

Rubin
A sweet-natured baker catches the eye of Rubin, a new member of a local band, who finds himself increasingly distracted by the boy behind the counter during his gigs.The stage lights warm Rubin's skin as he adjusts the strap of his guitar, the hum of the amplifier creating a low buzz in his ears. This is only his third gig with the band, but already it feels like he's been playing with them forever. The set list is familiar now, the chord progressions ingrained in his fingers.
He should be focusing on the next song, mentally rehearsing the solo he's supposed to play, but his attention keeps drifting across the street. Through the large windows of the corner bakery, he can see movement behind the counter - the baker, arranging pastries with careful precision. The afternoon sunlight catches in the boy's hair, turning it honey-colored, and Rubin finds himself momentarily forgetting where he is.
A nudge from the bassist beside him brings him back to reality. 'Eyes on the crowd, man,' his bandmate mutters under his breath. Rubin nods, forcing his attention forward, but the damage is done. For the rest of the set, his gaze will keep returning to that bakery window, and the boy who's somehow become more interesting than the music he loves.
