Dirty Laundry Ch. 02

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Chapter 5

It was the first full week of school and I did everything in my power to keep Jaye out of my head. I was able to keep myself busy with classes but during my downtime I often found myself day dreaming...

It was that night at the bar. Jaye's arms were locking me in place, my back to the sink. The fire in her eyes wasn't from anger this time. It was something else...lust. Just like it had happened that night, her forehead rested on mine and her lips were painfully close. Her eyes closed and she leaned in....

"SHEALYNN ROSE CUTLER!"I jumped at my full name. Rachel doubled over giggling. "You are so out of it today!"

"Sorry, tired," I looked up at the blank canvas, then at the clock. "Wow, is it really that late already?" I started gathering my things.

"Are you really okay?" Rachel asked, this time more serious.

"Yeah. I'll see you next week. I work this weekend."

"Okay. Text me!" I nodded and rushed out the door, heading for home. I had pretty much accomplished diddly squat in school this week. I just didn't have any inspiration, I guess. 'Artist blocks' happened to me a lot. But when I got into a good groove, I created a semesters worth of work in just a few weeks.

Later that night I laid in bed. Morgan had texted me a few times. I had continued to ignore his messages. I'm not in the mood. I looked at the little scrap of paper on my night stand. I absentmindedly typed Jaye's number into my phone. I sat with a blank message for her on my screen for a while. What would I even say?

...

Saturday morning rolled around. I found that during my shift at work, I had to actively try not to look for Jaye. Maybe she's not here today. I thought about the empty message that was saved as a draft with her phone number typed in. I considered texting her but came to the same conclusion as I did last night.

Lillian was showing me how to stock the OB unit on the fourth floor when a familiar looking blonde nurse walked over. "Hi!" She smiled and stuck out her hand. I shook it uncertainly. "I'm Maggie. I run the OB/GYN department, you're new right?"

"Um yeah. I've been here for a few weeks. But this is my first time up here." Where do I know her from? Maybe I've just seen her in the cafeteria or something. Lillian poked her head out of the closet to join our conversation.

"I showed her how you like your closets, Maggie is wonderful! She helped deliver my most recent grandchild. I always go the extra mile to make her life a little easier." Lillian puffed up her chest proudly while Maggie flashed an award winning smile.

"Oh Lillian. You really are the best. I could use a hand really quick, can I borrow your helper?" She nudged me with her elbow.

"Sure thing. I'm almost done here. Meet you downstairs, kid" Lillian replied. I frowned. I really wish she would stop calling me kid. I followed Maggie around the corner and down a long hallway.

"You probably don't remember me." She said quietly. She paused to study my confused expression, complete with crossed arms and a foot that tapped impatiently. "Listen, I don't know what's going on between you and Jaye. I don't know what you said or did. But don't do it again. Or you'll have me to answer to." Her warm smile had faded and was replaced with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. I could feel the color draining from my face as I realized who she was.

The girl from the bar...the one that was with Jaye.

I was flabbergasted, "Excuse me?! There's nothing going on between us? We've only met a couple of times..." I blushed thinking back on the encounters that I did have with her. "And I don't deserve to be threatened." My voice was much smaller than I had hoped for.

Her eyebrows furrowed even more as she tried to determine whether I was telling the truth or not. "Regardless of what you say... she's been to only that bar for weeks now. She kept saying she was waiting for someone, but that someone never showed."

She was... waiting for me? "Why do you assume that has something to do with me?"

"I don't know. But as soon as you got there she disappeared. She's been weird since. Didn't she say anything to you?" I looked down in avoidance. I didn't want to tell this stranger the whole embarrassing story. "Whatever. Jaye's my best friend. We grew up together. I just... I worry about her." Her voice turned softer, concerned for her friend.

Understanding, I nodded. I turned to leave and headed straight for the basement. I began hoping that I would find the strange, beautiful woman where I had met her for the first time.

I didn't.

I continued with my day, lingering in the halls in hopes that I might run into her by chance. But that strategy turned out to be unsuccessful as well. I had given up hope when I grabbed my last load of dirty laundry from surgery and was lugging it back down to the laundry department. I waited for an elevator. Ding! The door popped open. Jaye was leaning against the elevator wall, her head was rested back on the elevator wall and her eyes closed. She looked exhausted. She didn't even open her eyes as I cautiously pushed my cart into the elevator. We were both heading to the basement.

I looked at her and opened my mouth to say something. Any day now genius, say something. Anything. But nothing came out. I closed my mouth and looked at my feet. The elevator reached our floor. She got out without a word but I could have sworn she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye before stalking off down the hallway, towards the residents lounge.

I hurried to drop off my cart once my work was done. I changed back into my jeans and hoodie that I had worn to work today. I suddenly felt slightly self-conscious of my choice of clothing today. Wishing that I- Are you seriously worrying about your clothes right now? Snap out of it, Shea.

I clocked out and raced back down to the lounge. There was only one room occupied; I knocked, hoping she wasn't asleep yet.

The lock clicked and the door opened. Under her eyes were red with exhaustion and squinted as she looked out of the dark sleeping room. They widened a small amount as she registered who was on the other side of the door.

"What?" She asked flatly.

"Can I come in?"

She hesitated before opening the door. She walked to the bed and sat down. Her arms and legs crossed, closing herself off to me. I gently shut the door and turned to face her, but she avoided my eyes. I kept a safe distance between us. I opened my mouth to speak. But once again. Nothing came out.

"If you're just gonna stand there, you can just leave."

"No, I-..." I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm not really sure"

"Then you're not sorry"

Ouch. I shuffled in my spot, uncomfortably. "Why did you wait?"

At this, she finally looked up.

"At the bar, I-.... you.." I sighed in frustration, wishing I could more easily turn my feelings into words. "Never mind" I said quickly, turning to leave before I made a fool of myself. Too late.

Jaye's hand came out of nowhere and held the door shut, as I reached for the handle. I turned around, backing into the door. Just like the flashbacks I kept having from the night at the bar, her arms trapped me here as she towered over me. She quickly closed the space between us. Her thumb brushed my bottom lip as she tilted my chin up. I barely had time to blush before she was less than an inch from my face. Her smell was intoxicating.

"Jaye? I, um..."

She leaned back a tad. "You've never kissed a girl." It wasn't so much a question as an observation. I nodded, embarrassed. She grinned and leaned in again. Her lips pressed gently against mine, parting slightly. Her lips were soft and warm. So warm, it felt like she had started a fire that burned all the way to the pit of my stomach. She pulled away much too soon. I looked down to avoid her eyes; I knew that I was blushing furiously.

"What did you mean?" I spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.

"Elaborate" she said coolly, as she released me.

"When you said you wanted to know me. Is that why you..." the heat returned to my face instantly.

"Kissed you?" she smirked. "I meant exactly what I said"

I waited, not sure what to say next. "Listen, Jaye? I, um...." I stammered. "I don't..." I don't date women? Or at least I haven't dated women? I don't know what the hell I'm doing here?

She lightly placed her finger over my lips. "I get it. But you can't blame me for trying." She paused, "Stay with me." She said. Again, it wasn't a question. It wasn't that I had somewhere to be. But I was thrown off by her sudden request. I didn't answer. She studied me for a moment before walking to the bed to lay down. I sat down next to her hesitantly. She scooted over to put her head into my lap, her hands resting on my thighs. Within moments, she was seemingly asleep. I used this time to study her face. I spent so much time avoiding her direct gaze when she was awake. She was always so intense. I didn't get to often appreciate her beautiful features. She had high cheek bones and perfectly arched eyebrows. I envied her pouty lips and dark, long lashes. Her hair was shiny and looked soft. I reached over, curiously, to stroke her bangs softly. It was like strands of black silk had been sewn into her head. I wanted nothing more than to pet it for forever.

A small hum came from the back of Jaye's throat. I startled a bit, assuming that she had been asleep. "Don't stop." She barely whispered. I obliged, stroking her soft hair until I too, drifted off to sleep.

When I woke, Jaye was no longer asleep in my lap. I scanned the room.

I was alone.

Chapter 6

Over the next couple weeks, Jaye and I fell into a friendly routine. We greeted each other in the hallways and when we happened upon one another in the cafeteria for lunch, we often had coffee or ate together. I was working less since the semester had started but generally worked every weekend. It was Saturday at the end of my shift as I was walking to my car, lighting up a cigarette.

"Still killing yourself, eh?" Jaye muttered sarcastically from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned around, walking backwards.

"And that concerns you how?"

"I don't kiss ashtrays."

I raised my eyebrows sharply, "That didn't seem to stop you a few weeks ago." I was surprised at my own cockiness. I generally avoided talking about most of our previous encounters.

She grinned slightly, the corner of her mouth turning up in an adorably sexy smirk, "touché", she defeated. I reached my car and pulled out my keys, leaning against the trunk as I finished my smoke. She tilted her head slightly as her emerald eyes studied me. It made me extremely uncomfortable when she looked at me like this.

"What?" I asked, sounding somewhat irritated.

"Go out with me."

Excuse me!? "Uhhh... What?" My snarkiness from before instantly vanishing.

"You heard me." She crossed her arms and leaned forward towards me. "Go out with me. Next weekend."

"What if I don't want to?" I asked cautiously. Where is she going with this? I wondered. She leaned in even closer. The loose fitting shirt fell forward as she leaned close to me. I dared a glance at her chest, realizing that she wasn't even wearing a bra. I could see the small amount of cleavage that she had and the top of a soft pink nipple. I was suddenly very aware of the large lump that had formed in my throat. I swallowed loudly.

Jaye looked down to her own chest and back up to my eyes, acknowledging my glance.

"You want to." Ugh. She can be so smug. I hate it. I found myself realizing I hated her confidence because I had none. It was hard to describe her attitude as anything but cool. I had never found myself having these thoughts about a woman. Is it because she kissed me? She's messing with my head.

She gave a small chuckle as I slipped into my car away from her.

"See you tomorrow." She waved as she sauntered across the parking lot.

...

I was both anxious and dreading work as I woke up Sunday morning. I wanted to see Jaye. I wanted to hang out with her, but date? Is that what she meant by 'go out with me'? No. She's a girl. Yeah, she kissed me. But she probably just wants to hang out. Yeah. That's it.

I nodded my head determinedly in a 'so there' kind of way.

I stopped for a bagel and coffee at a shop down the street from my apartment. Maybe I should get a new outfit... all my clothes have paint on them. I lived near one of the main drags here in town and there was a few boutiques and shops nearby. I drank my coffee as I wandered around. I saw a few very overpriced shops that mostly sold designer clothes but my college student budget wouldn't allow for something that pricey. I ventured into a small shop on the corner of 5^th and Main Street called Kittsona.

"Hi there!" a young girl chirped from behind the counter. She was tall and lanky with long curly red hair.

"Um... hi." I smiled as I walked further in through the doors, entering the shop.

"Anything I can help you find?"

"Uh, I think I'll just look for now." I shuffled up to a rack of dresses. Eh. I hate dresses.

"Let me know if you need anything!"

I nodded as I eyed up a really cute outfit from across the store. It was an olive green tank top under a cream and light pink sweater that swooped down low in the back. It was paired with an animal print scarf and faded jeans.

"Actually, can I have this whole outfit in a medium?" I asked the clerk as I walked up to the mannequin.

"Sure!" she squealed as she practically skipped across the store to grab the different articles of clothing I requested. "What size jeans?"

"Hmm... like a 9? I think? I'm not sure I haven't bought clothes in a while."

She grabbed a couple sizes of jeans and threw them over the door of a dressing room.

"Buying for a date?"

I nodded and headed into the dressing room. I pulled on the jeans and tops. The jeans were a little loose and hung down on my hips but the top fit nice. I decided to try the size down before walking out of the changing room. The sales girl squealed excitedly again when she saw me.

"Wow! You look great!" she exclaimed as I walked over to the three-way mirror. I turned to the side, the other side, and turned all the way around to check out my butt. The size down jeans hugged my butt and thighs in the perfect way. The sweater bared the top part of my back. I smiled. I look kinda good.

"I'll take it."

"Great! Can I make a suggestion though?"

I nodded. I needed all the help I could get with this stuff. She lifted the scarf off my neck and replaced it with a dangly necklace instead.

"You're a knockout! You're date is going to be drooling!"

I paid for the clothes and thanked the clerk before heading home. I sat contemplating my feelings about this afternoon while I sat on the couch with Stanley, watching a movie. I rubbed his soft ears. They reminded me of Jaye's jet black hair that felt like silk. I sighed. What am I doing? I don't even like girls. Not like that anyways.

Chapter 7

The next week seemed to crawl by, yet before I knew it, it was Friday.

"Just the woman I wanted to see." Jaye smiled mischievously, as I walked in the door of the residents lounge, to refill laundries. She was laying on the bed in a small tank top that hit all of her top curves and loose scrub pants that hung off her hips, exposing her stomach slightly. She was reading. She set her book down on the bed and brushed her messy hair out of her eyes.

"Ha-ha, right." I replied sarcastically, as I walked over to the cabinets and began restocking scrubs. I heard her get up from the bed.

"No, really..." Her arms wrapped around my middle. I froze. She's never hugged me before. She nuzzled her face into the area between my neck and shoulder, inhaling deeply. I heard her hum, deep in her throat. "You smell nice."

"I highly doubt that." I said, stiffly. Oh, God, I've been working all day I probably reek.

"Do you work tomorrow?" She placed her hands on my hips, pulling my ass against her. At the same time she did this, she bit down on my neck. A gasp escaped me. She soothed the sting of her teeth by lightly sucking on the tender skin. I barely had to time to question what was happening before I felt her hand sliding up my stomach, under my shirt.

I shook my head furiously. "No." I squeaked, realizing how terrified I sounded.

"Good." She whispered roughly. She rubbed and squeezed my hips with one hand while the other slid up and down my stomach. It kind of tickled until she reached further up, cupping my breast. She continued to pull me back into her by my hip, grinding my ass against her. She slipped her hand under my bra and teased my nipple. I gasped and moaned.

Oh god. I felt my knees start to go weak so I leaned against the cabinet door for support.

*beep beep beep*

Her pager was going off. She groaned and removed her hand from my chest. I felt her place her forehead on my back. She grumbled and she released me completely, as she began pulling on a scrub shirt and her white coat. I turned to face her, still leaning on the cabinet for support. I stared at her blankly, having no idea what to say.

"Can I see you after work?"

I nodded, wide eyed.

She smirked. "Good. I'll meet you at the tavern, eight o'clock." I nodded again. She walked up to me and planted a long, deep kiss on my lips before running out the door. What the hell just happened?

...

I rushed home to shower and freshen up. I pulled the clothes that I had bought last weekend out of the closet and quickly dressed. I wasn't going to have much time to do my hair so I settled on a simple braid that came down in front and rested on my shoulder. I stood in front of the mirror and stroked the bottom part of my hair that stuck out of the ponytail at the end, finding myself feeling very self-conscious. I bit my bottom lip and took a deep breath. You can do this. I gave myself a small pep talk as I walked to my car and headed to the Tavern.

It was 7:45 when I arrived so I drove around the block a few times. I don't want her to think I'm a dork for showing up so early. My heart was in my throat and my hands felt super sweaty. I rubbed them on my skin tight jeans and did a full body shake to try and rid myself of all the nervous energy. 8:06. I can go in.

I stood at the door while the bouncer checked my ID before letting me in. I slipped in through the double doors to the pub. It was a sports bar, but it had a small dance floor and other bar games to make it fun for almost everyone. I spotted Jaye leaning up against a pool table with a beer in her hands.

She looked great. She was wearing a grey t-shirt that was made of a soft, thin material which displayed her flat stomach and perky chest when she turned certain ways. She was wearing jeans that fit snuggly on her hips and ass but had a bit more leg room than my painted on skinny jeans. An olive green army jacket was slung over her shoulder. The only accessory I didn't like was the blonde bimbo that was practically hanging on her. Ugh. I thought. I sat down at the bar and ordered a drink, watching the two women. Jaye hadn't noticed me yet, she was talking to the short skirted, blue eyed, bleach blonde, those-probably-aren't-even-real-boobs girl who was batting her fake eyelashes and rubbing Jaye's forearm flirtatiously. I'm not jealous. I don't even like Jaye like that.