KUTZ

Chapter 1

"Uh--sure," I said while taking the bag from him.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of cash handing me a hundred dollar bill. My eyes widened as I took the money from his hand.

It only cost two dollars to wash I thought.

"I don't carry change." He said as if he was reading my mind.

The service clerk shook her head from side to side.

Rio strolled out of the laundromat leaving me with his laundry bag.

"I don't have change for a hundred." The clerk snapped.

*

I folded the clean clothes and placed them back inside the basket. I made sure Rio towels sat on top. I left the laundromat and spotted him leaning against a car talking to a guy. They looked as if they were in deep conversation.

"Your laundry," I said as I walked up handing him the bag along with his hundred dollar bill.

"I was just about to come over there." He said while bypassing the money and taking the bag.

"You don't want your money?"

"I gave it to you. Consider it as a thank you." He smiled.

I turned to leave but it seemed he wanted to start a conversation. I'd been at the laundromat too long and needed to get home before my father got off of work to start dinner.

"You in a hurry?" He asked sensing my vibe.

I shook my head and smiled. "I gotta get home."

He placed both of his hands inside the pockets of his camouflage pants and leaned off the car.

"Can I get your name before you go?"

"Jailbait." His friend joked. "Bro, she looks young as hell."

My cheeks started heating up as Rio laughed at his friend before returning his attention back to me.

"Don't mind him." He said. "Where were we?"

"You asked my name."

He smiled while sizing me up.

"Its Lauren," I admitted.

I glanced at the clock on the bank building across the street from where we stood. I had fifteen minutes to get home.

"I gotta go."

"Maybe we'll meet again." He said while walking towards the barbershop door. "Thanks again, Lauren." He said before walking inside the shop.

Anybody would've thought I was on a track team the way I rushed home. I could feel the wind whipping around my face as I approached my block. I slowed down when my eyes landed on my father's truck parked in front of the building.

He stood outside in his uniform talking to our gossiping neighbor about god knows what when I walked up.

"Lauren." He stated with a displeased look.

I held my head down as I walked past him and into the building. I knew it was going to be hell to pay once he got upstairs.

Walking up the unsteady stairs to the third floor I finally reached our apartment. I opened the front door to cold air that blew from the central air system. That was the only thing good about the raggedy apartment building we lived in. The apartment was a one-bedroom because my father wasn't able to afford much since he worked part-time as a school janitor.

I sat the basket on the couch and walked over to the refrigerator to pull out tonight's dinner. I had in mind to cook baked chicken, macaroni, green peas, and cornbread but just as I was opening the door to the refrigerator my father walked into the house with his face was contorted in anger.