Syrinx.

1.

The minute the boy had walked through the door of the dingy diner where she and her sister lived, Deanna Mathews had a feeling something was going to happen. Something was about to change. The boy was just too conspicuous.

For starters, he wasn't of legal age, and he was dressed oddly for a North Carolina back woods town. Saggy loose pants, a snapback, and Ray-bans weren't the most popular style of dressing here.

Deanna watched him as she wiped down a counter, then served a refill on coffee to a regular. Her mother was passed out on a couch in the family's living quarters, and her sister was on dish duty.

The boy sat alone, near the door in a booth. It wasn't a window booth, Deanna saw him specifically refuse that booth when Sarah, the waitress tried to seat him. Sarah brought his order over for Deanna to call in, and Deanna noticed that it was all vegan foods. Great. Not only was he a city slicker, he was also a vegan. In a county where steaks, hamburgers, chicken kebabs and dairy were the main menu for any family, he stuck out like a sore thumb.

Deanna noticed the boy give a group of men in their twenty's a look of disgust. The three were all loud, covered in mud, and dressed in cameo and boots. Deanna knew she'd have to mop the floor after them, but they always paid well, and that was all that mattered.

She tossed her red hair over her shoulder, then remade it into a ponytail. Sarah's shift was ending, and if she wanted these people out of there before closing then she would have to hurry.

Sarah waved at her as she untied her apron and left. Deanna grabbed the ice water and salad with no dressing for the boy, and without saying a word placed them on the table in front of him.

The boy looked up and gave a pained smile. He was older than she had originally thought, a light stubble of beard covering his chin. He looked to be around seventeen, a little older than her sixteen years of age.

As Deanna turned to go, she could have sworn that he'd inhaled deeply, and did a double take on her as she walked away. But she pushed it out of her mind. She had work to do, and later she had to tutor her little sister Kayden in math and English. She didn't have time for speculating.

~ ~ ~

Three hours later, she finished mopping. Twelve AM wasn't the best time to tutor, but Kayden needed it badly. Deanna had finished high school two years early, and she had time on her hands now. The now dark diner was clean, the condiments were refilled, and the coffee was ready to be brewed at a push of a button.

Deanna got to work on balancing the cash registrar.

Deanna was determined to leave this town, taking Kayden with her. All her life she'd known the same people, people who told her she was wasting her intellect and talents in a place like this. All her friends were still in school, dating and having fun. And Deanna? Well, she liked to learn. While her friends were partying, she would normally be studying or working in the diner.

Her vice principal was determined that she would win a scholarship to a collage somewhere far away. Deanna wanted that badly, but she had to think of Kayden. She could take a break from school at the moment, and help Kayden as best as she could. Kayden's dyslexia slowed her down severely in school, and Deanna helped her nearly every night after they'd finished cleaning.