Pinky Promises

The weekend of the man trip came and even though I wasn't looking forward to being bored and having no one to talk to for three days, I was glad to see Jimmy get out and have fun.

"Hey, Layla you wanna hand me that cooler?" Charlie asked from the back of the truck.

Matt, who was carrying something else by looked over at me and made an adorable face that was somewhere between concern for me and my soon to be ruined reputation, and taunting me.

I sighed and walked over to where Charlie was pointing and bent down to lift it. To my surprise it wasn't as heavy and I easily hoisted it up and brought it to him.

"Thank you, you're a doll."

"No problem."

"So when are you guys coming back?"

"Probably late Sunday night, or early Monday morning." Matt answered as he walked by me again.

"Ah okay. Well, do me a favor will you guys? Just don't get in to any trouble you can't get out of. I know man trips are all...manly..."

Charlie laughed.

"Have fun, go hammer up some dry wall."

"Is that what you think we do?" Dillon asked, the exact same sentence Charlie had used when we had had the same conversation.

"Trust me, she knows it's not just hammering stuff and cussin'. I set her straight."

"Oh you set me straight alright."
Jimmy bounded out of the house like a little boy on Christmas morning, a smoke hanging from his mouth and his arms full with charcoal bags.

"Anyways, I just came to see you guys off. Have fun. I gotta go over to the house and get my shit together and go to the laundry mat." I said.

Jimmy threw the stuff in the back of the truck then came over to me. "Can I see you for a second before you go?"
I nodded. "Yeah.."

We went inside his house and in to the kitchen where he leaned up against the sideboard and looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you wanna go?"

"Uhh, no thanks. It's called a MAN trip for a reason, you know.
Besides I see enough of them guys spitting and peeing on things and scratching at home. I have a feeling it'd be worse in the woods where they didn't HAVE to be social acceptable."

Jimmy smiled. "Come on. It's not that much different."

"I bet it is. You just don't realize because YOU end up acting the same way."

"Not nearly as bad as them."

"Yeah right, I bet you're the worst."

Another grin. "I guess I thought I'd ask. I don't want you to have to sit around bored while we're out havin' fun."

"It's not like you're my husband or boyfriend or it's not like I'm a guy and you guys are excluding me. It's okay, really. I have some stuff I need to catch up on anyway."

He sighed. "Alright. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Have fun."

We went back outside and I said my goodbyes to the boys then headed back across the street where I could find all of my housework just waiting to be tended to.

-

It was almost nine o'clock before I finally made it to the laundry mat. I had lost track of time in cleaning my house, and when I realized what time it was I decided the rest of it could wait. I needed clothes.

I sat in a chair while I was waiting, reading a book called John Dies at the End. It was probably my favorite book, aside from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Jimmy had gotten me in to those though, all growing up I couldn't make myself watch the movies or read the books. I thought they were boring and just not my style. Then of course one night Jimmy gave me the books to read again and he forced me to watch the movies with him. After that I had to say I was hooked.

I heard the door open and then shut but didn't bother to look up to see who it was. I didn't really care. I hated having to make conversation with strangers. Jimmy would've loved it though, he always talked to everyone. That was how after only a few years of living here he had known more people in town than I did.
I continued to read my book until I felt someone staring at me. I tried turning in my chair nonchalantly but whoever it was figured they had one up on me and pretty soon I saw a set of legs
standing there.

Slowly closing my book I looked up.

"Hey."

My heart almost stopped in my chest but I was quick to recover to make sure I didn't look as startled as I was. There in front of me, with a slight smile on his face was Josh.

"Wait! Wait! Before you punch me in the throat again or have your body guards pound the piss out of me, I just wanna say something!"

"Why should I let you say anything?" I asked.

"Because. Just let me say it okay? It's been eating at me ever since that night."

"Eating at you? Yeah right, the only thing you recall probably is getting your ass kicked. No thanks, I don't wanna hear it. Now leave me alone."

"I don't care if you wanna hear it or not. I'm gonna say it so you might as well listen."

"Fuck you. Get away from me."

"I'm sorry about that night! Okay? I was a total piece of shit, and I deserved to get my face pounded in. I know it's no excuse but I was fucked up that night. More than just alcohol. I was on some different shit I had never done before... I wasn't acting like myself. I don't do that kind of shit. You don't have to forgive me or even like the fact that I'm apologizing, but I am."

"You're right. I'm not gonna forgive you, and I DON'T care. Now that you've said what you wanted to say do me a favor and leave
me alone."

"Come on! I'm sitting here apologizing to you! That's gotta count for SOMETHING. If I meant to do it and be an asshole about it would I of even said anything to you? No. I wouldn't have. You gotta give me some kind of credit."

"Yeah, as much credit as you're giving yourself I don't think I need to give you any." I said.

The door behind him swung open again and I was relieved that we weren't the only two in the building anymore. They could be my escape plan and I would run over to them and talk to them even if
I had no idea who they were.

I was even more relived when I heard my name. "Layla?"

I looked behind Josh to see Will, the guy I had met at the store, standing there holding a tote full of clothes. "Will!" I jumped up ready to tackle the guy because I was so happy to see him.

"How's it going?" He asked then looked over at Josh who immediately turned around and went to the other end of the mat.
"Is he bothering you?"

"No, not anymore."

"Ex boyfriend?" He asked as we walked over to the machines.

"Nope. Definitely not. Just had a bad experience with him before.
My friend Jimmy, the one that was with me that day I came in the store, settled that for me though."

"Ahhh. Good, I'm glad. I don't need to settle anything now do I?" He asked giving Josh one more glance.

"No, but I'm super glad that you're the one who walked through that door."

"Anything I can do to help." He smiled at me and I returned it.

"So you do your laundry here often?" I asked once we were seated.

"Uh, not so much. My washing machine broke and I just haven't had time to get it fixed or buy a new one." He said, reaching in his pocket for his phone.

"Ah."

"Hey...would it be weird if I asked you for your phone number?" He asked suddenly. "I mean, I already have my phone out and I'd look stupid if I just had to stick it right back in my pocket."

I laughed. "You could use the excuse you were 'checking the time'."

"Awe, ouch." He grinned.

"I'm just kidding, you can have it."

"Are you sure? Your friend that was with you isn't gonna like beat my ass or anything is he?"

I shook my head. "No, he won't. At least not until Monday, he's on a camping trip until then."

"Fair enough."

I gave Will my number and we talked until our clothes were done. After mine were all folded I looked at him. He was trying to fold them neatly like I had but was failing and then decided to just toss everything in.

"They'll all wrinkle! Here, let me help you." I said and showed him the proper way to do it. Well, MY proper way to do it.

Once we had gotten our things in to our vehicles he cleared his throat and walked up to me.

"So... I was wondering, are you doin' anything once you get your clothes home and put away?"

I laughed. "No probably not. Why?"

"I dunno...maybe we could hang out."

The sudden image of Jimmy flashed through my head and for a slight second I felt bad. Why should I though? He wasn't my boyfriend and he always told me that I was picking the wrong guys. Will seemed nice, and genuine.

"Yeah sure. It'll take me like ten minutes to run this stuff up to my house."

"Awesome. Do you like Chinese?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll meet you at Wing Wah's, in say fifteen minutes?"

With one last thought of Jimmy I cast it aside and smiled at him. "Yeah sounds great."