Cherry Bomb

Life Starts When Tomorrow Comes

Miami Beach, June 2015, Present Day

Vibrant colors flock the canopies of the pedestrian street of Lincoln Road on Miami Beach. Bright bikinis and tanned people bathe in the white sandy beaches not far from the main road. Art Deco hotels and nightclubs have their neon signs hidden away from the light of day. Rainbow flags and drag queens strut their feathers on the sidewalks. Pride month in Miami was a big deal.

Andrew was sitting at a small cafe table, hidden from view. It was only a few blocks from Dylan's Candy Bar, where he worked part-time to help with some of the workloads from the International University he was attending. Freshman year was almost over and he enjoyed Christmas single, New Year's single, Valentine's single, and the beat went on. He drank his coffee slowly, watching the people walk by, seeing the light through the leaves of the calabash trees in the center of the strip. The lovely and vibrant flowers blooming for the summer.

Andrew even got himself a tan, sometimes he would lie around on the grass in a patch of the main campus lawn and sun himself, soaking in the rays. Gone was the pale Joey Ramone, punk rock loving boy, and soon the transformation into Uncle Jesse from Full House was in full swing. Add a little bit of Antonio Banderas and he blended in well with the Latinx youth. Andrew still had trouble with his Spanish, but he knew enough to say a few words and phrases to get some food or snacks.

He finished his coffee and headed to work, putting on his visor and heading into the candy bar. As he reached for the door, a red-headed boy walks out, he looked up at Andrew with shimmering green eyes. His skin was pocked with freckles on his cheeks. He gave a soft smile and left the door open for Andrew, to let him inside.

"Th-thank you," Andrew stammered from his mouth as he watched the boy walk away. He was carrying a bag of candy in his hand. The door swung into Andrew's face as he entered the candy shop, still looking out at the boy who was leaving with his stash of sweets.

"Rainey, clock in," the manager barked. Andrew turned around and everyone laughed, his face went red. Andrew headed towards the register and walked around the back, pressing the code into the register and clocking in under the time card app. Andrew adjusted his cap and headed back to the employee room to put up his jacket and cellphone. He wasn't allowed a phone on the floor.

When Andrew got back to the floor of the shop, Miranda, his co-worker smirked before he headed towards his register.

"He likes gummy candy, you know, like the gummy bears and worms we have in the shop," Miranda hinted.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Andrew teased. Miranda rolled her big brown eyes and let out a groan.

"Mr. Redhead that was leaving the store, he's at your college too." Andrew let out blush and adjusted his visor. Miranda laughed and began to ring up a person at the register. Andrew looked underneath his register to check for any items to stock or put price tags on.

"Did you get a name?" Andrew asked when the people at the register were gone.

"Nah. He wasn't interested in me. But he said he was in the business college. Isn't that where you are as well?" Miranda said. She untied her ponytail and began to rework her brown hair into the tight ballerina bun she wore at the base of her neck.

"I'm at the psych college, with a communications minor. I told you that," Andrew retorted. He went in as a psychology major because it wasn't a lot of math and he always wanted to know what Scott and Carlos were always up to with Ryan. Andrew stopped for a minute and let out a long breath. Ryan's funeral was months ago, but he always missed his closest friend and boyfriend for a short time. He was able to get a scholarship or two for his psychology major and a scholarship for his minor. He wanted to do a talk show or radio program that he could play music or make a podcast, there was so much potential for Andrew.