Piece of Cake | Ashton Irwin [au]

Eighteen

"Does it really sound like a topic people want to talk about?"

She tilts her head to the side and ponders for a moment. "Fair point, but have you actually seen her?"

"Not in person."

"Then how do you know she is real? Maybe someone just made her up for shits and giggles."

"She's real; there's no doubt about that," I say with a chuckle. "Michael saw her once."

"Did he now?" she asks, slightly curious.

"Yeah, it was around the time we moved in here."

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at the memory of Michael barging into my apartment scared out of his fucking mind. His eyes were wide and I don't think I've ever seen him so traumatized. I couldn't stop laughing when he told me how the lady jumped out of one of the bushes and started shrieking and flailing her arms about.

"When he told me about it, I didn't believe him at first," I continue. "But the day after his experience, all residents received a letter in the mail informing us that there is a woman causing a disturbance for 'indecent exposure.' I was sold after that and ever since then, Mikey refuses to roam around the apartments at night."

Ruth begins to sloppily fold her clothes and throw them into the basket at a rapid pace. "If I had known that sooner I would have hurried up a long time ago," she says.

It's hard not to laugh at her reactions to different situations. Like when she first found out that the elevator broke the day she moved in and threw a mini-tantrum or when she found out that I live in the same complex as Michael. And now this. It's actually really adorable to be honest.

She gives up with folding her clothes and tosses the rest into the basket before scurrying off toward the front entrance.

"Let's go," she orders and snaps her fingers as if that's going to make me move faster.

I shake my head in amusement and carry my basket full of clothes at my side, using my hip to keep it steady. "Is someone scared?" I snicker, following Ruth out of the laundromat.

"Pfft. No," she says. "I'd just rather not encounter some creepy old lady who enjoys being naked in bushes."

"Uh-huh," I say, completely unconvinced. She should work on not outwardly expressing her emotions and making it completely obvious to everyone how she's feeling or in this case lying. She's too much of an open-book, but at the same time, trying to figure her out is like reading with every word scrambled.

"I'm serious!" she says in defense, but even in the dark with the crescent moon as our only source of light, I can still see the apples of her cheeks flush.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," I say, nudging her side.

Ruth gives me a small smile before taking a sharp breath and moving her gaze away from mine and dropping her lighthearted expression.

It doesn't take us long before we reach our complex without any unwanted encounters with the crazy naked lady. Although, it would have been funny to see Ruth get freaked out if we did see her, but then again, I'd rather not have to gouge my eyes out after bearing witness to a naked old woman. There are some things in this world that are not meant to be seen.

We take the elevator up to our floor and continue to silently walk side-by-side until we reach her door.

"See, I told you I would have been okay walking alone," Ruth says as she fishes for her keys in the basket.

"Pardon me for trying to be a gentleman," I sass and her giggle puts a smile on my face. Jeez, I've smiled more since I've met Ruth and my cheeks are starting to hurt from it, but I'm enjoying every second of the pain.