Everyone but Us

Everyone but Us: Chapter 1

Layla's P.O.V

I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Scratch that, I was shaking in my boots. You know, if I wore boots. Anyway, the reason I was nervous was because this was my one year anniversary of joining The Gang. The Gang meaning, The Rats. I know rats aren't the most appealing animals but they are shunned. People find them disgusting. Obviously, we can relate. One of the traditions of The Rats is after a year, you become A Rat. When your a new member, your called A Mouse. You also get a tattoo of our gang symbol and a little party dedicated to you. It was actually a lot of fun. For everyone.

I walked into the tattoo parlor with my best friend Sunday Adelaide and the gang leader, Ash. Sunday and I are nothing alike but you know what they say, opposites attract! Sunday is a beautiful, green-eyed girl. She is super exotic with her fiery red hair and perfect skin. Kind of like the Little Mermaid but sexier. Despite her sexy looks, she is dumb as a rock. Well...not dumb but...yeah. She is dumb.

Ash was much dfferent. Although she is a great leader, she is a total bitch. Her stance was always tough. She had this long black hair with steely brown eyes. She is a senior and Sunday and I's highschool. She is devingstatingly gorgeous but guys are too intimidated to come near her.

The tattoo parlor was familiar. Jacob was there. He is the youngest tattoo artist I know, 19 years old. He always did our Rat tattoo's. He actually came up with the symbol. He was the only guy who would go near Ash, being obviously in love with her and though she didn't show it, I think she loves him too.

"It's Layla's turn," Ash said, handing Jacob 50 dollars. He tried to give it back in protest but she had already walked to the back room. He smiled after her lovingly.

"Come on the Beauty! Let's get 'er done!" Jacob grinned at me and led me to the back room. Some people call me Beauty because that's what my name, Layla, means. Dark Beauty. I wasn't as beautiful as Ash or Sunday but I wasn't a dog! I was actually very good looking. When we reached the back room, I took off my favorite red jacket and lifted up my shirt. I wiggled my shorts down a bit so my hip was exposed for the tattoo.

"So your getting it on your right hip, huh?" Jacob asked.

"Yeah! Good, spot, yeah?" I asked for his approval. He smiled and washed my skin off. He turned on the needle and went after my skin, beginning with the outline of the Rat. I used my jacket as a pillow and laid back, relaxing. It helped me when I was getting a tattoo.

I did have more than one tattoo. I have the bad ass look down pat. I have thick, long dark brown hair and big blue eyes. I always have on eyeliner and mascara which made my eyes more blue and mysterious looking. I have a curvy figure, not fat and not skinny. Tan skin, 36 C's, a decent ass, and fantastic legs. Everyone said so. I used to get a lot of attention from boys until I joined The Rats.

As for my other tattoo's, I had the words "Mr. Right" in black cursive on my left wrist from my favorite song by Mickey Avalon. I also had a small cherry blossom on my right ankle.

As the tattoo went on, I relaxed more and let myself drift silently through my dreams...

***

The tattoo was done and hour and a half later. I looked at it in the mirror and grinned at Jacob,

"I love it," I whispered.

"Good. It looks good on you," He replied, handing me my jacket. I made sure my tattoo was properly covered and put my jacket on. We said goodbye to Jacob and walked out of the parlor. We made our way downtown. It was the beginning of my sophomore, August, It was pretty warm outside and the sun was getting low in the sky. I loved it this time of the year, the sun hits everything just right and makes the world beautiful. Ash, Sunday and I were about to cross the street when I saw him.

Duke Reilley was a senior at my school. He always had a group of friends around him and some pretty blond on hos arm. But this time was different.

He was standing on the corner across the street, listening to his iPod. The sun was setting behind him bringing out the gold in his dark hair and making his green eyes shine. he looked at me, probably for the first time, and smiled. I smiled back but I turned the smile up a notch when I heard my favorite song blasting from his ear phones as I walked past. I looked at him and sang a little part of the song before I walked past him, seeing the stunned look on his face. When I looked back, he waved at me and almost ran into a pole. I winked.

"Layla!" Ash called at me, I turned around.

"Come on honey, he's not your type," Sunday giggled and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from Duke. As we walked away, I though about him. Duke Reilly knew my favorite song. Duke Reilly listened to Mickey Avalon?