Lost and Found

Chapter One

"She ditches the job more than I ditch my gym class"

8:47 AM

"Morning Senorita Incetti, what would you like today?"

As she answers me with her Spanish accent, I look around the restaurant that I have been working in the last two weeks. The house is made of dark evergreen wood, fully air-conditioned (thank God.) and the aroma of freshly baked goodies filled the room. It is located in Haida Gwai, British Colombia, but commonly known as Queen Charlotte Islands.

The breakfast hour was coming closer to an end, but the restaurant was still crowded with people. "Con permiso, senorita? I would like a bagel and scrambled eggs." Her voice sounded sharp and broken, like her heart had just been shattered into pieces not long ago. Just like me. I nod at her choice of food and headed to the kitchen.

The smell of salt and oil shot up my nose as I enter, I could my uncle beaming at me. He had sauce on his face and he seemed to enjoy his busy job as the owner here.

My uncle was barely at 5'5, but he was still taller than me with my 4'10 frame. His dark hair was trimmed around to the crown of his head and his glasses was stained from all the cooking. He glanced and gives me an encouraging smile.

"How's your day today, Lena?" he asks. I give him a thumbs up and pinned the order on the cork covered board that was starting to give away from all the stabbing. I was leaving the kitchen as my uncle shouted: "You can switch with Linda now!"

Enter Linda. She is everything the boys around here wanted. Tall, blonde, sparkly blue eyes, perfect lips and fun to hang out with. Well, me, on the other side, short, dark-haired, dull-eyed..not so much. I scan the restaurant for a blonde-headed girl, but she was nowhere in sight. The cashier was already filling with customers trying to pay but it seems like she had ditched her job. I headed over there and finished her job just as Archer DeLuca comes in.

As cliche as it is, he looked like he could be an Abercrombie & Fitch model anytime. Fair hair, dashingly beautiful eyes that I can't figure out between blue and green. Blue eyes with green flecks? Or green eyes with blue flecks? He had a slightly built body and no doubt a six pack underneath his blue t-shirt. He comes over to me and leans on the cashier counter.

"Shift end anytime soon?" Archer questions, eyebrows raised.

I shook my head and sighed. "Linda took off today. Again, I know. Please refrain from saying that."

"Ag- Why doesn't he fire her?" He nods at the kitchen doors, referring to my uncle.

"She's the only available person around here that'll accept that there's no pay this summer. Honestly, she ditches her job more than I ditch my gym class." I said.

Hearing my aunt's desperate screaming, Archer smirks and gives me a wink as my aunt pushes him out of the restaurant that needed to be cleaned and polished for lunch hour.

It was our lunch break and I headed for my room, which was right behind the restaurant. Climbing three flights of stairs was no problem for me, and my temporary room was previously the attic until I arrived two weeks ago. Coming to this island was obviously my father's idea because my uncle needed extra help. Conveniently, I was turning sixteen this summer and my father wanted me to have "waitressing experience".

If my best friend was there when he said that, I bet she'd say: "What is this logic?" While doing the 'da faq' face and hand gesture. I laughed thinking of the thought.

I undid my messy bun and allowed my dark hair to flow onto my shoulders. Looking at the full length mirror hung on the back of the door of my room, I could see why guys didn't find me attractive. My small frame, straight long dark hair and my boring brown eyes. I was never considered pretty, even according to my mother.