Troubled With Tattoos

Chapter Thirty

Weak and Naive

"So you're telling me that someone broke into the house, stole nothing and you didn't see them?" Cherry asked in distraught. It was partially honest, I didn't get to see him however I knew who it was, Cash. Cash and Axel.

"Yes." I nodded. She looked me over almost in disbelief. I could sense her frustration, I wonder if she regrets taking me in. I've done nothing but cause her trouble. The only good thing I've done for her is to work at her pet salon. Oh, and I also did that favor for her once with her car which is how I met the boys.

Aunt Cherry sighed picking up the house phone to make a call, if the police were going to be here I definitely wasn't going to be. 

"Yes I'd like to report a break-in," she said into the phone with her hand on her hip, "last night." I snatched a granola bar off the counter and headed out the door for another boring day at school.

My life is quite messy. I sat down on the torn apart seat of the bus I met Cam on.

My long boney fingers grazed the keyboard of the old computer as I tried to think of what to write my English essay on. It was for my portfolio, we had to write about a cause we're most interested in and what we can do to support it. I could do homelessness, abused animals, drug addiction, gang violence. But for some reason, I couldn't get the gang out of my head. Just a simple search was all I needed.

I glanced around the school library, there were people reading books, some were on computers around me but none of them were close enough to see. Glancing down at my fingers again I slowly started typing. I searched 'compass rose tattoo'.

Various images popped up of different types of tattoos. But what I really wanted to know was what I didn't know. I know there affiliated with the gang but that's all I knew. I clicked on a link that led to a website about gang-related tattoos. I scrolled past the teardrop, different numbers, and acronyms. My eyes met with a picture of a compass rose on a man's upper back. I read the small paragraph beneath it;

'Compass Rose Tattoo, typically affiliated with the Latin based Windrose Gang. Typically a smaller gang, less notorious but still very dangerous. Windrose attracts those who seek adventure hence the name. Like most gangs, they provide family and friends unless you betray them. Members are known to be sneaky and manipulative. Warning signs of attack consist of three gunshots from a distance meaning they are near, verbal threats sometimes not so obvious..'

"Is your name google, because you have everything I've been searching for," I heard his voice coming from behind. I practically jumped out of my chair as I quickly closed the website and shut off the computer. My heart raced as I worried he saw what I was researching. He came up from behind me putting both his strong hands on the armrests of my chair.

He laughed at his own joke and slowly sobered up. I laughed nervously hoping he didn't see the computer screen.

"Anyways, what are you doing later?" Camden asked.

"I have to train a new employee tonight," I said with an eye roll. I've never trained anyone before, they better be prepared to suck just as much as I do.

"Bummer," His words lingered. He said his goodbyes and saluted me a wave before leaving the library.

I looked back at my computer screen to see it was completely off. The bell rang signaling the two-minute warning to get to your next class. Joy.

I walked through the doors of the math room just as the bell rang.

"Violet, just in time, have a seat." Mr. Lynch said. For some reason even being in the same room with Kara just irritated me. The way she snickered or flipped her hair irked me to the max.  She raised an eyebrow at me giving me a glare. I sat down next to Lizzie who was using her phone under her desk. She was laughing at something, I leaned over slightly to get a glance but she looked up at me.

"Can I help you?" She gritted her teeth. I was taken back by her harshness at first. Did I miss something? Am I forgetting a major part of this "friendship" where she hated me? Yes, yes I was.

"Elizabeth, please put the phone away." Mr. Lynch sighed. She put it away but not before I caught her sharing a secret glance with Kara. All of a sudden the sound of a notification went off on everyone's phone. Including mine. I heard people slightly gasp and then laughed, and worst of all they were laughing at me. My skin became red from embarrassment as I opened the message from an unknown number. It was a picture of my face cropped onto another girl's body from a porn scene.

Kara's phone went off too as she also opened it, she couldn't have received it if she was the one who sent it, so who sent it? Lizzie was the only one who's phone never dinged, but she wouldn't have made something so rude about her friend, would she?

"Violet Morris to the principles office please, Violet to the office please." The old cranky secretary spoke over the intercom. The room was filled with laughs and 'Ooohs'. I rolled my eyes, my face still burning from nerves. 

I shut my phone just as a familiar boy crossed into my path. My eyes were slightly watering as I fought the urge to cry.

"What happened?" Camden asked crushing me into a long hug. 

"You didn't get the picture?" I mumbled. He ruined the hug to pull his phone out of his pocket, I looked away before seeing his reaction. I wasn't exactly sure who was on my side anymore. 

"Vi, wait-" Cam tried to stop me but I had to keep going. If I stopped now I was just going to break I looked away not being able to keep eye contact, I was embarrassed. 

"Violet, Principal Peterson will see you right away." The secretary said as she moved her glasses further up her nose. I nodded making my way behind the desks into the principal's office. The only other time I've met with the principal was during ceremonies. He was older, grayish hair and drooping eyelids. He was quite fluffy too if you know what I mean.

"Violet, nice to see you, please have a seat." He said after shaking my hand. I sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs in front of his desk.

"If this is about the picture going around, I don't know who sent it and no I don't need counseling." I blurted out. If there was one thing I noticed had changed about me after meeting the boys was this random confidence I sometimes got. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

"No, this is about the spring dance." He said typing something into his computer. The spring dance? Oh, right the fight.

"I don't know why he punched him," I said truthfully as I recalled the fight between Cam and Cash.

"Violet this is about you cutting another students dress into shreds." He spoke folding his hands under his chin looking as if he's prepared to hear whatever excuse I had. My jaw laid open in shock. But we didnt get to cut the dress into pieces because we left once we heard voices. I had come to the conclusion that Lizzie must've turned on me, or maybe she was never a friend to begin with.

It was official, I hate girls. Girls are snobby and fake, you can't trust them. Just when you think you have a friend they stab you in the back, like this.

"Okay I can explain, it wasn't even my idea. I was forced into it actually by Elizabeth Wells, she's the one who probably told you this bullshit lie," I started with my rant.

"Please don't swear," he cut in.

"Shit sorry, oh wait I did it again, anyways." I began to tell him the story of how Kara bought my dress and Lizzie came up with the idea of revenge and that we didn't actually cut the dress because Kara was home.

"Listen, Violet, we will look into this but unfortunately without any proof," he stopped, "Do you have any proof?" He asked leaning further back into his chair.

I sighed groaning loudly, of course, I didn't have proof because I trusted her.

"Does she have proof?" I fired back. She couldn't have proof, it'd be impossible. He turned the computer screen showing me the picture that was emailed to him anonymously. In the picture was a female figure standing in front a of cut up blue dress. It was all a lie, we never cut the dress.

"That's not me!" I stood up defending myself. This school is a joke and the people in it are even worse.

"I'm sorry Violet but you will be suspended for 3 days. You're lucky she didn't decide to go to the cops for breaking and entering. She's decided to not press charges," He said as he called in the school security guard to escort me out of his office.

"You may receive anything you need from your teachers or locker, you have 10 minutes." He stated looking down at his watch. I scoffed walking back towards where I met Camden minutes ago. Anger raged through my blood like a mad man. As soon as I turned the corner I was smashed into another body. Their arm wrapped around me to keep me from falling and I was brought back up to be face to face with the one and only Cash.

I mustered up a dirty look prying his hands off me. Where was the security guard when you needed him?

"Hey Princess, why so angry?" He taunted poking my nose with his stupid finger. I could bite it off like a carrot.

"Really? Getting me suspended, is that the best you can do?" I laughed. I'm beyond done with high school drama.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." He said sarcastically. I scoffed pushing him off me, his arms broke free and he covered his slight shock rather quickly.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, watch yourself Cash." I threatened as I fixed my clothes.

"Oh hun, I'm not the kind of guy you want to threaten, remember what happened last night? Did you think I didn't know you were in the closet?" He mockingly laughed. He walked closer to me until my back was against the wall. He pressed me into the cold surface cupping my cheek with his grimy hands. I tried moving away from him but failed miserably.

"So weak and naive." He said caressing my cheek. My heart rate must have tripled, the feeling of being safe completely vanished. His breath reeked of cigarettes and I wanted to gag.

"You're lucky he don't want you yet but you better watch out because when they do, I'll have you so fast. And your little friends won't be able to help you." He patted my cheek at last and released me just as the bell rang.