinks and possibly dancing? It'd be a great gig.

But her age... her age... she wasn't old enough to drink she knew that much but her sister Chantal had her bartending license at 18. Her eyes went to the floor hoping that she wouldn't blow it but she wasn't one for lying. She didn't do well caught in lies and she was too anal to be able to keep them. In the south it wasn't a problem. But maybe that was just in Georgia. "I'm 18..." she said her blue eyes peering back up at him. She gave him a pretty smile. "But I'm a fast learner."

[Reece Turner]

Reece raised an eyebrow at the fact that she required a job and then flashed her a warm smile before nodding softly. Perfect. He slowly turned his upper body to glance over at the table where the book of applicantions stood open then slowly turned his attention back to the blond.
"That's fantastic. I'm glad. You seem perfect for the possition anyway."
If he'd known she was thinking about kissing her, he'd have been way more leanient with his compliments but right now, he was quite content with her looks.

Her personality wasn't so bad either and the way she dropped her eyes when he asked about her age made him smirk a little but at the same time he felt a little hint of disappointment in case she was about to say sixteen or something alone those lines. Then she said 18 and his fist balled by his side. To keep from whooping like an idiot, he lifted his coffee to his lips and took another sip.
"I'll have to test that theory."
He commented in response to the quick learner part.

Reece slipped past her and closed the door before taking her hand again and heading toward the bar with her.
"Do you salsa? We have a policy here in the bar that makes us all friendly to our clientelle. If I call you when someone doesn't have a partner I'll need you to help fill in with us. Don't worry if you can't. I'll teach you everything you need to know."

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

She let out a breath when her age didn't seem to turn him off to her. She guessed that like back home, Vermont's serving age wasn't 21 and that thrilled her. She longed for thrills and excitement and at this school despite the dynamic group of students she often found herself bored out of her whits. She preferred the company of an older crowed anyway. Now uninterested in the drama that came along with high school. She couldn't care less who was dating who or who was bringing whom to the dance.

He moved past her swiftly with the agility of a cat. She wondered if he was a mutant too. Perhaps he had something animistic or water like her. She liked to think that mutants with water related abilities were the most graceful.

"Salsa? No I don't salsa... i used to take ballet." She explained. "But that stopped when i came to the school here." She told him letting her lead her back into the the studio.

Any smart girl might feel a little uncomfortable in this situation. She was now alone in a bar with a man she'd just met who wanted to give her a job based on hardly anything at all. He'd closed the door and for all she knew he could have locked it and now was going to dance with her. This could easily be the set up for a bad situation and she could end up on dateline. But Emmy wasn't particularly worried about that. The thrill of the new person, a potential friend and the new experience was far too intoxicating to let worry in. There was one peculiar thing Emmy did pick up on though,

"You seem young to be managing here.... or hiring... owning?"

[Reece Turner]

Reece raised an eyebrow looking over his shoulder at her when she mentioned she didn't Salsa but she had done ballet in the past. He was mildly surprised by that and a smile flashed across his features when he heard it.
"Really? I've been dancing since I was like six. Ballet of course. Used to be the only boy in my class for ages. In fact... This was a ballet studio before it ... grew up."
Reece teased and dropped her hand so he could slip behind the bar, taking a few bottles from the shelves.

"Don't worry about the salsa lessons till you have time. I'll teach you. I'm a great teacher. You'll have to also come to the wensday classes at 7pm at night and join the dance group. It'll be free for you. But first, Drinks. You'll be doing wensdays, fridays and saterdays. Those are our busiest nights. "
Reece turned to the bar again and pulled out a notebook and a pen setting it in front of her.
"Scribble down your name and number and then I can call you in case monday or tuesday are busy. I'd suggest you come by sunday night as well for your training night if that's possible?"
He explained to her.

"Do you want something to drink by the way Emmanuelle? Soda? Coffee? Water? Juice?"
He was rambling, he knew but there was really nothing to it. He was just going to explain to her what types of drinks they offered and on which shelf they belonged and how they could be served. Other then that, her training day would take care of the rest. He was glad that he didn't have to actually interview any of the other people in that huge file cause he was totally not up for that. He'd found his girl. Young, energetic and she had experience in dancing so she could move.

He'd find it easier to teach her if she had a background in it.

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

Emmy's mind was reeling. He was saying so much so quickly and she was having trouble keeping up. She was thankful when he gave her the pen and paper and started writing down the days he wanted there first. "So basically everyday." She joked though it was becoming truer every day he added onto the list. "I'll come in Sunday for training that shouldn't be a problem." She agreed and then looked at up. Juice? Water? She couldn't tell if it was because he was taking a jab at her age of if it was so early in the morning. She'd give him the benefit of the doubt that it was the second.

"Water's fine." She smiled looking back down at her notebook. "Okay. Let's do this." She said. "My sister Chantal is a bartender. She's taught me how to make a handful of drinks so I might have a slight advantage." She still had a feeling that this would be tough though. This bar seemed to have a nice selection and she was sure there were a couple house drinks she'd have to learn and the regulars would be sure to tell if the new girl made their drink... she wanted to impress them. She wanted to impress Reece.

"You can call me Emmy by the way." She told him watching as he started to prepare to give her the rundown. Emmanuelle was such a mouthful and she hated putting people through that. It wasn't a particularly common name either and people just seemed awkward saying it unless they were used to speaking in french. Her parents weren't particularly partial to American names. Marie got off the easiest the rest of them had painfully french names. She loved them. But people often had difficulty saying Chantal, Fleur and Emmanuelle and the spelling... was just embarrassing.

[Reece Turner]

Reece gave a little laugh at her comment about it being every day and when she said that she'd come for sunday he turned and moved to the pin board where he scribbled her name down on the board. He developed his own little nickname for her. Mannie.
"Sunday it is then. "
Reece glanced over his shoulder at the girl when she said water and moved over to the fridge to grab water for both of them.

He leaned over to place hers on the bar in front of her before patting the fridge where he'd gotten the water from when she said for this to get started.
"Enthusiasm. I like that. This is water and fruit juices."
Reece took two steps back and tapped the other two fridges which were deep fridges instead of the kind you had a glass door on like the water and juices fridge.

"There two are for soft drinks. They get restocked every day before the bar shift started so it's better to come at seven in order to get things ready."
He explained to her before moving over to the four bottles he'd placed on the counter. He placed a hand on the Jack Daniels bottle.
"Whiskey."
Then the Bacardi bottle.

"White Rum"
Next the Smirnoff bottle.
"Vodka."
Lastly the Korbel.
"Brandy."
He told her then took the whiskey and the Brandy and moved to the second from the top shelf to place them on either side of the shelf.

"And all the other unpopular types as you see. "
He waved his hand then took the Vodka and Rum and placed them on the bottom shelves in the same way.
"Those two go there. Never mix please. Over there by the far side of the bar, those two shelves have everything else and wine is kept in the back storeroom."
He turned back to her and moved to get and open his bottle.

"I know I'm going fast but during your training night you'll catch everything if you ask the other girl behind the bar when you get stuck. We also have tap beer and bottles which is in the fridge underneath the bar."
He knocked on said fridge and smiled at her, taking a sip of his water. Reece shrugged at her nickname before smirking and shaking his head.

"Will you have a problem if I call you Mannie? I'll even trade and allow you to call me anything you want. Give it your best shot and get a really awful name for me. "
Just then a black cat jumped onto the bar seeming to come out of nowhere. She padded over to Reece and his ran his hand along her sleek form.
"Oh I almost forgot. This is Lynxie. She's our local sleek and sexy mascat. "
He smiled as the cat purred and stretched her body into his stroking hand.

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

Sunday. She wrote it down on her hand so she wouldn't forget. She had to remember to put it on her calendar when she got back home otherwise she'd probably get caught up and forget and that would just be embarrassing. She was reliable though. She normally was very good with dates and times but she was also paranoid about them. She'd probably end up writing down Sunday everywhere, her hand, her calendar, her notebooks, in her phone and still be worried about forgetting. She needed to learn to relax.

Em watched as he went through all the locations. It was a lot and she was starting to get a bit nervous but she wouldn't show it. A lot of the places made sense where they were. In her notebook she started a diagram. She was always better with visual aids. She penciled in the fridges and what was inside. Later and after her training she'd add to it and get more detailed.

Em took a drink of her water and then looked up when he inquired about her new nickname. Mannie. She hadn't been called that in a long time. Her sisters sometimes called her it but after middle school when she got made fun of she drifted. But coming from him it didn't sound weird or mean like calling her a man, it sounded kind of nice. Kind of sexy. "Mannie works." She said then smiled. "Oh i get to think of one for you? Hmm.... Reece... See this isn't fair because a name like mine has so many possibilities but yours is only one syllable." She tapped her pen on her nose and glanced up thinking. "Hmmm.... Reccie... no that's stupid... Reeces peanut butter cups." She laughed. "No I don't want to force it. I'll let your nick name come naturally." She decided as the cat jumped up onto the counter scaring her half to death."OH MY GOSH!" She laughed placing her hand on her heart.

'Well she is pretty." She laughed and looked at the pretty kitty. She wasn't used to cats. At least they were cleaner than dogs. She didn't like dogs at all.

Em reached her hand gently to pet her, careful in case she wasn't friendly. "Is she yours?" She wondered if she was thirsty and drew some water out of her bottle and sustained it in front of the cat creating a bowl shape for her to drink out of if she wished. The rest that she didn't want she'd send to the sink.

[Reece Turner]

Reece smirked when he was offered the permission to call her Mannie and then she figured out his game with the little nickname challenge. He could see she was taking this job very seriously. He noticed the word 'sunday' on her hand and the notebook he'd intended for her to write her number in was being used to draw a diagram of the bar. Not that he minded. He had a million other notebooks in the back to use for orders. He gave a little chuckle at the words she thought up to call him then mentioned that she'd find one naturally. He probably would tell her eventually that his gran had called him T-bird.

That his dad called him Reecer, actually extending his name but both suited him. Outside stood his motorbike and Reecer was from Racer so it fitted. Reece's laugh really did rumble when she jumped at the apprerance of the cat right then and there.
"No she's not mine. You'd better get used to her jumping up at unexpected moments. She's friendly. Street cat that used to hover and I used to feed. This is kinda her home now and I can't take her to my house. I rather enjoy her company when I'm alone here. I'm sure you will too. "

Then she did the water trick and his lips parted. His eyes widened in shock and he quickly grabbed her hand and shook his head at her.
"No. You can't do that. Meta's are really disliked by some humans. You need to be careful who you show that off to. "
Had she lived such a sheltered life that she didn't know she could end up being beaten just for having a power like hydrokinesis.

When the shocked passed, he let go quickly.
"Sorry. I don't want you getting hurt by the wrong people in here Mannie. Don't show off unless it's to me okay? But I guess since you showed me yours I'll show you mine."
Reece smiled and opened his hand where rose petals lay heaped in his palm. He held his palm to his lips and blew at the petals letting them drift Mannie's way and dance around her face and body. Glitter sprakled around her at the same time and he smiled as he watched her.

Wacthed her reaction to his beautiful illusions. The dancing petals turned to white butterflies with black tipped wings and they danced to the way her body moved. Her breathing sounded and her heart was beating.

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

The more she looked at the cat the more she liked it. She was tiny and sleek, beautiful coat and a pretty face. Truly a stunning animal. She watched as she moved, so graceful and delicate. "I've never had a cat... I've never had a pet well... I had a fish once." She told him not sure why she was babbling so much. She felt like she was already giving away too much of herself to this stranger. She was sure he didn't give a damn about her life, not really. Men never did.

She gasped when he grabbed her hand making her concentration fail and the water splash down onto the counter up at the cat. She'd heard of metas having to be careful but she'd never actually seen anyone who wasn't absolutely fascinated by her talents. Plus the school being there practically guaranteed that at least one person with an ability was within a 5 foot radius. He was being a little ridiculous. Plus her skills could so help with this job. She had been sheltered though. Her parents weren't particularly fond of her abilities at first but learned to love them. And within two weeks of her finding out about them she was taken away to the school anyway so her whole life with her powers had been incredibly sheltered, lived among others like herself.

She went to apologize when he started doing something spectacular. His illusions were beautiful, like something out of a dream. She watched as he blew the most delicate looking petals her way and they sparkled and shown then morphed into beautiful butterflies. She was mesmerized by their intricate detail moving to her as if they were a part of her.

The flaxen girl had a hard time looking away back at the man who produced them. She'd seen illusions before, she'd seen them many times but none that were as fine as his. It made her doubt that he was even real. "your illusions are..." She looked for a word, any word that could amount, "Stunning." She settled on. She felt ridiculous. She was sure to him that that was nothing. Just a party trick like when she made tea or a snowball. But to her it was magic.

"You never answered my question." She remembered. "How does someone as young as you have such a high position here? You look hardly older than me." She didn't really care anymore the answer. She was still trying to get over his beautiful illusions. But she didn't want to look too impressed, she didn't want to look stupid. She was sure she was already doing a good job of that without staring like a gaped mouthed monkey at the zoo.

[Reece Turner]

Reece smiled at the look on her face and how her face lit up with the sparkles around her. It was beautiful. He couldn't stop himself from smiling, when she attempted to find a word for what his illusions were. She settled on Stunning and he shrugged slightly at her.
"Not half as stunning as you are."
Switching over a compliment came so naturally to Reece it was frightening just how naturally. He didn't realize what he'd said until he'd said it.

He bit into his bottom lip, Lynxie having scattered the moment she noticed the water splashing leaving them alone once more. Reece didn't wanna seem lik and idiot and withdraw it but he had to be careful what he said from here on in. Staying away from people meant less pain for everyone. It was easier to stay away from people and keep himself to himself.
"Hmm?"
He asked when she said he'd never answered her question.

She had asked something? He gave a chuckle lowering his eyes once more when she repeated her question and he gave a nod.
"Ah, that question."
Reece flashed a warm smile before picking at the label on the bottle for a moment before he gave a sigh.
"This place was my moms. We decided to run it together when I didn't get taken after my third year at ABC."

He moved to the dance floor and stood in the middle of it staring at himself in the mirror. His feet were automatically heel to heel and his hands held lightly in front of him, gracefully in a ballet posture. His eyes flicked from his own reflection to to Emmy's.
"It's not that I wasn't good at it. It was that I got distracted... By Salsa."
His hands fell to his sides.

"My dad missed the ranch and when he went back, my mom missed him so I got this place about a year ago. It took me three months to renovate everything. "
Reece smirked and glanced over his shoulder then held out his hand to her offering her a dance.
"Besides, I'm 25. Not what I look. Got the gene from my mom. She still looks 21 as well. You can waltz right?"
He smirked and let his illusions vanish around her.

[Emmanuelle LaBeau]

Em blushed wildly when he complimented her. She was secretly cursing herself knowing she was doing it. Her skin was so fair that any blush just seemed to be magnified by a thousand and she knew he could probably see it. She needed to calm herself down. She was getting flattered way too easily by this guy and she was sure he flattered everyone. He owned a bar, and a dance bar at that. He probably saw his share of awful dancers and students who needed a confidence boost and her being his latest recruit he probably just wanted to build up... yeah.

Em took a sip of her water as she listened to him talk. It made so much more sense now that she knew the back story. Her eyes followed her to the dance floor and she swiveled around in her seat to face him, crossing her legs delicately. She smiled when he said he got distracted by salsa. "So a love story." She teased.

She nodded when he asked if she could waltz and slipped off the bench to go to him. It'd been a while since she'd waltzed though and she prayed to God that she wouldn't make an absolute fool of herself. Though, her track record lately wasn't doing her any favors with her falling out of trees and what not. She liked to blame the weather, whenever the seasons changed it had a funny effect on her. Fall into winter was especially bad considering the change in the amount of water in the atmosphere. "Yes. I can waltz." She answered. "So is it only you living here now? Sounds kind of lonely." She shrugged.

[Reece Turner]

Reece could see the blush out of the corner of his eye but he choose to ignore it. It really became rather instinctive when you got used to complimenting rather then insulting. It became sorta second nature to compliment instead of insult. Of course to a young girl like Mannie, a compliment was a huge huge deal. He knew that from when he compliment Lindsey since they were more close then he and Becca were so he always made a point of making her feel good about herself. It wasn't like Becca needed compliments anyway.

She was a b*tch most of the time and he had no idea where she got her b*tchiness from. Neither mom, nor dad were like that at all. He wasn't like that and Linds wasn't like that so why did she think she was allowed to be a b*tch? Reece nodded when she said that it was a love story and he smiled.
"Totally. "
Yes. He'd fallen in love with Salsa. The way you moved. The rhythm of the music. The intimacy when dancing with someone else.

You were basically allowed to have sex and dance at the same time where Salsa was concerned and that was HOT. She slipped off the seat, elegantly and he couldn't help but smile at the way she moved over to him. He took her hands in his and motioned for her to stay there as she asked her question. He jogged over to the music system and chose a song that was a good tune for a waltz. His father's song came on. A piano piece and him singing Come On, Come On. It was the song he sang to his mom once and it made him smile.

"Well no. I don't live alone. I live with my twin sisters in our family house."
Reece moved back to Mannie and took her in his arms keeping a good frame between their bodies before he started twirling her around the dance floor.
"But I'm not the responsible one though. Lindsey is. They go to school in Hammel. You must have heard of it or probably gone to it at some point hmm?"
He said to her as they danced.

"Look down by the way..."
Reece smirked. All around thier feet the dancefloor was filled with thick mist like they were dancing in the clouds.
"I could go all the way but it would tire me out just a little."
He said softly nodding his head to their surroundings and the ceiling.