Whatever Comes Up: A Collection of Short Stories

Starstruck

It was a hot day, and it was even hotter in the kitchen.

Constant commotion as chefs and waiters moved around with intense precision. None of them even stop for a moment to talk to one another about the scorching weather or the football game that will be on tonight. In fact, none of them went over to talk to the new employee working by the dish area.

Rosa Vasquez stopped what she was doing, just for a moment, as she saw the man turn from the sink to put something away. Underneath a face with a large beard and deep tan, she felt as if she had seen this guy before.

He saw her look at her, and he turned away fast. Rose continued to stare at him as he washed some glasses.

"Who is that?" Rose thought to herself, waiting for him to turn his head again.

That was when the manager walked up to her, breaking her out of her trance.

"Rosa! What are you standing around for? It's busy out there! Chop chop." The manager shouted in Spanish, and Rosa quickly got back to doing her job.

But before she left the kitchen, she saw the manager talking to the dishwasher. The man spoke in broken Spanish though. Actually, he messed up a few words here or there, but the manager didn't mind. All he told the dishwasher was to not get distracted, and then he went back to his office besides the work clock.

Sharp, blue eyes. Bright, beautiful eyes at that.

It's the kind of eyes that belong on a leading man in a movie or TV show, one that captivates any man or woman under it's strangely hypnotic gaze.

But for some strange reason, Rosa knew she had seen those eyes, that face somewhere before.

But where?

When Rosa went to serve food to a table, she managed to catch a glimpse of a headline that flashed on the TV.

It was about the actor Roland Graves, a child star on a show "The Center", a show Rosa used to watch as a kid, and how he has seemingly dropped out of the limelight for reasons only God knew.

His whereabouts still remain a mystery it would seem.

"Good riddance. Didn't like him anyway." One of the people at the table said.

A series of pictures flashed on the screen. One of these pictures had Roland wave to fans, a smirk on his freshly shaven face.

Rosa remembered his blue eyes... that face that used to tug at her heartstrings years ago.

Where is Roland Graves now?

Now it's nighttime, and now the kitchen has become slightly more bearable.

Rosa finishes wiping down the counters of the kitchen, and as she does she sees the dishwasher gather his stuff and punch out.

The manager walks out of his office nearby and talks with him, making sure he has cleaned everything and the like.

The man nods his head.

"Not bad for your first week. I'm impressed." The manager says in Spanish.

The man cocks his head in confusion.

"You're doing a good job." The manager says in English.

"Thanks." The man replies, in that Spanish with a horrible accent to boot. Just like how a high school student with two years of Spanish tries to talk.

The manager pats his shoulder, and then goes back into his office.

Rosa starts to feel her curiosity get the best of her.

She walks towards the man.

"Hey." Rosa shouts at the man. The man rests his hand on the door handle of the exit and turns to Rosa.

"Hey." The man responds.

"Uh, name's Rosa."

"Eduardo."

They shake hands.

Rosa is trapped in Eduardo's gaze.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't believe we have. I'm kind of new around here."

Eduardo lifts his hand from the door.

"Nice town as well. Quiet too, but I've been turning into a 'quiet town' kind of person lately."

An awkward moment of silence. Rosa scratches the back of her neck.

"Alright, just out of curiosity... did anyone ever tell you you look like Roland Graves?"

Eduardo chuckles a bit.

"I get that alot."

"Oh good, usually I'm not too good at these things and sound crazy but-"

"Nah, your good."

Another awkward silence. Eduardo chuckles, and a familiar smirk forms on his face.

"Well... I got a long drive and uh-"

"Oh yeah, me too."

"But it was nice meeting you. Are you working tomorrow?"

"No. You?"

"Yeah. Need the hours and stuff."

"I respect that."

"Yeah."

Eduardo opens the door, and just before he leaves Rosa says-

"You know, 'The Center' was one of my favorite shows growing up."

"Yeah, mine too."

Eduardo leaves, and Rosa goes to punch out.

The inner girl inside of her couldn't keep it together.

And that part of her genuinely believed that man's name isn't really Eduardo.