firsts and lasts ; ethan dolan

chapter one: fifteen minutes

I set down the cheap ceramic plate in the sink and wipe my hands on my apron. I check the time on the wall clock one more time reading 10:41pm, before heading back upfront to end my shift. I lean on the door to open it and look for the night manager.

"Hey Beth, I'm clocking out." I tell her as I untie my apron and hand it to her. She clutches onto it, giving it a quick squeeze. She smiles this comforting old-lady like smile I've seen for so long now.

"Well little lady," she starts, "I can't believe we only get you for a few more weeks now. You always make this place a little brighter when you walk in." Beth is simply the best thing that has ever happened to me since I started my job here.

I don't know if it'll be her grayish-blonde shoulder length hair she always made sure no one knew she had recently dyed, her ruby red glasses she would pull down from the top of her head when reading someone's ticket, or her southern accent which would be so funny to hear if she was yelling at someone to get out of the diner, that I'll miss the most. She's been my guardian angel for almost four years now. I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her.

Hot tears stream my face as I think of what's to come in a few weeks. She pulls me in for a tight hug. "No sense of crying about it now pumpkin. The tears can wait a bit." She slightly moves back so she can see my face. "Besides if you start, then I'm gonna start and I can't have my mascara running."

The small ring of a bell lets us know that someone's walked into the diner. "Seriously? We close in fifteen minutes." I whispered. Beth lets go of me and straightens herself up.

"It's alright I got it sweetheart." She responded.

I grab my apron from her and make sure my ticket book and pen are in it. "No, don't worry about it Beth. I haven't clocked out yet."

Walking towards where the late walk-in sat down at the bar seating, I tie my apron back behind me and pull out my pen and flip to a blank ticket.

"Well, what can I get you sir?" I asked with my best fake customer service voice. I stood in front of him tapping my pen on the ticket.

Taking a minute to decide, he looks up from the menu that was already on the bar and makes eye contact with me for half a second before looking back down. "Just a black coffee." He says slow.

My pen stops tapping and I put them both away. Are you fucking kidding me? Hell you could make that at home for a lot cheaper. You have to come all the way here, fifteen minutes before closing, only to order a black coffee. And now I have to wash another cup. I stare at him just to be sure there was nothing else to add.

"Just, a black, coffee." I repeat more to myself then him. I pull a mug out of the cabinet and make sure there was some coffee left in the pot. After filling it up and handing it to him, my frustration over-comes me and I say, "Don't bother asking for more cause that's the last of it and I frankly don't feel like making more for you." I put a fake smile on my face.

I must have caught him off guard because when he went up to drink it, he choked so it spilt a little down his hoodie.

"Shit." He says, still stunned. "I'm sorry, what was that?" He takes a napkin from the holder and wipes the bit that fell on the table, and then tries to wipe what went on his shirt. The light brown stain that ran down his white hoodie, wasn't coming off.

I grab a washcloth and lightly damp it with hot water. "You came fifteen minutes before closing." I pointed out while giving him the washcloth. "It's common sense to not enter anywhere if they are about to close."

"Then what's the point of a closing time?" He starts wiping the stain down and from what I can tell, it's coming off. Thanks to me.

I stare at him and it's the first time since he's come in that I actually notice him. His dark brown hair is a bit overgrown and lays lazily over his head. He looks about my age and dressed in a black and white flannel over his white hoodie. His jeans are all black and if I could see his shoes, I would bet my life saving that they were also black.

"You look a little young to be drinking black coffee."

"You look a little young to be my mother." He fires back. "Is this one of those diners where the waitresses are mean to you?"

I could feel my face burn up. I don't know why I was being rude to this random customer. It's not like he ordered a big meal, It was seriously just a coffee. Besides, I don't need to be fired before I can officially quit.

Seeming like perfect timing, Beth came out to save me. "Well darlin', is there anything else we can get for you?"

I pick up the rag that he left on the table, and turn around to wipe down the counter so I didn't have to say anything else to him.

"No ma'am." Oh sure, he's nice to Beth. Even though my back is to him, I can tell he's staring at me. I should have been home by now. Looking up towards the wall clock that was in the front, I rubdown a stain that's been on the counter longer than I've been alive. It's 10:56pm.

"Well then I'm gonna let this little lady go then. She gets cranky past a certain time." Beth joked. He laughed and took another drink from the mug I so desperately want to dump on his head.

Turning my head to look at her, I squint my eyes and untie my apron for the second time tonight. "Goodnight Beth. See you tomorrow." I grumbled. Without looking at who I can only assume is the devil, I punch my card to clock out and walk out the back doors.

"I hope I never have to see him again."