Wanting to do a o/o with my new character// Closed, but lurk if you so wish

"Yeah, but they probably went to college," he joked, rubbing his right cheek.

"Actually, a couple of them did not. Have you heard of the artist Raine Alexandre?"

He smiled helplessly. "Do I look like I frequent art museums?"

"Not exactly." She admitted, typing on her laptop before turning it to face him. "Here is her most recent sell, a quick sketch on a napkin at a coffee shop. It sold for ten grand. We met when we were young children, and stayed friends. People used to call her childish as well."

He shrugged. "My hands shake too bad for that stuff. You can barely read my handwriting, even when I'm slow."

Manon rolled her eyes. "What I am trying to say is, embrace that 'childishness'. I still read old fables, and I practice law."

"I don't have the time to. I'm working for three by myself here on a job that barely pays over minimum wage. Hobbies don't come easy in those situations."

She nodded, and a sudden idea hit her. She dug around in her pocket and pulled out the firm's general business card, handing it to him. "I believe we might be looking for a secretary of sorts?"

He looked down at the card, then back up again. "I'm not good with numbers. I'm not sure how much help I'd be."

"In all honesty, you would mostly be answering phones and going on coffee runs. File uploading, too." Manon explained with a shrug.

He tilted his head. "Why offer me this? You had just met me yesterday."

"I am not entirely sure myself." She admitted, looking out at the people meandering through the mall.

"I….I don't know what to say. Thank you." It was obvious he was holding back tears as he looked down at the card again.

Manon's brows furrowed as she looked back at him. "Are you…alright? I did not upset you again, did I?"

He wiped his nose, laughing slightly. "No, not at all. These are tears of joy."

"Oh." She looked extremely relieved at that. "I am glad to hear that. Although I am a bit confused at how a simple job offer sparked such a reaction."

I swing a sledgehammer for 5 hours a day at a stiffling hot paper mill, then turn around and roll huge sheets of paper together. For 3 years." His voice cracked slightly. "It was like hell, man. Absolute hell. But I couldn't quit, cause I had no other job to go to."

She grabbed his hand again, and squeezed. "Well, you do now. Do you own a suit, or something semi formal?"

"Yeah, I think." He wiped his eyes and smiled. "Just gotta find it."

"If not, you and I will be going shopping before you even set up an interview." Manon stated surely.

"I don't really have a way to contact you if I can't. I don't have a phone."

"Do you have anything you can use email on? Like a computer or tablet?"

He shook his head. "I can barely afford tv."

"Well, I come here every day for lunch….oh! There is a phone kiosk right across from here!" She perked up again, pointing at the phone kiosk on the other side of the food court.

"Why does th- oh, yeah, the money." He pulled out the cash. "How much does one usually cost?"

"You could grab an older model, the uh, flip phones? Those are usually cheaper, maybe around one hundred dollars?"

He nodded. "I'll take it." They both stood up. A few people glaced their way and gaped at the height difference, but Eli looked unfussed. He didn't seem like the type to really care."

Manon just tossed her hair over her shoulder, shoving her things haphazardly into her bag, along with her laptop, before grabbing Eli's hand to pull him along. She was used to being taller than most people she met, with or without her heels.

He smiled happily when she grabbed his hand, having to walk a little faster than usual to keep up.

((bby boy. i love him so much
They made their way to the kiosk, and Manon didn't let go of his hand, even as she looked over the phones. She did mutter to herself though, in a mix of French and English.