♘ Be Brave ♘

LXXIII

About an hour later, Cassandra emerges from the back of the parlor, the nape of her neck and her wrist bandaged. "How was it?" She grins. "It wasn't that bad. It'll be worth it, I promise."

Tori motions for me to meet her in the back. "You're up next." Cassandra glances at me. "Want me to come with you?" I nod. She puts an arm around me and we follow Tori. "Have a seat." A worn chair is placed in the center of the station, and I take a seat.

"Okay. Do you know what design it is that you want?" The wall to my left is covered in what seems like hundreds of designs, but one in particular catches my eye - each of the faction symbols grouped together.

I point at the poster. "That one. On my back." I try to keep my voice from wavering. I don't want them to see my scars, but I need to put my past behind me and forget about how much Marcus made me hate myself.

"Hm. Good choice. Take off your shirt, will you?" I oblige, and Cassandra whistles. "All that exercise paid off, didn't-" She stops mid sentence and I know my scars have caught her attention. "What happened?" Tori glances at me.

"Um, training. You remember, don't you, Cassandra? That time Eric beat me to a pulp?" I grin, but she's unconvinced. I silently beg her not to say anything. She averts her eyes. "Yeah, I remember." Tori shrugs, and prepares the needle. She brings a rolling stool over and sits behind me.

"Not gonna lie... this will hurt, especially since it's your first time. But you don't seem like the type to chicken out that easily." She's right. If I was able to get through Marcus's beatings so many times, I'll be able to get through this.

I reach for Cassandra's hand as the needle pierces my skin, and she smiles encouragingly. I close my eyes and think of my mother. She was always so kind, so selfless. And one day, just like that, she was... gone. She always said that Marcus didn't hate me, and now I know what she meant.

If what Matthew said is true, he didn't despise me; just the idea of me. To think that his future wife would choose his own brother over him... While I understand why he was always so angry now, I know for certain that he had no right to take out all the resentment he felt on my mother and me. No matter.

I will begin a new life, and this tattoo will erase the damage he did to me and help me start with a clean slate. I ignore the pain and smile to myself. No one would harm me ever again.