Colide

chapter five

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Ethan Lee ran his fingers through his hair, leaning against his seat as the laptop came to life in front of him. Smiling, he watched Patti walk into the natatorium with a bucket and a mop when she should be on her way home. The sadness and anger on her face gave him a sense of satisfaction. She deserved it and much more he had planned for her. How dare she ruin his latest Tesla model?

"Are you just going to sit here and watch her?" Steven asked, propping against the chair and staring at the screen.

Ethan shrugged. For the past few days, he had found everything tiring and less fun, but now he found himself entertained by the pain of this new girl and he wanted to enjoy it with his legs stretched out.

Patti dropped her bag on one of the pool chairs, glaring at the size of the natatorium. It was huge; ten people wouldn't be enough to clean it, and yet she had to do it alone. Cussing loudly, she dumped her bag on one of the pool chairs , searching through it for her headphone, Good thing she had brought them. Slipping them over her head, she turned on her phone as a message from Lisa popped up on her screen.

"A three-hour shift at Coffee and Grills, starting at seven. Better not be late."

She responded with "Sure," and then glared at the time. It was five; she had to finish cleaning so she could go home and change before her part-time job. She turned on her music, swaying her body rhythmically and singing out loud as she worked to "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I.

"Would you look at that, she seems to be enjoying herself," Steven commented.

Cole, who had been solo playing a card game in the corner of the room, rose and came over to join them.

"There's something about her," he said observantly after a while ,smiling as he watched her. The way she moved to the music without a care in the world, her lips parting and chewing the lyrics. "She's cute," he thought aloud, earning himself a warning look from Ethan. "She's mine. Back off."

"I didn't say I was interested in her, and it's not like you are either. You see her as a toy you want to mess with, but she's more than just a toy."Cole's voice was tense with barely restrained menace.

" What I do with her is my business " Ethan's eyes were cold and sharp, his voice deep with fury. He took a deep breath and turned his attention back to the screen, and Cole grabbed his bag and stormed out of the room, Ignoring Steven's call.

"What is wrong with him?" Steven wondered aloud.

"Finally " Patti groaned, stretching out and feeling the strain in her muscles, she slipped her headphone off, dropping it into her back, she took a second to glare at the auditorium, satisfy by her own work, she let out a deep breath, grabbed her bag and stumbled out of the nanutoriom.

......
Got it, here's the updated chapter:

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"What the fuck?" Lisa's voice echoed across the crowded restaurant, causing heads to turn in her direction. "Sorry," she bowed softly, then turned her attention back to Patti. They were just rounding up the day at Coffee and Grills. Patti found herself cleaning up tables without customers, the clinking of dishes and the hum of the café's soft music almost soothing.
The staff uniforms at Coffee and Grills consisted of crisp, white shirts with the "Coffee and Grills" logo elegantly embroidered on the chest. The logo featured a steaming coffee cup with stylish lettering, making it stand out against the pristine fabric. Lisa's shirt was way big so she had tied it at the back and created a crop blouse out of it.

"Take this from me, I think your dean is a racist."

Patti laughed, her body aching from the long day. "I don't think she's racist. I think she's unscrupulous."

"Damn right she is, and that Ethan dude, he needs a belt to his white ass."

Patti laughed again, a small, stressed laugh. The weight of the day's events was heavy on her shoulders, but Lisa's blunt honesty provided a moment of relief.
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