I love how my inspiration is suddenly ~on fire~

By the way, is anyone interested in ages? Holly is 21, Angela is 18, Kevin is 17 and Greg (Kasey, if you didn't realise) is 25. And as for our lovely bachelors Chase is also 21 and Calvin is 26 turning 27. See, he's not that old :)

I want to tell you so much

But I'm too afraid

My feelings will remain unsaid

Bittersweet

From aspiring chef, to waiter, to busboy; Chase turned this fact over in his mind a countless number of times but was still unable to comprehend it – how did he manage to get himself demoted so quickly, after working so hard to get where he was? Well the answer was simple really. First, he mouthed off to his boss and the wait staff, and then, like an amateur, he bumped into a customer, spilled a meal and proceeded to insult her. Even Chase, with his less than sociable attitude, knew never to anger anyone who had enough influence to get him fired.

But both times Chase had acted on impulse. He lost control of the emotions he tried so hard to keep hidden. And it was this realisation that scared him most.

It took all the effort he could muster to not throw the dishes he was washing at the wall. Which was probably for the best. Yolanda wouldn't appreciate it if her tableware went flying and he didn't think there was a position at the inn lower than busboy anyway. Chase paused for a moment and flexed his hands. They were already cracked and dry from the constantly being in soapy water.

This whole punishment was just a waste of time. Depriving him of cooking wasn't going to do anything but irritate him even further. What he needed was a way to deal with the cause of his frustration.

He needed a way to rid himself of this feeling. The weight inside his heart, which at times was heavy and others warm, but was always there. Occasionally, it felt so overwhelming, almost as though it would burst through his chest and drown him with its intensity.

Nothing alleviated it, but everything made it worse. Whenever he spied Holly, up close or in the distance, his stomach twisted and he'd practically lunge behind the nearest wall or large object to hide – Hayden hadn't been very happy the last time she'd come to the inn for dinner. Hearing her voice made his heart seize. He found himself unable to concentrate on his work. And even when he was back in the confines of his home, as far away from her as possible, he just couldn't stop thinking about her.

Her scent. Her eyes. Her smile.

Sometimes he even had difficulty sleeping!

It was driving him insane.

But if he stayed away from Holly, if he hated her, then just maybe it would disappear. It hurt to push her away, to see her so wounded internally, but at the same time he felt relieved. If she got too close, he would be the one to end up suffering. The inevitable.

Chase did his best to ignore her and focus on his task at hand. The farmer had arrived at the inn early today, like she had every day that week. Between her sister and him, she never looked his way. Not that it bothered him, of course. He'd told her to stay away. It was for the best.

In a brief moment of weakness, Chase had peeked through the open counter. He saw the farmer talking with her sister – Angela her name was, Maya had informed him moments after he'd turned her white t-shirt into a food Picasso – and when they were done, Angela sat down at a table while Holly disappeared upstairs to see him.

Maybe if he apologised to Angela, Yolanda might just let him off dish washing duty. Anything was better than being the busboy, even waiting on tables. He finished rinsing a plate and set it down on the dish rack to dry, then wiped his hands on his apron. Chase signalled to Yolanda that he was taking a brief break and before she could complain, he slipped out into the dining area.

Angela didn't notice him approaching, too engrossed with choosing her meal.

How to get her attention? Chase decided on clearing his throat.

Her head snapped up at the noise, and immediately her eyebrows came together in a frown.

"What do you want?"

This was never going to be easy.

Chase swallowed his pride and loosened his throat, "Look, we got off on the wrong foot."

She glared, "You're lucky I didn't shove my foot up your–"

Not like Holly at all.

"I'm… I'm sorry okay."

"You sound so sincere."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Please. You're going to be staying here for two weeks and it would be easier if we just started over."

"…Fine," Angela huffed, "But I'm only forgiving you because Holly swears you're a nice guy."

Chase's heart thumped. Holly didn't hate him, even after everything he'd done.

"I appreciate it," He murmured. She went back to her menu so he turned away to leave, but at the last minute, he reconsidered. Smiling his most charming smile, he held out his hand to the younger girl, "My name is Chase."

Angela stared blankly, before the corners of her mouth twitched and she broke down snickering, "Man, you're so fake!" But she accepted the handshake all the same, "Angela."

With that behind him, Chase returned to the kitchen; perfect timing too, Holly was making her way downstairs. He started on a pile of dirty cooking-ware, and just as he started scrubbing a particularly stubborn stain from a pot, Yolanda touched his arm and nodded over to a pile of carrots that needed peeling. Chase never thought a vegetable peeler would make him this happy – being nice had its benefits after all.

He moved over to the other bench and got to work on the carrots. From here he had a view of the whole dining area, and unfortunately, Holly was still sitting with her sister, waiting for lunch. Once again, he tried his hardest to keep his mind on his work, but was failing miserably. His eyes kept wandering over to their table and he even caught himself staring. Why? Holly was pretty, but not breathtakingly so – rather plain looking actually. She was kind-hearted but too much of a doormat. Though, the one thing about her he couldn't fault was her dedication and determination. Her best traits.

Chase suddenly got the feeling that he was being watched. When he glanced out into the dining area, another pair of eyes flicked his way, but as soon as his gaze darted around in an attempt to catch them, they'd be lost in the illusion of conversation.

Then, the culprit revealed herself. After finishing her lunch, Holly stood up to leave, but her sister lingered in her chair for a moment longer. Angela stared pointedly in his direction until he noticed her. Her lips quirked into a smile he could only describe as conniving.

This wouldn't end well.

Holly headed for the door; when she realised her sister wasn't following, she tilted her head in question. Angela responded with a wave – "I'll just be a minute." The farmer left and the younger sister started making her way over.

Chase kept his head low. Focus on the carrots. Stay in control.

Angela took a seat at the bar. She tapped her hand on the counter.

"Chase, right?" She confirmed. He nodded, head still bowed, and she continued, "So, Chase, do you like Holly–?"

The vegetable peeler came close to grazing his skin. "What? No! Never!" He spluttered. The words just continued to pour out of his mouth; so much for control, "B-Besides, she's with that Calvin guy isn't she?"

Angela beamed victoriously. "I meant as a friend."

…Damn.

Chase, utterly defeated and torn between sinking to his knees and banging his head against the wall, just stared into pile of carrots on the bench in front of him, while Angela skipped off to join her sister outside.

The subsequent hours were much more uneventful, thankfully. After he finished peeling, Yolanda let him prepare some other ingredients. It felt good to be chopping, slicing and dicing again; it gave him a sense of peace. He was on his way to recovery, confident that he could put this whole debacle behind him and move on.

Until Jake emerged from his office and called Maya over. She was sent upstairs to fetch Calvin and the archaeologist sauntered into the room soon after. Chase felt a surge of annoyance, distracted once again.

Chase didn't hate the man, per se. He'd tried, looking for a despicable trait or an uncouth action, but there was nothing about him to hate. Still, something about Calvin just… irked him. Maybe it was the way he seemed to enjoyed Phoebe's company a little too much – Calvin was somewhat of a womaniser, or so the rumours implied. And he got the feeling there was something sinister to the relationship Calvin and Holly had forged. After all, Calvin was studying the ancient legends of the Harvest Goddess and Holly happened to be connected to said legends. Who wouldn't think the archaeologist was taking advantage of the simple farmer girl?

Well, anyone who wasn't irrationally jealous and slowly losing their mind.

But it wasn't as if his concern had ill-intentions. Chase just didn't want to see Holly hurt.

How ironic.

Calvin exchanged some words with Jake – something about a phone call – before he disappeared into the back room.

A few minutes later, the shouting began. The voice echoed through the walls and into the dining room, words too muffled to make out, but each dripping with anger no one thought possible from the normally composed archaeologist.

"Woah, I wonder what's wrong," Maya murmured. Chase could see she was just itching to find out this new gossip.

The yelling subsided eventually and the door opened again. Calvin stepped out of the office, suddenly appearing very weary, as if that one phone call had drained him of all of his energy. Something serious? Bad news? Whatever it was, the archaeologist left without uttering a word, not even responding when Maya cheerfully waved at him.

Chase didn't see Calvin, Holly or her sister after that. He was finally able to clear his mind and enjoy his work. His mood improved so much he even had a pleasant, sarcasm and taunt free conversation with Maya. Dinner service started without a hitch too. Maya and Kathy bustled about from table to table, taking dinner and drink orders. Yolanda and Hayden were happy to supply the customers with plenty of food and alcohol.

He decided to take his break and have a quick dinner – a fish caught fresh that morning, simply grilled with salad on the side – before he returned to the sink and the pile of dirty dishes that awaited his attention.

"So I heard Toby asked Renee out on a date," Kathy said as she dropped off another order. Maya's ears perked up.

"Really?" She gasped, "It's about time!"

"Uh huh." Kathy edged closer and lowered her voice, "And you know Anissa's mystery man?" She made a not so discreet gesture at the table where the town doctor sat, sipping his tea, "Doctor Jin."

Maya's mouth dropped open, "No way!"

Kathy leaned against the counter, grinning widely, "Renee says they ran into each other when Anissa was off visiting the mainland. Reignited the friendship, among other things."

"Wow, first Holly and Mr Calvin, now Renee and Toby, and Anissa and Doctor Jin. It seems like everyone is finding their perfect match." The waitress in pink sighed, clutching her serving platter to her chest, "I wish I could find a boyfriend…" She murmured wistfully.

Laughing, Kathy patted her shoulder, "I know how you feel."

"What are you talking about? You're with Owen, aren't you?" Maya frowned.

The older girl blushed, "N-No! We've been friends forever! That would be… weird, wouldn't it?"

"Then why do you go home with him every night?" Chase asked in a deadpan.

"It's not like that! He's just… walking me to my house."

"Because this place is so dangerous."

Kathy turned back to Maya in a huff, "There's no need to rush this stuff Maya. There are plenty of good guys left."

"Like who?" She pouted.

"Uh… Luke! He's fun, isn't he?"

"I guess…"

"And there's… Gill."

They both made a face.

"Chase?"

He froze, fork halfway to his mouth.

Maya stared at him, her face deepening in colour. "N-No way."

"You'd only love me for my cooking," Chase dismissed.

"I would not!" She cried, puffing her cheeks out in a strange imitation of a frustrated blowfish, "I couldn't ever be with someone so mean and anti-social anyway. I want a nice, caring guy, who won't yell at me when I make mistakes with my cooking…"

Snort. "Because he'll be dead from the food poisoning."

"Shut up Chase!"

"Aww, don't listen to him Maya. Chase is just pissy because he's in love, but he's too scared to tell her how he feels."

Everyone turned at the voice. Angela stood behind them, with her arms on her hips and a smug smile on her face. No doubt she was going to brighten his day even further; he suppressed a pained sigh. Seconds later, he realised Holly and Calvin weren't with her. A strange emotion twisted in his stomach.

"You like someone?" Maya gasped, dragging him from his internal anguish into public physical torture.

"No, I don't." He wished his meal had bones. At least, if he choked, he'd be free of this nonsense forever.

She wouldn't let this go. Despite his growing irritation, she hovered around him, trying to catch his eye, "Who is she? You can't hide it forever, you know!"

Oddly, it was Kathy who came to his rescue, "Leave him alone Maya."

"But Kathy…"

"We've got orders to take." Maya slouched off, sulking, and after one last glance in his direction, the older waitress soon followed.

There was something strange about the way she'd looked at him – with pity? Not for the first time either, he realised, thinking back to the other over the shoulder looks he'd gotten.

But he had no time to mull it over; this wasn't over yet. Angela sat down on the bar stool to his right. Chase stared intently into his meal, his fingers curling tighter around his fork. From the corner of his eye, he could see she was struggling to fight back a sneer.

Just ignore her, he told himself firmly. Don't lose control.

Angela propped her elbow on the counter and leant her head on her hand, watching him, "You love my sister."

Chase clenched his teeth. "Didn't we have this conversation before?"

"You pretend to be this unfriendly loner, when really, you're so easy to read," She stated, as if it were the most widely known fact in the world, "It's written all over your face when you look at her."

"I don't."

"You do."

I don't. I don't. I don't. I-

His fist came down and struck the countertop. The noise barely registered above the hum of the patrons.

"What does it matter if I did? She's with Calvin." Finally, Chase allowed a defeated expression to cross his face. "Or are you doing this because you don't like him?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'd love it if Holly married Calvin. He'd make an awesome big brother, don't you think?" Angela mused. There was a sudden change in her demeanour, though; she seemed more subdued when she looked his way again, "It's you I'm worried about. You look like the type who'd never be able to get over an unrequited love like this."

He looked away, "I don't need your pity."

"You can just stand by the sidelines and watch as someone you love is swept away or you can admit your feelings and do something about it!" Shaking her head, she got to her feet, "And if not… I hope you enjoy your misery."

"It's not that simple," Chase murmured, although he said it so softly he wasn't sure he'd even uttered it aloud.

Angela hadn't heard him if he did. She walked off, leaving him alone. Always alone.

Her words still echoed loudly in his head, hours later when the last of the inebriated customers were being assisted home and the inn was closing its doors for the night. Chase finished off washing the dishes, all while his thoughts ran rampant and drained him of his will to go on.

This couldn't be love. If it was, it was nothing like the movies made it out to be. Feeling as if he were losing an integral part of himself, hating himself for feeling this way, hating Holly for making him feel this way – what good was falling in love, if all it caused was so much pain and confusion?

By now, Chase was so exhausted he was sure he'd fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow. He bid everyone at the Sundae Inn a good night with a stifled yawn and stepped outside into the darkness. Though it was very late – early morning – the temperature was pleasant, tepid, the product of the summer breeze and the sea air.

The wind carried an unusual scent, acrid and unpleasant. Chase scanned his murky surroundings and noticed for the first time that he wasn't alone.

A shadowy figure sat at the furthest end of the brick garden bed. The outline was unmistakable – only one man in town wore a cowboy hat at all times. Aside for bringing the lit cigarette to his lips at intermittent intervals and drawing a breath, he didn't move nor did he make a sound, lost deep within his thoughts.

Chase wondered if he should say something.

But what could he say?

I hate you.

For being a nice guy.

For being with her.

For being the one who could make her happy.

Chase stepped closer. "Huh, I always thought you were the level-headed type."

"I don't do this often," Calvin murmured as he exhaled. Something Chase had noticed, from the way he winced with every inhale. It was almost as if he was torturing himself.

Just keep walking, this is none of your business; the thoughts flittered through his mind. But something, a curiosity, held him back.

"What's the special occasion?" He asked dryly.

Calvin smiled bitterly, "I needed to tell Holly something important." His stomach did a flip-flop at the name. On second thought, maybe he didn't want to hear this. "But in the end, I chickened out."

"Oh."

The temptation was too strong.

"What did you have to tell her?"

The older man took one last drag of the cigarette; the end that burned dimly highlighted his saddened blue eyes and the tired lines on his face. He stubbed it out on the brick garden bed. "…That I'm leaving at the end of the month."