One shot for Alexis with Jay:
I sighed as the wind nipped at my bare arms as I swung back and forth on the old plastic swing. This was how I relaxed, just walking to the park and swinging on the swing until I had thought about everything and cleared my head of all thoughts. It was about 10:30 at night, and I probably looked like a freak. But I liked the park at night, even though it probably wasn't the best idea to be here this late, I wasn't in a dodgy neighbourhood but the drunks always walk through here as a short cut.
"Mind if I join you?" A deep voice asked behind me, even though he had a deep voice I could tell he wasn't a weirdo. If I told him to go away he would. I looked behind me to see a guy about 6ft stood behind me. He was dressed in dark jeans with a black zip up jacket on and a hoodie underneath and the grey hood over the top of his cap.
"Feel free" I said motioning to the swing.
"Thanks" He said and I could hear the thankful smile in his voice. "Come here to think?" He asked and I scoffed.
"You too?" I asked and he nodded slightly, I never usually spoke to anyone I came across in the park. But this guy felt different, normal, honest and there was no tension, awkward or sexual.
"Just work. You?"
"Everything. Life" I said and he chuckled.
"I used to come here when I was a little boy and pretend to talk to the monkeys in the trees." I looked over at him and could see he was looking back at me. His face still shadowed by his cap but his eyes glinting in the darkness, they looked a blueish colour. "Made them up of course but I liked the thought of the monkeys swinging from the trees. Guess that's why I like this place." He confessed. I took this as my cue to tell him my reason for liking it.
"I like it for the peace and alone time. It's my escape from everything and everyone" I smiled.
"Oh" He said awkwardly.
"Huh?" I asked turning to him. "Peace and alone. Do you want me to shut up and walk away?" He asked. "All you have to do is say so" He said and he was genuine I could see him rising from the swing already.
"It's okay really. It's kinda nice to have some company" I said shivering as he sat down again, but slowly.
"Here, put this on" He said unzipping his jacket.
"Oh no I can't, I'm fine"
"Tough, I'm not letting you freeze" He said sliding it off his shoulders and placing it around mine.
"Thanks" I said inhaling the scent that came with it as I slipped my arms in, sort of a musky scent, like sawdust but a fresh scent too, like autumn, mixed together they smelled amazing, probably cologne. But there was something else too, something unique, I couldn't quite put my finger on, but it smelled good. We sat like that for about an hour and a half, just talking about random things, he decided to play twenty questions which we ditched as we got further along, running out of questions and asking weird ones making us all laugh. I hadn't laughed like this in a while. Actually, I hadn't even laughed in a while, let alone so freely. Suddenly a musical chime played out and the guy fished his phone from his pocket and the screen was lit up. I realised I still didn't know his name, in all the twenty questions it never came up.
"Girlfriend?" I asked.
"No, mum, staying with her for a few weeks." He said. "I don't have a girlfriend, any more I mean, which is why I'm here"
"Oh, sorry" I said turning my head down. "I should get going anyway" I said dreading the time. It must have been about midnight.
"Yeah me too, you live far?" He asked.
"No, just a couple of houses down the street" I said pointing to the street behind.
"Oh, okay, I have to go" He said awkwardly as he took a couple of steps back in the opposite direction of where I would head" I suddenly realised I still had his coat on.
"Wait" I said. "Your coat" I could see he smiled under the moonlight.
"Keep it on. I can come and meet you tomorrow if you want, to get the coat back, and we can talk again." He smiled at me and I grinned back.
"Sure, I'd like that_" I stumbled for his name.
"Oh, Jay. Many people call me Jaybird or bird but I don't mind. ." He said.
"Alexis" I introduced myself. "But I go by Lex, or Lexi" I smiled and he grinned back.
"9pm tomorrow?" He asked and I nodded my head. "See you then Lex. Night" He smiled turning his back and walking away. I did the same, just as I got out the park I looked behind me, expecting to see Jay gone, but he was stood at the opposite end, under a streetlight. Then it clicked why. He had waited for me to get out the park, to make sure I was safe. Sweet. He raised his hand in a gesture as a wave and I did the same before hugging his coat around my arms and inhailing his scent walking off. I liked Jay, my little park buddy.
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Hope you enjoyed it!
- Tink xxx
