Cherry

Chapter 27

Cherry

I have a week left here in South Carolina. I have a week left with my parents and Cora. I have a week filled with awful dad jokes from Sylas during shifts at the diner. Most importantly, I have a week left with Ethan. The past month has gone by way too fast, and I'm sad that August is fast approaching. 

As I wipe the bar down towards the end of my shift, I can't help but let my thoughts get the best of me. Today has been strange. I've been spacing out and not really listening to what anyone says to me. I even brought food to the wrong table, which resulted in an elderly couple cussing me out.

"Ya' alright?" I hear Sylas ask from beside me.

I stare at my washrag that slides back and forth on the bar. "I'm fine," I try to convince him, which is something I've been trying to convince myself a lot here lately.

"College is startin' soon. Next week, right?" he asks, straightening up a salt shaker that was on its back.

"That it is," I say.

"I know how excited ya' get to go back to the big ol' city," his voice beams for me.

I'd be more excited if Ethan was coming with me.

"I know you'll miss ya' family, and me, of course," he chuckles and pats me on the back.

I laugh with him, and then the sound of the bell chiming on the door startles me. I stop chuckling with Sylas when I look and see Wyatt entering the diner, even though the sign on the door clearly says closed. He seems to avoid reading signs because this is the second fucking time he's done this.

"Where's Ethan?" Wyatt asks and walks up to us at the bar.

Sylas, going into full-protector mode, raises his voice and leaves from behind the bar to walk over to him. "Boy, I don't know who ya' is," he puts his hands on his arm to escort him out, "But ya' need to get the hell out."

Sylas begins to drag Wyatt out of the door, but he fights against Sylas. He keeps trying to walk further inside the diner, while he shouts, "Ethan! I know you're in the back! I need to talk to you!"

"You need to get the fuck out of here!" I yell at him as my blood begins to boil. "Are you just here to give him another fucking black eye?" I can't believe he had the nerve to show up here after what he's done to Ethan, especially with the diner being closed.

"I just want to talk to him!" Wyatt shouts and walks the opposite way of Sylas.

"Boy," Sylas shouts, trying his hardest to drag strong and tall Wyatt out, "I will call them cops!"

Then, perfectly on cue, Ethan bursts through the double doors and rushes out of the kitchen with panic on his face. He still has gloves on from washing the dishes, but when he spots Wyatt, his eyes seem to fill with rage. I can sense him tensing up, and a vein appears on the side of his neck, proving my theory that Ethan is pissed to see Wyatt. I don't think I've ever seen Ethan this mad. In fact, I know I've never seen him mad. The only time this entire summer he was angry was when he punched the truck driver, but even that can't compare to now. His golden retriever personality has been replaced with more of a pit bull.

Ethan stands beside me and asks Wyatt, "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Ya' know him?" Sylas asks Ethan.

Ethan nods his head up and down and mutters, "Yeah."

Sylas stops trying to drag Wyatt out of the diner and pauses. He slowly lets go of his arm and sighs, "Next time read the sign on the door." Sylas shakes his head side to side slowly, with disappointment radiating off of him and onto Wyatt. "I've had enough of them customers today. I'm leaving. Can y'all close up?"