The ticking of the clock remained the only noise that managed to suppress the horrid silence produced by the room's white noise. Neither person spoke, tired from the arguments and little interest in finding out more about one another.
These moments made Beatrice's fingers twitch, suddenly becoming conscious of the lack of marijuana in her system. Her anger welling in remembering that the man that sat mightily overseeing her had put out her last joint. Twirling a strand of mussed up hair between her fingers, she became occupied by the various tangles that have infested her from her day at work. Knowing that such a small endeavor should prolong her distraction from fully craving the drug.
Sensing her abrupt unease, Cesar rolled his eyes, his hand that rested on the side of his knee from his ankle on the other, moving itself from its position to grasp for the handle of a side drawer. Heading in to produce a cigarette, he tossed it to her, showing a small act of kindness for her need to keep her mind occupied.
Rewarding him a nod, her hasty hands quickly lit the cigarette from the candle at the edge of his desk, closing her eyes at the inhale of smoke, whilst not marijuana she was able to enjoy herself thoroughly from the nicotine.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Enter." He answered. His attention at last diverted from dealing with the utter nonsense of the girl. Although soon beginning to regret his allowance from the bright light of the corridor making its way into the dimly lit office, blinding both him and the girl.
"Blasted, John. Hurry up and Shut the Door!" He continued to yell out, wincing from the sting of his eyes.
"I should be the one to curse you out, Lockwood. I can't even breath from the cloud of smoke in this very room." The raspy voice of John coughed out, his prominent steps being a loud ruckus to the ears of the pair, whom have since grown sensitive towards their senses. Resting his briefcase on a table in the back of the office, he moved to click it open, his brows furrowed as he looked up to find her seated In Front of Lockwood.
"Who might this nymph be Cesar?"
Cesar swirled his chair, side to side, looking back to her with a blank expression. His dark eyes contemplated what to say to John about the exquisite 'nymph' that continued on with her smoking. At long last, gesturing to her with a smirk.
"This...'nymph'... is my new business project. She has agreed to sign her life away to theatrical entertainment. What say you about that, John?"
John smiled. A satisfied smirk carving its way onto his plain features. "I think that is splendid, Lockwood. Why I'd be her first client if the Missus didn't keep such a tight leash."
His smirk widened. An opening for his teasing making itself known. "Oh no John. You got it all wrong. No you see...this 'nymph' will not be apart of my pleasure house. But instead be casted roles through her own means. Thus my new project. What say you now?"
John blinked anew. Taking the situation through new eyes as he calculated whether Lockwood was jesting, finding humor in his dark eyes but not in the hazel brown of the woman. John at last let out a sigh, resuming his task at pulling the documents out.
"I say that you won't be making any profit out of this project. I'd even say you'd be losing clients by putting on such a show. Tell me, Lockwood. Should I begin looking for other means of employment?"
Lockwood let out a chuckle. A deep throaty one that came out a bit too crazed. Calming himself to formulate a response, his teasing tone appeared once more.
"Do not fret, John. I am positive this woman would not be able to cause damage. Maybe simply become one of our few failed projects."
John nodded. Reassured to move forward in his musings.
"Assuming this is not a standard Show Girls Contract, I will begin by writing the terms and conditions, which will then be typed into an official copy. Begin by full name. Uh..Miss.?"
Tapping her cigarette with her forefinger, she looked towards John, her cool eyes sanitizing his entire being. Finally whisking her head back to face Cesar Lockwood, blowing out smoke in his direction.
"Beatrice Johnson."