It was usually pretty sunny in Southern California. But on this particular day, something was different. It rained...all day. Definitely a sign of a shift in the matrix; a glitch in the simulation. But this didn't cause any discomfort to Ashley. In fact, Ashley loved the rain. Growing up in Seattle, rain was like breathing. It wasn't a normal day if she wasn't drenched halfway to school or splashing around in the puddles in her childhood backyard with her siblings. That's why the move to California for college was so strange for Ashley, hardly any rain. Until now that is. Now she was content to hear the patter of water surrounding her entire apartment. Although at this point, she did wish the rain could take a break just long enough for her to finish her paper which in and of itself was its own challenge.
Ashley had been pounding away at the keyboard for hours and yet still not managed to string together any cohesive thoughts. She was too distracted. She pushed back from her desk, removed her glasses from her face and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she stared out the window in her bedroom. It was raining so hard now she could no longer make out the cars that were parked across the street. Even the street lamps were nothing more than blurry, hazy bulbs. Trying to rid herself off any further frustration, Ashley decided it was time for a mental break. Staring at the computer screen any longer wasn't going to make any of the words she typed more coherent. And so she ventured off into the main floor of her apartment just to create space from the madness that awaited her back in her bedroom.
Upon entering the living room, Ashley felt an immediate calm. "Finally", she thought. "Now I can hear myself think". Aside from the rain of course. Suddenly another familiar sound decided to creepily enter the room, Ashley's stomach. It growled with a vengeance. When was the last time she'd eaten? She could only remember the cup of coffee and the hint of a granola bar she managed to devour before becoming consumed by her paper. And that was early in the morning. There's got to be something in the fridge that she could have before getting back to the daunting task of writing a college level paper about the hypothetical scenario of a collapse of the world's economy. Why the hell did she pick that topic?
Without much thought, Ashley walked into the kitchen to find something to eat when all of a sudden there was a knock at her door. Curious. Who could that be? No one Ashley knew would ever knock on the door, let alone show up without texting first. Obviously this couldn't have been someone Ashley was familiar with. Ashley vocalized a "who is it?" as audibly as she could from her kitchen. Knowing there was a high chance that no matter who responded, she wouldn't know who it was. A voice did answer back. A deep, but crisp voice saying: "Hey Umm it's Jason, from down the hall" Jason from down the hall? Who the hell is Jason from down the hall? Ashley slowly walked toward the front door to get a peak of this Jason character through the peephole.
Through the hole stood a tall man, with soaking wet brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He was dripping from head to toe, clearly having just come from outside. Once in full focus, Ashley did recognize Jason. He moved into the building around the same time as Ashley about 3 months ago. The two never really said more than hello and goodbye to one another the few times they bumped into each in the hall. Ashley didn't even know his name at first but she did recall finding him quite charming. Ashley cleared her throat and slowly opened the door. "Jason? Umm hey there. What can I do for you?" Jason brushed some wet locks of hair from his eyes and stood up tall to speak. "So sorry to bother you but I'm locked out of my place. I ran outside to grab something from my car and I completely forgot my keys and phone in the apartment. Is it ok if I can make a quick phone call to the landlord for a spare?" Ashley pulled the door open wider and nodded. "Oh sure of course! Come right in!"
Jason thanked Ashley and slowly walked into the apartment making sure to not get water everywhere. "Do you mind if I just take off these wet clothes?" Ashley nodded again, not taking into consideration that in just a few moments a half naked man who she barely knew would be standing around in her apartment. "So sorry about this. I promise I'll be gone as soon as possible." Jason said as he removed his wet shoes, socks, and shirt from his body. Ashley obliged. " Oh it's no worries. Happens to all of us" As Jason removed the final soaking wet item of clothing, Ashley stared at him, almost unconsciously.
She never really gave Jason a hard glance. Again, he'd only been in that apartment complex as long as she had and they barely spoke to one another. She knew he was attractive, from his face alone. The chiseled jawline, the perfectly lined beard and mustache. His pool blue eyes. That much was obvious. But she never thought she would get a chance to see his full body, until now. Well now she was just feeling silly. Staring longingly at a guy she doesn't even know. She shook the thought and started toward her bedroom. "I'm going to go grab my phone, be right back" Jason acknowledged Ashley's leaving of the room and stood by the doorway patiently. Ashley quickly grabbed her phone from her work desk in her bedroom and came back to hand it to Jason. "Here you go." She said preemptively unlocking her phone so he could have immediate access to call the landlord. "Thanks so much..." Jason's voice trailed off. He was just now realizing that he did not know her on a first name basis. Ashley saved Jason the embarrassment of asking and simply responded, "Ashley." Jason nodded kindly, "Thank you, Ashley."
Jason quickly gave a call to the landlord while Ashley meandered around her living room. She did her best to keep her eyes from roaming over Jason's frame. But it proved to be very difficult. It had been some time since Ashley had men on the brain. After an unsavory break up with her ex boyfriend Derek, the last thing she wanted was anything serious. Granted since the break up she's had the occasional hook up or two but nothing ever went any farther than that. Plus she had no problem breaking out her favorite toy whenever she needed to take the edge off. Yet, here was a man, a man she barely knew, standing in her living room wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, and she couldn't look away. Ugh snap out of it, girl.
Ashley watched as Jason finished up his phone call with the landlord. He hung up the phone and walked over to Ashley to give it back to her. "Thanks again! He should be back here in about an hour." Ashley placed her phone in the back pocket of her jean shorts. "That's good news!" "It sure is." Jason walked back over to his pile of wet clothes. He bent over to pick them up and began folding them. Without thinking, Ashley asked pointedly, "You wanna just let that stuff dry here? I've got a washer and dryer if you need it." Jason looked toward Ashley. "You sure that would be alright? I don't want to impose." "Sure it's totally fine. Come on." Ashley, motioned Jason to follow her to the back of her apartment to the storage closet that housed her washer and dryer set. "I really appreciate the help, Ashley." "Don't mention it."
After Ashley and Jason successfully loaded his wet clothes in the dryer, the two walked back into the living room. Not wanting to be in a room of awkward silence, Ashley spoke. "I feel like you and I have seen each other many times yet we're complete strangers." What a strange thing to say. Why would she say that? They were strangers. He literally didn't even know her name until she said it. However, Jason's response surprised Ashley. "Yeah, I felt that too. Kind of the reason why I knocked on your door first." Ashley's eyes grew but she tried her best not to let Jason see. All she could muster was a short, "really? Me?" Justin looked toward Ashley almost as if to assure her he was being sincere. "Yeah, I mean I've seen you in passing for a while now and I've just never got the nerve to say anything, except hello of course" Ashley, completely taken by surprise, walked over to the couch and plopped down absentmindedly. "I see." "Yeah" Jason rubbed the back of his neck anxiously and rocked back on his heels. Ashley didn't know how to immediately respond. This was such an awkward, strange event unfolding in her apartment. What would she say? What could she say?
Before she began to wreck her brain with all the possible outcomes and phrases she could muster, Jason spoke again. "Anyway, this definitely wasn't how I imagined it going. Was hoping to introduce myself under better circumstances." Ashley slightly chuckled which caused Jason's shoulders to loosen. "Well to be honest, I always wondered what your story was. I mean you're one of the few people I don't know on this floor." Jason stabilized himself and straightened his frame. "Really? You know everyone but me?" Ashley shrugged slightly. "Well no, not everyone but most people. A few friends of mine even." Jason nodded quietly and shuffled his feet. "Guess I should have introduced myself sooner." Ashley looked at Justin trying to get an idea of where he was trying to take this conversation. But under that blue eyed gaze was nothing more than a man who was just as nervous and unsure as she was.
