21. THE SPICES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21. Spices

 

     THE DAYS PASSED QUICKLY; I DIDN’T NOTICE THAT TWO YEARS is over. The pain is over. It’s like I never been hurt. I can’t even remember the moments before we left, it’s like I had amnesia. I took a peek at the window as we go nearer to California again, the rain is falling harder as my heart pumped faster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Here I am sitting beside Shane, going back to California and now an official chef. I haven’t seen them since last Christmas, since they couldn’t make it on our graduation, though Ashley and Nate, with Kyla, came.

     Nothing much has change to me, I still have my curls, while Shane decided to have fluffier curls, though except for that, it’s like we’re still eighteen. I don’t feel myself as a twenty years old woman.

     Shane became more pursue on me. But I keep saying that I really can’t love him the way he wants. But I did try. We dated for a year, but it’s like there’s really nothing between us, except for friendship. He said he understands me and can wait and he’s still my best friend. I just really hope he can find someone who would love him back in the same way, and fast.

     A lot of girls showed their interest on him, but it’s like he can’t see them. He didn’t even try to date them or get to know those girls. Well, I tried dating again after Shane— a lot of times— but I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for, there’s still something missing to them, though they are all sarcastic, honest—sometimes too honest— friendly, not judgmental, good looking—though I don’t really go for the appearance— but there’s one quality missing and I don’t even know what it is.

     We got off the plane as the rain stopped falling, and I saw that they’re all there, except for one. Even when we go for a vacation, I never really got to see him. Why am I looking for him anyway? I’m the one who broke up with him. I felt my smile faded but I tried to bring it back. Shane looked at me and I know he knows that I’m just faking a smile, and he knows who I’m looking for. I tried to smile more convincingly but he disagrees with me.

     “…now you can cook for us…” my mom said hugging me. I didn’t even notice that she was talking to me.

     “Yah, sure…” I muttered. I looked around quickly then faced her again. “Hey Suzie… wow, you’ve changed a lot…”

 

 

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     “Yah…”

     “What happened to your hair? Not that I don’t like it…” I looked at her new brunette hair.

     “Well, my friends are into brunettes… and I’m fifteen already so I guess I can do what I want…”

     “Fifteen… I was like you, before I want straight hair, but now, I’m happy with my curls…”

     “Of course you should… you’re so famous… girls would die just to have the same hair as yours…”

     “I’m not that famous anymore… I’ve been gone for two years and I’m only doing the tours every summers and holidays… and like you said, girls in your school are into brunettes…”

     “But you’re still famous… when my classmates found out that you were my cousin; they started hanging out with me you know…”

     “So I guess you’re popular…”

     “Yah… thanks to you…”

     “But I know your friends like you for whom you are and not just on your connection to me…”

     “The others… but I’m pretty sure my not so real friends just hang out with me because you’re my cousin…”

     “Really… well, that’s too bad…”

     “Why?”

     “You know, you should hang out with your real friends, who like you for who you are… your fake friends will only be there when they need you…” I looked at the notebook she’s holding. I bet she’s going to say that her friends want me to sign an autograph for them.

     “Am I that predictable?”

     “Not really… just notice…” I smiled.

     “Okay…”

     “Hey Alyson, I know this great restaurant where they are looking for a new chef…” Nate mumbled.

 

 

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     “Really? Where?”

     “The name of the restaurant is the spices… I’m pretty close to the owner so you can be hired already…”

     “But that’s—” Shane muttered but Nate covered his mouth quickly.

     “That’s what?” I asked.

     “That’s a five star restaurant… a lot of recipes are hard to do… but I have faith on you… and I’m pretty sure you can do it…” Nate said.

     “But how about Shane?”

     “I don’t think he can be a chef… the unknown is being requested a lot and only me and Adam are doing the tour... you can of course come with us too, but since you said that you want to have some experience on work, oh yah, later I’ll give you all the fan mails that we received that all says they miss seeing and hearing you…”

     “Well, I guess I can, if my future boss will let me…”

     “Oh he’ll always let you… don’t worry…” he smiled crookedly.

     “What?”

     “Nothing… I can show you the restaurant later… we will be driving by it anyway…”

     “Okay…”

     “Hey, you can chat in the car… we need to go now…” Ryan said.

     “Oh sorry…” we went straight to our Mercedes.

     “What do you mean again by he’ll always let you…” I asked imitating his voice.

     “You see, your future boss is really close to our family, he’s like our brother… and he always do what we request…”

     “But I don’t like to push him…”

     “He’s not a push-over… just a kind man…”

     “Okay…”

     We reached their house by three. I missed visiting here, since

 

 

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before, I felt like there’s a force field blocking me. They prepared a welcome party for us, but he’s still not there. Where is he anyway? Is he avoiding me? I can’t believe I’m affected by his absence, besides, I’m the one who started avoiding him, right? It’s been two years for God’s sake. I tried to enjoy the party, I sang along, but I just can’t be complete. I’m not like this before. I don’t want to ask them on where he is because they might think I’m still in love with him.

     “Ready for your work tomorrow?” Shane asked me.

     “I’m not hired yet…” I muttered.

     “Yet…”

     “Are you close to the owner to?”

     “Closer than you think… like what Nate said, he’s already like a brother to us…”

     “Okay… will you come with me tomorrow?”

     “Um, I think I can’t… sorry…”

     “That’s okay…”

     “Missing him?”

     “What?”

     “You know what I mean…”

     “Of course not… why would I?”

     “I can see that you’re pretty upset that he’s not here…”

     “What? No, of course not… I’m just tired…”

     “Really…”

     “Yah… besides, give me a break, it’s been two years… I already forgot about him… I never saw him for two years, since whenever we have a tour he doesn’t come with us… It’s like he doesn’t exist anymore…”

     “Really… but I know since you’ll be staying here at California again, that will change…”

     “Don’t put your hopes up…”

     “I wish… just promise me that you won’t fall in love with him again when you see him again…”

     “C’mon… I can’t be in love with him when I see him…”

 

 

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     “Promise me first…”

     “Well then, I promise…”

     “Promise me that you’ll give me a chance too…”

     “Shane… we already tried it… but I just feel nothing… sorry…”

     “Okay… but you’ll see that you just need to open your eyes to see the one you’re looking for…”

     “My eyes are already open…”

     “C’mon… you dated like a hundred boys in Boston already…”

     “You’re exaggerating…”

     “Okay, maybe just fifty…”

     “Not even close…”

     “Okay, maybe thirty…”

     I think about it for a second. “That would do…”

     “And you never saw anyone on your interest…”

     “Well, at least I tried… what happened to you… you didn’t even try to get to know them…”

     “Hey, I tried dating…”

     “With me…”

     “Hey, remember that Ciara…”

     “You dated her?”

     “Yah…”

     “You’re just making that up… you never told me even once about her…”

     “Well, it didn’t work out so I didn’t tell you about her…”

     “Really…”

     “Yah…”

     “If you really dated, then what’s her last name?”

     “Um, I forgot…”

     “I knew it…”

     “Hey, how about you, do you remember the last names of the guys you’ve dated?”

     “No… but I have an excuse… c’mon, there are thirty of

 

 

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them…”

     “Then I have an excuse too…”

     “What’s that?”

     “She never told me her full name…”

     “Really… then why do I know her full name?”

     “She told you?”

     “Yah…”

     “You’re close?”

     “Um, a little…”

     “Really… what’s her name?”

     “Ciara Swift…”

     “Full name…”

     “Ciara Rose Swift…”

     “Oh…”

     “If you really dated her, then you should’ve known that…”

     “Sure…”

     “So you never did date anyone else…”

     “It’s hard…”

     “Did you have some girl friends?”

     “Yah…”

     “Give me five from our class…”

     “Meagan Anderson, Abigail Young, Nicole Clarkson, Kelly Brown, Carrie Belle…”

     “Wow, you’ve memorized their full names…”

     “Of course…”

     “So why didn’t you date any of them?”

     “They are all taken…”

     “I know Kelly isn’t…”

     “Really? She didn’t tell me about her status… I guess she only wants to have a girl talk…”

     “Yah… you’re right…”

     “So how about you, why didn’t you had a boyfriend?”

     “They’re not my type…”

     “Not that I want you to date them, since I want you to date

 

 

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me, but I saw Lucas and he’s your perfect match… unless you pick me, of course…”

     “How can you be sure he’s my perfect match?”

     “He’s sarcastic, like Adam—”

     “He’s not my perfect match…”

     “Okay, he’s sarcastic like what you’re looking for, he’s a nice guy, he’s a real gentleman, he’s multitalented, and he’s good looking though you don’t really care for the looks…”

     “Well…”

     “You’re still waiting for him to take you back…”

     “No… I’m the one who broke up with him…”

     “Prove it…”

     “Sure… starting now, you’re my boyfriend…”

     “What?”

     “You don’t want to? I can change my—”

     “Of course I like it! This is the happiest day of my life!” he hugged me tightly.

     Did I make the right choice? Ah, it’s too late to take it back.

     “But, you didn’t say that just because—”

     “No… I just want to give it a try… since you said I never did give you a chance…”

     “Thanks…”

     “Well, I think I need to go home now… they’re leaving already…”

     “Okay… prepare yourself tomorrow…”

     “Bye…” I waved goodbye as I went in the Mercedes.

     “So, you’re going to apply tomorrow already?” my dad asked.

     “Yah, I guess…”

     “Don’t you want to enjoy your freedom first?”

     “Nah… I have nothing to do anyway…”

     “Hang out with Shane…”

     “Dad, we’ve been hanging out together for three years…”

     “Just give him a chance…”

 

 

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     “I already gave him a chance…”

     “You mean…”

     “On what you’re thinking, you are right…”

     “Really?”

     “Yah… I’ll try… but if it doesn’t work out again…”

     “I’m pretty sure it’ll work out… Shane is really a great kid… he’s the one who’s right for you…”

     “Sure…”

     “You made the right choice…”

     “I hope so…”

 

     We reached our house by nine. I went straight to my bedroom—which I really missed— and changed to my PJs. I dropped my purse so I look under my bed. Suddenly I touched something different, something quite familiar. I quickly took it and I saw that it was the doll Adam gave me three years ago. I pressed the hand of it and it says: I love you Alyson. Suddenly my tears fell. Tomorrow I really need to start, so that I can completely forget about him. I went straight to my bed and sleep; maybe I’ll just look for my purse tomorrow morning.

 

     I woke up at seven. I prepared my applications first, though I don’t know what time the restaurant opens, but I guess I’ll go there by nine. I brushed my teeth and took a bath then I brushed my curls carefully then ate breakfast. I use my Ford—which I haven’t used for a very long time—to get to the restaurant.

     I reached the restaurant by exactly nine, and I can see that they are already open, though there are still no customers. I asked the guards if they are looking for a new chef, then he led me to the office of their boss—I think— and I can see that a lot are applying as well. How can Nate and Shane be sure that I’ll be hired with all of them? I guess I just need to trust my luck. I sat beside a woman in red chiffon dress.

 

 

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     “Hello, what are you applying for?” she asked me.

     “Um, a chef… how about you?” I asked.

     “A waitress… I’m Rebecca Fox…”

     “I’m Alyson Smith…”

     “Wait, you’re the girl lead singer of the band the unknown, right?”

     “Yah…”

     “I’m a big fan of your band… can I have your autograph?” she gave me a notebook and a pen. Good thing the other applicants didn’t recognize me and her voice is too low for anyone to hear, or my hand will be sore again.

     “Sure…” I took the pen and signed her notebook.

     “Thanks…”

     “No problem…”

     “So, when will be your next tour?”

     “I’m not sure yet…”

     “So why are you going for a chef? From being a celebrity…”

     “I just want to have an experience… but I won’t quit on being a singer…”

     “Ah…”

     “So what time does the restaurant opens? Well, I just notice that there are no customers yet…”

     “Twelve…”

     “So um, have you tried eating here?”

     “Yes, and it’s really amazing… too bad one of their chefs quit… but on the bright side, the owner is a chef too, so he kinda do all the work…”

     “Do you know the owner?”

     “You don’t know the owner of this restaurant?” she asked like I’ve been gone for a hundred years for me to not know.

     “Well, I have no idea… Nate and Shane said they’re very close to the owner… but they wouldn’t tell me who it is…”

     “Well, you’ll be surprise…”

     “Really?”

 

 

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     “Yah… well, wish me luck…” she stood up.

     “Good luck…”

     She went in to the office.

     I just sat quietly, I didn’t notice that there’s no one else left except for me. The interview went so fast to them, or maybe the other people who I thought that is applying just came here with their friend to support them, yah, maybe that’s it.

     After a few minutes, Rebecca came out. “Hey, good luck…” she said.

     I went in and I saw the owner reading the applications. He’s wearing glasses and has a big curly hair, like Nate’s.

     “Um, I’m applying for a chef…” I look around and there’s a newspaper lying on the chair. The only words I saw is

THE SPICES, ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANTS, OWNED MY MR. ADAM CYRUS.

     I looked at the owner and I suddenly froze when he looked up and it’s him. Shane and Nate owe me big time.

     “Yes?” he said.

     “Um, sorry, I just realize I need to go now.” I walked out of his office.

      “Wait, Ms. If you’re applying as a chef, we’re really in need of one…”

     I just reminded myself that this is for an experience, it’s not personal, and it’s work. I went back to his office.

     “Well then, sit down…”

     I followed what he said and gave him my applications without taking a glimpse on him.

     “Ms. Alyson Smith… sounds familiar… so, you graduated in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, do you have some experiences?”

     “Um, this should be my first…”

     “You’re in luck that we’re really in need of a chef and there’s no one applying for it, so when would you like to start?”

     “Um, as soon as possible….”

 

 

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     “Well then…” he stood up. “You’re hired.” He put his hand in front of me.

     “Thank you…”

     He quickly put down his hand when he noticed that I have no plans on shaking it. “I’ll show you the kitchen…” he led me to the other room, across from his office. “Of course, you must be familiar with the utensils, so I don’t need to explain that to you…” he called the other staff. “And this is William and Riley, they are the chefs that will be assisting you in case there are some difficult recipes you’re not familiar with, Martin, Valerie, Candy, Cathy, Jake, TJ, Jack, they’re the waiters and waitresses and other stuff that they do… just ask them if you need some help or something and I’ll be at my office…” he mumbled. Then he went back to his office.

     “Hey…” I said.

     “Hi, I’m Valerie Flinn… you can call me Val…” Valerie said.

     “Hi, I’m Alyson Smith… um, is Adam really that… grouchy?”

     “Well, since I know… but he’s nice when work is over…”

     “Do you know Mr. Adam personally?” Candy asked.

     “Um, no… I just saw him on TV…” I lied.

     “Wait a second, you’re Alyson Smith!” Martin said.

     “Um, yes…”

     “No wonder…”

     “Why, what’s up?” Valerie asked.

     “She’s the girl lead singer on the band the unknown where Mr. Adam is… you’re his ex, right?”

     “Um, yah… but that’s like two years ago… no more connection…”

     “Why did you leave the band anyway?”

     “I didn’t exactly leave the band, I just studied first…”

     “Ah…”

     I put on my chef jacket and toque then washed my hands. “So, um, how long is this restaurant?”

     “About twenty years, but just two months ago, the Cyrus

 

 

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family bought this, and then Mr. Adam graduated on a business management course, then they just let him manage this restaurant…”

     “Ah…”

     “Hey, our always first customers are here…” Jake said.

     “Who?”

     “Mr. Shane and Mr. Nate Cyrus…”

     “Oh…”

     “They ordered the roasted turkey sandwich…”

     “Um, can I do their order?” I bit my lip.

     “Sure…”

     “Thanks…”

     It’s not hard to do what they want since the recipe is easy. “Um, can I give this to them? Just need to talk to them…”

     “Sure…” William said.

     I headed toward them. “Here you go sir…”

     “Hey, I thought you’re a chef?” Nate asked.

     “You’re right… and you owe me big time…”

     “Is your boss great?”

     “Whatever…”

     “Told you, you’ll be hired quickly…”

     “That’s because he’s in need of a new chef…”

     “Are you the one who made this?” Shane asked.

     “Yah, why?”

     “It tastes different…”

     “You’re mean…”

     “Different in a good way…”

     “Hey, why don’t you sit first?” Nate asked.

     “Ah, no need, my new boss might kill me, besides, I need to go back to the kitchen now…”

     “Why? You don’t have any customers yet…”

     I looked around and he’s right. “What time is it anyway?”

     “We’re the only one who comes here in eleven…”

     “Oh…”

 

 

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     “So sit down first…”

     “Okay…” I sat down next to Shane. “So why did you bought the restaurant?”

     “Well, the owner needs a lot of money because she’s buried in debts… credit cards…” Shane said.

     “Ah… so how come you can’t manage this?” I looked at Nate.

     “Nah, I’m waiting for the star bucks, remember?” Nate said.

     “Oh yah, my ten percent discount…”

     “You still remember…”

     “Of course… so is this restaurant successful?”

     “Yah… more successful when they found out who was managing…”

     “Ah…”

     “So, did your new boss already teach you what you need to know?”

     “Nope… he said he doesn’t need to… he just showed me around…”

      “Ah…”

     “Um, just for curiosity, how come he kinda… changed?”

     “He didn’t change… just became more serious as the owner… but as Adam the lead singer, he’s still the same sarcastic person you left two years ago…”

     “Ah… one more question, did he know you set me up?”

     “Nope… it’s only Shane and I… So he has the same reaction as yours… too bad he’s not a girl that means he has a more violent reaction…”

     “Okay, one last question… is he avoiding me?”

     “I think not… because if he is, then you wouldn’t be here… why did you ask anyway?”

     “No particular reason…”

     “Really,”

     “Okay, this is really the last question, is he angry at me?”

     “Nope… he never did… though he said he wants to forget

 

 

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about you already…”

     “Okay… promise, this is the last question…”

     “You can ask as many questions as you want…”

     “Okay, um, did he date again?”

     “Yes…”

     “And…”

     “No… he didn’t have a new girlfriend…”

     “How about…”

     “She went back to China to handle the company of her late family-in-law…”

     “Still have that mind reading thing…”

     “Yah… and it’s obvious in your eyes…”

     “Really…”

     “So what am I thinking now?” I covered my eyes.

     “That I really owe you big time… and your boss as well…”

     “Yah…” I took my hands back.

     “Well, it’s almost twelve, so we need to go now…”

     “Wait, when’s the next tour anyway?”

     “You’re coming with us?”

     “Sure…”

     “I still don’t know… but I’ll tell you later…”

     “Okay… and um, last question again, if I come with you, will he…”

     “Of course… he has no excuse now…”

      “Excuse?”

     “Well, he studied remember? So when you’re here, he’s not here… and when you’re gone, that’s the time if he wants to show up or not…”

     “Oh…”

     “We have to go now…”

     “Sure…” I stood up the same time they did. I went back to the kitchen and I can see that Martin was kinda eavesdropping, but I let it go anyway.

     “So, do you have a plan on coming back to the band?”

 

 

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Martin asked.

    “Possible… since I missed the fans…”

    “Can you sing some songs?”

     “Sure… but you all need to sing with me…” I looked at them.

     “Sure…” Valerie said.

 

    The day passed quickly, there are a lot of customers and the recipes are hard to do, but I got the hang of it anyway. Adam didn’t help now, since I’m here, I guess. And William and Riley are really amazing chefs; they did all the hardest orders, the same time teaching me, while the rest are doing their jobs swiftly. On our free time, we just sing and put the beat up; I doubt our noise is even heard out. The customers didn’t mind it.

     I picked up my bag and went out the same time they did. I got in to my car, and stare at the Mercedes parked in front of mine, I guess he still didn’t come out. Why am I waiting for him anyway? It’s not like I’m affected by his actions. I headed straight home.

     “Hey, how’s the first day of work?” my mom asked.

     “It’s great… they’re all very friendly to me… and it’s fun hanging out with them…” I said.

     “Ah… congrats to you… so, had you eaten dinner already?”

     “Um, not yet…”

     “Then it’s your turn to sit back and just eat…”

     “Okay…”

 

     After I eat, I headed to my bed and sleep. Today is a very exhausting but at least fun, day.

     Now I’m sure I’m dreaming. The reason for that is I’m in the kitchen of the spices, alone but I can hear someone murmuring too low for me to hear. I turned the lights on and I saw Adam sitting on the side, but now he’s different, he’s not the man I saw back in the restaurant with the big curls, he’s the Adam I saw back three years ago with the same black wavy hair.

 

 

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    I look at him then slowly walk toward him, and then he stood up. He held my face and lean to kiss me until…

    I felt licking on my cheeks, I woke up. “Phoenix!” I muttered. I looked at the time and it’s already eight. I need to be in the restaurant at ten. I almost overslept, good thing Phoenix woke me up, just in time before… uh! I don’t want to remember it. I already have a boyfriend, but that’s still what I’m thinking. What a nightmare!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Reviews

[blackrose24]

great twist in the story..