Chapter Six: The Short End of the Stick
Did you ever watch laundry go around? It’s more interesting than you might think. At least it was today as my undies were currently going ‘round and ‘round with Cecilia’s. This was as close to her underwear as I was likely to get, and I was going to take advantage of every second.
It seems that Cecilia, upon returning my book, chewed the guys out and informed them that they were the lowest form of creep. She also gave them a lecture on privacy. Now I know why she and Kevin are having problems, he hates to have his lecture ground encroached upon.
Anyway, there I sat doing my laundry. I had just started it when low and behold, Cecilia walked in and asked if I minded is she “put a few things in with yours? I don’t have enough for a complete load.” I need new jeans. Mine don’t have enough room for my current load.
So of course I said sure. If this wasn’t enough Cecilia had decided to curl up beside me on the bench and read while our undies did the nasty. On one hand the love of my life (for the next few weeks, anyway) was beside me. On the other hand the woman that knew a 16 year old dork had a crush on her was beside me. Oh, the humanity!
So I sat as quietly as I could, watching the undies bounce. I was so busy trying to keep my mind off Cecilia that it turned, as it so often does, to more interesting and unusual thoughts. As Cecilia’s bra played peek-a-boo with me I contemplated breasts. I have this thing about women’s breast. I know, I know, all men do. But having had a rather interesting introduction to them a little over a year before I felt I had a certain affinity for the subject.
My current train of thought was fake ones. They certainly were popular, at least with men and the women AJ tend to date. But I had seen some show or read some article about body image and how women shouldn’t get fake breasts. And then a group of women came on discussing why men liked the fake breast; we expect women to be perfect (I do not - just better than me), we want them to be beautiful for us 24/7 (Do real breast close down at a certain time?), we think they look better (Than what? A cow’s udders?), that they feed our ego (Well we wouldn’t want it to starve, now would we?) and stuff like that.
None of the reasons were correct. It’s really quite simple. Men love real breast as long as a woman is standing up, but get her on her back and it’s a new ball game (No AJ pun intended). I mean, who wants to go spelunking in a woman’s armpit? Well, that’s how AJ explained it to me. I suggest you take it up with him.
All of this pondering was due to the fact that Cecilia’s bra strap was visible, five of them if you want the details. Four of them in the dryer, one on the shoulder next to me. I was doing my best not to look at it, not to notice that it was skin toned and all lacy and for some damn reason smelled like baby powder. Or maybe she smelled like baby powder. I wasn’t brave enough to test either hypotheses.
“Nick?”
“WHAT?”
“Um...I was just wondering if you would like part of my Snickers?”
“Sure.” And I wasn’t noticing your cleavage.
“Here.” Cecilia handed me half of the candy bar.
“Thanks.” I ate half of the candy bar. It’s all I could think to do. Let’s face it, smooth with the women I’m not.
“NICK! My man!” Lookie! Someone who thinks he is.
“Hello AJ.” Cecilia’s greeting was rather cool. The night before Brian told me she was still mad at the guys for taking my notebook and trying to embarrass me. Apparently she had made Kevin promise to be nicer to me or else he wasn’t going to get it. I’m almost seventeen, so it only took me about ten minutes to catch on. Kevin sure was being nice to me.
“Hey.” Short and to the point. AJ had no time for people who were disgusted with him. “Nick, I need to talk to you for a minute ... in private.”
“I’m doing laundry.” And I don’t feel like being beat up right now.
“It’s really important, we need to make a change tonight.”
“The show?”
“No. The shower. You stand too far away from the water ... of course the show!” For a guy that tries people’s patience AJ has very little.
“Oh, OK.” I glanced towards the dryer and considered my options. I had already had five pairs of briefs stolen ( Howie expressed great concern for the type of person who would steal briefs) and was down to the minimum number necessary to be clean everyday (Unlike Kevin I will not wear dirty undies. There is a big difference between day old boxers and day old briefs.).
“I’ll fold your stuff and bring it up with mine.”
Cecilia was such a kind person. And brave.
“I don’t know.” I can’t remember if any of my undies have brown stains on them.
“It’s fine. I’ve done Kevin’s shorts, and believe me there is nothing that can shock me now.” Really? This could have been an interesting conversation, it certainly had my mind in over-drive, but AJ was pulling on my arm.
“Thanks! I’ll owe ya!”
“No problem.” One last really nice smile and I was off with AJ while Cecilia was stuck with my wet briefs. I always get the short end of the stick.