CUBAN HIRE (CARTEL GXG)

PROPOSITIONS

"I don't want to go to the beach again, let's find something real, where we can really experience Cuban food and culture" Olivia groaned as she rolled in her bed.

"Where though? you know the tourist guide said to stay in tourist areas" Phoebe warned as she scrolled through Google, trying to find where they could spend Olivia's birthday night. It's been three days that they've spent their days at nights at bars and beaches, experiencing the wild shift of Miami and Cuban culture.

"Yeah, I know, but did we come here to stay on a beach when we have one at home or did we come to Cuba to be in Cuba?" Olivia challenged, using the accent for Cuba as she chuckled, causing Phoebe to laugh along. Letting out a soft sigh, Olivia turns to face Phoebe, grabbing onto her phone gently and placing it down. "Please, just tonight? For my birthday?" she pleaded with a feigned pout, hoping to win her best friend over.

Phoebe rolls her eyes at Olivia's expression, huffing before taking a deep breath. "How can I say no when you are giving me those puppy eyes?" she murmured.

"Yay!" Olivia shouts out as her pout quickly shifts into a wide grin, her body raising off the bed as she stands to her feet, running to the shared bathroom of their hotel room. "I saw a little restaurant on the road when we were driving here from the airport, type in 'El Sazón' onto google, it shouldn't be too far from here" Olivia calls out as she walks over to the walk-in wardrobe adjacent to the bathroom.

"I don't even know how to spell that" Phoebe mumbles to herself as she attempts to type in the name, unable to find it anywhere, an uncomfortable feeling in her gut growing. "It's not on google" she calls out as she stands up and follows Olivia, opening the door to the wardrobe.

"Really? That's weird, usually it's always in google" Olivia determines with a furrow of her brow.

"Yes, in America. This is Cuba, and it's probably not even registered onto Google if it's just in a little town, Olivia" Phoebe lectured with a raise of her brow, leaning on the wardrobe door as she watched Olivia take off her cozy pajamas.

"Let's just get a taxi and ask them to drive us there, I'm sure they'll know" Olivia suggests, completely unfazed by the complication.

"You are begging to be killed at this point" Phoebe mumbles as she shakes her head, following suit in changing clothes.

"It's an adventure, Phoebe, live a little" Olivia teases.

"Exactly, I want to live, not get mugged, or lost in a country that, let me remind you, we don't know" Phoebe rebukes sternly.

"Stop stressing, it will be fine, they're really friendly here, please, I just want to have fun tonight" Olivia complained as she slid the tight dress over her figure, shifting it into place as she tucked her braids out, letting it rest all down her lower back.

"Fine, fine, only because it's your birthday" Phoebe huffed as she picked up a dress off of the pile of clothes sitting on the suitcase, undressing herself as Olivia smiled in gratitude.

****

"Gracias!" Olivia called out as they walked away from the taxi, the evening crickets keeping the silent night awake. The girls walked over to the crossing, the golden lights of the restaurant logo brightening up the street.

"Don't talk to them" Phoebe gritted under her teeth as they looked at the group of young adults standing outside the restaurant, resting on their bikes and cars, their tattoos and scars letting Phoebe know they were bad news.

"You're so paranoid, and I wasn't going to" Olivia mumbled with a grin as she smiled at the group, their attention shifting to them as they began whistling and calling them over. "¡Buenas noches!" Olivia called out as they walked up to the restaurant, Phoebe dragging her to the door to keep them from coming over.