Chapter 2.
1113 Words
ARIA
Los Angeles. The place you go to follow your dreams, they said. And I believed them.
Stupid me.
Three years ago I left the small and peaceful town in North Carolina, my three super smart, perfect and successful sisters, my noisy mother and my adorable golden retriever and ran here with just a backpack tossed over my shoulder and a couple of bucks in my pocket because I wanted to be a dancer - no, scratch that - I wanted to prove I could be a dance.
Stupid me.
My mom always told me that dance would never give me a future. She always lectured me on how I should be more like my older twin sisters, Anna or Anitta, and go to college like they did; to study hard like they did; to be a lawyer like Anna; to become a doctor like Anitta. But no. The stupid and reckless me wanted to prove her wrong.
And look what that got me.
I thought to myself as I climb the stone stairs decorated with a red carpet of the Plaza Hotel. Showed my access card to the tall security standing at the entrance and walk through the glass doors. If I was guest here I wouldn't be complaining, if I was a guest here it would mean I was doing just fine but I'm not a guest. I work here, a part-time that a friend of a friend got for me a couple of months ago.
While there are worst jobs to have than being a barista in a luxurious five-star hotel, it's just not what I expected to be doing after all this time.
"Goodnight to you too, Miss Aria" I glanced over my shoulder finding Hugo right next to me with a big bright smile plastered on his face. He is the hotel concierge and my second biggest mistake since I arrived in LA. Unfortunately, I agreed to go out with him a few weeks ago and it ended up with a make-out session on my couch. It didn't take me long to realize there was too much tongue involved for my taste and absolutely no chemistry. Not one of my finest moments. But since then, getting my attention is his top mission of the day.
"Want to go grab a drink after your shift?" I bet he already knows the answer but he still asks every day.
I adjust the sportive bag hanging on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, maybe another time?"
"Sure, maybe tomorrow"
I shook my head with a smile as if I was maybe considering his offer. I know, I should probably give him a straight no and kill all his hopes at once but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He is a really nice guy, just not the guy for me and we have a great work environment here. I don't want to ruin it because of one meaningless night.
"Hey, you!" Marisol, my Latina co-worker, stepped in between us. Hugo gave us a slight nod and walked away. I gave her a shy smile and her wavy brown hair brushed on my shoulder as she tangled her arm around mine. We walked straight to the staff room to change into our uniforms.
"You know he is going to keep asking until you show him a red card, right?"
"I know, I just don't want to hurt him."
"He is a big boy, Aria, and you are gorgeous, cute and all but you are not the only fish in the ocean, he will be just fine" We laughed as we closed the door behind us and we both walked through the room. The space, in general, resembled a gym dressing room but fancier and a lot cleaner.
There were a few women scattered around, each one next to their respective metallic lockers. Some were changing back to their casual clothes, some changing into their uniforms, and others, gossiping about guests as always. Even though I still haven't memorized half of their names I always nod and smile as I pass them in courtesy.
I stopped next to my locker and started to change my clothes but couldn't help but notice a group of four or five women in a circle, giggling and talking excitedly about someone.
“Has he checked in?” The blonde one asked the short, brown-haired girl who was in front of her. I quickly conclude they are the room cleaners and it sounded like we were expecting a celebrity.
“He hasn’t arrived yet but yes, he is arriving at any moment now and he is staying in the 208”
“Oh God! I will kill to enter his room at least once!” the blonde says and everyone laughs hysterically.
I couldn’t help but smirk at their conversation while I threw my belongings into my locker. Whoever Mr. Room 208 was, he must be really important or really hot to get the whole staff in such a thrill. It was kinda amusing to watch grown-ass women, probably married, fangirling like teenagers in a bathroom over some famous dude, keeping in mind that they all work here, in the Plaza, where everyone is used to serve and smile to celebrities all the time.
“Ready?” Marisol's sweet voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I closed my locker, tied my rebel hair into a ponytail and met her chocolate brown eyes. “Yes. Let’s go.” Marisol walked in front of me and I took a second to take a deep breath before following her. I miss changing clothes to actually do what I love. I miss dancing, I miss the energy and the thrill. But this is what I have to do now and I have to keep reminding myself of that...
I don't consider myself lazy or a weak person for not fighting harder for my career in dance, in the end, it’s just a matter of survival. Having money to eat and have a roof over my head just became a priority for the moment.
I haven’t given up, not completely. I’m still young, ambitious and I still have my dreams and there wouldn't be anything I wouldn't do to have a fair shot and make it real. Besides, boarding a bus to go back home was never going to be an option. I prefer to live like this for the rest of my life than go back home empty-handed admitting a failure.
I wasn’t going to be a failure, I wasn’t going to give mom that satisfaction.
- Writer
