Against All Odds

AAO | LetMeExplain | 24

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Let Me Explain
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"You got one son and I think you've made it crystal clear who the fuck you chose to be a father too."
- Benjiman Cartier Gotti
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Wednesday | July 3rd

"Hey Rocco! Do you mind if I take an hour instead of a thirty minute lunch today? I have a few errands to run." Layton found herself asking her manager as she waited for a response. It was around three in the afternoon and Layton had wanted to go see Benji. It had been an usual busy day for her with both school and work, so she hadn't had the chance to see him at all today, so it was in her plan too now on her lunch.

"What you gone do for me?" Rocco retorted in such a casual manner not even realizing what he'd said or how it would've seemed to Layton. A frown quickly graced her face as she gave him a weird look due to his choice of words. That had caught her off guard, which he could tell by the stunned look on her face.

"What?" Layton went on to ask, but this time with a comical frown. She knew he hadn't meant any harm by his choice of words, but it was still surprising for her. Everyone knew that he liked her, but Rocco had never just come out and boldly say anything as this.

Rocco laughed a bit, after realizing. "My fault, what I meant was .. when you gone let me take you out?" He rephrased his words for her then shot her a smile that made her crack a shy smile in return. It was like his smile was contagious, and it had spread amongst her body where she couldn't even control her lips.

"Rocco, please don't. We just had lunch on break a couple days ago." Layton explained to him, but that was quickly shut down by him shaking his head. He wanted more and Layton wasn't trying to give it up. It confused her as to why he even tried when he was aware of her being involved with someone already.

"Nah Layton, that don't count. Lunch was cool, but I wanna take you to dinner. We get dressed up, go to a nice spot downtown to have dinner, and a bottle of wine. You look good in uniform, but I wanna see yo face outside of just work some time. I know you see I been sweating you some serious for a minute now. I think we can have some but you won't even give a nigga a chance to show you what I'm about." Rocco said to her, and it had Layton feeling a type of way.

It wasn't that Rocco was an ugly dude, because that wasn't the case. He was attractive standing at a cool six foot two in his sneakers. In a way, he gave her a resemblance of Diamond from P Valley. Rocco was a very playful person, but something about him just made her want to run in the opposite direction. That could've been the fact that she knew Benji wouldn't take Rocco shooting his shot at her lightly, at all.

He took her silence as her thinking. "All I want is a chance, one date. If you still not feeling me after the date, I'll fall back." Rocco continued, causing her to stand in deep thought. She was flattered, because he was definitely a nice looking guy and every girl was after him. For some odd reason, she wondered what it was about her that made him chase behind her so.

Layton sighed. "My life is complicated right now. I don't have much time for anything else," she said in an attempt on letting him down the easy way. A part of her had felt bad because Rocco really liked her. It was the other part of her that loved her some BG, as she remained firm on her answer and had to decline.

He nodded. "I get that, and I ain't trynna make it no more complicated for you. I just wanna get to know you better. It ain't even gotta be on a romantic level, but as friends. We ain't even gotta call it a date. We can just grab some food and drinks, I got the perfect spot in mind to take you." Rocco said, keeping at it.