her hands lightly to try and contain her excitement A whole week with my two favorite nieces Isa raised her eyebrows She wondered what her cousins Luz and Renata would think if they heard their aunt say that Considering they still lived in Chile she guessed it didn’t make much difference And they’re probably her favorite nieces when she goes down to visit them Isa thought Don’t turn your head but I think that’s the guy from the Werewolf Journals show Marta said Aunt Violeta turned making it completely obvious that she was stargazing That guy their aunt asked Marta looked like she might melt in her seat just so she could dribble and hide under the table in embarrassment Oh Martalina Aunt Violeta said He can’t hear me Really I can’t believe real actors and famous people eat here Isa exclaimed I guess I hadn’t noticed Aunt Violeta replied She glanced briefly over her shoulder Sitting at a nearby table was a man in his early twenties with slicked blond hair and teeth that looked impossibly clean He HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA
was talking to a woman who wore her dark hair wrapped up into a bun on top of her head It’s him Isa had never seen a famous person in real life before Two tables over a real celebrity was eating some sort of pasta After calming down the three of them ordered their food and something to drink Isa thought everything on the menu was kind of expensive and pointed it out to her aunt Aunt Violeta just shook her head and told her to order whatever she wanted You only live once Isabella her aunt said And I don’t see you often enough It was true Ever since Aunt Violeta had moved from Des Moines Iowa to Los Angeles a few years ago the best they could do was talk to each other from time to time through video chat Having never visited their aunt on the West Coast both Isa and Marta had jumped at the chance to go This was the first time Isa and Marta had gotten to stay with Aunt Violeta and it was for a whole week while their parents were on a business trip Compared to the flat farmland and small city they were used to back home Los Angeles was a bit over whelming It was big had incredible scenery including the ocean and traffic 11 A STARLET’S SHADOW
Lots and lots of traffic To kick off their trip their aunt had taken them directly to the enormous theme park right from the airport Star treatment Aunt Violeta had said We’re going to pack in as much fun as possible As they waited now for their food they all looked around the restaurant for more famous faces There was a guy who looked like he played the dad on Our Apartment but it was hard to tell in the dim room Isa realized why they probably kept the lights low It prevented regular people from spotting the rich and famous I wish I was on TV Marta said as the waiter arrived with their meals He set a French-dip sandwich in front of her and a grilled cheese in front of Isa There were a few other things she wouldn’t have minded having but she felt bad that her aunt had already spent so much on them I don’t know Isa said thinking it over I’m not sure I’d like it It’s because you’re shy Marta said You don’t like all the attention Yeah I suppose Isa replied Maybe if I could try HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA
being famous for a week If I didn’t like it I want to be able to quit and go back to my regular life Being famous Aunt Violeta asked then shuddered as if the thought disgusted her No thanks Too many people bugging you following you around staring at you at restaurants I’d rather not bother with all of that If you have friends good health and family who needs fame That’s true Isa said nodding Marta shrugged With that Aunt Violeta raised her glass The Rodriguez sisters followed suit tapping their soft drinks against their aunt’s mineral water Cheers girls Aunt Violeta said To being rich in family Isa smiled She realized just then how much she’d missed her aunt It was a short drive from Frank and Marty’s Grill to Aunt Violeta’s house All along the way Isa saw fascinating fascinating houses interesting people and what looked like mountains There were houses on stilts along the side and winding roads that would’ve been terrible to drive in the winter A STARLET’S SHADOW
