Chapter Ten - Back Alley Brawl

Few days later, Sofia was on her way to work. She took her shortcut through the alley to avoid the busy and at times distracting traffic.

"Excuse me miss." The man's voice sounded sharp and witty.

"Yeah?" She groaned, sighing inwardly as she turned to face him. He was tall and lean; his face possessing aquiline features.

"David Richards, director, and producer." He said, offering her a handshake.

"Oh." She replied, nodding. "I see where this is going. Thanks, but no. I'm not interested." She said, turning to walk away but he held her by the arm.

"Wait just a minute. I'll make it worthwhile." He said with a twinkle in his eye, However, Sofia currently had other concerns.

She scowled, looking at the point where he held her, "Get your hand off me."

Just then, someone else showed up.

"Hands off her, Richard what's his name."

Ryan was walking towards them in a black denim jacket on a long white T-shirt with leathered ends and black pants with white Nikes.

David hissed, "If it isn't the most overrated fraud in the business." Still holding her hand in a show of defiance.

Ryan scoffed, shaking his head.

"Don't be mistaken, I'm not a mirror.

"She isn't coming to work for you, so split."

Sofia sighed in exasperation,

"Mr. Richard, let go of my arm." She enunciated and he complied, what looked like an apologetic expression flashing across his face.

"I apologize, Ms. Delacruz, I must confess, I let go of myself for a moment there. Then he smiled, smoothening his suit to regain some confidence.

"I can tell I'm no longer welcome here.

He reached into his jacket. "But here's my card, do give me a call sometime."

However, Ryan was closer and he grabbed the card, flinging it at the wall.

Though due to proximity and a quite unfortunate accuracy, the card struck the wall on one corner and bounced off, landing close to his feet.

He stomped on it but Sofia pushed him off and picked it from the ground, cleaning and blowing on it. Dave laughed, walking away with a smirk.

"What was that for?" Ryan asked, surprised at her reaction.

She sighed in satisfaction as she held the card up to the sunlight, "You probably spend half the day receiving stuff."

He spread his arms, "Uhh, yeah."

"So don't ruin mine." She said with a note of finality.

However, Ryan wasn't giving up just yet. "But you aren't gonna use it."

"And you? Do you use everything you get?"

His silence was all the confirmation she needed and the way he exhaled just assured her. "And who says I'm not gonna use the card?" She asked, walking off towards the café.

Ryan gasped, "Sofia! No wait, look that guy's not right for you." He said, coming around to face her.

"And you are?" She raised one of those perfectly arched brows.

Ryan gasped, "You're speaking with the winner of the annual Mr. Right award for a whole decade."

"So that's a thing now?" She asked, rolling her eyes and walking on, only with a slight deviation from the path, which Ryan was now blocking.

"Yeah " He replied and she nodded,

"That's either self-proclaimed or decided by an all-female panel." She criticized.

"That is so false." He said, shaking his head.

"Ok, maybe throw in a bunch of gay dudes."

He pursed his lips, not sure how to reply without sounding racist.

She stopped and turned, she was already at the employees' door.

"Come on, you're like the world's greatest Casanova. How can you also be Mr. Right?

He shrugged and she sighed, "Look Ryan, I've got to work." She turned and went in. Ryan made to follow her in but she did the bolts on the door and he gasped,

"You're locking me out?" When he didn't get any response, he raised his voice even more. "I'm not leaving this spot till you open up." He heard her turn the key in the lock and stepped back, looking aghast with his tongue pushing against the inside of his mouth. "Still not moving." He challenged.

Sofia left him there, greeting a chuckling Fred, in the kitchen. "Pay attention to those onions." She said, "We don't want to miss those magic fingers."

"There's always so much drama between you two that's all. By the way, I saw you on H.O.S., what's up? You acting now or what?"

"It's a long story but that was just a one-time stunt ok?"

"That's what you said the last time." He countered and she gave him a terrifying look.

"Get back to your onions Fred."

He raised his arms in mock surrender and she sighed, "Look yesterday was a long day and- "

"I can tell."

"How?"

"Your top is yellow, instead of the usual white and red alternation you wear to match the uniforms and besides that, you're a bit too late."

"See?" She groaned, at least she hadn't worn pants, changing would've been a real drag. Sofia sighed, walking into the changing room.

Just a day and that lifestyle was already messing with her head. She came out, tying her hair in a ponytail, and grabbed a notepad on her way to her first table of the day.

A few minutes later, Fred's head, upper torso, and left arm stuck out from the kitchen doorway. "Hey, Sofia. There's a call for you." He pointed backward.

She looked up from her notepad, her face bearing a pained expression. He got the message, raising his arm in mock surrender as he backed away from the doorway.

She walked back to the kitchen, submitting the order to Fred and moving on to the changing room. The call had gone to voicemail and she hit the play button.

Even the low quality of her phone's playback did little to deter the magnetic effect in his voice. "Sofia, these few minutes out here stretch to eternity. Can't we work things out? I've never waited for something this long... I feel like a changed person."

She sighed, he was being dramatic but then felt her insides mellowing, but just then she reminded herself that he was an internationally acclaimed actor. However, the message hit a soft spot.

She didn't know how long she'd been in there till her boss barged in. "Is Ryan the reason I'm gonna have to get another waitress?" She jumped, startled, and immediately apologized. "So it is him? Is he here?"

She nodded guiltily. "Out back." He turned and looked at the door then back at her as if he was trying to understand why she was yet to open up. "I'll get right on it." She said, forcing a small smile as she slipped past his bulky physique.

When she opened the door, he was now sitting on the second step from the top. She closed the door behind her and went to sit by him.

"I listened to your voicemail." She whispered.

"I meant every word." He enunciated for effect, looking her straight in the eye. However, she shook her head and looked away.

"No, you're just a really good actor. But I think I prefer you being Mr. Right to being a Casanova."

He nodded, "Done." and she chuckled, he leaned in, going for a kiss. Sofia hesitated and was saved by the jarring of her phone. "It can wait." He assured, drawing closer while she leaned away.

"Ryan, I've got to take this." Then she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Ryan jumped to his feet, looking around.

"What's up?"

"I... You... Rico..." She babbled incoherently and he reached for her phone.

"Try to calm down babe, let me see."

In her current state of mind, she probably didn't hear him and she let him have it.

It was a bank alert, Rico had just paid her for her role in episode 28. Ryan smiled, Rico was being really generous.

"Well, the episode was a huge success you know and we had a huge hand in that?" He said with a wink but she shook her head.

"I take it you meant to say, you and I."

"Nah, I meant us." He countered immediately but she wasn't about to start an argument over pronouns so she just shrugged and reached for her phone.

However, he moved out of reach from her sitting position on the stairs. "There's gonna be a party to celebrate that at my place tonight and we're gonna be there together. That's actually why I'm here."

"Party? We? Together? Now you're just using words that don't add up."

"You know what? We have to leave now, there's no time." He reached for her hand, turning as he did to leave but she moved her hands out of the way.

"Hold your horses, you can't just show up, decide for me and I'm just supposed to play along?"

"Hey hey I'm sorry. I really am and yeah," He continued, noticing she'd got up but not allowing her to cut in. "I promised not to do it again, I know, I know and I apologize for going back on my word ok? Please don't be mad, I'm really sorry."

She looked at him, her pent-up anger coming out in a deep exhale instead of what might have been taken for rap. How could she refuse such an apology when it tugged at her chest so...

She sighed, closing her eyes as if to refresh herself and when she opened them, he was running his hand through his hair. "If you want me to come, with you, you have to ask first." She said, a sly smile spreading across her face.

"Sure." He cleared his throat. "Sofia, would you be my date to the party?"

"I'll think about it." She offered playfully and Ryan stepped back a few feet, looking aghast. She chuckled, she was getting the desired effect.

He looked around, then at her then he chuckled,

"Oh, I'm sorry it almost sounded like you said you'd -"

"Think about it? Yeah, I did."

"You'd think about going on a date with... " He paused, searching for a suitable adjective to quantify himself with. The dull alley, however, wasn't providing any ideas and he soon resorted to motioning to himself with both hands. "Ryan Barnes?"

"I'd think about going on a date with anyone." She countered.

He looked horrified. "Surely I'm not just anyone."

"Oh well, since it seems like your life depends on it, I'll go with you. She turned and went up the last step.

Ryan's face hung in a blank expression like he didn't understand what had just happened. Then she turned, "Just not now, my shift isn't over yet.

She smiled at the expression on his face. "Don't worry, they're shorter now. Come around by 2pm, I'll be done by then."

Then she went in and closed the door behind her, a contented smile showing on her face as she leaned against the closed door. Outside, Ryan blinked repeatedly.

"You're damned, Ryan. Look what she's doing with you." He shook his head but for some reason, all this brought a smile to his face and before he knew it, one hand went in his hair, while his exhaling habit came into play once more.

However, he suddenly realized himself and looked around, putting his hair back into place the best he could before sticking both hands in the pockets of his jacket and leaving.