The Urban Princesses: Tiana

Chapter 2

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but we don't have steak here." I grumble, trying to sound more friendly than I actually want to be.

"How is that even possible? Every restaurant I've come to since I visited this forsaken place has steak! What's so different about you guys?"

"We just don't carry it. I can get you some sausage? Maybe bacon?" I sigh, tapping my pad impatiently.

"You know what?" The woman scoffs, shoving herself out from the table. "I'm going next door to get a steak."

Before I could stop her, the woman was storming out the door.

I shrug. One lost customer isn't going to do much to stop business. Besides, a huge flock of tourists came in this morning and I'm sure most of them have empty stomachs that are aching to be filled with some Louisiana comfort food.

I guess the Laurents weren't so bad after all.

Charlotte did some research and learned that the producers decided an episode or two in the city where their ancestors were from would spice up the currently boring season. I have no doubt they are going to throw in a cheesy, made up twist like one of their ancestors was a witch or something. They will tell you anything to keep your eyes glued to the TV.

"Tiana!" Jack called me from the kitchen. "Can you bring the trash out back? It's getting a little crazy back here."

"Yeah." I called back, flipping my order pad shut as I looked forlornly over my shoulder at the lost customer.

My eyebrows are almost singed off as Jack crosses me with a flaming pan just as I step through the door. "Don't worry about this." He says worriedly, dousing water over the flames.

I make my way to the back of the kitchen, feeling my hot face for any hair loss, and haul the trash bag teeming with waste from the can before slinging it over my shoulder, going outside.

The warm morning sun shone over me as I trudged to the dumpster, making the hot garbage inside the container smell even more rancid than it already was. I quickly toss the bag into the container and wipe my hands on my apron out of habit after touching something dirty, knowing that the germs would still be there.

I'm about to go back inside when I am shoved from behind and I crash into the edge of the dumpster, the pungent smell burying itself in my nostrils.

"Sorry." I hear a deep voice murmur unapologetically.

I scoff, turning around. "Watch where you're going please." I say to the handsome young man who shoved me.

"Yeah sorry." He repeats, craning his neck to see around me, clutching a ukulele in his long cocoa arms.

"Excuse me?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows. "Are you looking for something?"

He snaps out of his daze and his hazel eyes meet mine. "Uh, um, sorry," He laughs nervously, parting his lips to display a glittering collection of spotless teeth. "Just the opposite actually, someone is looking for me, but I don't particularly want that person to find me." He looks down at his ukulele, then back up at me with a puzzled expression. "Can you hold this for a second?"

Before I can respond, he is shoving the instrument into my arms and walking away.

"Hey!" I shout at the boy as I watch him climb on top of the dumpster. "Get down from there! Do it on someone else's property!"

"I'm not gonna fall hon," He laughs, his nimble limbs making their way onto the roof. "I just need to peek at something."

I watch, flabbergasted as he steps onto the roof effortlessly, poking his head over the top.

"What are you doing?!" I hiss. Why me?

"Chill," He bubbles, sliding off the top, landing before me gracefully. "It's all good."

At this point, I was fuming at this stranger's audacity. "Who do you think you are? I could've gotten fired for that! We could've gotten sued if you hurt yourself-"

"But that's the thing," He flashes me a grin. "I didn't. And who I think I am, is who I actually am." He winked at me. "See you later, sugar."

Ha plucks his ukulele from my arms and strolls away, starting to strum House of the Rising Sun.

I scoff. "Boys."

I go back into the restaurant to find Charlotte sitting at a table across from her father.

"Please, daddy! Think of how much publicity you could get for the election!"

"Lottie," He grumbles, rubbing his meaty forehead. "It's a lot of money to have parties like this-"

"Then don't buy me a new car for my birthday like you usually do." It was actually very surprising that Senator Eli Durand was worrying about expenses for his little girl. His pockets were deeper than God's and anything Charlotte wanted, she got. "Please, all I want is to rub elbows with the Laurents." Even from across the diner, I could see the stars dancing her eyes.

"Even if I did invite them, who says that they would come?"

"Leave that to me, daddy."

He sighs in defeat. "Ok, I'll throw you a party."

"Thank you!" She leans across the table and throws her arms around her father. "You won't regret this!"

"Anything for my little girl. Now, let me get back to my lunch."

"Of course, daddy." Charlotte beams, getting up. She spots me from across the restaurant and bounds over. "Tia! Have you heard the news? I'm having a party and the Laurents are going to be there!"

"Don't get your hopes up, sweetheart." Mr. Durand chuckled.

"You should come!" She adds, ignoring her father. "If not for the Laurents, for me."

I sigh, admiring her enthusiasm. "Of course I'll be there. You're my best friend."

She squeals, jumping up and down in her Jimmy Choo flats. "This is going to be great!"

Great was debatable, but it was surely a night I would never forget.

****

GUESS WHAT?! IM SLOWLY CRAWLING OUT OF MY WRITERS BLOCK!

My life is still in shambles but at least I can write again :)))))))

This chapter wasn't as good as I wanted it to be but I promise the next chapter will make up for it.

So yeah my updating schedule was kind of a bust but I'm going to try and make updates as frequent as possible!

Speaking of updates if you read Disney Hunger Games on my joint account abby_and_soph with belle-of-the-ball-xo the final chapter of Disney Hunger Games should be up by the time you're done reading this. And if you haven't checked out that account please stop over and check out our story!

Merry Christmas/ Happy Hanukkah/ Happy Kwanza/ Happy New Year/ Happy whatever you celebrate!

-RavenclawMaven1198