Page 76 of Come Back to Me

I sigh. “Look, I need to shower and get dressed.”

Noah looks at me. “Fine with us. We’re capable of making our own food.”

“I’m glad we settled this,” I say as I walk back into my bedroom.

It takes me a total of thirty minutes to shower and change my clothes. I’m staring at my reflection in the mirror in my bathroom and grabbing a comb to fix my damp hair. There are messy pieces of hair going in every direction. The annoying thing is when my hair dries after I shower, it returns to its original state.

Ugh, I can’t win.

My eyes wander down to my arms.

Sometimes I forget that I have tattoos.

A small pair of angel’s wings is located above my elbow on my right arm. This was a tattoo I got when Violet and I were dating. I went with my mom because the state requires sixteen-year-olds to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. I’m surprised she let me get a tattoo. I was prepared for her to say no, but she didn’t.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mom asks, rubbing my shoulder as I sit down on the tattoo chair.

“Yes, are you sure you’re comfortable with me doing this?” I smile like a dork.

I know she can sense my sarcasm because she fires back at me. “Just do it before I change my mind.”

The needle comes into contact with the inside of my arm, and I shut my eyes to express the slight pain I’m in.

Mom holds my hand for the next forty-five minutes.

Once I’m inked, the tattoo artist lays out the ground rules about letting the area around the tattoo heal and to wait around twenty-four hours to take a shower.

“Wow, it looks great. What does it symbolize?”

“It has to do with Violet.”

She grins. “She’s going to love it.”

“I hope so.”

I can’t believe it.

I can’t believe my mom let me get a tattoo.

I can’t believe I even have a tattoo.

Along with the pair of angel wings, I have a medium-sized scorpion with the Scorpio zodiac sign on my upper left arm. This is a tattoo I got when I was eighteen years old because I’m proud to be a Scorpio.

A small basketball with Saturn's rings and a few stars is on my inner right wrist. This tattoo is to permanently etch my love for basketball into my skin. I liked the idea of adding Saturn’s rings because this sport makes me feel like I’m on another planet when I play it.

A small realistic lion sits below where my right arm bends above my elbow. I got this one to symbolize courage and how I have the capability to be brave.

Three, small flying birds are on my inner right forearm going horizontal. I thought the idea of this one was cool because it symbolizes that I can do anything I set my mind to. I can soar high, despite the epic lows I may experience throughout my life.

I head out of my bathroom and into the main area of the apartment where Noah and Xander are.

“What are you going to do about breakfast?” Xander asks me.

“I thought we settled this. Now I’m confused.”

Xander shakes his head. “No, what are you going to put in your body for fuel?”

“Oh, um…I haven’t thought about that.”