How to Punch Soren McKinin | ✓

27. tattoo's and regrets

dedicated to the lives lost due to the terrorist attack in Berlin after a terrorist drove a truck into the busy Christmas markets

J A Y

I looked at Soren's concentrated face as he balanced the second books on top of my head, his smell consuming me. No, I wasn't complaining. Heck, I was taking deep breaths of it.

You know, some kids gossip at lunch, others get bullied or become the bully, and some get books stacked on their heads in the far back corner of the library.

"Can you explain the point of this again?" I grumbled, watching the corner of Soren lip twitch as he slowly withdrew his hands.

"Jay, they should call you The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. This way you're forced to stand straight," He smiled proudly at his work and told me to do a lap of our aisle.

Soren lazily pulled out a book from behind him and scanned the pages and I slowly, almost like a turtle, walked the aisle along side him.

"The least you could do is talk to me, keep me occupied." I said slowly, my arms out like a flightless bird as I tried to keep the books steady.

He closed his own book with a snap and pushed it back into the shelf, "You seemed pretty occupied to me," I glared at him and he held up both hands, "Okay, okay."

Soren laid on the thin carpeted and put his hands behind his head, "What do you want to know?"

I thought for a moment, "Well, tell me about your tattoos."

The black haired boy sat up reluctantly and took his shirt off. The books almost fell off then and there.

He spun around so his muscular back faced me, "I got this one when I was drunk but I've grown to like it."

He pointed to ones on the back of his neck which was a small vertical diagram of the moon cycle that went straight down his spinal bone.

He made fists with his hands, each finger held a letter aside from his thumbs, "Says Precious."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "How have I never noticed that?"

He shrugged and turned his fist so he'd could examine the words, "I got them in white ink... It fades over time."

Soren seemed so casual about his life long commitments as if he knew what he was doing. I guess when you're Soren you tend to make life long commitments, you tend to mark your skin whether that be with ink or scars.

"That's it?" I asked shakily as the books tipped, but I steadied myself up right and concentrated on the wall ahead of me.

Soren was silent for a long moment and it wasn't until I'd done my lap that I turn around to see him deep in thought.

He looked at me with serious blue eyes, "One more, quite recent." He pulled down his bottom lip and I had to take off the books and bend down to his level to read to.

"To Forget." I mumbled, Soren traced my every move for a reaction, "You won't forget me, will you?"

Soren said nothing as he shook his head slowly, staring at me until I licked my lips and stepped away.

Placing the books back on my head, he spoke conversationally, "You excited for this?"

"I just don't want to fuck it up to be honest." I turned around and put my hands down slowly, walking straight ahead.

"You won't." His voice was soft and as I passed him I noticed his eyes were closed, his face completely relaxed.

"How can you be so sure?"

He mumbled sleepily, "because I'm Soren and I know everything." He was quiet for a moment and I half thought he was sleep, "That and you're perfect, you literally couldn't mess it up if you tried."

It was silent as I stopped feeling my heart sink, "If I'm 'perfect' then why are we doing all this?"

"Because some people are too blind to see past their own faults." He mumbled bluntly before the bell rang, I grabbed the books off my head and shoved them into a shelf, "Soren! Get up, the bell rung."

I touched his side with my shoe, his lips open slightly as he breathed slowly. He'd fallen asleep.

S O R E N

I made myself an Vegemite and cheese sandwich. The maids either put too much Vegemite or not enough, so I gave up and now I make them myself.

"I don't know how Australians eat that ghastly stuff, and to watch you eat it too, makes me feel sick," Colin commented as he walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of milk.

Colin was shirtless most days, and says God didn't create him with a shirt so why should he wear one? I believe he does it because he likes to show off his six pack. Even though if there was no one to show it off too, he'd find a way. Probably had the hots for one of the maids.

He leant against fridge, "Soren, do you think Jay likes me?"

My heart skipped a beat, "What do you mean? You're friends, aren't you?"

"No dumbass," Colin let out a laugh and smirked, "I mean, do you think she... Y'know..." He waggled his eyebrows and I fought the urge to throw my knife of Vegemite at him.

I froze for a millisecond, "I don't know." and continued to spread the substance, ignoring my thumping heart.

"I was going to ask her to dad's party. He might find her a bit rough, but that's okay." My eyes found his which were gleaming with happiness, and he wiped away his milk moustache.

"She's going with me." My voice was light as I could make it, it wasn't a competition. I picked up my two sandwiches and walked past him towards my room.

"Do you love her Soren?" His voice echoed my world, it bounced off every wall I'd put up.

"Love?" I paused half way up the stairs and turned to look at him and bluntly replied, "You don't truely know what love is at the age of eighteen, let's be real. It's just a word everyone tosses around, to name their hormonal partner," I took a breath, "So no... She's my friend."

He shook his head slowly and pointed a finger at me, "No, I know you and you don't have friends."

My shoulders shrugged in reply as I glared at him, "Well, I guess Jay is my first ever friend."

-

Short chapter I know. New and longer chapter tomorrow :) I feel like this chapter was hella boring but it needed to be done, she doesn't become a princess overnight ;)

Cute moments to come xx

You guys are so sweet to love this book, I can't express my gratitude enough.