"Absent girl?" Oh dear, it happened again and in front of this man once more. Can I be so unlucky? I blink a few times, as I gain my focus back and plan something.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking about the menu for you guys." I retorted as they all looked at me weirdly. "As I was saying, I'm Becca and I will be your waitress today. Thank you for helping me the other day, young man." I replied to the guy whose name I still don't know and probably won't find out about since I've been playing stupid the two times we've met. He chuckles looking up at me, I can't really tell where else I've seen him, I swear to God. I can learn my lines but I can never remember faces.

"It's Ben. And these are Anne, Paul, Jerome and Susan." He points at the people as I look at them closely, smiling, trying not to drown in embarrassment. I'm an artist I should be embarrassment-proof but I'm not and that won't seem to change ever again.

"Nice to make your acquaintance everybody."

"How did you meet Ben?" It's Jerome asking with a mischievous grin. Most probably he thinks this is going to turn out like those romantic comedies: boy meets girl and then something happens. This is not the case, I hate this kind of serendipity.

"I was visiting mom at her office and I bumped with Rebecca in the elevator." Ben explained before I could do it, and oddly enough it was a short, satisfying explanation, enough to feed their curiosity, calm my nerves and allow me to get back in character. Thank you, Ben, for being a comprehensive man and not letting me fall in total shame in front of all these important, Broadway people.

Wait… He is with the important Broadway people. Don't freak out Becca. This is not an audition, they are just customers; normal people.

"Alright folks, I'll come back in a while to take your order. Enjoy the show and if you need anything else, just call my name." I have this urgent need to walk away from stress. I give them a polite smile and walk back to the counter to get some beverages for another table I'm taking care of. Breathe in, breathe out. This is not a big deal. I notice Tina walking towards me with a smile. "I see you got sympathetic with the guests, that's good."

"If you call serendipitous situations something sympathetic… well…" I'm not willing to give any details to her. Oh if only Amanda or Lily were here… I walk around my tables until it is time to go back to the source of my mortifications. I take their orders with no hassle, great first step. Acting naturally. I'm a waitress here, I'm not Rebecca the insecure woman who hesitates about anything and everything. Then I hear my name being called from the first floor.

"And now, please, welcome Becca, the newest addition to our staff. Come over here and amaze us with your voice." That is Frank and he is not helping. My important guests just jump to spot number two on the scale of stressful situations, leaving the singing in the first spot. Great. What I love most is now turning into a source of tragedy. I walk down the stairs, keeping my little notepad in my pocket as I go fetch my microphone.

It is now or never. Once on the computer I search for one of my favourite tunes ever. Tina said I should sing what I do better, then, I'll do that. If I ain't got you by Alicia Keys should work the charm. I press play as I walk around the tables on the first floor. What I love about singing is that it allows me to forget about everything, maybe I become a better version of myself. All worries go away, even when feelings revolve in my heart, but it's more authentic than acting.

Some people live for the fortune

Some people live just for the fame

Some people live for the power, yeah

Some people live just to play the game

I walk around, passing some drinks around… I take a look at every guest and by then I don't feel shame of any kind, I'm good at this, I was born to do this. Climbing up on the middle section of chairs, walking on the back of a row of tables I let myself go.

Some people think
That the physical things
Define what's within
And I've been there before
That life's a bore
So full of the superficial

Some people want it all
But I don't want nothing at all
If it ain't you, baby
If I ain't got you, baby

Absenteeism is part of who I am, maybe, but I do it greatly as well, before I know, the song is over and the round of applause brings back a little Becca, overwhelmed by the attention, but in a good way. It's time to leave the spotlight for another singer and go back to my tables. I give the microphone to Romeo and walk upstairs, not before receiving a reassuring look of success from Frank who's giving me the thumbs up. So far so good. I take some orders from the kitchen and it's only by then that I notice that I should go back to the source of the worries, but adrenaline's got me and I can do this. So, I approach them, my hands busy with trays and I place their plates in front of them.

"That was quite the show." One of the girls say, clapping. Everyone is smiling at me, including brown eyed Ben who's just nodding.

"I'm glad you're our waitress, if there was a contest I'd vote for you a thousand times." Paul adds as a rinse for my already blushed cheeks. I better get used to receive compliments.

"I'm glad it was of your enjoyment."

"Can we make song requests?" Susan asks. Oh lord.

"Can we sing with you?" This time it is Ben making the questions. Do we always get these kind of requests from theater people? They seem to be really demanding! It annoys me a bit, as well as it makes me nervous. Are they testing us?

"I'm not sure about it." I retort drily. Remember to be polite, Becca.

"Are you scared?" Ben asks once more, defiantly. I didn't know people came to this place to be competitive… it's a freaking diner!

"Scared of what?"

"Of any of us beating you." Now he is playing hard. Guys, you're not helping.

"If you want to compete, I'm game." I let my competitive side get the best of me. I'm even supporting my hands on the table, leaning forwards, challenging.

"Alright, Frank is a personal friend, I'm sure he will allow us to have our little duel". Now, I didn't see that one coming, the next thing I know is that brown eyed ben is walking downstairs. I stay on my place, frozen as the other guys laugh and make comments on how he is going to crush me and everyone else at singing. Who could've thought that this reckless but adorable english bastard was determined to make my life hell.