Roads That Cross...

... At Open Musics

It was the morning of the Open Music. Or "Flash Open", as Ámbar had called it, because it had really been planned on record time. She'd announced it one afternoon and two days later here they were. That meant they'd only had one day for rehearsals (more like 3 hours because many of them worked), but Simón was confident that their performance with the guys would be a success. They sounded amazing and the moves they had come up with were great— They were gonna rock it.

He was at the bar while Pedro worked in the lockers when he heard someone call his name.

"Simón!"

He turned to find Ámbar approaching the back of the bar rapidly with a pen and clipboard in hand. She looked pretty with her thin-strap black top over her grey t-shirt (if he was honest, she always did), but she also looked agitated.

"I need you to change the graphics of the screens," she told him, pointing at the televisions around the cafeteria. "From now on, they should only show the Jam & Roller logo. The Red Shark's one is outdated and has to go, it's about time."

Simón smiled. Finally, things in the Roller were getting back to how they used to be.

"I love that idea, I'll get to it right now," he said and turned around, but she called out to him before he could take a step.

"Wait! Did you do the soundcheck?"

"No, but I was going to do it n—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before Ámbar started speaking again. Or, more accurately, throwing inquiries at a high speed.

"Did the delivery guys arrive with the costumes yet? Are were loaded up on food? Big audiences mean more food than usual. The lighting of the stage background is on point? I would hate for one of the light bulbs to go out in the middle of a performance." Her eyes widened. "Oh god, what if half of them end up going out and the stage just reads 'Open'? Like, 'Open nothing', what would I do?"

He had been right, she was agitated. It got him worried, he didn't like seeing her like that.

"Hey." He took a step closer to her, leaning over the bar's counter so she looked at him. "Hey, slow down. Everything's going to be fine," he told her in a calming voice, but Ámbar shook her head.

"I can't slow down. Look at this huge to-do list," she said, pointing at her clipboard. "There's still a hundred things that need to get done and time's flying by."

She left the clipboard on the bar, staring at it in distress. Simón reached over and placed his hand over hers in what he hoped would be a comforting gesture.

"Well, I'm here for you. Whatever you need," he told her honestly.

Her eyes danced between his, and it was only then that he realized the moment was turning into something deeper than it should. He'd been so focused on making her feel better that he forgot he was meant to keep his distance.

"...Boss," he added to his sentence, pulling his hand away from hers. It was his job to help her after all, so that made it less personal. Right?

Ámbar didn't seem to pay any mind to those things though. She just gave him a little smile. "Thank you. And sorry for attacking you with all this but I'm stressed. Like, really stressed out because it's my first event as manager of the Roller and I want everything to be perfect, you know? Like, not a thing out of place, not a single mistake made and— ... Why are you looking at me like that?"

A smile had grown on his face without him being able to help it. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking how much of a perfectionist you always are with everything you do. It's kinda—" He was gonna say cute, but he managed to stop himself before it slipped out. He really shouldn't be calling her cute right now. Actually, he shouldn't be thinking it. Couldn't he focus for once in his life?