I've come across a lot of writing competitions, writing prompts, and projects that intrigue me. In this book will be one-shots or short stories (rarely) based on those, songs, or anything else. My goal is to update once a week.
Cover by: @chmar04
This is based off an Instagram post I came across (will have it at the end).
***
"Come on, Jaden, show it to them!" Sarah's giggles filled the air as she forced her boyfriend's sleeve up, revealing a tattoo that read "#SADENFOREVER" on his forearm. Sarah also lifted her sleeve, revealing the matching words. "We got these tattoos to show the world how permanent our love for each other will be," the girl bragged as everyone crowded around the power couple, ooh-ing and aah-ing as they fired off hundreds of questions.
Well, everyone except for Mark.
He was the only one in the classroom still in his seat, not crowded around the two were planing to marry as soon as they went to college together and graduated. However, he wasn't that far away from the group, so he could still hear every comment and question.
"Oh my god, those are so cute!"
"Where did you get them? They're so beautiful."
"Of course Mark is the only one sitting away."
"I mean, what do you expect from him?" Sarah replied loudly. "He's the one who told me that I should stop thinking so far into the future. I bet he's thinking we're dumbasses for even getting tattoos."
"Yeah, he's been such a killjoy after that vacation or whatever he came back from."
"And why is he wearing that thick sweater? It's freaking June; it's, like, eighty degrees in here."
The bell rang, but that meant nothing to Mark. The teacher walked in the classroom and students started returning to their seats, but Mark was now the one to stand up.
"Mark, where are you going? The bell just rung."
Ignoring the teacher, Mark slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked around the classroom. After what the girl had just said, he didn't think he could concentrate on anything while he was in there. Also, he didn't want anybody to see the tears that were threatening to slip out at any given moment.
Quickly making his way into the bathroom, he went into the stall farthest from the door and immediately locked himself in it. He put down the toilet lid and sat down on it, trying to take deep breaths as he dropped his bad on the ground with a loud thud.
Don't think about it, don't think about it, he thought over and over, but he could still feel the tears on his cheeks.
This was all that idiot Sarah's fault! Mark wanted to punch the stall door in front of him. What did she know about him? What right did she have to scrutinize Mark like she knew everything about him?
Soon, sweat rolling down his face mixed with his tears, and he finally took his sweater off, revealing a thin, white tank top soaked in sweat, clinging to his skin, revealing the one thing he wanted to forget.
Burns and scars covered his arms and stomach, and Mark knew there were plenty on his neck and back as well. He lifted his horribly scarred arms to look at them and hate them again, but the incoming of new tears blurred his vision once more.
He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, letting a choked cry that could easily be heard by anybody else in the bathroom. The sudden exposure to air on his skin made him feel cool, but that didn't stop him from remembering the heat of the fire. It had happened two and a half months ago, but he still remembered everything about it. About the fire he had run into to bring out Michelle. The fire he had emerged from, barely breathing and covered in burns, with someone whose heart would not beat in three more hours and twelve minutes.
Sarah had called Mark out; she had said he knew nothing about love as he bragged about the permanent ink on her skin which she thought showed how much she loved her boyfriend. She thought his pessimism reflected how much he didn't believe a high school romance could last forever.
However, what she didn't realize, was that mere emotions were not the only factors which could make or break a relationship.
And he had the permanent burns over his tattoo of Michelle's initials to prove it.
***
Again, I have thought of a short story as I wrote this out, which I will hopefully publish here. It won't be super long, but have just enough parts to flesh out all the details and so.
Anyways, this is the Instagram post I found inspiration from:
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