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Number One
Aaron Burr liked to get his laundry done early in the morning. If he was being precise, and he almost always was, he would usually be done by 7am and have time for a coffee run before he went back home. Wednesdays were the slowest days by his calculations and he would most probably be the first one to arrive and the first one to leave. No one could stop him from using the Laundromat’s best dryer. That machine dried his clothes more evenly than the rest. His plan was perfect, practically fool-proof.
That was until a certain long-haired college senior walked in one Wednesday morning to fuck everything up.
First of all, who did he think he was waltzing in here like he owned the place? Aaron rarely got mad at anyone but for fuck’s sake, his schedule was all messed up now. Wednesday was no longer his favorite day because of this. The worst part was the guy only washed hoodies and the occasional pair of jeans. He would throw in some underwear there if he was feeling lucky. He didn’t even separate his clothes properly. Aaron thought he might have hurled at the sight of a red sock in the whites.
Currently, the still unnamed student was sitting next to him while softly humming something into his cup of coffee. He wasn’t sure if it was a pop song or a classical song but either way, Burr was annoyed by the mere sound. He huffed and hugged his backpack to his chest. 20 minutes. 20 minutes left until he could use the dryer. If anybody asked him if he was just being overdramatic, the rest of the laundromat patrons decided to arrive within the 40 minutes it took to dry this other guy’s clothes.
There was no other dryer he wanted to use.
Once the time was up, Aaron wasted no time in loading up his laundry in the dryer. The student rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and smiled at him as he walked out of the laundromat. If Aaron blushed, then he blamed it on the heat.
Number Two
Aaron Burr decided to do his laundry on Thursdays instead.
Since the other guy started coming to the laundromat the same day he usually went, he figured it would be better to do it on a different day. It worked. He was the first and last in the Laundromat again and his schedule now allowed him a free Wednesday. Everything was going great. The woman who usually manned the register would look at him and flirt. The usual patrons would recognize him and would chat him up.
But then one day he questioned himself on whether or not murder was an option.
There he was again, chatting the cashier lady up and looking like an absolute douchewad. He found out, from a very handy talent of eavesdropping , that his schedule got bumped a little bit because he dropped a class. So he had to go do his laundry on Thursdays now. What a fucking coincidence that would happen just when he changed his own schedule. He sorely hoped he wouldn’t have to come back to the Laundromat next week trying to treat blood stains.
He then realized that staining his silk pajamas was not worth it.
“This dryer is no doubt the best one here. My hoodies have never felt more fluffy.”
Oh. So he was trying to talk to him now?
“And fluffy hoodies are like an essential for college now. Sometimes it’s a portable bed. I can sleep anywhere as long as I have a hoodie. It’s like I seldom go back to my dorm since I’m always studying some shit.” Please stop talking to me. “How long have you been going here?” Longer than you have been going here. “I always see you here. Are you thinking of availing for their new membership card program? I here you just need to insert the card. No more counting quarters, right?”
Why are you still talking?
Before Aaron could snap, the dryer timer was up and the student stuffed what he could in his backpack. That looked fucking unsanitary but whatever. He wasn’t going to dictate the guy on how he did his laundry. If he ignored all of the laundry tips that were posted around the room, he would definitely ignore him. “By the way, I never learned your name. I’m Alexander Hamilton, current King’s College student.” He didn’t answer Alexander for a solid minute as he stared at his outstretched arm and waiting hand.
His time was pushing two minutes and he only acted when a middle-aged soccer mom was walking towards his dryer. Oh no. Not today, bitch. He quickly placed his laundry basket on top of the dryer and gave a fake smile towards Alexander. He grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. “Aaron Burr.” In the corner of his eye, he saw the soccer mom huff and walk away. You’re not getting your hands on this dryer just yet.
“Well, it was nice to finally make your acquaintance Aaron Burr, sir.”
Number Three
“How are you able to fold shirts so quickly?”
“Excuse me?”
Alexander rolled his eyes and laid out a very crinkled polo shirt on the folding table in front of him. “I see you do this fancy trick where you fold your shirts in 2 seconds flat. You have to tell me your secret, bro.” Aaron glanced to the side and checked the timer. 20 minutes. Yeah. He could use another distraction other than planning how he would murder Alexander Hamilton for once again taking the dryer first. Next time, he was going to camp outside the Laundromat.
“Well, this was a trick I learned back in college.”
“College? When did you graduate? You look the same age as me.”
“When I was 16.” This was a story he didn’t particularly want to dive into so he said it in the most nonchalant way possible. Thankfully, Alexander got the memo and nodded. It didn’t stop him from saying the usual reaction.
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. Do you want me to teach you or not?” Alexander thankfully shut up for the next 5 minutes of teaching him how to fold. He even asked questions during the demonstration which amused Aaron greatly. “That’s basically it. Criss-cross, grab the hem, then pull.” Alexander’s eyes were still wide as he stared at the neatly folded shirt in front of him. He gently held it in his hands almost as if it was a newborn baby. Aaron found it absolutely ridiculous with a tiny splash of endearing.
“That’s some witchcraft right there,” Alexander smiled at him and shoved the shirt back in his backpack. Aaron winced. Well, that shirt wasn’t going to be perfectly folded when he got back home, that was for sure. “I’m going to practice that at home.”
“I’m sure you will,” Aaron said in the most clipped-polite tone he could muster and he dug into his bag to find the book he was reading before Alexander interrupted him. He glanced at the timer again. 10 minutes. He could finish this chapter in 10 minutes. By the grace of whatever god above, Hamilton was quiet throughout the rest of the time it took for the dryer to finish up. There was the occasional muttering when he swiftly tapped something on his phone or the out-of-tune humming when something familiar came on the speakers.
Despite himself, Aaron found himself losing focus on the words on the pages of his book. 2 minutes before his time was up, he was looking at Alexander. He had a tendency to bounce his leg a lot and look at a far wall. Was he thinking? What was he thinking about? Alexander was an open book at this point so he could tell if what he was thinking was sad, happy or annoying. A smirk would find its way to his lips every time a good song started playing and his little ponytail would bounce to the beat as he bopped his head slightly.
“I’ll see you around Aaron Burr, sir!”
He didn’t even notice that someone else got the dryer before he was finished staring.
Number Four
It was raining and he didn’t have an umbrella.
Why? He lost it. End of story.
It all happened so fast. One second he was getting his laundry basket from his car and then the next second, he and his clothes were soaking wet. “Shit.” He whispered under his breath when the sound of thunder startled him enough to drop some of his socks on the ground. He sighed and knelt down, no longer mindful of the rain soaking him anymore, to pick up his socks. When he stood up, that was the only time he noticed that he couldn’t feel the rain anymore.
He looked around him at the people running to find a roof to cover them and the torrential rain getting stronger and stronger. Yep, it was definitely still raining but how is he not getting wet? He placed the wet balls of socks on top of his dark clothes and turned around. There standing behind him was Alexander Hamilton with a new hairstyle and an umbrella in his hand. “Need some help there Mr. Burr, sir?”
All Aaron could do was nod and follow him to the Laundromat.
“The one day I forgot to wear a hoodie, it starts raining.” Alexander glared at the sky the minute they got into the Laundromat. He ran his hands through his hair that was free of a ponytail and handed his membership card to the lady at the counter. “The usual please, Ms. Peggy.” Aaron didn’t even have it in him to be mad. He wasn’t the first one to get the washing machine so naturally he wouldn’t get the dryer first again.
Aaron was strangely okay with that.
“I’m going to actually fold my clothes this time, sir. Do you mind helping me?”
Aaron blinked once. Twice. He blinked three times before he was able to gain control of his brain again. “Not at all, Alexander.”
“Call me Alex.” This time a warm smile was directed his way and Aaron’s breath hitched. It wasn’t his usual hundred-watt smile or overly polite grin. It was a small, almost secretive, smile that stirred something unusual in Aaron’s chest.
“Okay.”
Number Five
“Guess who just graduated yesterday?”
“A student who isn’t doing their laundry today?”
Alex rolled his eyes and plopped down in the seat next to Aaron after he loaded all his laundry in the dryer. His eyes were shining and his smile looked as if he just thought of a joke that only he would get. “It feels good to be free. I’m going to be studying law soon, all the way up in Albany. I’m sure going to miss this place once summer ends.” Aaron felt something twist in his gut akin to sadness. Why was he getting worked up over Alexander Hamilton leaving? Wasn’t this what he always wanted?
No one was going to get to the dryer before him anymore. He should be fucking happy.
Why wasn’t he?
He didn’t even notice that Alex placed his head on his shoulder until he was done panicking over his most recent train of thought. “You got any family to visit back down here? You certainly can’t leave forever.” Why the fuck do you care?
“I’m an orphan.” Alex mumbled into his shoulder and Aaron got the impression that he was the only one allowed to hear that. “No family. Few friends. Lots of enemies. No one will miss me down here.” Aaron nodded but his body felt detached from the world. He was doing these motions almost robotically. They continued to do small talk but Aaron barely remembered what they were talking about anymore.
“ I’ll miss you.”
Shit.
“Say what?”
Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.
Aaron’s leg started to shake, exactly the same way Alex’s did, and gulped nervously. Think of something to say! He turned his head only to see Alex looking at him with a curious expression. Shit. Why did he only take the time to look at him now? Why is he only actually looking at him now? Why is he following the trail of the single bead of sweat going down the side of his face towards his neck? Why was he constantly flickering his gaze back to Alex’s mouth? Why was Alex licking his lips?
“This laundromat is going to be pretty boring now that you’ll be reeking havoc on the laundromats in Albany. Who’s going to teach you how to fold your laundry now?” He bumped shoulders with the younger man and Alex blinked rapidly before shaking his head. Aaron felt his stomach turn at what he only realized was a missed opportunity before he sighed. “Please tell me you still remember my folding trick?”
Alexander chuckled under his breath and bumped his shoulder too. If he looked closely, Aaron would have concluded that his smile looked a little sad. “Every step.”
The dryer timer blinked and Alex gave him that one secretive smile that he now seemed to only give him. It was the same smile, he realized, he gave him when they shared an umbrella. It was the same smile, the first smile, he liked seeing every week from then on. It was now the smile that made Aaron realize that he has fallen in love.
“Your turn.”
Plus One
“Well Laf, you owe me 50 bucks.”
“ Quelle? Why do I owe you? They haven’t even showed up yet!”
“That’s the point ol’ buddy, ol’ pal! They haven’t showed up yet. That means, I fucking win.”
“Give it until noon at least, mon ami.”
“No fucking way, man. I’m getting my money now!”
“Boys, can you shut the fuck up?” Peggy Schuyler was getting tired of her two employees arguing today on something so petty. What kind of Laundromat staff would bet on two customers and their love life? It seemed that Laurens and Lafayette were the types to do so. The thing was, she already lost 3 weeks ago. That was already 50 bucks out of her own paycheck, so she might have been slightly resentful.
The two continued to compromise on a time and Peggy rolled her eyes profusely. Children. She worked with children. Daddy did tell her not to go downtown and take a look on where that got her. Now she owned her own Laundromat with some of the best and worst people handling the personal requests of elite families in NYC. At least Laurens didn’t laugh at the sight of frilly panties anymore. It was actually quite funny the first time when he shrieked. The second time was even funnier. She got that one on tape.
The door opened just as Lafayette and Laurens decided on a time (1:30pm) and Peggy smiled as her two favorite customers walked in. “Hey there, guys! I haven’t seen you two in a while.” One of them handed her his membership card and she glanced at at it briefly before punching in the numbers. “I’m assuming the usual, Aaron?” Peggy was about to press the button but an awkward cough stopped her.
“Actually… We’d like to just combine our clothes. It’s much easier and much faster that way.”
“Really? That means you guys get to try out the bigger washing machines this time.” Peggy was still oblivious to what was covered by the counter but the moment she gave the card back, she knew. She glanced down for a brief second and was met with the unmistakable sight of Aaron and Alex’s hands clasped together as they walked towards their assigned machines. “Oh my god…” She watched as the two lightly bickered over if they should wash the lights or darks first and then eventually they went with the whites first.
Peggy was going to burst in excitement.
Fortunately, she wasn’t the only one who noticed the unusual development.
Her gaze soon flickered towards the two dumbstruck boys standing in the corner of the room with a bag of softener slowly leaking on to the newly cleaned floor. “No. Bullshit. I’m not buying it until they kiss.” Declared Laurens in a high pitched whisper towards Lafayette, who was still unaware of the softener coating his white converse shoes. Lafayette had the biggest smile on his face as he slowly turned towards dear Laurens.
“Not until they kiss .” He repeated and Lafayette only smiled wider.
“We have until 1:30, non?” He finally righted the refill bag of softener and thrusted it into Laurens’ hands. “In the meanwhile, you should probably clean this up.” He skipped over to the counter and winked at Peggy as Laurens muttered something under his breath about stupid, tall French men who are always fucking right.
They didn’t have to wait long until Lafayette was whispering happily in French as Laurens paid him in one dollar bills.
Aaron and Alex, thankfully, remained completely oblivious to the transaction.