Page 103 of Fractured Souls
Heat sprinkles across my nose. Okay, don’t let your mind go there right now. The last thing I need is to pop a boner in front of a stranger. “That’s cute.” Julian draws on his tablet. I look behind me and watch Ian tattoo a name on Jamie’s bicep, the words hugging and flowing with the edge of a snake.
“I’m talking him into a back piece.” Ian grins, wiggling his eyebrows. “Going to take over where my man left off.” I listen to Ian, but I see the way Julian’s breaths amp up a touch. Whatever is going on there isn’t my business, I guess, but I know masking emotions when I see it.
“How’s this?” He shows me the tablet with the two strawberries and the banana in a line.
“I like the way they look, but can it go strawberry, banana, strawberry?” Julian’s brows rise. “If you can do that?”
“I mean, Icando it . . .” He goes back to the tablet and draws, then he cocks his head and looks at me before turning it around. “You sure?”
I smile, looking at the lifelike fruit, the banana right in between the strawberries. It’s perfect. “It’s perfect.”
“You . . . sure? Just like this? You don’t think the placement is weird?”
“I want it on my wrist.” I nod. “That’s it. It’s perfect.” I show him on my wrist what size I want it.
He sighs, a smirk on his lips. “Okay.” Julian leaves to print off the stencil. My knee begins to bounce, and the more I think about the pain, the more it’s starting to freak me out. It’s fine, and this is perfect. More strawberry than banana. Me and him. Bo and yours truly. I love it. It’s fine. It’s only going to sting a bit. It’s going to sting and then it’ll be okay.
“My scars,” Jamie says to Ian, and I totally forgot they were talking about Jamie’s backpiece.
Ian just shrugs, unfazed as he finishes up the name. “I think with what I have in mind the scars will flow perfectly.” Ian finishes up his tattoo. “It’ll hurt though, I won’t lie. The back sucks in general.”
“Ready?” I blink, startled by Julian’s voice. “How’s the placement?” I look at the small fruit on my wrist, just about two inches, and I nod, tensing a bit as the machine comes on. I look at the little stencil, wincing at the bite of the machine. “You okay?” Julian cocks an eyebrow. I think he’s making fun until I notice the serious set to his eyes. He isn’t making fun of me.
“Sorry, I’m a bit of a baby.”
Julian shakes his head, shutting off his machine. “You’re getting a needle in your skin. You’re not a baby, you’re human. Let me know if you need to stop. No shame in it.” Julian’s warm smile settles something in my chest. The machine hums back to life.
I bite the inside of my cheek as he does the outline. I hate this burn. It feels like cat scratches flaming my skin. Jamie comesover, looking at my tattoo with a smile that falls instantly. “Cam, that’s—”
“It’s a little lame, I know.”
“He has a penis tattooed on his chest. Don’t let him make fun of you.”
All my new friend does is laugh, still looking at it as Julian begins the color. “It’s perfect,” I say.
Jamie says, “Can I ask why strawberries and a banana?”
My cheeks heat with the memory. “The same reason you have that penis on your chest.” Understanding softens his eyes.
“This shop is going to get a reputation.” Julian huffs a laugh, finishing up the strawberry.
“Of what?” I ask.
“Of really great relationship tattoos.” Ian laughs, walking away.
Darkness rolls over the shop, the big windows not letting any light in. There’s only what’s at this station. Is it going to storm? Thunderstorms are rare in winter, but not impossible. The pain is getting to me, and my legs twitch with restlessness. It’s just a simple tattoo, calm down. I flinch. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he says calmly, dipping the machine into the yellow. Julian starts the banana, and I look down, trying to distract myself by watching him shade in the tiny little fruit. My eyes flick up. A mixture of rain and snow begins to tap against the windows. “Shit. I was hoping it wouldn’t start until later.”
They keep talking, but I focus on the fruit. On the shading. Julian adds brown to the stem and dimension to the peel. I grip the arm of the chair. Closing my eyes, I breathe. In. Out. Nose. Mouth. It’s fine. It’ll be fine. My chest grows tighter, my lungs constrict. It feels too tight. Everything feels too tight. “Hey.” Jamie looks at me. “What’s going on?”
“He’s having a panic attack,” Ian says. Julian shuts the machine off. Rain pelts the windows. Another crack of thunder.Another flash of lightening. No. No. No. Not right now. Not right now!
“Hey, hey, look at me.” I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. “Hey!” His sharp voice snags my attention. “Look at me.” I feel lightheaded, like I’m about to pass out. My breathing is rapid and each rumble in the dark pulls me deeper and deeper under. I clutch onto the chair. I see them, but my vision clouds.
I can’t do this.
Out, I need . . .
