Troubled with Tattoos

Chapter Fourteen:

My Aunt Told Me Not To Ride With Strangers...

"I don't think Roxy likes you very much." Lizzie snickered. I gave her a look. She growled showing off her sharp teeth. Roxy was a tiny chihuahua that was feisty.

"I think she loves me." I replied sarcastically. Just hearing the water run made Roxy freak out. She left holes in my brand new uniform.

Roxy was wrapped in a towel tightly, the only thing showing was her tan face. Her evil eyes watched my every move like a hawk.

"Let's make a deal, you handle the smell dogs and I'll handle the big dogs," I said tiredly. My eyes glanced at the long scar on my arm.

Cherry's has been watching the news and even reading the newspapers obituaries, but my mother's name never appeared. She was either alive or dead and no one found her. But my father would've found her, he had to have by now.

"Deal. Quick question; why are they here?" She rolled her eyes. She spat out the word they as if it was poison. I caught her glance, my eyes meeting those of four familiar boys through the glass window. My eyebrows knit together as I wondered why they'd be here.

"I'm not sure." I'm not going to lie I was slightly excited the boys were here. They just made everything funnier and happier. I handed Lizzie the beast and made my way of the employees only room.

"Do you work for FedEx? Because I could have just sworn I saw you checking out my package." Camden smiled. The boys rolled their eyes, muttering to themselves.

I glanced over at Austin. He looked extra attractive today and he wasn't even trying. He wore a navy blue hoodie with dark jeans that hugged his legs. His hair was tousled like he just woke or he just got laid. 

"Violet, what's good?" Declan strolled over, he rubbed my head with his fist messing up my hair. I swatted him away catching eye contact with Austin. I got lost in his gaze before I knew it but a small yet feisty voice caught his attention.

"What are you guys doing here? I see no pet with you and in case you haven't noticed this is a pet salon. I'd hate to have to kick you out." Lizzie hissed glaring hard at all four of them. Her gaze roamed through the boys ending with Camden, her eyes lingering on him slightly longer.

"Well, no need to be a bitch about it." Luke shrugged off. My eyes popped out in surprise, I always knew Luke was the most daring one but I didn't see this coming. Lizzie gasped, her eyes getting narrow. Luke held back a triumphant grin. Lizzie's face grew red, she clenched her fists getting angry. 

The bell hanging above the front door jingled warning us that a customer had walked in. She smiled unaware of the rising tension she just broke. With one last look of hatred Lizzie quickly left to help her.

"When do you get off work?" Declan asked. I looked at the clock in the far back of the store.

"Right now actually." I made a face at the weird convenience. 

"Awesome, let's go out for some ice cream." Camden drooled, like literally drooled.

"Can you keep that in your mouth?" Luke said grossed out. Camden laughed wiping it with his saliva sleeve. I resisted the urge to gag.

"Ice cream? In the fall?" I asked. Who eats ice cream in the cold weather? Me.

"Yup," Camden grinned, "We'll wait for you in the car." I nodded heading over to clock out. I noticed Lizzie's stare as I walked by, it was only a matter of time before I heard her footsteps.

"Why do you hang out with them?" Lizzie pestered giving me a look.

"Im sorry he called you a bitch, I'll yell at him. I laughed to try and settle the anger that was slowly rising. She let the rumors take over her brain but one thing was for sure, she could not control me.

"Violet, I didn't want to tell you because I thought you'd take my advice but you're making a bad reputation for yourself. " She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean you look like a whore. You're hanging out with four guys and sleeping over their houses." She spat out but the look in her eyes determined she didn't mean to say that outside. I had told her about the sleepover in secrecy. I suddenly felt betrayed by my new friend and took a step back.

"Wow, Lizzie," I began, "I don't even know what to say to that." I said.

"Wait Violet, I didn't mean that, I just meant that people might get the wrong idea" she began but I closed the door behind me blocking her words. I left the shop and desperately tried to calm my anger. My new friend just called me whore for having guy friends.

Camden squeezed his face against the window as I walked by and I could hear Luke yelling at him for it. Camden hopped out to let me jump in the middle.

Luke was driving, Austin was next to him. I was in between Declan and Cam. Luke took a sharp turn and instead of hanging on, Cam, decided to slam into me instead.

"Cam. Get your face away from my chest or so help me I will chop off your balls and feed them to you." The car grew silent other than Camden who slowly lifted his head off my chest.

"Kinky, I like it." He winked. I give up, I can't win with this kid. I sighed leaning back in my seat that was just invaded.

"Violet, what do you want?" Declan asked. I looked over the flavors one more time before I was ready.

"Green monster," I smiled. Mint ice cream has always been my favorite. I remember Ashton loved cookie dough and I'd take him to the ice cream shop down the road from our house all the time.

"Two green monsters and one peanut frenzy." He ordered. Luke and Camden already had their ice cream and were waiting at a table.

Austin paid for the ice cream and we awkwardly walked back to the table together. The mint flavor danced on my tongue as I shoved my ice cream in my mouth.

"Hey guys, we have to go," Declan spoke in his serious mode. I looked down at my ice cream that I only got one bite out of.

The boys were calm but there was that weird tension again.

"Let's go," Luke said nearly jumping out of his seat. I don't get why we had to leave all of a sudden, why don't I ever get an explanation? I hated how they all shared these secretive glances while I'm over here like a lost puppy. Guilt rose up when I realized I expected them to be honest when I wasn't being honest myself.

"Fine but I'm taking my ice cream," I muttered bringing along my cup of heaven.

We were almost at the car when the same three familiar gunshots sounded off once again.

"What do those mean?" I shouted. Why did they always go off when I am with the boys? They definitely couldn't be hunters.

"Nothing." Austin said. I rolled my chocolate brown eyes at him as he practically ran to the car. I certainly didn't want Austin to get jumped again but at least he wouldn't be outnumbered this time. The boys were already in the car leaving me the front seat for time saving.

"Get in." He said sharply. He glanced around the ice cream shop quickly. It was dark out and I couldn't even make out the color of the car.

"Tell me what they mean" I tried to bargain but he wasn't biting. It couldn't be that bad if nothing happened the last time. He's just being dramatic.

"Just get in the goddamn car." His thin lips spoke bitterly, rushing into the driver's seat. My lips formed a frown at his harsh tone. I hesitantly opened the passenger door sliding in the sleek car myself. I just now realized the seats were made of leather. I sat there quietly as he sped out of there quickly.

He kept giving me side glances as I sat there uncomfortably. I couldn't tell if he was checking to see if I was alright or if he was contemplating murdering me. I noticed how he kept making eye contact with the boys in the back but didn't say anything.

His hands weren't clenching the steering wheel anymore which made me feel the slightest bit more relaxed. He dropped off the boys at Declan's house so we were alone now. For a few minutes, he didn't say a single word. Instead, he turned on the radio to calm the mood.

The same unlocked a memory in my brian that I nearly forgotten. Water pricked the corners of my eyes as I thought about my younger brother. I still remembered the way he'd jump around and his blonde curls would bounce. He hated haircuts, couldn't even mention scissors around him.

My mom held both my hand and my brothers. Today we were getting a haircut, Ash hated haircuts. We had to tell him we are going to the toy store instead. I liked our hairdresser, she always had funky hair. Last time it was green and black. I asked my mom if I could dye my hair but she said no.

"Toy?" Ash said loudly as we walked into the mall. The hair salon we go to is in the mall. My mother tugged us along, her hair was in a clip and her capris were a bit wrinkled.

"Yes Ash, we're going to get you a toy." She huffed. She was a bit grouchy today, but only because of what was to come. We walked into the hair salon expecting Ash to scream.

Surprisingly he stayed quiet, maybe the whole toy trick worked. My mother looked shocked as she talked to the receptionist. I waved to our hairdresser, her hair was pink! My mother soon sat next to us in the waiting area reading a magazine.

"Mom?" I said excitedly poking her shoulder.

"What?" She glanced up quickly before going back to reading.

"Look at Jens hair, its pink!" I whisper yelled. She just nodded not even glancing up mumbling a 'Cool.' I sighed knowing she didn't care. I kicked my feet from under me, they didn't reach the ground yet. Jen strolled over smiling brightly.

"Who wants to go first?" She asked. She looked at Ash curiously, wondering why he hasn't started crying yet. She gave a look to my mother which she only shrugged in reply to.

"Me!" I smiled jumping out of my seat. Jen chuckled telling me to follow her, I trailed behind her as she led me to her chair. I sat in the black chair and she wrapped a cape around me.

"What are we doing today? A lot or just a trim?" She asked bringing my long blonde hair over the chair. She should know by now that I don't like cutting too much off.

"Just a trim," I repeated flashing her a crooked smile. She sprayed my hair with water making me shiver as she combed through it.

"I like your hair," I said noticing that it was shorter too, it was now a bob instead of shoulder length. She had a lot of freckles, like me.

"Thank you." She said as she clipped my hair taking the first snip. I turned my head a smidge to see if she cut too much, I was relieved to see she didn't. Soon she finished my haircut which I loved even though it looked the same just a tiny bit shorter. I thanked her as I sat back in the waiting area next to my mom before she had to carry Ashton over. I followed sitting in the empty chair next to the one he was in. Jen wrapped a kiddy cape around him still surprised that he was behaving.

"Ashton, are you going to be a good boy for mommy and we can get you a new toy after?" Mom asked him. He shook his head yes looking at himself in the mirror.

"Okay, remember if you're not good then you don't get a toy nor a lollipop." She waved her finger at him.

"Yeah just a trim for him too, you know how he feels about his hair." Mom chuckled. She wished Jen good luck as she went back to her magazine.

Jen cautiously combed through his curls lightly. She was prepared for anything that was about to come. She was the best hairdresser here that could deal with kids, that why we chose her. The other hairdressers we had couldn't handle Ash's little tantrums.

She positioned his head since he kept moving it. She took the first snip and I carefully watched twirling my hair nervously. My mother glanced up from the magazine surprised by his calm behavior.

He whined a little but overall he did pretty good, we were all shocked. His blonde hair was shorter not covering his eyes anymore. He grabbed a green lollipop as I grabbed a red one.

My mom paid for our cuts and then we walked to the toy store where Ash got a new toy.

"Are you crying?" A different voice spoke. My memory ended and I had forgotten I was still in the car with Austin. He was giving quick side glances and I stiffened in my seat under his stare. Why did I always cry during these flash backs?

"What? No," I answered wiping my face with my sleeve, "I'm not crying my eyes were just sweating."

"Sweating? That's new." He laughed turning the wheel into my neighborhood. I mean our neighborhood.

An awkward silence settled among us until he parked his car in his driveway. Today's events were a little crazy and he still won't tell me what those gunshots meant. I only ever hear them when I'm around the boys. Maybe it's just a coincidence, I do live in a fairly large city.

"Is that my sweatshirt?" My eyes widened as he noticed I was wearing his sweatshirt that still smelt just like him.

"You gave it to me." I stuck my tongue out at him childishly as I walked across his lawn to my own.

"It looks good on you." He complimented completely stunning me. I watched him dazed walking backward. He was so cute, amazing, perfect...

"You're gonna walk into that-" my head bashed off the hard piece of wood behind me and I groaned in pain.

"...tree." He chuckled. He jogged over to me as I rubbed my aching skull. Not only did my head hurt but now all these butterflies erupted in my stomach as he got closer.

"Are you alright? You're five feet away from the door and you already hurt yourself." He grinned checking my head. I froze at his touch and he slightly moved my hair to see my skull.

My knees grew weak as I felt his hot breath fan across my neck. It was freezing outside yet I still felt so hot near him.

"I don't see anything," He said goodnight and I could have fainted at the look he gave me.

It wasn't until he walked away that I noticed how cold out it actually was. I was crushing hard on Austin Hayes.