Covered In Ink

Chapter 12|You look like hell

"I don't know, you tell me."

I shook my head in disbelief. Who does this guy think he is?

"Look, I'm not scared, I just have baggage."

He laughed. He flat out laughed at me.

"Everyone has baggage, Hazel, even my baby brother has a few things he prefers not to share with people."

I had never felt like Ryan was hiding anything before, and now his brother was making me doubt myself. Maybe some of the things he said about me were true though. Maybe I was scared. But what was I scared of? Rejection? Maybe a was scared that people would start to distance themselves from me once they knew my full story. Could it just be people in general that I was scared of? The people in my life usually tended to exist but never mean anything, or make an effort to mean something to me. They tended to just not care. The only people who I could always count on were Tara and Caleb. Tara was always there, although Caleb couldn't be. Not even my dad was reliable because he was practically my moms wingman and way too passive. All my life people had just come and gone as they pleased, maybe I was scared that if I ever got involved with someone, they would just leave.

It didn't occur to me that Evan was still in the room, and watching me like a creep as I mentally processed everything that he just said.

He cleared his throat, snapping me out of my daydream.

"That was a good chat, Hazel Harper, but I'm going to go and ice my balls now."

I stared at him as he exited the room.

I didn't tell him my full name did I? Then how did he..? Nope, I'm just not going to even ask. Talking to him seemed create more questions than it gave answers.

Ryan returned with the towel, and a glass of water. He placed the towel back on my forehead.

"Sorry I took so long, I stubbed my toe, then I had to find a band aid. The only ones we had were Spider-Man, see," he lifted up his foot to show me his big toe, wrapped in a bright red and blue band aid with a cartoon Spider-Man on it.

"Oh, wow that sure is something."

"Blue is definitely my colour," he winked, causing me to roll my eyes. "So I see you didn't kill Evan."

"Yeah, he was too far away, and there was no way I was moving. Do you know what he reminds me of?"

"What?"

"A caveman."

"He's ugly as hell when he doesn't shave. It's a wonder he doesn't scare his clients away."

"Clients?"

"Oh yeah, he's a psychologist."

"That actually makes a lot of sense."

"Jesus, what did he say? Do I need to kick his ass?"

I shook my head. "No, he just seems..."

"Psychologist-y?"

"Psychologist-y," I confirmed.

He nodded, "I know what you mean. Are you thirsty?"

I shrugged, so he passed me the glass of water anyway. I took a sip, which was fine until I had to swallow.

I covered my mouth with my hand, shaking my head frantically. Ryan seemed to get the message because he was quick to his feet, steering me in the direction of the bathroom.

He held my hair as I emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet. It wasn't a one hit wonder either. No, I vomited until tears were streaming down my cheeks and all all I was bringing up was stomach acid which burned my throat.