Page 4 of Marked By The Grouchy Grizzly

If only my damn bear could get on the same page…

CHAPTER TWO

Lainey

Have you ever had one of those magical moments when everything feels so unbelievably perfect?

That’s how I feel right now. Rolling down the Montana highway in the passenger seat with my two best friends, Carly and Himari, beside me. The scenery is spectacular with the majestic mountains jutting into the clear blue sky. The summer wind is blowing in through the open windows, taking my blonde hair for a ride. Carly is driving. The music is blasting. Open Skittles and chip bags on the center console. Himari’s bare feet out the window in the back. We’re all singing at the top of our lungs, heading to some obscure out-of-the-way tattoo shop so we can each get a tattoo to celebrate the end of college.

We just graduated after a long four years. Summer is starting. Our whole lives ahead of us…

It’s perfect.

But it won’t be for long. Himari is heading back to Japan at the end of the summer and Carly will probably move backhome to Boston. I still don’t know where I’m headed once our lease is up at the end of July. I could go home to Florida and stay with either of my parents, but my heart is not really into either of those options. I don’t know. But I don’t have to stress about it today. Right now, in this moment, everything is perfect.

We have all we need. Life can’t possibly get any better.

Free Fallingby Tom Petty finishes and Carly turns down the music. “Any more Starbursts back there?”

“Oh yeah,” Himari says as she dumps a bunch into Carly’s open palm.

We pass a few cows in a field. One looks at me. I wave to her. She doesn’t wave back.

“You’re sure this place is going to be good, right?” Himari asks. Out of the three of us, she’s the most nervous to get a tattoo. I think she has a thing with needles.

“It’s the best tattoo shop around,” Carly says. “Remember the big wolf on Jason’s back? He got it there.”

“Jason was so hot,” Himari says, fanning herself. “I’m going to miss these American men.”

“You can always stay,” I tell her.

She smiles sadly and then looks out the window. I know she’s going back. She misses her family. A part of me wishes I didn’t say that. I don’t want anything to ruin today’s fun vibe. I mean, it’s not every day that you get your first tattoo with your best friends.

“I never told you guys,” Carly says, grinning. “I gave Jason a blow job.”

Himari slaps the back of Carly’s seat. “Shut. Up.”

“Get out,” I say, chuckling. “When?”

“At the Saint Patrick’s Day party,” she says, looking pretty pleased with herself.

I laugh to play along, but my stomach is quivering a little bit. I don’t really like hearing salacious stories like this. Carly and Himari definitely took advantage of their college years. We all shared a rented townhouse, and there were more thana couple of guys coming and going from their rooms during that time. Meanwhile, my room was locked up and out of commission for anything more than sleeping and studying. No men for me. No, thank you.

That wasn’t part of my college experience. I had no interest in that at all.

I glance at the GPS as Carly goes into detail. More detail than I care to know.

We have seventeen minutes left until we get to the Heat & Ink Tattoo Parlor. It was over ninety minutes away, but Carly convinced us it was worth the drive. Apparently, they have a woman there who specializes in flowers, which is perfect for me.

I want to get a white lily on the back of my shoulder. I told the girls it was my favorite flower, which it is, but the tattoo means more to me than that. It’s a present for my future soulmate. It’s a symbol of my purity and commitment to him. A gift to let him know that I waited for him to arrive.

Carly and Himari can’t believe I’m still a virgin, but to me, it’s the most natural thing in the world. I can’t imagine doing anything with someone who’s not meant to be mine.

I guess I’m old-fashioned that way. They think it’s silly, but I don’t know. I think it’s kind of romantic.

“Did you decide on what you’re getting?” Himari asks Carly once they’re done with all that salacious talk. She wants to get an inspiring quote on her back shoulder, but she wasn’t sure which one.

“I’m ninety-five percent sure,” she says as she drums her hands on the steering wheel. “Ready for it?”

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