Page 18 of The Tattoo Artist

As I hurriedly gather my things and prepare to leave.

“I’ll come by tomorrow and finish it off, if you want,” I suggested, trying to hide my eagerness.

“Come by at six,” he replies.

“And you promise not to look at it?”

“Guess you’ll have to trust me not to.”

CHAPTER SIX

ALEXANDRA JONES

CATHERINE GROANS, PUSHING HER FACE INTO MY PILLOW.

“You’re busy again? Seriously? When did you become so active?” I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Cathy. We can spend time together on Sunday,” I reassure her. She sat up on my bed, looking a bit sceptical.

“But don’t you go to church on Sunday?”

I look at myself in the mirror and adjusted the borrowed blue sundress that reached my ankle. It was a hand-me-down from Cathy’s mother, meant for church, but she didn’t like it. Instead of wearing it the way it was intended, I turned it into an off-shoulder dress, allowing a bit of skin to show and slightly more cleavage. I never cared about my appearance until now, and that isn’t a good thing. Why does a man have to join my life for me to care? I like it though. I like the feeling of finally having someone interested in me. Wait. What if he doesn’t like me like that? Why am I overthinking this?

“My parents spend the weekends at my Aunt’s place now, so I have some free time,” I explain.

Catherine sighs.

“It means I have two days off every week, and I get to do and dress however I want.”

It felt freeing.

And it truly is.

With my parents away, I had the freedom to be myself, to explore, and to express my individuality without the usual restrictions. It felt like a breath of fresh air, a chance to embrace my true self. I could tell Catherine is still processing the changes in me.

“Where are you going anyways?” Cathy asks, her curiosity evident. I knew I couldn’t tell her about Ares; she wouldn’t understand and would likely disapprove. What if she fakes more stories about him to get me to stop?

“Just going to Joey’s,” I lie, trying to keep a straight face. “He made me pomegranate juice and needs some books.”

Cathy eyes me suspiciously, waiting for me to give myself away with a tell-tale nose rub. But I managed to hold my hand steady, avoiding any signs of deception. She finally nods, accepting my explanation, and we left my bedroom together.

“When will you be done?” She asks as we walk out of the house.

“No idea, but I’ll call you, and you can come over for a movie?” I suggested, hoping to change the subject.

“I don’t want to watch a movie,” she declares.

“That’s fine, we can watch a series then.”

“Sounds better.”

“Oh, shit! Clark Johnson is coming over tomorrow!” I groan, running my fingers through my hair.

“Good luck, Alex,” she said, giving me a side hug.

We said our goodbyes, and I made sure to lock the door before heading to the bus stop, plugging in my headphones. As I wait for the bus, I couldn’t get Ares’ captivating physique out of my mind. The memory of how his body would react to my touch, the thrill of the moment, it all felt exhilarating and intoxicating.

However, my mind was leading me to the wrong things.

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