Cherry

Chapter 7

Cherry

"What are you kids up to?" Sylas smiles as Ethan and I walk inside the diner.

"Oh, you know," Ethan laughs and I punch him in the arm. This is why I told him to not talk because it's obvious that he's high.

"We just came in to grab a bite," I sit down in a booth, Ethan following right behind me. He sits in front of me and can't seem to wipe the huge grin off his face.

"You're being so obvious," I whisper through my smile.

"Nah," he grabs a menu.

"Hey Cherry," Donna walks up to us, who is another waitress who works at the diner. I've only worked with her once because on the days I work, she's off, and vice versa. Sylas doesn't have that many workers because he's picky about who he hires. It's nice not working with a lot of people, but sometimes it'd be nice to have more help on our busier days.

"Hey, Donna," I greet her. "How are your kids?"

"Oh, they're good. Thank ya'. Drivin' me crazy since summer break has started, but that's nothin' new," she laughs. Donna is in her early forties but doesn't look a day over twenty. I hope I can get as lucky as her in the future. "What can I get y'all?" she asks Ethan and I.

"I want a vanilla milkshake and french fries," I tell her without looking at the menu, knowing it by heart.

Donna looks at Ethan and asks, "And you?"

He scans the menu and begins to list off, "I want a double cheeseburger with pickles, an order of french fries, and a chocolate shake."

"Alright," Donna smiles. "I'll get your order in."

"Thanks," I say to her.

"So," I look at Ethan. "How has it been being high for the first time?"

"Cool," he laughs. "I'm just starving."

"Me too," I tell him. "You're the first person I've ever smoked with, by the way." And I didn't hate it. 

"You're the first person I've smoked with too."

"Well, obviously," I giggle. "Tell me something I actually don't know about you."

"What do you want to know, Cherry?" he places his elbow on the table, letting his head rest on his fist. 

"I don't know. Anything. I feel like you know a lot about me and I don't know anything about you."

He grins at me and says, "Actually, I know a little about you. You're very reserved."

"All for good reason." And it will always stay that way. 

"I see. I'm an open book, though. Ask away," he now leans back in his seat and relaxes.

"What's your family like?" I lean back in my cushioned seat as well. 

"Well, my parents are really hardworking," he explains. "I've always been grateful for them, but in my teen years I kind of, I don't know, rebelled to get their attention, you could say. They were always occupied with work, and I just wanted them to pay attention to me."

"Ah," I nod my head. "So, what did you do?"

"I started skipping class in high school to drink with some of my friends. I was drunk almost every day," he laughs. "I ended up dropping out of school when I was seventeen. My parents were so pissed at me."

"No offense, but how did you go from that to... this?" I laugh. "It's not a bad thing. You just seem more put together now, I guess."

When Ethan first walked into the diner the night we met, I would have never guessed he used to be a troubled child. He seemed like a shy, reserved man who read books. I've now discovered that there are many layers to him, and now we're peeling all of the skin off the orange to get to the center.