by Sara Schoen
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, beautiful. I’m Ryan, otherwise known as Kayden’s one and only friend,” he said with a smile as he held his hand out for me to shake.
“Hey!” Kayden yelled in protest as I shook Ryan’s hand as a greeting. “Lauren, he didn’t deserve that kindness,” he said, glaring at Ryan’s and my connected hands.
“Oh, did he hurt your feelings?” I asked curiously, to which Kayden nodded his head with an over-exaggerated pout. “Then he deserved that handshake,” I said, as I leaned forward and playfully bit at his pouted bottom lip. I smiled at the shocked expression I got out of him, I must have surprised him with just how good of an actress I could be. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where that came from, but I was starting to have a good time.
“Did you say Lauren…like Lauren Scott?” Ryan asked curiously as he took a few steps closer and looked me in the eyes. He took a few minutes to scan me over, taking time to look at my hair and clothes as he tried to piece together how I was Lauren Scott. I guess changing your hair and style really can change your life; no one would realize it was me. “There’s no way you’re the Lauren I’m thinking of,” Ryan finally stated.
“Oh, this is her. The goodie-goodie who lives to tell on everyone who breaks a rule. Her blonde hair is gone, and the baggy clothes are finally gone, but it’s still her.”
“And this is Kayden,” I started, insulted by what he had said about me. “He’s the kid who will get the cops called on him just for walking down the street. Sure you can see his boxers since he sags his pants so much, but girls still love him because he’s easy.”
I felt Kayden move back before moving to glare at me. “Did you just call me easy?” My only answer was a smile and a wink.
“I like her,” Ryan said with a smile. “Now, what can I do for you guys today?”
“You may need to let her look. I kind of dragged her into this since it was a last minute decision to come here today. Just give her a moment to look at the wall,” Kayden said as he turned me toward a wall lined with photos of different tattoos. He said something to Ryan that he’d be ready in a few before he led me over to look. “Where did that come from?” he asked quietly.
I assumed he was talking about the snarky comments I had made since he seemed so shocked. “You told me to be spontaneous and I went with it,” I said with a smile as I looked at the possible tattoos.
Kayden was behind me, trying to help me pick one. As I stood there, I felt myself lean back into Kayden as I lost the confidence I had with his friend. My choice was staring me in the face, and I was having second thoughts again. Was I really going to get something permanently put on my skin? Kayden hugged me lightly for a moment, as if he knew what I had been thinking about and attempted to comfort me.
“Just relax, Lauren. Pick something you’ll love, not something just to pick something,” Kayden said as he tried to sound supportive.
“What are you getting?” I asked, hoping it would give me an idea of what to do or if I should just back out now. I had a feeling he wouldn’t be too upset with me for backing out. I mean, he hadn’t done it before I suggested it, why should I go along with it just because he was? It was like my mom always said, ‘would you jump off a cliff if everyone else is doing it?’ It was an exaggeration, but it always worked on me.
“I already know what I’m getting, just figure out yours,” he said as he pushed me lightly forward. “Think of something you enjoy and feel like you’ll enjoy forever.”
“What about Expecto Patronum?” I asked excitedly, thinking about my love of Harry Potter. I had grown up with the books and the movies, it taught me that magic exists even in a world of muggles. You just have to work for it.
“That’s lame,” Kayden sneered as he tried to get me to pick another tattoo.
“It means ‘I await a protector,’” I explained with a smile.
“Well, I’m your protector now, so how about my name?” Kayden suggested as he leaned in and kissed me lightly on the cheek. I felt a blush come to my cheeks as his lips left my skin, until I remembered that he was just faking and the sweet, sincere guy who had talked to me at his house was gone. He was only after one thing, my virginity, and then he would be gone.
“Not on your life,” I stated as I pushed him away playfully, while trying to hide my growing blush on my cheeks so he wouldn’t see. He was terrified of commitment, from what I saw with all the different girls in his life, and once he thought I was interested then he wouldn’t help me anymore and probably stomp on my heart on the way out. I just needed to make it through this, and then maybe we could see where, if anywhere, this relationship went.
“How about we try a different approach,” Kayden said, interrupting my thoughts. “What’s something you want to do in life?” Kayden asked as Ryan chuckled at him for getting rejected. He turned around to flip Ryan off before turning back to me.
“I want to travel,” I replied immediately. I wanted to see the world, learn the languages of the world, and visit anywhere and everywhere I could. I had been taken over with wanderlust, and it would never be satisfied. I paused for a moment, suddenly nervous to tell him the rest, “and fall in love.”
“I think you have part of that done, my little rebel,” Kayden stated as he leaned in and kissed me again, sending my heart into a fluttering frenzy. For someone who was acting, Kayden was doing an amazing job. He pulled away quickly and offered me a short smile before he spoke again. “Now if I can make a suggestion about your tattoo,” he said, pointing out one on the wall.
“That one?” I questioned, noticing the compass rose on the wall. It pointed in the four cardinal directions and then in between them they had intricate points for the middle coordinates. The lettering for the four main coordinates was stunning, and just looking at it I knew that was what I wanted.
“Yeah, make it a memorial to your mom as well. That way you can always remember that no matter where you travel, she’s always with you.”
“Wow, that was almost poetic and deep,” I said with a smirk.
“You’d be surprised how deep I can go,” he said with a suggestive eyebrow lift. I rolled my eyes in response before I turned back to the wall to figure out what the second one would be. “Don’t be mad at me, Lauren. It was a joke. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Oh really? So the only reason you even took me up on the offer to help me wasn’t for sex?” I asked in a condescending tone.
“Well, yes and no. I took up your offer for numerous reasons. Yes, that was one of them, but there’s another one that may surprise you,” Kayden said with a hopeful smile. He was hoping that it would ease the tension between us, or make me stop being angry at him. Too bad for him, I was still waiting for a reason not to be upset at him.
“I’m waiting for this other reason,” I stated when I realized I was going to have to push the topic if I wanted an answer.
“Yeah, I know, but I’d rather not say. It would ruin the reputation I have and then it would ruin yours. That wouldn’t help either of us,” Kayden said knowingly. I was about to ask him why he brought it up then, but Ryan interrupted.
“Have you made your choices? I have an appointment coming in at four so I need you guys to be done and paid so that he doesn’t see me giving you a discount.”
“Yeah, I think we’re ready. Can I have a variation of that one?” I asked, pointing to the photo on the wall behind me that Kayden had pointed out to me.
“Sure, I can do that. I think it’s cute that you’re getting matching ones too,” Ryan said with a smile as he turned around to meet Kayden. “Think about where you want it, and be sure to have the signed permission slip too. I’m not getting in trouble by giving a tattoo to a minor. Kayden said your dad signed for you, but I just need it for the records.”
I turned to Kayden, unsure of what to say. I didn’t know I needed a permission slip, and there was no way my father would agree to let me get one.
Kayden smiled down at me for a moment, “Don’t worry, Lau
ren. Remember, you gave it to me to hold on to in case we actually went through with this.” He pushed his left hand into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper before handing it to Ryan. “She hates carrying purses and left it with me. Sorry, I must have forgotten.”
Ryan nodded before taking the slip and placing it on the front desk. “All right then, we are all set. I’m going to start on Kayden since he’s sure on what he wants and where he wants it. I will see you shortly, beautiful. I hope you’re as excited as I am.” He winked as he gestured for Kayden to follow him to the back room.
I grabbed Kayden’s arm before he followed Ryan into the back room. “How did you get my dad to sign the permission slip?”
“I didn’t,” Kayden said with a laugh. “I forged the signature from the credit card we took from him, and signed it when Ryan wasn’t looking. I stuck it in my pocket to make it seem as if I had held onto it for a while. It’s fine, Lauren. I took care of it. Now sit back and relax. I’ll come back to hold your hand when you get your tattoo,” he promised as he lightly pulled his arm from my hold and followed after Ryan.
As he walked away I tilted my head curiously. Did Ryan say matching tattoos? Why would Kayden want to get the same tattoo I was getting? He never even told me what he was getting. Why hadn’t he spoken up and said we were getting the same one? Not that it would have mattered, but I would have pointed it out as just a fact. He had kept silent, actually he had kept silent on a lot of things and it made me curious about what else he was keeping from me.
Chapter 15
Arrested
“Ouch!” I cried as Ryan put a cool jelly over the tattoo. It looked like petroleum jelly when I saw him put it on Kayden’s back. Now it let the pain subside as Ryan put what looked like saran wrap around me to cover the jelly. Once he was done wrapping the tattoo on my side, he went to work on covering the one on the back of my neck.
Kayden had gotten a compass on his back, similar to the one I now had on my neck, and a quote on his arm. I had yet to see what the quote actually said since I had been too nervous to come back before they had finished it, but Kayden liked it. He got it tattooed on him, for heaven’s sake. I hoped he liked it. Even though I hadn’t been here for him while he got his tattoo he was there for me. He held my hand as I tried to not react to the needle like he had. The whole time I watched he barely flinched. He made it look so easy, but now I knew that he had to have been faking it. I had twitched and cried out, there were even a few tears as the needle went to work. It was a painful experience, the sound was unpleasant, and only added to my nerves as Ryan put the needle near my skin.
I had a hard time trying to stay still. I wasn’t sure I even wanted the second one since I felt like a pin doll being stabbed repeatedly. Kayden had to squeeze my hand when Ryan went to put my mother’s quote on my side, slightly under where my bikini would be. She had made her mark on my choices when she told me it was time to make my own decisions and that no one was going to tell me what to do anymore, so to honor that moment, the moment I changed, I had it tattooed on. The whole time I was silently thanking God that I had at least put on a cute bra if people had to see it while I got the tattoo done.
“You’re all set, Lauren,” Ryan said with a chuckle. “The pain will go away; the gel is going to numb the area. You’ll be fine and you won’t even notice it soon.”
“I sure hope so,” I stated honestly, causing them both to laugh.
“You’ll be fine, baby,” Kayden said with a smile as he handed his friend money. I glanced at the stack of money and gasped at Kayden. As if he read my mind, he responded, “You don’t have to pay me back. I wanted to do this for you.”
I didn’t know what to say, but it was a lot of money for Kayden to put down for me. We weren’t really dating, we weren’t even really friends, so why would he bother paying for me? I wondered as a girl walked into the shop. She immediately wrapped her arms around Kayden. I rolled my eyes as I realized it was the girl I had seen him making out with in the hallway a few days before my life blew up in front of my face.
“Kayden, it’s been so long. How have you been, handsome?” she asked in a flirty tone.
“Hello, Cassandra,” Kayden stated curtly as he weaseled his way out of her hold. I could hear the annoyance in his voice as she tried to wrap herself around him again.
I let out a giggle, causing Ryan to glance at me with a curious expression. He glanced between Kayden and me, clearly confused as to why I wasn’t helping out his friend and my so-called boyfriend. I shrugged my shoulders with a laugh as Kayden turned to me with a pleading gleam in his eyes. He was silently begging for Ryan or I to get her off him since she clearly wasn’t taking his hints—one of us had to be blunt. I guess this was the role I was supposed to take as a girlfriend.
“Excuse me, Cassandra,” I said politely as I pulled her off Kayden. “I don’t think we’ve met properly before, but my fist would be very happy to meet your face if you don’t get off my boyfriend.” The smile on her face quickly dissipated as I smirked, waiting for her answer.
“Boyfriend?” she asked curiously, glancing at Kayden and not at me. “You told me you were still too broken up about your last girlfriend to be in a relationship again.” I saw her glare daggers at Kayden as she waited for an answer. I think this was the part where Kayden got the most uncomfortable, clearly he hadn’t thought about explaining to past girls about his newfound girlfriend. He had always brushed it off as nothing, but now he had to state that he was with a girl, as per our agreement.
“Yes, this is my girlfriend, Lauren,” Kayden said, with a forced smile as he unwrapped himself from Cassandra’s hold and came over toward me. I let out a laugh at the glare he gave me. He clearly wasn’t pleased with how I blurted it out, but I was pleased because of his glare and Cassandra’s open mouth. The news took her completely off guard and for once, she was speechless.
“Hi Cassandra, we had Math together last year. You tried to copy all of my homework and my tests. When I wouldn’t let you, you did everything you could in P.E. to beat me and make my life miserable. How does it feel to lose to me now?”
“Lauren Scott?” she asked, utterly flabbergasted. I was about to reply when I saw three police cars stop outside the shop. I felt my eyebrows furrow in confusion as officers exited their cars and headed over to Kayden’s. I glanced back at him to see him trying to explain to Cassandra why they didn’t date and why he got a girlfriend within a few weeks of telling her that he didn’t want to date anyone. He was still stuttering through an explanation when I turned to interrupt.
“Kayden, I think we have a problem,” I said as I pointed to the officers making their way into the shop.
“Kayden Daniels, and Lauren Scott?” one of the officers questioned as they looked between the four of us and tried to determine who was who.
“Yes?” Kayden asked curiously as he came from behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Did we do something wrong, officers?”
“Yes, you did, son,” the male officer said as he came toward us with handcuffs. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back. You should know the drill by now.”
“What exactly did he do wrong?” I asked, without noticing that a female officer hand come up to me and started handcuffing my hands together. I let out a girlish squeak as I looked at the officer in utter confusion. “What did I do? I haven’t done anything, I promise. Kayden has been with me all day and we haven’t done anything remotely worth being arrested for!”
“She didn’t do anything!” Kayden cried out when he heard me squeak. I could tell he was trying to move around the male officer to talk to me, but the officer wasn’t letting him. “Let her go, she wouldn’t do anything to get arrested. I don’t care what you got called in for, but I can guarantee she didn’t do it.”
“You’re both under arrest for stealing the car. Mrs. Daniels called in to tell us her car was stolen by her son and girlfriend, and you were kind enough to run a few red lights so we could find you
. I can’t thank you enough for making my job easier today,” the officer said as he led Kayden out of the shop. It was a little too forceful, if you asked me. I just let the officer lead me out without a fight, in fear of getting hurt or possibly another charge for obstruction of justice or something. I suddenly wished I watched more criminal shows so I knew what to do in this case, but I never planned on getting arrested.
“Just get into the back of the car, and stay calm,” the female officer told me. “Just behave and you’ll be fine. Now lower your head so you don’t bang it on the way into the car.”
I listened and ducked into the car to see Kayden beside me, fuming about how his mom called the cops on us. I felt my stomach clench, knowing the police were going to call my dad and tell him I had been arrested. I shivered—I was going to be in so much trouble and I couldn’t even convince myself that my mom wanted me to live life, because she certainly wouldn’t have wanted me arrested.
I felt my bottom lip start to quiver as it always did when I was about to cry. A tear slipped over my eyelashes as I let out a ragged breath. The sound caught Kayden’s attention. He stopped mumbling and after a few moments I felt his shoulder on mine. I looked at him, shocked, he had never shown compassion or attempted to comfort me at all. In fact, I was sure he found a sick pleasure in my pain from how he treated me, but in this moment I couldn’t see it anymore.
“It will be okay,” he said as he gave me a small, forced smile. I just nodded as the car pulled away from the tattoo parlor, and spent the rest of the ride trying to control my tears, although, as we got closer to the police station I couldn’t hold back anymore. Kayden tried to comfort me by talking to me, but it didn’t help. He put his forehead to the top of my head as I leaned into him to cry. He talked to me, tried to soothe me, but soon he was taken away. A male officer quickly yanked him out of the car and left me behind until the woman came to retrieve me.