Problem Kid

Chapter 25

My foot taps anxiously on the floor of the waiting room which smells strongly of anaesthetic. I sigh. Summer licks my hands. I just turn my music up as I look over at Sam who stands by the vending machines. I look down at my dog and pet her before turning my music up. Not So Perfect by Johnnie Guilbert is playing and I mouth the lyrics whilst patting my girlie with a small concerned frown. My eyes close until Sam returns and makes me jump.
"Hey," I pull out an earphone and turn the volume down as Sam sits back beside me with a Costa cup of something hot and a pack of quavers. Low calorie and my favourite. I thank him quietly and he smiles.
"It's ok," I slowly sip the drink and taste hot chocolate. I gulp it down hot. I put the snack in my bag.
"Everleigh Louise Rosten," my name is called and i stand slowly, dizzy. Sigh. We walk down a hall in silence before ending up at a small consultant room where the door is closed and I'm sat down. I explain my panic and need for a confirmation test to tell me I'm pregnant and the doctor nods.
"Of course. I have some official ones here. I just need a urine sample," he asks me calmly and I nod, taking the small pot and tube and heading to the toilets. Summer stays with Sam as he explains some of my symptoms.

Finally, I reach the bathroom and close the cubical door before managing to collect my urine. I walk out of the stall, placing my sample on the counter as I wash my hands before...

Blackout.

"Everleigh!" I open my eyes again.
"Ev! You're awake," I nod.
"Sadly," I mutter, noticing I'm now back in the doctors office on the bed.
"Well, I have results. The test was fairly simple," I sit up quickly, dizzy still. I push summer off my stomach however the doctor holds a hand up to calm me.
"It's ok. You're not pregnant. She's not harming anyone," I sigh in relief.
"Thank you so much!" He nods.
"It's ok. I think you only have basic sickness or hangover. Thank you for checking though," we nod and thank him once more before walking out of the clinic quietly. No words are spoken on our journey to the car until we sit down and turn to eachother. All of a sudden, Sam and I burst out in laughter.
"Holy crap!" I laugh.
"Well, at least you're ok," he smiles and I nod, calming down before hugging him tightly.
"Thank you so much for supporting me though," I whisper and he nods.
"It's ok, Ev," I smile before we finally settle down and drive off.
"Sam?" He looks over.
"Yeah?"
"Can I go back to the mall please? After I get my chair because I'm dizzy now. I want some new looks," He nods.
"Sure!" I thank him.
"You got enough in the bank?" I nod.
"£600 in my random stuff allowance. I go to work again next week," he nods.
"Cool! Do you want me to come too or just drop you?" I ask him go come and he agrees Happily just as we park outside the house.
"Ok. I'll get your chair if you want to get your purse and stuff?" I point to my bag.
"Got it, thanks," he nods.
"Just chill here then," I shake my head.
"I'll get it," however as I stand, my legs buckle.
"Sit down, it's ok, Ev," I thank him.
"Sorry," I say as he leaves. I play with Summer's soft and fine fur by her ears whilst waiting for Sam to return. She looks up at me with a doggy grin and I let her clamber onto my lap where she sits happily, licking my face quickly before staring out of the window.
"You're my baby girl," I whisper as Sam gets back and places my chair in the boot before getting in beside me and starting the car again.
"Ready?" I nod and thank him.
"So, what do you want to do?" I shrug, smirking.
"I was thinking a tattoo... I've had some designs I've wanted for a while in my notebook," he raises an eyebrow.
"Oooh what designs?" He asks with a grin. I take the black lined paper from my bag before opening it and showing one which he glances at carefully whilst we are stopped at a corner. It is a simple red shaded heart with 'Mum' written in black italic letters across it. It's also only the size of a 10p. I created it yesterday and loved it. The next design is pretty basic too, a white ink heart rate with a heart in the centre. It will run across the top of my inner left wrist. My final design is only a small semi colon I want on the inside of my right hand middle finger in red with black outline. He smiles at them all.
"The one for your mum is beautiful and really well thought out. I love the other two as well, I get the meaning and I can tell how significant they are to you. It's lovely, Ev," I thank him.
"You got your ID?" I nod.
"Anything else you getting?" I shake my head.
"No more tattoos today but I'm gonna get some piercings. I have my small 00 ear stretchers already. And my cartilage is covered left and right so i might get my tongue, septum and snakebites done today.
"That sounds cool!" I thank him.
"Also, my hair is fading back into brown so I'm going to buy a box of dye and top that up. Plus, a new outfit. That should be good! Also need a couple essentials," He nods.
"Awesome! Well, we're here now so I'll bring you your chair and we can go to a cash point to get money out first," I nod.
"Thanks," He nods.
"No problem," he smiles and gets out of the car, leaving me for a moment before opening my door. I let go on Summer and she leaps out, sitting by the chair and waiting for me. I move into it smoothly, placing my bag on the back and pushing myself out of the way before closing the door.
"Ready?" Sam asks. I nod.
"Thanks," I say as we walk down the street to the nearby bank.
"How much you got left this month?" He asks, concerned.
"£10,000 in inheritance and savings put together. I'm not touching that until I find my place to live though," he nods.
"£1600 for food and essentials this next month. I just transferred you £300," I say quietly as I take out £400 from my spare fun cash and £200 from my normal cash before moving over and allowing him to take out his money.
"Where first?" He says.
"Jay's tattoo place. He always did my friends around here plus he has amazing reviews.
"Ok! You told Jimmy?" I shake my head.
"It'll be a surprise," he nods.
"Cool!" We walk up to the black and red door of a stylish tattoo and piercings parkour and as I open the door, I'm instantly greeted by a happy Jay.
"Everleigh! It's been time, bruh! How's Sum?" He points down at her.
"She's ok, thanks! Missed ya dude! How are things?" He nods and hugs me tightly.
"Great! Everything is cool! And hey to this dude! Welcome!" He shakes hands and hugs Sam who is shocked at his forward-ness but smiles and hugs back.
"I'm Sam! I used to be Everleigh's teacher. I took her in," he nods.
"Thanks bro! Thanks for taking care of her! So, what can I do for you both today?" Sam steps back, hands raised.
"It's all her!" He smiles.
"Everleigh?" I nod.
"Yup! I got a few new designs for tats and a couple piercings please, bro!" He grins at the designs before nodding.
"Ok... £180 total for all the tattoos! We can do those now, then the piercings?" I nod and sit.
"Should I do the Mum one first?" I thank him.
"Yeah please, can I have it on my inner left forearm just before the elbow crease, please?" He nods as I take a breath and roll up my sleeve.
"It got worse?" I nod, looking down.
"I went back to hospital a while back. I'm doing better now. I only have newer marks on my lower wrist cause of.... Ma..." he hugs me.
"It's ok. You're strong. I'm proud," he says as Summer places her head on me lap. I allow him to clean my arm quickly and sort out a template before he places my arm in the stirrup, asks to pet Summer quickly, washes his hands and places on gloves and begins to sort his tattoo pen before beginning. The initial feeling of the stabbing needle is sharp however I relax and soon am ignoring the minor pain whilst chatting to Jay and Sam until he asks the question I had dreaded...
"So, why are you getting this tattoo? Any reason?" He asks as he continues to focus on the simple art.
"Yeah... well, basically my ma... she died..." he stops tattooing for a moment.
"Oh Ev, I'm so sorry," he hugs me and I hold back tears before he continues.
"Car crash... a little while back... I miss her but I have Sam and his boyfriend and daughter along with my boyfriend to help me through," Sam pats my shoulder gently.
"That's good you have support. You've always got me, too!" I thank him, wiping away a tear as Summer licks my knee.
"I'm just gonna go across the road and get a drink. Ev? Jay? Want anything?" At the same time, me and jay both ask for a water and Sam laughs.
"Ok," he smiles and walks out.
"He seems really nice, Ev. I'm happy you found someone to help you," I nod.
"He helped me through my new school. Honestly, he's amazing. Without him, I'd be dead," he nods.
"How are you?" He shrugs and as his hoodie moves slightly, I see a hollow collarbone.
"You're still underweight," I say.
"I guess. I'm working on it though. I'm much higher than before. From 90lb up to 110lb," he says and I congratulate him.
"What's the target?" I ask.
"160lb" I nod.
"Mine is 135lb but I haven't done well with food recently," he nods.
"It's ok. We can do it," I smile.
"At least I managed to help my self harm I guess. I'm already a year clean," I congratulate him, huge grin on my face.
"I'm so proud!" He smiles and as Sam comes back, we sit and laugh at some old stories until he finishes the first tattoo and we take 15 minutes to rest and to toilet Summer before I sit back in the chair, have my first tattoo wrapped in cling film and then roll down that sleeve to pull up the other.
"Heart rate next?" I nod.
"Please," He smiles.
"I get the significance. It's cool and I like it," I thank him as he prepares me.
"Ready?" I nod.
"Ready." I smile grimly before letting him start and leaning my head back.
"Sam?" I ask.
"Yeah?" He is reading a magazine.
"Can you please pour out Summer's food and drink. Just take her over there or something please," He nods.
"Sure! It's in here?" He points to my bag on the chair and I nod.
"Thanks!" I smile as he takes my dog to the other end of the room and sits with her to feed her.
"She's doing great! Done training now?" I nod.
"Officially, yeah but we do still do training stuff. She's my baby girl always though," he smiles.
"She's amazing," I thank him.
"Well, how are you? Honestly?" I sigh.
"The relapse is pretty bad but I'm coping. I'm getting better," I lie. I'm not. I've been throwing my medication away and neglecting myself dangerously.
"You sure?" I nod, smiling gently.
"I'm sure," I say and he nods.
"She's eaten!" Sam walks back over with Summer in tow and I pet her gently with my free hand. She sniffs my sleeve and I smile gently.
"Thanks, Sam," I smile.
"So, how was Everleigh in school?" Jay asks and I groan.
"Well, she created a fiasco the first time she came in by passing out straight away," I facepalm as he begins to tell the whole story of me passing out. I allow him to tell it all though, up to the point of inpatient and further because Jay has been a family friend for years and I trust him.
"Wow, Ev! You really are difficult," he laughs and I laugh too as he wraps my arm up however inside I'm stressing. What if he's not joking? What if he means it? I am difficult. Too difficult for anyone. That's why people hate me...
"Everleigh?" I jerk my head up, wiping away tears. Summer nudges me. Breakdown. I stumble to my bag and Sam notices before understanding and telling Jay what's going on. He nods.
"Take some time, Ev," he says and I crawl onto the empty waiting sofa after taking my panic meds and cross my arms over my eyes. Summer jumps into DPT position and I cry, whimpering and sobbing in pain until after a while, my breathing slows and I control it, calm once again and collected. I breathe in and out gently and cry my eyes before pulling down my sleeve and sitting up slowly. I walk back to the tattoo chair and sit between the two boys who are talking about when I got into a fight once.
"You ok?" I nod at Sam.
"Sorry," I murmur, my face red in shame and puffyness as I look around and see the few other people in the parlour staring at me.
"Can we do the next tattoo, please?" I ask, ready. Jay nods.
"Sure!" Before preparing my finger and inking. I close my eyes and rest.

"Done!" I open them quickly and see that my finger is wrapped up and I'm ready to move on.
"Thank you!" I smile, handing him that cash before asking for the piercings.
"Cool! Sounds good! I'll do all 3 of them for £105," I thank him and pay now as it's easier before moving chairs to the back of the salon and waiting for him to prep the needles.
"Tongue first, then septum and snakebites?" I nod.
"Sure! Thanks!" I check my phone as he preps everything before posting a picture of my wrapped up tattoos on Facebook and smiling. I instantly get a reply but don't get to see it because Jay is ready to start.
"Ok, tongue out for me! Lemme mark it," I nod and do as I'm told before feeling the tongs find a secure grip and Jay make the mark.
"That ok?" I look in the mirror. It's perfect, not too far back but not too far forward.
"Thanks!" I smile and he passes me the anti-pain mouthwash which I swish around as instructed and spit out before lying back slightly and placing the tissues on my chest. My mouth opens, the Marker on my tongue is make more clear and the tongs get a secure grip.
"Ready?" I put my thumb up.
"Ok!" He says before I feel a sharp pressure on my tongue which is relieved a few seconds later. I feel the bar being inserted, the balls being screwed on and finally the tongs release.
"Ok! You can change the bar to a smaller one in six weeks! You know the rules," I nod.
"I'll give ya the cleaning stuff and now we'll do ya nose!" I grin.
"Thanks, Jay!" I lisp out, my tongue hurting a little.
As new tongs grip me, a new Mark is made and a new needle penetrates, I sit still and chill before my next ring is put in and finally, my snakebite marks are drawn on, the tongs grip me and I feel the first side get pierced. Plain silver bar there, the next side, plain silver there too and done!
"Awesome! You're all set!" I stand and hug him before looking in the mirror and grinning.
"Love it! Thank you so much for everything today, bro!" I smirk and hug him tightly before saying out goodbyes and shaking hands. I hand him an extra £40 as a thanks before sitting in my chair and heading out with my bag and dog.
"Ok! He was lovely! Seemed like a great guy," I nod at Sam.
"Yeah," I grin.
"You look great! Where next?" He asks and I point at a hair salon diagonally over the road where we walk to.
"Ok! Let's do this!" I smirk and speed inside happily, my dog and friend right beside me.

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EDITED