Tayana Osuna, arts & culture editor 

Just in case

What are you gonna say

Practice it

Say it, say it!

Mi Apa es de Mexico.

Say it again

Mi Apa es de Mexico.

Ok 

Ok ok ok

They finish discussing their decisions

And order 

They order in 

English 

Defeat

Of course

Why would they order in Spanish?

Look at me 

The father asks, in Spanish, to his son 

“Y las cucharas.”

They’re right here.

Uh ohh

I outed myself

Isn’t that what I wanted?

Yes? No? Maybe? No. definitely not 

But it doesn’t matter

Because he doesn’t ask

He doesn’t ask how I know Spanish 

He just says thank you, in english

And leaves

Double defeat 

This is why

I always practice saying

Mi Apa es de Mexico

And not 

Yo soy de Mexico

Because even I don’t believe it 

“¿Tienen jarritos de mandarin?”

I ask

She does her best 

To hide it 

To hide her shock 

She manages it better than most people do 

“Si.”

I nod to confirm my order

I nod instead of speaking in spanish 

Again

I’m shaken

I’ve lost all confidence

She did alright, but not enough

I still saw it

I saw her eyes widen 

And her posture change 

I start to panic

I start to dissolve

But when I awkwardly smile

She smiles back

Her eyes even light up

And so do mine