Turn The Other Way

“Wake the fuck up!” I heard a male voice in my ear.

“Shit, dude! What the hell did I do to you?” I asked groggily.

“You never let me take you out on a date,” he said smugly. I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head.

“Five more minutes,” I mumbled.

“No,” he asked. I could clearly tell he was smiling, whoever this was. Did it bother me that a stranger was in my house? Not really. Laura must’ve let them in. “Time to get up.”

“No…” I whined, not putting a pillow over my head. “Fuck off.”

A laugh; Laura’s laugh sounded in my empty bedroom. “That’s not nice. C’mon. You have work today.”

I groaned. “My alarm hasn’t even gone off yet.”

“What time does it go off?” Laura asked.

“Seven forty five,” I replied.

“Well it’s seven forty four,” that male voice that I still haven’t placed yet said.

I grunted, shifting away from the sleep intruders.

“Get up or we’ll release the big bombs,” Laura said. I didn’t even acknowledge what she just said, so I laid there, unmoving. Laura sighed and mumbled something. I was already halfway asleep. “You asked for it,” Laura said before blasting the most obscene music ever.

I shot up out of bed with N*Sync playing on high. I scrambled for the CD player and ripped the cord out of the wall. Laura, and who I recognized as a client, Eli, stood there, laughing. Now, Eli was my regular. He’s asked me out a couple of times but I hadn’t accepted anything. I’d just think it was weird going on a date with a client. Eli’s hair was short and blonde; he had snakebites, a Monroe, and random tattoos done around his body.

I glared at the two and Laura through a towel at me. “I hate you two,” I mumbled. “Where’d you pick him up at?” I asked Laura, pointing to Eli.

“Emma needed some diapers this morning, and I picked him up at the store.”

I rolled my eyes and started toward the bathroom. “What’d I tell you about strangers, Laur?” I laughed.

“I’m not a stranger!” Eli stated.

“How long have I known you?” I asked.

“A couple months.”
“Okay. How many times have you seen me in those couple months?”

“… A couple?”

“See? It’s weird.”

Laura looked at me and laughed. “Get in the shower, hun,” she told me while walking out. I went into the bathroom and showered, getting ready for work.

After being done, I walked into my room to put on my shoes. Laura knocked on the door, walking in.

“So I was thinking,” she said.

“About?” I asked, looking up at her.

“Well, that Eli guys seems pretty cool.”

“And?”

“Maybe… you know… you should go out on a date with him or something. He won’t shut up about you, ya know.”

“I don’t think so,” I replied.

“Why not? Shouldn’t you be over Matt by now?”

I sighed and looked to the ground. “It’s not that, it’s just… I’m just afraid of getting hurt, ya know? I’ve gone this far and I’m good at avoiding the whole relationship thing.”

“Honey, I know Eli is different. He’s a sweet guy.”

I sighed and kept my eyes to the ground. “I guess going on a date or two to see if I like him wouldn’t be a bad idea, right?”

I looked up to see Laura smiling.

“Just don’t tell Brian.”

“Why?” she asked with her eye brows furrowed.

“Because he doesn’t know Eli, so Brian would get overly protective.” She nodded, understanding.

“So… Eli’s going to come see you at work today.” She smirked and left, leaving me to finish to get ready for work.

Stupid me, I didn’t know Matt would be the one that was going to be so over protective instead of Brian.