Chapter Two - News Leak

Sofia was all the rage the next day. On the entertainment news, tabloids, and the lips of some very important people.

---

"Ryan, you need to cool off, you hothead," James said, knocking him into the pool. "She's not everything. She's not even anything."

"No, you don't get it," his head bobbed to the surface. "She turned down all my advances, and the only one she let through was a dead end."

"That girl's probably halfway across the globe by now,” he sighed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his burgundy shorts. “She's Asian, and you'll probably never hear about her again once this rave dies down. That will happen sooner. Trust me." He added the last part a bit hesitantly.

His thoughts plagued him. Why the hell was he even here? Since when was Ryan able to order him around like some on-hand butler? Even calling him to his home just because he felt like it…

They were at the pool on Ryan's top-dollar property the afternoon after the premiere.

… One of the things that infuriated James so much. Before, things were different. Who was Ryan before he, James Danson, appeared? He made Ryan, and now, he was just an on-hand butler, to put it lightly. To Ryan, everything was about him. He was the center of gravity of the whole world. Another thing he hated about the dude. His ringtone jarred his thoughts, and he went to take the call.

---

A few minutes later, James was returning to the pool; he was surprised Ryan hadn't called his phone. However, there was another car parked in the driveway. He got to the place and found Ryan on a recliner away from the pool with Amanda on the one next to him, applying lotion. He scoffed; she was already back, upon yesterday.

"Hey," he smiled, leaning down for a hug.

"I’m okay, when did you get here?" She asked as they separated.

"I've been here for a while; I just went in to take a call. You?"

"I just got here. I was in the neighborhood, and Ryan called. He said he was alone and needed some company."

“Ryan, you didn't tell me James was here."

"Sorry," he yawned, stretching out lazily, "I forgot… Jerry was still here."

"It's James." He replied drily.

"Whatever," Ryan said with a yawn.

James turned, his jaw muscles tightening.

"I was just leaving." He said as he walked away, a personal storm cloud brooding over him.

---

That same day, Sofia was at work - She waited tables at this place downtown, TacoFun, fully unaware of the rave her actions last night had caused. She had just served a platter of tacos and fries to a male customer in a cheap suit and small rectangular glasses when two of her girlfriends rushed in.

"Sofia! Sofia! Have you seen the news?" Tanya - a wild raven-haired girl, asked as she got to her.**

"What news? What's up? What's got you all so excited?" She asked, smiling along.

"Fred!" The other girl, Alicia, called Sofia's colleague at the counter, "Turn on the TV, please." He did so, and Tanya took the remote control and tuned in to the entertainment news.

There she was on the screen; she gasped; Jessi had done a lot.

"Jessi is the best," Tanya said, hugging Sofia's side. "You looked absolutely fab, girlfriend."

Sofia smiled, "Thanks, Tanya." However, she began to notice the growing attention and signaled Fred to switch the channel, "But I'm still at work, ok, you have to leave now, please."

"Ok," She smiled, "But first, promise me the full scoop once you get back."

"Ok ok, I promise. Now if you would just excuse me."

"Sure thing, superstar." Tanya smiled, taking Alicia along with her. Sofia went back to get the tray from the table she'd just served and saw that he'd left without even touching the food.

She looked around but there wasn't any sign of him, and the male bathroom was available so he wasn't in there either. She was getting worried about getting a bad review, but those worries disappeared once she sighted the bill; it had a very generous tip added.

She balanced the tray against her waist and walked towards the kitchen, wondering what could have made him leave in such a hurry. Her shift was almost over.

"Out of the way, Sofia." Another waitress, Sandra, said as she forcefully brushed past.

Sofia turned with a slight frown, "Watch it, Sandra."

"Because you were on TV? Fat chance." She replied derisively.

Sofia sighed in resignation and turned to go into the kitchen, but Sandra called out again,

"You know the difference between you and Cinderella?"

"We are nothing alike, Sandra, and I haven't got any time for-"

"Wrong." Sandra cut in sharply. "You two played dress up to go for a party, but you're still nothing but plain, old, boring Sofia."

Sofia turned to leave; she never let such talk affect her but Sandra called her back,

"You don't have anything to say? Cinderella wannabe." She completed with a chuckle.

She sighed in exasperation and turned, "Look, Sandra, you're free to call me Cinderella wannabe; at least one of us still got something she wants to be." She walked away reveling in how she felt within, and this time, her sigh was in contentment over the state she'd left Sandra in.

---

As she walked out the employees' only door, Sofia let her thoughts drift in the direction Sandra had led it. There had been a fair number of men in her life but she'd given up on anything past dating after searching fruitlessly for that spark that would seal their fates together. She sighed inwardly. There would still be someone out there just for her.

Then she paused with a small gasp. What if he was dead? On the other hand, maybe he lived in some faraway place like Uzbekistan. She shook her head to banish such thoughts, made the sign of the cross, and kissed her hand. The LA sky was tinged with shades of violet and orange as she picked up the pace on her way home.

When she got to the semidetached block she called home, she found her flat filled with friends and neighbors. Tanya and Alicia were there. Even her closest friend, confidant, and owner of the building, Jessica Harper, or as she was fondly called, Jessi.

"What's going on?" Sofia asked, smiling along with them.

"That's our line, dear," Jessi said, and the girls laughed too. Sofia smiled along again, still unsure herself.

"Okay…" Sofia said, dragging it out a bit. She hung her bag on the nearest sofa and looked about, her hands placed toward the small of her back. They had taken up every inch of comfortable space in her sitting room, except...

"So, it seems I'm the only one who doesn't know why this gathering is…"

"Tell us about you and Ryan!" Susanna, a dark-skinned one, yelled from behind, and the girls erupted in a cheer.

Sofia turned bright pink and shot Jessi the "seriously?" look.

"Hey, don't blame me, Cinderella," She said raising both arms in mock surrender.

"FYI you're trending," she completed, giving Sofia the "you've got no clue" look.

"Ok, ok." She sighed in surrender, collapsing into a single-seat sofa, obviously left for her. Then she recounted the story, pausing each time for the sighs to die down.

Tanya shook her head at Sofia and said, "Ryan was all over you, and you turned him down?" She sighed, "If only we could've switched places," she completed with another sigh.

"Jessi," Alicia called, "Let me book you in advance for the next premiere."

The other girls were suddenly gathered about Jessi pleading for themselves. Sofia was very much pleased she was no longer the center of attraction and had already stood to sneak in.

However, Jessi wasn't about to let her off easily.

"Wait, wait, just hold on, girls. What I see here is Sofia playing hard to get to keep him interested and after her," she completed with a wink.

Sofia turned bright pink once more as the girls exploded in a chorus of laughter, some giggling and rocking sideways.

"Ok, let's go. Party's over," Sofia said, going to stand by the door. Everyone was complaining, but she ignored everything, insisting that they should all go. In a few seconds, she was sighing in contentment as she leaned against the locked door and then collapsed on a sofa. She'd lain there for a little while when she finally got up with a groan and went into the shower, taking her time before finally going to sleep.