One job.  She has just one job to do and then she gets a good portion of this lovely sum she carried with her.  All she was expected to do was to take it to a casino…  Trade it in for chips…  Wait for a while but not gamble it, and then sell the chips right back to them.  She could do this right? No problem…  She was no stranger to gambling.  Heck, she had been gambling before she should have been allowed into the casinos.  Or at least she had been raised around the sport. 

So it was that she found herself wandering into a casino with a fairly large backpack slung across one shoulder.  She earned some strange looks from people as she wandered into the establishment.  She smiled a little as she heard the happy little chime of the slot machines, the shuffling of cards, the rattling of dice…  All familiar sounds to her, and all welcomed.  Her heart beat fast as she thought back to the woman.  She wanted to make a very good impression upon her so she would certainly do this job for her.  And for her pocketbook.  She knew she’d be making a very fat little payday. 

Wandering to the appointed spot, she smiled sweetly to the clerk before gently pulling her backpack around and beginning to unload bills upon the counter.  They raised their eyebrow, likely wondering just where the young doe had come across such a sum.  But as the clerk snapped her gum, she shrugged a bit.  She didn’t get paid to ask questions, she got paid to trade chips for cash.  And so it was that she gave Kat the amount of chips that her money would buy her.  Her slightly obsessive compulsive nature was fairly pleased that the cash she had came out to an even number of chips.  She carefully loaded them into her backpack before thanking the clerk who just shrugged and waved verbally hoping she had fun and good luck. 

Soon after, Kat shouldered the backpack once again and wandered out into the playland of temptation.  Oh how she longed to settle in at a Poker table, perhaps play some black jack.  This number of credits would earn her a lot of fun and a lot of possibility…  Maybe one game…  Just one game?  The Poker table drew her eye but she shook her head vigorously.  Focus Kat.  You had a job to do.  You have one job to do, that’s it.  Then you can get out of here.

The question was just how long did she have to wander before she could exchange them again and get the heck out of here?  She hummed softly as she moved toward the slot machines, perusing as if looking for the perfect machine so not to look too out of place or suspicious.  So far so good…  Easy job right?  She wanted so badly to do this right.  But in her mind it was completely pointless.  She wasn't gaining or losing anything here, she was just spending time...  But hey, this was the job she had been given.

Stefan was sitting at the slot machines gambling away his week's paycheck. No wonder he couldn't afford a car he thought to himself, all he ever did was gamble and drink. If only he could find a job that paid better, or somehow get this dang machine to roll the correct shapes to make his dream come true. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a girl wander by with a backpack on. "How odd," he thought to himself. After a second or two another thought occurred to him, "What was someone dressed like that and walking around with a bookbag on her shoulder doing in a place like this?"

"Hey girl!" he heard himself say before he could stop himself. He wasn't sure what he intended to do next, but curiosity got the better of him it seems this time.

She pulled her backpack just a tad more firmly against her.  She wasn't too scared of someone taking the bag.  Honestly, money moved so fast here, but it was a possibility.  She wandered toward the Blackjack tables as if thinking about joining a game when she heard a voice from behind her.  'Hey girl'...  She didn't know anyone here so for a moment she kept walking.  But something caused a stutter in her step and curiosity got the better of her and she turned to at least look.  That was it.  She locked eyes with a man at the slot machines and she froze.  Attention.  One did not draw attention on a job like this!  Or at least she figured it was a bad idea...  Her pulse rose a bit and she wondered briefly if she should keep walking and get lost in the crowds, sit down at the table, or play it off and be friendly?  Well heck...  What's the worst that could happen?  She cast him a warm and inviting smile before wandering back towards the slot machines.  

"Hey yourself..."  She greeted in turn, quirking a brow a little as she was curious to see where this went, ball was right back in his court.

Stefan was just about to call out again when the girl turned and walked back towards him, the extra second it took her to respond was curious but not completely uncommon considering it was a crowded place and his shout could have been directed towards anyone. When she turned though, his eyes where firmly on her face to make sure she knew it wasn't directed at someone else. That and no one likes to get caught peeking at a woman's body by the woman in question. As she started finished walking up to him he smiled politely at her with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Nice outfit, but you stick out like a sore thumb in here." With the last bit of his comment he spared a glance at the general assembly of high class personnel in this place with their expensive clothes and jewelry to direct her attention to their attire before returning his attention to the girl with the backpack on.

Kat grinned just a little self consciously as she met eyes with the man, confirming that he was indeed addressing her.  Well heck, worst that could happen?  So she'd come interact. 

Now Katherine had noticed a number of people wearing fine clothes indeed and yet she hadn't thought of herself as too out of place, but clearly she was alone in that thought process.  She had heard a couple murmurings as she walked by the tables, but she hadn't thought much about it.  As long as her money was good, she doubted they'd have much to say.  She lightly smoothed down her dark maroon top over her medium blue jeans.  

Biting her lip a little, she'd run her fingertips along the slot machine beside him as if thinking about trying her luck.  But nothing came of it for now.  "I suppose you're right, but if the price is right, I doubt they'd throw anyone out because of that would they?"  She suddenly started looking around a little nervously as if she expected to see a bouncer asking her to leave any moment or something like that...  She did notice some of the staff eyeing her a bit warily or even with some measure of irritation.  Good grief, the girl hadn't even heard that this was a formal place?  But she quickly tried to shake it off.  But soon enough she had returned her full attention to the man before her, who was also dressed better than she was.  

Pulling her backpack closer, she briefly considered going and turning in the chips now and heading home, but again she wasn't certain the time frame she should wait for a little while longer.  Seating herself in a chair nearby, she would watch the screens for a moment, smoothing down her jeans once again, now certainly self conscious about her clothing.  This was starting to make her a little more nervous.  "So...  Are you winning? 

"Oh I'm not so sure about that, especially if you're just sitting here not spending. Casino's got to look out for their pocket book Ms." Stefan said and then put yet another credit into his slot machine and pulled the bar watching as the thing spun and once again took his coin with no return. He made a slight shrugging gesture and then handed one to the girl next to him. "Here, you try, maybe you can be my good luck charm or something."

As he was handing the coin to the girl it occurred to him he still didn't even know her name, he took a sip of his whiskey while watching the girl for a second. "Hey, you got a name or should I just call you Ms underdressed?" he asked her with a slight twinkle in his eye as he looked over her outfit once again.

Kat began to sweat a little as she noticed the staff paying her just a bit too much mind.  That paired with the words of the young man that she was fairly certain she recognized from her own city.  But she had never had the pleasure of actually meeting him.  She tried to focus intently upon him and ignore the staff that kept shooting her glances, not even being covert about it.  Great great great...  She was going to get kicked out before she could complete her mission.  Perhaps she should just bet some of her own money just to stay in here and give it enough time before she cashed out again...  Maybe-Wait the young man was speaking again.  She had more or less missed his comment about them watching their pocketbooks, but she was fairly certain she knew that.  She wasn't here to make the casino money anyway, and she doubted they would be pleased if they heard that.  

Her gaze snapped to the man beside her as moved.  Her whole form tensed a little as she prepared to respond accordingly, but he wasn't attacking her.  Good grief, calm yourself Kat...  She smiled a tiny bit at the offered credit coin and she took it almost shyly, tilting her head as she surveyed the machine before sliding onto the stool in front of it with a little bit of a grin.  "Thanks..."  She eyed the credit almost idly before carefully twirling it between her fingertips.  His question brought a little grin to her lips as she returned her gaze to his her eyelids fluttering closed for a moment.  He was of her city.  She could trust him...  Right?  Well she shrugged it off mentally.  Couldn't hurt to socialize and give him your name.  "Katherine...  You could call me Kat if you wanted, or some call me Kitty..."  She shrugged a little and tilted her head a tad to the other side. "And how about you?"  She looked back to the credit before glancing over to check on the staff who were once again murmuring to each other again.  She slipped the coin into the machine before carefully taking hold of the lever.  "Well let's see if I have that luck in me hm?"  She grinned a tad and pulled.  Much to her delight it was a winner!  A small one, but enough to allow her to keep going for a little while.  She gave a light whoop before looking back to the man she had joined with a brightness dancing in those expressive eyes.  

Stefan grinned as Katherine managed to produce a winning roll, with a twinkle in his eye he said, "Perhaps you are a good luck charm. The names Stefan and I am pleased to meet you Kat." Stefan waved a waiter over and ordered another whiskey, he looked at Katherine and raised an eyebrow inviting her to add to his order. As he waited for her response he placed yet another chip into his slot machine and pulled, naturally as his luck was wanting to remind him he struck out. He often wondered why he wasted so much cash at this casino, he rarely won and even more rarely walked out of the place with more than he came into it with. Between the drink expenditure and his lack of winnings he was wondering if he should cut his losses and head for home, but the arrival of one severely underdressed female had caused him to hang around for just a few more minutes at least. Might as well waste some more money while he was at it, you never know he might actually roll a winner at some point tonight.

Stefan handed the waiter some money and shooed her away so he could have more quiet time with his new friend, after all she was the reason he hadn't cut his losses a few minutes before. Hopefully she'd also be the reason he walked out of this casino with at least break even results.

Kat's eyes glittered with a carefree nature that she rarely wore these days as she gazed at the whirling lights and listened to the merry jingling of the slot machine as it declared her win.  It really wasn't anything to crow about, but the thing about these machines is they made every winner feel like a king or queen, in hopes of them spending even more coin in their establishment...

And it usually worked.

Katherine's beaming face once again turned upon Stefan as the residual of her child-like joy drifted from her gaze to more of a contented glitter.  "It's wonderful to meet you as well Stefan.  I've seen you around LA.  You're certainly not a complete stranger even if I only knew you by face."  As he waved a waiter over, she felt the disapproving glance at her, likely over her attire and backpack...  But she raised her chin a tad in a manner that bespoke of her mother.  Then again, were she her mother, she'd have the woman's head for a look like that, but that wasn't Kat's nature in the least and she even gave her a small smile.  "Just an iced tea if you please..."  She murmured, her voice not quite matching the slight haughtiness in the way she held her head.  Her attention returned to Stefan and she gave him another warm smile, her posture relaxing again into the easy natured manner that she typically held herself.  Her eyes turned back to the machine and she grinned boldly and dropped another one in and pulled the lever.  She actually clapped her hands as the machine lit up like a Christmas tree once again for her, dropping another small win.  Hey the carrot worked!  Kat carefully kept track of the pile from Stefan's gift so that she didn't accidentally dip into what was not her own.

A quick glance over told her that Stefan was not having much more luck than he had minutes ago and she pouted playfully before reaching over to touch the lever of his machine. "Come on baby, don't be like that!"  Her eyes twinkled playfully as she had to leaned in close to her new friend as she spoke to his machine as if it were an animal she were trying to placate. 

Stefan was a bit startled when Kat started to lean over. The act was somewhat resembling leaning in for a kiss, except she wasn't paying him any attention at all. Instead she was looking at the machine he was sitting in front of, how odd. The angle did provide a decent accidental view down her top, one which a better man would have not noticed. Unfortunately try as he might Stefan still had his own demons to contend with, a quick peek and then he averted his eyes back to what she was doing. Just in time to hear her address the slot machine, asking it to be nice to him. Stefan had to chuckle at her, surely asking the machine to play nice didn't work. Or did it? He placed another chip in the machine and pulled the lever, this time much to his surprise he actually won! It wasn't much of a won, but at least the machine didn't eat his money out right. Perhaps Kat was his good luck charm, and not an entirely bad looking on either, although he wasn't sure he should address that aspect of their budding relationship just yet. After all, they had only just met a few minutes before.

Stefan was just about to place another chip into the slot machine when a loud clearing of a throat behind him made him stop and turn his attention. Standing directly behind them, or more accurately directly behind Kat was a well dressed man who appeared to be part of the casino's staff. And the look of distaste he was bestowing on could only mean one thing, he was about to ask her to leave. Without skipping a beat Stefan looked at the man and said, "She's with me, she's my... consort tonight." The man looked at him incredulously for just a split second before it dawned on him what Stefan was saying. "Could you at least buy her a decent dress, sir?" the man asked looking back and forth between the two before excusing himself from the situation.

Now Kat was fairly oblivious to the discomfort, or perhaps other feelings that her close proximity could bring about.  Oblivious to the view she was currently giving the poor man beside her, oblivious to the fact that her soft speaking to the machine was odd.  Alright so maybe she wasn't oblivious about that, but it brought forth a chuckle from her new friend, so it was totally worth it.  She giggled a little as she heard his chuckle and remained slightly leaned over toward him as he tried one more time, pulling the lever.  

The machine responded in his favor.

Katherine whooped in a manner that was quite unrefined, throwing her fist toward the ceiling.  But in so doing, she managed to knock herself quite a bit off balance and her stool wobbled precariously.  Kat yelped as she scrambled a bit, trying to grab anything that might help her steady herself before laughing out of sheer giddiness.  "You won!"  She beamed at him as if he had just won millions.  It seemed she wasn't too terribly hard to please.

Well even as she celebrated the small win, she heard the clearing of the throat behind her and she felt her blood run cold and goosebumps raise on her arms.  She always did know how to overreact though.  She half turned to look over her shoulder, seeing a fairly bad tempered staff member looking her over with distaste.  Her heart plummeted.  Well surely she had been here long enough to be able to turn her chips back in for Mrs. Byrne right?  Mrs. Byrne!  Oh the job!  Kat's heart sank a bit more as she looked at her watch, her eyes bugging a tad.  Two hours?  She had been here two hours?  She was going to give a half hour tops!  But not two hours!

She looked up as a comment about her just being about to leave rose to her lips.  But before it could make it out, his words rang in her ears.  'She's with me, she's my... consort tonight.' Kat's gaze leapt to Stefan's.  She didn't even know the man past his name, but she turned her gaze demurely back upon the staff member and nodded.  But she held back a giggle as he questioned the status of her clothes and such.  Didn't bother her in the least.  She felt slightly bad for the man though, considering he was just doing his job.  But once he walked away, Kat let loose the softest of laughs as she looked over to Stefan, her eyes twinkling in pure amusement.  "Thank you for that.  I must be going though...  I let the time get away from me but I must be getting back." She shifted her backpack a little higher on her shoulder, looking over to the counter where she could cash her chips back in.  She took a few steps toward it before pausing and looking back over her shoulder, a few strands of hair falling from their hold in her ponytail to frame her face and fall over to obscure those warm chocolate brown eyes.  "Can I see you again?"  She questioned softly, a near tentative undertone to her voice.  He had stood up for her there, but who's to say he actually wanted to see her again?  Either way she'd put that out there giving him a soft smile whatever his response.  She gave a nod, her eyes twinkling with a mirth that bubbled deep below the surface before  making her way to the counter to cash out her chips and then make her way out into the night again.  It was too late to return to Mrs. Byrne but one could bet it would be the very first thing she did the next morning.  

But Mrs. Byrne wasn't the only one that she hoped she'd see again soon.