Page 572 of Rock Me All Night
"I tried to stop him." He motions to the scars. "Got halfway there."
"Your dad did that?"
He nods.
My heart aches. "How old were you?"
"Young." His posture stiffens, a clearwe're not discussing thismessage.
But I want to know him, know where he hurts. "Did that happen a lot?"
"Depends on your definition of 'a lot.'"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. I don't like thinking about him. He's been gone a long time. Ten years since he died."
"I'm sorry you went through that."
He nods.
"What was it you felt in your soul?"
"Lot of things. It's complicated." His eyes meet mine. "You've never wanted ink?"
"Nothing has ever jumped out at me." Almost nothing. My cheeks flush. "You'll make fun of me."
"I won't." He holds up his hand. "Scout's honor."
"Were you a Boy Scout?"
"No. Tell me anyway."
"There's this couple's tattoo. If I ever really loved someone, I'd want to get it."
"What's there to make fun of?"
"It's fromThe Hunger Games. FromMockingjay."
His lips curl into a smile.
"See, you're going to make fun."
He shakes his head. "What fromMockingjay?"
"You've read it?"
"Of course."
"You know how Peeta gets brainwashed and he's not sure of his mind, so he asks Katniss if his memories are real or not real?"
Pete nods.
"At the end, he goes to her and says, 'you love me, real or not real.' And she says 'real.' I want that. One person gets 'real or not real' and the other gets 'real.' It could be with a mockingjay or an arrow or just the words."
My face is burning. I can barely bring myself to look him in the eyes.
There's no judgment in his expression. He's smiling. "That sounds sweet."
