Falling on Dead Ears

I folded one of Travis’s t-shirt and placed it on the growing pile of cloths on top of the dryer. The washer was rocking back and forth gently next to me as I pulled dry cloths from the dryer and folded them. A smile began to creep onto my features at the large hand sliding up onto the washer next to me. Glancing to the side I eyed the red DC shirt and pair of jeans clinging to his large towering form as he leaned casually against the washer.

Nibbling my lip I glanced away as my cheeks began to burn with heat, my hands still lightly folding his laundry. His fingers walked across the smooth white metal and over his cloths till he tugged them towards him and threw them on the floor.

Spinning my mouth dropped open as he smiled at me. Glancing up I blinked startled by his actions.

‘Cloths are over rated.’ Rolling my eyes I began picking up the cloths off the floor. His large hands pulled me off the ground and set me up onto the dryer. The smirk on Travis’s face made me nervous. ‘You know…’ He licked his lips. ‘You’ve been living here for two months.’ Slowly nodding at the fact I already knew he smiled brightly at me. ‘You’ve gone out of you’re way for my friends and I and what have I done for you?’ His lips pursed as his finger tapped against his unshaven chin. ‘besides the few sexual favors…’ My cheeks went bright red thinking of the few nights we’d spent hauled up on his room together exploring the sheets and each other like our lives depended on it. ‘Other than that I haven’t done anything for you, have I?’ shrugging at the idea I smiled at him.

He didn’t need to do anything for me but be around and not leave me.

Running my hands over his shoulders I smiled up at those beautiful hazel eyes of his.

‘So…’ My brows narrowed at the smirk growing on his face. ‘You need to get ready!’

Ready for what?

‘I’m taking you out.’

Out where?

‘On a date. We haven’t actually had a date unless you count the café when we first met.’

You don’t need to take me on a date. I don’t mind Travis. I just like having you around and knowing you’re here.

‘I don’t care, I’m taking you on a date.’ Sighing as his words I licked my lips and fumbled with my hands before the words found their ways to them.

What kind of date?

‘A surprise kind.’ My brows narrowed at the boyish grin on his features as he stepped closer to the dryer.

I don’t trust you with surprises.

His brows shot up as his mouth dropped open. Crossing my arms I stared him down as he glanced away licking his lips. Slowly he nodded his head and the dryer shook. My eyes fell to the now closed door.

The whole dryer began to shake and vibrate throwing my senses of as I gripped the edge of the dryer, hoping it’d stop. My eyes darted up to Travis’s amused face.

Not funny.

‘It’s funny. So are you going to go on a date with me?’ Turning I reached for the knob of the dryer, Travis grabbed both my wrist and pulled them to his chest. Glancing up he smiled down at me. ‘Come on Ellie, is going on a date with my that bad?’ tugging my wrist from him I sighed.

No. But you suck at surprises. I saw Tommy’s surprise. Horrible!

Travis began laughing at the memory of only a few days ago. His arms wound themselves around my tiny frame and tucked me into his chest.

‘Tommy is a different. He’s a friend, not my girlfriend. For you I’d surprise you with the moon and stars in your room if I knew it’d make you smile. For Tommy…Tommy gets duck-taped to the front of my truck. There’s a huge differences. Please go on a date with me?’ Sighing I pushed away from him ‘Please?’ He pouted.

It’s not that I don’t want to go on a date with you. That’s not the problem. The problem is I’m worried for my safety.

‘It’s never put you in dangers way.’ I quickly brought up three weeks ago when no one told me about the down hill race while I was out gardening, right in the way of the finish line. I was taken out by four different people. ‘That’s not the same. Godfrey told me he told you.’ I then pointed out that Godfrey barely understood I was saying hello while actually waving at him. ‘Point taken. But still. I’m planning this, taking you there, staying by you’re side. You’ll love it I promise.’ Frowning I eyes him cautiously. ‘What?’ He gasped startled as he stepped back.

If there was thing I’d learned from living with Travis it was this: He’ll find something fun and dangerous in any situation. A shopping trip to the grocery store ends up with him throwing himself down an isle in a shopping cart towards the precision stacked cans of pees at the other end. Nothing is simple or easy with him. And I voiced this.

‘you were taking forever!’ He huffed, arms crossed over his chest.

We’d just walked in.

‘So I don’t like grocery shopping! But I like taking you out. So please?’

Only if you promise there won’t be a disaster I have to clean up.

He smiled and stepped back up to me, placing his hands on my hips.

‘Not a single spill.’

Then I’ll go.

He smiled like a little kid at Christmas. Laughing gently I played with the peeling logo on his shirt as I watched him.

‘You know…’ Suddenly I was worried again as his smirk came back. The phrases: “you know what” and “I was thinking” never end well for anyone less than a crazy adrenaline junkie. ‘I hear the vibrations from a dryer make…ow!’ He stumbled back holding his chest. Hoping off the dryer I picked up the cloths he’d knocked to the floor and shook my head.

Pervert.

With that I walked out of the laundry room. Rolling my eyes as I passed Andy and Eric in the hallway they smiled at me innocently with out actually hiding the cans of silly string they had clutched in their hot little hands.

Dropping the massive pile of now semi-clean cloths on the bed I began sorting through them and folding them, or dusting them off, as I placed them in respective piles.

It only took five minutes for Travis… or who I amuse was Travis, to enter the room resembling something close to Cousin It with hot pink silly string draped from head to toe. Furrowing my brow I watched him walk to the bathroom and shut the door.

Turning I looked at Andy and Eric laughing in the doorway, using the frame to hold themselves up.

Boys.