The round face began to elongate as time went on. It took her out of the mountains to the sea side for college. The stars were familiar here too.

She worked in a restaurant in the evenings, waiting tables and entering the kitchen to retrieve meals. One of the cooks, the soup guy, was always winking at her, making lewd comments, and recently, trying to touch her.
She skirted Soup Guy with a tray of hot plates ready for table 8, and plastered a smile on her face as she passed the manager. After serving the table she noticed the sun was setting, and in the east, the first star had nestled into the center of the diner window like a diamond in a navy velvet square.

She closed her eyes briefly and breathed out her desires towards it. The kitchen issued forth a bloodcurdling scream.
-
The waitresses took up a collection to buy flowers for Ramone’s hospital room. She didn’t contribute. He’d need more than flowers to regain the use of his hands. He shouldn’t have tried to catch the tumbling, scorching, stock pot.