sweetest thing [h.s]

prolouge

adabelle

Taking walks has always been a stress reliever of mine, but walking in the crisp dropping temperatures in the middle of a rainstorm wasn't one of my best ideas.

Not even twenty minutes before, my mother had reprimanded me for coming home late from the library. At the beginning of my final year of high school, my mom decided to change her role from mother to a dictating school enforcer. Her job prevented her from being home as frequent as she use to, but even when she is home she isn't pleasant to be around.

As I walk along this isolated street, the only lights illuminating are from a small tattoo parlor hidden between a boutique and cafe.

The rain begins to get heavier, so I hurriedly run to the shade of the shop. The light up sign reads "OPEN," and without a second thought I enter the place with a ding of the welcome bell.

The tattoo parlor is empty, no one is at the front desk nor at the visible back.

I sit at one of the chairs patiently, hoping that the rain would lighten up so I could go home.

"What are you doing here, sweetheart?" A deep, husky voice sounds from behind me, nearly causing me to fall off the chair in surprise.

I turn around and lock eyes with a very tall, long-haired man. He's only wearing a plain black t-shirt and tight-fitted jeans with a hole at the knee, but the endless amount of tattoos littering his arms differ from the boys I've seen around. I realized that I hadn't answer him yet.

"T-the rain," I barely lift my finger to point outside the window.

This causes him to chuckle, a full grin and dimples peek out from his cheeks.

"I know, but what I meant was....why are you here at," he checks his wrist watch. "Eleven thirty-seven at night in a tattoo shop? Certainly you aren't here for a tattoo." He smirks at me with humor lighting throughout his eyes.

It's incredibly dark outside and the rain still hasn't lightened up, so I consider bolting out the door. This man is incredibly intimidating and I don't want any trouble.

"Since you're not going to answer my question... what's your name?" He raises a brow and moves to sit in the chair beside mine.

"A-Adabelle," I stutter, a bit scared to be alone.

"Don't be too spooked," the unnamed stranger chuckles before biting his bottom lip. "I think that's a beautiful name."

"Now, since you're completely soaked...how about I warm you up?" His grin widens with a glimmer in the specks of his eyes.

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this was edited 11/16/15