Slow Burn

Chapter One

Astrid

"You can't seriously be thinking about getting another tattoo. You literally got that octopus tattoo last week, Astrid. It's not even fully healed yet," my brother Jackson, ever the worrywart, exclaimed. "Wouldn't that be like, detrimental to the healing process or something?"

    "No." I shook my head, sipping my wine. "It's not like it's on the same part of my body."

    "You're practically covered!"

    "I am not. Seven is not covered. Both of my arms still have plenty of room, and my legs have even more. Besides, you won't see this one, it'll be a sternum piece."

    "What the hell is that?" he asked. When I explained it to him, he looked frightened. "That sounds so painful!"

    "I guess that makes me a sucker for pain, huh?" I smirked.

    "Sure, we'll call it that." He looked concerned, waving over our waitress of the night as she passed. "Hi, Jazz. I need another glass when you get a moment."

    She smiled. "No problem at all, Jackson. Do you want a glass of water too? And what about you, ma'am?" She knows Jackson by name, but she hasn't learned mine yet?

    "Just water for me. I'm the designated driver. Thank you, Jasmine." I rolled my eyes.

   "No problem at all," she said, winking at Jackson. When she walked away, I took the opportunity to tease my blushing brother. Whether or not the blushing was from alcohol or from the pretty girl, I couldn't tell, but nonetheless I took the opportunity.

     "Are you ever gonna get her number?" I kicked him under the table.

      "Absolutely not! She probably has a boyfriend."

     "You can't know until you try," I pointed out. "She seems to like you. She took the time to get to know you by name."

     "Okay, and? I really doubt I'm her type, Ash." He hasn't called me that in a while. Jackson and Ryker are the only ones who call me Ash, and as much as I used to hate it as a kid, I've grown to like it, or at the very least accept it.

     "Again, it can't hurt to try."

     Jasmine returned to our table, setting the drinks down in front of us. "This one's on me."

     I gave Jackson a knowing look, as if to tell him "go for it, you're literally getting free drinks." I opened a straw and put it in my glass of water, smirking at him before I spoke. "He's not going to do it, so I will. Jasmine, may my darling brother have your phone number?"

     He kicked me under the table and blushed again. "Ash--"

    I cut him off. "He's shy."

     She smiled. "Thought you would never ask." She grabbed a napkin off of our table and clicked her pen, scribbling down her number on it and sliding it towards him.

     "You're too bold, Astrid," Jackson said when she walked away. "Thank you so much. You know that I wouldn't have been able to ask her myself. I feel like a coward though."

     "I used to be shy too," I pointed out. As I spoke, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Looking at it, my heart sank in my chest. I had a feeling I knew who it was.

     Ryker: can you come over tonight?

     I hadn't heard from Ryker in three days, and I almost didn't want to answer it, because he doesn't reply to me half the time anyway. I left him on read, and he texted me again a couple minutes later.