For When You're A Man (under reconstruction)

Launderette Loitering

Sebastian's POV

I walked into the launderette's and there he was. Ayo was stood behind the counter sorting notes into the cash machine. At least there's someone I sort of know here to make this a less tedious task.

"Ayo!" I called out to him, after a minute or so of deliberating whether I should pretend that I don't know him or just say hi.

"Hey," He responded with an unreadable facial expression.

I have no clue why he insisted on wearing the massively oversized glasses but they suited him, I don't think many people could pull those off.

I gave him my basket of laundry before I pulled out my card.

This is usually the part where I leave and have someone else collect it but I liked talking to him.

And if I'm being totally honest, he's a little bit cute. But it's not enough when he's being a total dickhead. I'm almost angry at myself for finding him cute though, the only other black guy in school, how predictable of me.

" Is everything okay?" He asked tilting his head slightly.

"Yup," I replied. Yup? Who says yup? I miss my usual suave persona. I see one vaguely cute guy and all of that melts. How convenient.

"I just realised I talk a lot about myself when we talk. Can you tell me a little more about yourself?" He asked me.

"Ask away," I said, unsure of what to tell him first.

"What's your family like?" He asked me.

"I live with my younger cousin. Her name is Nicoletta. I just call her Coley because she hates it. Our parents all are spread across France since last year when I turned 18. I'm a repeat which is why I'm already 18." I explained.

His eyes widened, he was clearly curious for more, but he also didn't seem like the prying type. Instead, he checked who was due in for a collection.

"I hated my subjects so I repeated year 12. Since you opened up to me about your father I think it's only fair to tell you that my parents are barely parents. It's the classic story of a young rich girl who gets knocked up and is forced to marry her boyfriend from secondary school. They both love each other very much, it's just that neither of them knew how to love me. They were from two rich families in Jamaica and came over here to escape the shame. Coley's parents just saw a chance to live freely again and had her live with me and the housekeeper was our official carer on paper. But she only comes in weekly," I said, stopping myself before I overshared even more.

"You're my last customer I have scheduled in for today, we should probably hang out for more than 20 minutes at a time. Otherwise we'll just be strangers who know a lot about each other. I'll help carry your load." He had clearly said the last part without thinking.

I burst out in an uncontrollable fit of laughter and after a few seconds he joined me. Each giggle was split up by an ugly snort. It was kind of cute. In a stupid way.

"I like your laugh," I said. Shit, I wasn't mean to say that aloud.

"I like my laugh too," he chuckled, nodding to himself and scrunching his nose up in slight embarrassment. My cheeks warmed up a little at that. I'm so glad I don't visibly blush, can you imagine?

We set off to go to my place, it was just around the corner from the launderette. I hope he doesn't go back to thinking I'm an arsehole after this but he goes to Jason's all the time and he doesn't think that of him.

He looked around, taking it all in until Fifi came rushing in. And to my surprise, she rolled over for Ayo to scratch her belly. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

Ayo's eyes lit up and within 2 seconds, he was on the floor playing with the giant poodle. They both had a serious lack of spacial awareness. Just imagine some giant guy and your poodle who was as wide as it was tall wrestling on the ground for 15 minutes straight.

"Her name's Fifi," I said.

He nodded as we went to my room to drop off the clothes.

"Tell me something nobody knows about you," He said, collapsing on my chaise after we finished organising his clothes.

"Would you be creeped out if I told you I was into guys?" I asked. Great, I've done it now. He will probably run home now as fast as those long legs will carry him.

"Would you be creeped out if I told you that..." He began.

I was anticipating what he said with baited breath. We were barely blinking those few seconds. I took this time to register that he had a little beauty spot on his nose and his hair was lose today. It reached below his ears and it was really voluminous.

"If I told you that I'm attracted to you," He blurted out, his analytical eyes registering my every move.

"I think I'm attracted to you too," I said, barely believing the conversation that we were having right now. I didn't know him well enough to like him. But I knew instantly that I liked his face. So I don't know what people like that do. We don't know enough about each other to be friends but we know way too much to be acquaintances.

"What now?" I asked.

"I don't know," He admitted.