Samara stared at Dana, who was staring back at her as if she had something to say but wasn’t saying it.
“Okay. I’ll start at the other end of the table,” Candace said and walked around to take everyone else’s orders first.
“You’re worried I won’t be able to find something to eat here?” Samara asked.
“No, I know you can findfoodhere, but I’ve been the one responsible for feeding you for the past few days, and I know you won’t want the potato skins that are just halves of baked potatoes because you don’t eat cheese, bacon, or sour cream. Candace would have some green onions she can toss on them, at least, but I can guarantee she didn’t pick them up at the farmer’s market this morning, and they’re probably not organic.”
“I can adapt,” she replied and grabbed at the menu held back by the napkin holder, trying to prove a point.
“Excuse me. Are you Samara Barber?”
Samara looked up and saw two women standing there. One of them had her phone ready in her hand.
“I am, but I’m just having dinner and drinks with some friends. Another time, maybe?”
“Oh,” one of the women said. “Right. Sorry.”
Then, they both walked away.
“Damn, Samara. You could have at least taken a picture with them,” Dana said.
“I took three pictures outside before I came in here, and another five in the lobby of my hotel before I was able to leave there. I took probably about twenty yesterday; some of those were on set. If I hopped into every selfie someone wanted to take with me when I’m just out trying to live my life, I’d never get to live that life, Dana. I’m here to celebrate you getting a part and to try to be a little – I don’t know – social. I need to be able to do those things, too.”
Dana didn’t say anything in response to that, so Samara looked back down at the menu, where there was, as Dana had correctly guessed, nothing that she could eat. She didn’t see a veggie burger option, no vegan cheese or mayo, and not many vegetables at all, unless she counted those green onions that Dana had been joking about. Samara put the menu back and looked away from Dana, trying not to draw attention to the fact that she couldn’t eat here after all.
“Nothing?” Dana asked.
“Okay. Yes, you were right,” she replied. “I’ll eat later.”
Dana stood up then and said, “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“The kitchen. Candace, can I check out your kitchen?”
“Um… Why?”
“To find Samara something she can eat. She’s a picky vegan.”
“Hey!” Samara exclaimed.
“Okay. But can you be careful? Not sure I’m insured for this.”
“Promise,” Dana replied.
Samara watched as she disappeared through the kitchen doors, and she didn’t know what to do with herself anymore. Everyone around her was either ordering food, or they were deep in conversation with each other. The only remaining two people she even knew here were Bryce and Sophie, but they were at the other end of the table, talking about the movie. Samara stood and excused herself, disappearing to wash her hands in the bathroom, which was nicer than she’d expected.
“What are you doing here?” she asked herself in the mirror. “You don’t even know all these people, and Dana thinks you’re a stuck-up, picky eater who won’t take pictures with strangers.”
She dried her hands, gathered herself, and walked back out, knowing she couldn’t hide there forever.
Seeing that Candace was busy laughing at something at the table, though, she decided to peer in through the window to see if she could make out what Dana was doing back there.Samara saw her mixing something in a bowl, and the kitchen looked empty, so she walked in.
“Hey. What are you doing back here?” she asked.
“Making you food.”
“Dana, you’re not working right now. You don’t have to make me food. I’ll order something for myself later.”
