Troubled with Tattoos

Chapter Nine:

Austins Group Of Badass's

Within six hours you'd think Lizzie would finally get over the fact that Austin was in my house last night. But of course, she didn't. It was like a nonstop babbling that not even food could stop her from talking, and that my friend was a miracle.

"Then why did he have your clothes?" Liz screeched. The girl had been insisted I had slept with Austin. But why wouldn't they assume that when he returned my bag of clothes while stating I left them at his house.

I told the girls everything about last night including the spongebob underwear. I felt like a typical teenage girl all giddy. The hottest guy in our town broke into my home. I wonder what Cherry would say if she saw him. We squeezed into the hallway full of obnoxious students trying to make our way to the lunchroom.

"Sounds fake" Lizzie laughed, "who has spongebob underwear?" I hushed her hoping no one heard that.

"Why would I make that up?" I gave her a dumb look and she shrugged innocently.

"Maybe you're a new fan girl" She shrugged.

"He has his own fangirl population?" I laughed rolling my eyes unbelievably.

"You're looking at the captain of them all, sorry were not accepting new members" She joked pointing towards herself with her thumb. I shoved her shoulder and she accidentally stumbled into a very pissed off looking girl.

The cut on my arm stung and I winced as it felt as if it was being ripped open. I had been wearing long sleeved shirts to cover it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," She apologized with a sincere look on her face oblivious to my pain thankfully. Her blonde hair was curled down her back and an unpleasant look was planted on her face.

"Yeah, whatever." She scoffed, storming away. Her flats hit the floor angrily as she walked away. What was her problem?

"OK bye." Lizzie huffed playfully. At least I hoped it was playful, she couldn't hate me for pushing her, could she?

"Who was that anyway?" I asked not recognizing the blonde with green eyes.

"Bethany Littles, she's one of the cheerleaders," Lizzie mumbled, "She acts all nice, then she licks her venom-filled lips and bites you when you least suspect it."

I was taken back by her way of comparing her to a poisonous snake.

"Girl, you should sell hot dogs, because you already know how to make a wiener stand." An all too familiar voice rang through my ears. Lizzie's eyes widened a little but she replaced them with a cold stare.

"Hot dogs are gross." I scrunched my face up in disgust. I suddenly felt uncomfortable split between two people who hated eachother. Lizzie walked ahead leading me to our lunch table.

There was an awkward silence between us all. The tension between the two was so thick it was giving me a headache.

I was surprised Camden followed us to our lunch table. What shocked me, even more, was when he decided to sit next to men. His friends seemed curious too as they stared. I saw Lizzie glaring at him from the corner of her eye and when he looked back she turned away. I frowned wishing he didn't suddenly have an interest in me. I made a mental note that i have to make it clear I would only ever want to be friends. He had been texting me over the past week, simple small talk.

"Violet." Camden's voice spoke loudly but slowly. I came back to my senses smelling the tater tots on his plate. I made eye contact with him and he grinned.

"Well it's about time, I've been calling your name for a good three minutes now." He smothered a tater tot in ketchup and shoved it in his mouth.

But to his own dismay he missed his mouth and smeared ketchup all over his cheek.

"You have something on your face..." I chuckled at him. He wiped it away with a napkin giving me an annoyed stare but it soon was replaced with a smirk.

"They're called eyebrows cause my eyes are browsing your fine ass." He said smugly with his arms crossed as he leaned back into his chair. My thoughts drifted to Austin. I wondered if Camden knew about what happened the other night at the car garage. He smirked evilly at me, I would have to get him back for that.

The whole table burst out laughing and I even saw Lizzie break out a small smile. My face grew red as I ate one of his tater tots embarrassed.

"Me and my friends are going to the basketball courts later, you should come." He shrugged. The memory of the last time I was at the courts made guilt rise up in my chest. I swallowed it away and nodded my head.

"Sure, we can hang out...friend." I awkwardly stated. My weak attempt of letting both him and Lizzie know we were only friends was disappointing

"Cool," he said ignoring my mention of the word friend, "you drive right?" He asked popping a tater tot in his mouth. Maybe he wasn't out to sleep with me. Maybe he also just needed a friend. I shook my head no to his question.

"You don't have your license?" He questioned. I shook my head ashamed, I haven't exactly had the time to learn how to drive.

"Do you even have your permit?" He stifled a laugh. I nodded, I got that the day I turned sixteen. It was right before Ash died. The first place he wanted me to bring him to was Mcdonald's.

"So, I'll pick you up?" He asked as the bell rang ending lunch. A boatload of students grabbed their bags and threw them over their shoulders.

"Yeah, sounds good." I answered. Nerves crept up my stomach again, did he think this was a date? Aunt Cherry would surely think so.

After holding in my emotions for a few weeks they suddenly wanted to burst.

The stitches Aunt Cherry made were black and were zigzagged across the scar holding it together. It looked gross, and I couldn't help it as my eyes watered at the fact that my mom did that. My own flesh and blood.

My eyes had enough and didn't want to look at it anymore. I put a clean gauze pad on and wrapped it back up just as tight. Trying not to think about it, I tied up my laces to my sneakers.

A horn beeped from outside and I peeked out my window to see a familiar guy in a sleek dark blue car in my driveway. According to all the high school movies I 've seen, I thought guys were supposed to be late. Lifetime movies were false advertisements. I left Cherry a note on her fridge telling her where I would be without any indication of a date. Because it wasn't a date.

Opening his door I should've known what he would have said. I mean it was kind of obvious really, his best friend lived next door who wouldn't point that out?

"You know, you live right next to Austin." He pointed out looking over at his friend's house.

"So I've learned," I smiled. I wondered if Austin told Cam about the toher night. Aunt Cherry must have some sixth sense because she brought up the "rowdy and obnoxious hoodlums," again.

He backed out of my driveway, and I watched as he drove the roads I had just begun remembering. He wore a muscle T-shirt with blue jeans and Nikes.

"Checking me out huh? I knew you'd come around." He joked giving me a side glance. I rolled my eyes, there was never a time where he could not pull a joke.

"Don't get your hopes up," I laughed turning up his radio. The basketball court was right down the street. He pulled into the library which leads us to the basketball courts. There I could point out a few familiar faces from around the school, none of them talked to me. But in the back near the hoops, I could spot a faint Austin with two other figures.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys," He said tugging my fragile arm with him to the courts. His fingers leaving a tingling sensation in my arm. I stepped on a few twigs trying to catch my balance. Getting closer, I could make out a clearer image of his friends.

Austin stood between two other guys his size, one noticeably larger. Austin had a cigarette hanging out his mouth making me cringe. They reminded me of my father. Austin wore gray jeans with a tight t-shirt practically making me drool.

The one on the left had longer, darker hair. He was tanned while the stronger one was pale. He wore a black tank top showing off his biceps with gray sweatpants The light-haired one's face was defined, and he had a stubble growing. He wore a green T-shirt with black basketball shorts. One thing I was quick to point out was their tattoos. All of them had various tattoos everywhere. I was surrounded by ink.

Austin and the stronger one looked very similar besides the obvious differences. As Cam lead me to his friends they seemed to notice us, me mostly since I was unfamiliar.

"Cam we told you not to bring one of your side hoes." One said and I frowned at the name he chose. I was definitely not one of Camden Taylors "side hoes".

"Nah, she's cool and she hasn't come around yet." He winked and I glared hard at him. Austin laughed his hands moving to his pockets.

"OK well, this stud muffin here is Declan. He has great humor but he can be super sneaky." He explained the boy who was talking before as if he was on a game show.

Declan had long dark hair that hung just a little past his ears. His eyes were gray and mysterious. He resembled as badass as his name sounded. He was sweaty from running around leaving his tanned skin looking glossy.

"What's up." His deep voice greeted me. I gave him an awkward wave.

"Well, you already know Austin," Camden said. My boring chocolate brown eyes met his intriguing blue ones once again. He gave me a smirk with a knowing look, silently letting me know he remembered they other night. It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would have been seeing him after he snuck into my house higher than a kite.

I had been overthinking the night at the garage in my spare time. I wanted to make time to ask Austin what that was about.

"How do you already know Austin?" Declan asked with an eyebrow raised.

"He worked on my aunt's car a few times," I explained. He nodded.

"It was more than a few times," Austin spoke up tossing his cigarette and twisting his shoe on it. I nodded ignoring the bud he just threw on the ground.

"This is Luke, Austins older brother," Cam said gaining my attention back giving him a hard slap on the back. He had dirty blonde hair that rested on his head. He was jacked, possibly the strongest in the group. His eyes were hazel, and I could point out every detail he and his brother shared.

He and Austin might look the same, but Austin was definitely hotter.

"He's twenty-one and totally single." He winked playfully earning a smack in the head from Luke.

"But careful he's pretty hot-headed." He said narrowing his eyes at Luke. I noticed Declan's frequent glances towards my wrapped up arm, maybe I should put on the sweatshirt to avoid questions. But I was too late for these observant boys.

"What'd you do to your arm?" Declan asked his dark brown eyes burning into mine. My body stiffened as everyone's eyes were on me waiting for an answer. I imagined my forehead was sweaty and my face looking pale.

"I cut it," I gave half the truth.

"Well obviously but how?" He chuckled sharing glances with his friends. They were all staring at me. I felt under pressure, in the spotlight. I gulped.

"I fell." I shook off casually. That was believable, right? Please tell me that was believable.

"Must've been a rough fall." Austin's brother spoke, I think his name was Luke. I bit my lip awkwardly, I hoped they believed it.

"Wanna play some basketball?" Cam asked but before I could answer a ball was thrown in my hands. Basketball was my least favorite sport, my aim was horrible. Not to mention my wobbly legs don't exactly cooperate with me at all times.

"Aw come on it's easy, just dribble and throw," Declan explained jogging over towards the hoop. I rotated the large ball in my hands a few times before I ran dribbling with it.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad sport. My sneakers hit the pavement hard and I was suddenly glad I decided to wear them. My arms stuck out throwing the ball only to miss the hoop by a landslide.

"You have great aim." Austin snickered from across me. I glared at him and he smirked widely.

"Try again," Luke chuckled tossing the ball into my arms. I caught it thankfully. The quick movement of my arm had sent a stinging pain up my forearm. I threw it again, only this time I aimed for the hoop instead of just winging it.

The ball landed through the hoop and I smiled in victory. Beginners luck, isn't that what they call it?

"Awesome, ready to play?" Camden pats my shoulder and I nodded. Wouldn't it be funny if those guys that i got numbers from in part of my "survey" came?

"Austin, Luke, you're on one team and me, Declan and Violet will be the other team," Cam explained throwing the ball into Lukes' hand.

"Violet?" Declan laughed while my face brightened a few shades. "I totally thought it was violent, you know your names very close to such a dangerous word and your so....innocent."

If only they knew what I had been through.

"Why would her parents name her violent?" Luke chuckled with the boys.

And that was the start of our two on three games.

They weren't the kind of people that followed, they were the kind that leads. They did what they wanted, where ever they wanted, whenever they wanted and how they wanted. They weren't influenced by others, they influenced others.