[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
AJ was wandering the rainy streets, not sure of where he was going, or what he was going to do once he got there. He was confused. If someone had asked him just a couple of months ago, he would have answered that Emily was the one for him. He’d seen a future with her. Now all that was gone. In the blink of an eye he’d thrown all that out the window, and into a big fat dumpster. She’d never take him back after what he’d said and done. A thought flew through his head, making him wonder if that hadn’t been his intention in the first place. To just fcuk it up real bad, so that there was no possibility of healing the relationship. Whatever. What was done was done, he’d hurt her, and he was sorry about it, but he had to do it.

Had to do it? Why? He bit his lip as hard as he could, just to get away from the thoughts. He didn’t have to do anything, Goddammit. But he’d wanted to. Even though he hadn’t been physically cheating this time, he had to break it off to keep himself from hurting Emily again. He thought about the two times before, reminisced on how mad she’d been, how badly he’d hurt her. She’d explained to him that it hadn’t been the actual cheating, even though it was bad, that had hurt the most. It was the fact that he’d been keeping it from her, and the second time, lying to her face when she asked. He got chills up his spine. He pulled his army style jacket tighter around him and looked up. A smile spread across his face as he opened the door to MadEye Tattoos, and he greeted the two men in the shop as close friends.

“Greggy, Dave, what’s up?” He shook their hands and gave them each a hug.

“Not much Alex. You? How’s that last one feeling?”

“It’s good. No swelling or anything. I need a new one now though. You got time for me Dave?”

“Sure. What do you want?”

“A name.”

Dave furrowed his brows. “Are you sure? I mean, the last one didn’t end well, did it?”

“It’s different this time. I’m sure.”

“You and Em getting serious?” Dave smiled and winked.

“Actually no. We broke up. And I wasn’t thinking in the ‘Poopy’-directions. I want it subtle. Hidden in something else.”

Dave hid his surprise and nodded as he pulled out a pen and a paper. “Okay. What’s the name?”

“Alanna. A-l-a-n-n-a. Yeah, like that.” He looked over Dave’s shoulder and smiled. “Can you build something around it?”

“Sure. Have a look around for a couple of minutes, I’ve got some new work postered on that wall over there. I’ll have a couple of options ready soon.”

“Cool.” AJ walked over to the wall and studied the pictures. He was astonished at every new tattoo he saw, one more elaborate than the next. His eyes stuck at a picture of a girl’s hip, where a mermaid was resting peacefully, her eyes half closed. It looked so real that he gasped. She could have just opened her eyes and winked at him, and he would barely had been surprised. Her long, dark hair hung silky smooth, and there was something familiar about her face...

“Dave!” His voice cut through the quiet studio.

“Yeah?” He looked up, surprised.

“This picture? The mermaid? Who is she?”

“Oh, that one. I’m really happy with that one. It’s a girl that came in a couple of days ago. I’m done here, come and have a look.”

“Yeah, but I mean, the mermaid?” AJ asked as he walked over.

“It’s the girl herself. I drew it from a photo she brought. And without bragging, it’s actually pretty much identical.”

“I know. It’s her.”

“Who?”

“Alanna.”

“Oh, so you’re dating her or something?”

“Nope, we just met.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.” AJ shrugged dismissively. “Let’s have a look at these then.” He looked at the drawings. “I’m not too crazy about this first one. It kinda looks like a dick. But...” The second picture made him smile. “This one is awesome. Subtle. Perfect.” Dave had hid the name in a rose, putting the first two letters in the flower and the rest of them in the stem. It was beautiful.

“So where do you want it? I’d say it’s a chest thing, but we can make it work wherever.”

“I want it on my arm. Here.” He took off his shirt and pointed at a free spot directly under a skull.

“It’ll work. Colors?”

“All black.”


Fifteen minutes later AJ was in a chair enjoying the buzzing from the needle and the peace of mind it brought to him. He sighed and closed his eyes. Dave never took his eyes off the needle, and didn’t bother to ask if AJ was okay. He always was when he was under the needle. His arms and some other parts of his body showed the story of his life, hidden in symbols and pictures that only they knew the meaning behind. Well, that was actually an overstatement. He knew most of them. Only AJ knew them all.


Happy with the bandage on his arm and the hour-long pause from every single thought, AJ walked out of the studio. The rain had stopped and the California sunshine was so bright it hurt his eyes. Reaching in his pocket he found a pair of sunglasses and put them on. He took off his jacket and hung it over his arm as he started walking again. He was homeless now, and had spent last night at an old girlfriend’s house, sleeping on her couch. But she’d wanted sex in return, and he didn’t wanna go there again, knowing they were totally wrong for each other. So he’d spent the night like a prude, all rolled up in blankets so she wouldn’t be able to get to him while he was sleeping. She’d reminded him of a predatory shark, and it had made him sick to his stomach. He wondered what he’d ever seen in her, but didn’t want to think about it. He had to find somewhere to crash. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the first number that came to his mind. Nick. Nick was good. He nodded to himself as he sat down on a bench overlooking the sea and waited for Nick to answer.

“Hello?”

“Nick! What’s up?”

“Not much. Just chillin. You?”

“Yeah, I kinda wanna talk to you about that. Are you at home?”

“Yup.”

“I’m coming over.”

“Are you okay?”

“Mhm. See ya soon!” He hung up before having to answer any more questions and looked around for a cab. Instead of that, he saw something else. Alanna. With... Oh HELL no. A man. A tall, dark man with his arm around her as they walked down the promenade. She looked up at the man with an expression of pure joy on her face, and he laughed and pulled her close, kissing her cheek. They passed right by AJ, but she didn’t see him. He stood there long after she’d passed, just staring blankly at the spot where she’d disappeared behind a corner. When he finally came to his senses again, he remembered Nick, and hailed a cab to go see him.


“What’s up Alex?” Nick asked as he let him in.

“I’m just... I... I need a place to crash for awhile Nick.” AJ walked in and flopped down on the couch.

“You can stay here, of course. The frequent visits from my sixteen girlfriends will probably bother you a bit, but... What’s happened? You and Em had a fight?”

“No... I just... I broke up with her.”

“What? Why?”

“I met this girl, and...”

“It’s hard to say this without sounding judgmental, but Alex, NO!? You cheated on her again? You were so determined not to, and dammit, I liked her, and she had hot friends, dammit, SHE was hot, and she was good for you. Alex, NO!?”

“I didn’t.”

“Wha... Come again?”

“I didn’t cheat on her. I just met this girl, and we were talking, and I don’t know... She messed up my head.”

“What... When?”

“When we were celebrating the end of the tour. She was at that club we went to.”

Nick smiled. “Oh, that’s where I met Daisy. I’m seeing her again tomorrow. I bet she’ll put out.”

“Daisy? Seriously? The one with barely any clothes?”

Nick nodded proudly, not noticing AJ’s mocking tone.

“Good for you, man.” AJ hid a grin.

“Oh, you were saying?” Nick shook his head, as if to clear his head from thoughts of Daisy.

“I was... Well, this Alanna girl... she just messed me up completely. She gave me her number, but I didn’t call. Tried to stop thinking about her, but it didn’t work. I think I need her. So I...”

“So you broke things off with Em?”

AJ nodded.

“That’s probably the wisest thing you’ve ever done, my friend. Finally you’re acting like a grown up.”

“Oh, stop going all Kevin on me, but thanks.”

“Sorry, I just heard how that sounded. But seriously. It was a good thing.” Nick smiled and patted AJ on the shoulder. “So, when are you meeting this Alanna then?”

“That’s the thing. I was at MadEye today, and when I came out...”

“You got another one? The ink on the last one has barely set. Oh no, I’m not going Kevin again! Lemme see!”

AJ rolled up his sleeve and carefully removed the bandage, revealing the rose. It was swollen and red, but the beauty of it was undeniable.

“Gorgeous! So... WAIT!” Nick tilted his head and studied the tattoo more intensely. “You didn’t.”

“I did.” AJ nodded.

“You’re so out of your mind. So, when are you meeting her?”

“I was trying to tell you that I’m not so sure if I will. When I came out of MadEye I saw her. With a... a man.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Seemed like it.” he shrugged.

“Smooth move man... Tatting a girl’s name and then finding out she has a boyfriend.” Nick couldn’t cover up his chuckle, even if he tried.

“Tell me about it. But she flirted with me. I swear to God or Jack Daniel’s or whatever.”

“Maybe it wasn’t her boyfriend then. It could have been a friend, or a brother, or a... Were they kissing, by the way?”

“He kissed her on the cheek, yeah, but... I don’t know. Fcuk this shit, I need to get some sleep. I spent the night at Amita’s, and I got literally no sleep at all, I was so scared she’d molest me.”

Nick sighed. “I’ll never get why you dumped that girl. She was...”

“Insane, yes. And last night reminded me of that, if I’d ever forget it.”

“Oh stop being such a baby... ” When he heard AJ’s sigh, Nick pointed towards the stairs. “You know where the guestroom is. Go sleep. But I still think you should call her.”

“Amita?”

“No, fcuker. Alanna.”

“Yeah... I need a house anyway...” AJ muttered as he walked up the stairs, leaving Nick completely confused.


As he crawled under the covers, he’d never felt more alone. He wanted someone there with him. No. Not someone. Alanna. She couldn’t have a boyfriend. She couldn’t. Then he’d be all alone for no reason at all. And that just wasn’t right. ‘I’m hot. I should have a girlfriend. She should be my girlfriend. She should want me. Show me the fcuking meaning of being fcuking lonely.’ He thought, somewhat erratic, before drifting off to sleep.