Page 15 of Protector

My heart is beating hard and fast, nerves floating around my stomach with the words waiting to come out of my mouth, but I say them anyway before I can chicken out.

“To remind me of my favourite girl.”

I knew as soon as King told me about the tattoo parlour he’d seen the last time he was out that I wanted to try to get one. I’ve always loved tattoos. My dad was covered in them, and I wanted my skin to look like a canvas of exceptional art. I never thought I’d get one this early, but I also knew there was no harm in trying. I do look older than I am, and that’s on the tattooist if he isn’t gonna I.D me.

For a couple of weeks, I’d been thinking about what to get, and although there are so many designs I want, every thought came back to her.

I know we’re young, but I have this connection to her. This magnetic bond that keeps me close to her. That fierce need to protect and fight for her only grows stronger every day.

Aside from her family, I’m her only friend. So if I’m her only friend, I’m going to make sure I’m her best friend.

Her eyes start to water, and I wonder if I actually made a mistake. Is this too far? Is she going to think something into it?

I know she has a little crush on me, I’m not blind. But she’s only thirteen, and she knows nothing outside of these walls apart from what she reads in books and fairy tales.

She’s been living with the villain her whole life, not the hero. She knows better than anyone that life doesn’t go the way the stories make you believe.

“Don’t you like it?” I ask, going to pull down my sleeve, but her hands reach out and gently hold my arm, her palms clammy.

“No, I- I love it.” She looks up at me, staring deeply into my eyes. “I love it.”

And I nod, because I know that somewhere in there, she means something else.

Bon,

Purple flowers and the second star on the right, to remind me of my favourite girl.

One day, I will be covered in tattoos that remind me of you. This is just the beginning. My skin is a blank canvas and you’re my muse.

I love that you love it…

Second star on the right…

Till Neverland,

Puck

Age 14

Alot can happen in a year.

For example, Puck has more tattoos that are starting to cover all of his arms. He comes home and shows me, all somehow relating to something I said or something we did. It makes my stomach flutter like crazy, knowing he’s inking his skin permanently with memories of us.

Why me? Why am I so special that he wants to paint his body with reminders of me?

King was finally able to get his first one too. He came home all cocky one day, showing me a tattoo on his shoulder. It was tiny, but he was very pleased with himself.

Even at the age of fifteen, he threw his last name about, and it got him what he wanted.

I fear this is something King will get used to, and I’m scared he’s going to change more into our daddy every day. He’s always said the only good thing about being a Rhivers is that he shares the same last name as me and Dax. But hopefully he doesn’t start to use his name for power.

Otherwise, he’d be more like Carlo than I thought.

My brother is nothing like Daddy. He doesn’t bully or hurt people.

He doesn’t hurt me.

Daddy is expecting King to take over from running the Districts one day, but I don’t want that to change who King is.