Chapter Nineteen: Tattoo Parlors and Nightmares
**Niall's POV**
If I were Harry where would I go?
I ask myself the question repeatedly as I drive up and down the local streets. I would prefer to be spending some time with Ashlyn and trying to convince her to take the operation, but I also know how important Harry is to everyone else. I've got to find him. It's the only possible solution to everything that's currently going wrong.
I drive at a simple pace and I glance around at the people walking on the sidewalk. Come on curly, where are you hiding?
If I were Harry where would I go?
It's not a hard question to answer because I know his first instinct would be to go back to Ashlyn. It pains me to admit it, even to myself, but they really love eachother. I never thought that I would ever see the vegetable reaction from Ashlyn after Harry and her broke up, but back at the hospital was something I don't want to ever remember. She was just so dead...so lifeless...so completely broken.
I sigh and turn into a tattoo parlor shop that reads CUSTOMIZED TATTOOS in lit up red letters above a giant store window. Harry has been showing an interest in tattoos. Maybe I'll find him in here. I park my car and get out, making sure to alarm it before leaving it in the semi-crowded lot.
The tattoo parlor has its own small building consisting of a front room and back room. The bell rings when I walk in, signaling whomever works at this place that I am here. The walls are covered in tattoo drawings. I look in interest at how intricate all of them are. Personally I'm not one for tattoos, but even I had to admit that the tattoo artists had talent.
"Hi, can I help you?" A woman with bright red lipstick and blonde hair asks.
"Doctor Pauze?" I gasp in shock once I recognize her. I would never have thought I'd find a psychologist working at some tattoo parlor. I mean, who would see that coming?
"Lucinda please. I'm not Harry's psychologist right now. I don't need any formal names," Lucinda says to me with a red-mouthed smile.
I walk towards her confused and pretty impressed that she looks to have a life outside of some shrink job. "Do you work here?"
"Obviously. Why else would I be standing behind the counter?" Lucinda retorts with a roll of her eyes. And there's the classic bitch that I know her to be.
I cross my arms over my chest, trying to look tougher even though I feel completely out of place in this tattoo parlor. "I didn't come to chit chat. Where's Harry?" I ask, my voice hinting a bit of rudeness. I don't care though. This is the woman that worked to break up Ashlyn and Harry.
Lucinda's eyebrows arch in fascination and she stares at me like a child. I hate her. I just hate her. "Dunno, I just got in a couple minutes ago. Did our little Harry go missing?" She pouts at me with mockery.
My fingernails press into my palms as anger spikes through me. How the hell could Harry ever deal with this woman?! She's infuriating!
"Forget it. You're of no use to me anyways." I turn to walk away from her no longer wanting to spend any more time alone with her. She just pisses me off and I don't need that right now. I just want to find Harry and bring him to Ashlyn so that he can convince her to take the operation.
"Wait." I almost trip from the sudden desperate plea in her voice. I turn slowly back around and stare at her. "I just wanted to ask a quick question," Lucinda says, her voice sweet and soft.
I blind, confused as to what's happening. How could I be so angry with this woman? She's so...so....innocent. I stare into her eyes and find myself leaning my elbows on the counter between us. Her eyes are wide and red lips parted.
"What?" I ask gently.
Lucinda frowns and I have the urge to wipe the frown away. My mind feels muddled and there's something wrong going on, but I don't have any energy or reason to walk away. There is no reason to get away from this woman who's so dedicated to helping Harry and us all.
Lucinda glances down at the glass and I do the same. For the first time since I've met her, I see her arms covered in tattoos. They're all different but there's a series of vines winding around her arms with roses that are budded and bloomed. It's all done in color. It's all beautiful.
My gaze catches on a heart expertly coiled in a thorny vine. Some of the thorns have grown through the heart at the top of it. I gasp when I realize what they remind me of. Horns. The heart has horns.
"Niall, look up at me," Lucinda says and I do as she says. Her voice is a coo that I have to obey. So soft, so gentle, so teasing. "Tell me about what's happening lately. Harry shut me out today. I can't help if I'm not let in. Don't you think it's important to fill me in?" She asks, her eyes wide and pleading.
She wants to help. She has to help. I nod and give her a small smile. A smile!? Why am I smiling?!
I frown. Something is off.
"Niall, please pay attention. I just want to know what's going on. Niall, please? It's really important," she coos and leans towards me.
My breath catches in my throat. I glance down repeatedly at the red lips that are hovering only a mere inch away from my mouth. I just want to lean in and press my lips to hers. She's beautiful, helpful, and interested in me? This has to be the jackpot.
"Harry and Ashlyn broke up. I took Ashlyn to the doctor who then informed us that she is capable of having the operation done, but then Ashlyn denied it. She doesn't want to take the operation that will make her walk again. So I took her back but when we got there Harry wasn't around and so I came out and am trying to find him. And that's when I got here and-"
"Wait, slow down! I can't understand about half of what you're saying! God, can't you stop talking like some uneducated brat?! Speak clearer!" Lucinda shrieks at me, her eyes narrowing at me. I stare at her confused. Why is she so mean suddenly? That's not like her. Lucinda must notice my sudden shock because she smiles and says in a kinder tone, "So they broke up?" Her concern was back. I sighed in relief.
"Yeah and now Ashlyn is heartbroken and Harry is missing," I say.
"And Ashlyn refused to get an operation done that will make her walk again," Lucinda repeats what I've told her.
I nod. "Unfortunately, yes. I kept trying to convince her that-"
"Don't convince her."
"What?" Did I hear her right?
Lucinda leans forward and folds her hands on the glass. "Don't convince her. Look Niall, how do you expect her to ever heal if you're always doing things for her. She has to learn to be on her own. She can't have you to rely on everyday all day. It's stupid and inconvenient."
"But if I don't help out, then who will? She doesn't have that many resources of help out here."
"Then make her go home. She isn't much good right now anyways. She should be around people she knows."
"She knows us," I protest. Send Ashlyn home? Could I really consider sending her home in this state? How would I be able to take care of her? I wouldn't be. "I can't just send her back alone," I say.
Lucinda smiles so widely that I have to suddenly bite back my fear. My mind suddenly clicks on and I remember the anger I had for her. She suddenly reaches out, her hands grasping mine, and I gasp on contact.
Her hands are freezing.
It jolts me to realization of what she has been doing. She's been pulling a bunch of mind bullshit that psychologists learn in order to get in the head of those around her. She manipulated me!
"You bitch," I spit out. I step away from her and glare at her with as much hatred as I can muster. I can't believe I actually thought positively about her. I feel disgust at the fact that I practically had feelings for her. "You manipulated me!" I yell.
Lucinda smirks and laughs loudly, her neck arching as she dips backwards. "Well, I must say, you are much easier to get into than Harry is. I think it's because you're so trusting. So innocent," Lucinda sneers, her voice filled with disgust for my lack of self control.
I feel my cheeks flush. I've just been used for information. I feel so stupid.
"Awww, don't feel bad about yourself Niall. In a couple days, Harry will be as vulnerable to me as you are. Once I adjust the way I approach him, I'm sure I'll have him eating out of the palm of my hand in a matter of seconds."
I stare at her as she grins so wickedly that I feel chills go down my spine. What is wrong with this woman? What made her this way? I shake my head and turn away, this time with no intention of letting her drag me back. I would not be the fool twice in a row.
"Oh and Niall, think about what I said. If you take Ashlyn home you'll be able to spend some alone time with her. It would be just you and her. Together." I pause with my hand on the door. I could feel her staring at the back of my head and imagine the smile planted on her smug face.
I want to tell her to fuck off and leave us all alone. But I don't want to let her know that she got to me. I can't give her the satisfaction of being some pathetic guinea pig to her every little demand. I can't let her push me around.
So I walk out of the tattoo parlor with my head held high. Her words, however, echo in my head in a vicious cycle.
If I take Ashlyn home...I could be alone with her.
Together.
**Louis' POV**
It's half past midnight and everyone has fallen asleep. I can't sleep though. I just keep getting thoughts of things that could have gone wrong with Niall and Harry. They're both gone and it's worrying me.
I glance around the room. Liam is sleeping with his shirt off, the blankets covering only part of his naked stomach. His mouth is open and he breathes steadily, his chest rising and falling evenly. I envy the way he sleeps so easily right now. He should be wide awake with me worrying about the safety of two of our best friends. Niall and Harry were out there somewhere and they could be in trouble.
I slowly remove the blanket off of me trying not to wake up Ashlyn. She didn't want to go back to her and Harry's room for fear of him coming back angry or something so I let her sleep in my bed with me. I make sure not to ruffle the blankets too much as I push them off of me.
"Don't go," Ashlyn whispers and I freeze in mid motion.
"What?" I whisper back.
"Harry," Ashlyn whispers again and I realize she isn't awake. Harry's told us all about her sleep-talking sometimes but I didn't think I'd ever witness it. It's creepy. "Please, don't go," she begs, her mind thinking that the dream she was experiencing was actually happening to her.
My heart pounds in my ears as I sit and stare down at her. Ashlyn's fists curl in to the pillow and her eyebrows crush together. I should wake her up and stop the bad dream.
I touch her back. "Ashlyn, hey....wakeup it's just a dream."
Ashlyn suddenly starts sobbing and her hands reach out towards whatever is in her mind. "Harry please I didn't mean to! I love you babe. Wait!" She sobs, her tears streaming. "It was only one kiss. Just one kiss."
I feel like I'm invading her own personal privacy. It's not like she wants me hearing all this stuff that's coming out of her unconscious mind. But I can't make myself turn away from this. I want to know what's going on in her mind. I have to know. It's like a human impulse or something. Even though its wrong, it feels so...right.
Liam turns over on his own bed and his head pops up as he squints over at me. "What's going on?" He groans groggily. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she's just talking in her sleep. I think she's having a nightmare."
"Well wake her up Lou. You shouldn't let her suffer through things like that," Liam mumbles half asleep and drops his head back down onto the bed. A few moments later and his soft snoring starts up.
I know Liam is right. I shouldn't be letting Ashlyn deal with a nightmare when I know I can just wake her up out of it. I shake her shoulder gently. "Ashlyn, honey, wake up. You've got to wake."
Her whole bodies shudders and she sobs still sleeping. "I can't Niall. I love Harry. No! Please don't go away too. Niall please. Niall!" And then her sobs are louder and she bites her bottom lip.
I can't take this anymore. I shake her harder. "Wake up Ashlyn! Wake up! Please, it's just a dream. Just wake up!"
Ashlyn sobs but her eyelids start to flutter and I sigh in relief. She's waking up now. She let's her eyes open slowly before she looks up at me with red rimmed dark blue eyes.
"I can't Louis. Even in my dreams he doesn't love me anymore," she says so heart-brokenly that I feel my own chest constrict.
"Oh honey," I murmur and gather her in my arms, pulling her into a hug."Of course he loves you. Harry loves you so much that it's probably driving him crazy. I've been around him a bit longer than you have and I can tell you right now, that you have nothing to worry about. Ashlyn, he loves you. Please stop crying." I rub her back and hug her against my body.
Her bodies wracks with sobs and she clutches at my shirt. She cries loudly, her face contorting and there is no other word to describe the way she looks other than ugly. Honestly, I hate the way she looks when she cries. But then again everyone looks ugly when they're crying.
"Louis, what do I do?!" Ashlyn asks, her voice lack of any hope.
I run my fingers through her dark brown hair, trying to soothe her down so she can sleep again. "You go back to sleep and let Louis handle this. I promise when you wake up, everything will be better. Just go to sleep and relax," I kiss the top of her head and lay her back down in the bed.
She wipes a hand across her face and gives me a small smile. She's still crying but that isn't what makes me smile back in response. For once, I feel like I've really made a difference in someone else's life.
"I promise, everything will be better when you wake up," I whisper and brush her hair away from her face.
Ashlyn nods and shuts her eyes. She takes in a deep breath and then lets it out. "Okay," is the only response I get.
But it's a good enough one for me.
**Harry's POV**
I glare at my reflection in the rear-view mirror in my car. Bruises decorate the places where Zack had hit me. I can still feel the pain in my body from each blow I took.
But the pain isn't enough. Not even close enough to block out my broken heart.
I park my car and walk towards the tattoo parlor. I don't even have a new tattoo in my mind but I just have to feel the needle against my skin one more time.
My eyes snag a glance of a blonde heading towards a familiar car but I just shake it off. He couldn't be here right now. He's probably back at the hotel with Ashlyn trying to make some kind of move on her. She's probably letting him do it, too.
Niall takes Ashlyn into his arms and kisses her. Kisses those lips that are meant to be on mine only. Her hands slide down his body before she takes off his shirt. Her lips part and she gasps, looping her fingers through Niall's jeans' belt loops. She smirks up at him and stands.STANDS!
"Don't tell Harry," she whispers and I wonder if she's quoting the Spiderman movie.
"I won't tell Harry," Niall murmurs against her lips before kissing her.
I'm the Harry to which they are referring.
I blink and the entire scene of Niall and Ashlyn together disappears. I shake my head as I head towards the tattoo parlor. What the hell just happened? Did I really have some kind of vision about Ashlyn and Niall getting it on?
My fists shake as I clench my hands. I only see red as I stalk towards the shop. Those decieving bastards! Niall thinks he can just waltz in and take her!? We may have broken up but that doesn't mean that he can suddenly leave claim on her!
I'm seething. I stop walking. If I go in there I have almost a 99.99% chance I'll drive my fist through something and I don't want it to be another human being. Especially not someone who does brilliant tattoos for me.
"Harry?" I freeze.
It's Him.
"Niall," I say under my breath. I don't dare turn towards him.
"Hey," Niall says.
HEY?! That's all he has to say for himself!? For driving Ashlyn and I apart!? Hey is all he can say?!
I turn on my heel slowly. I try to block out all the red I'm seeing. I've still got my adrenaline rushing from the fight with Zack. I clench my fists and grind my teeth together. I work hard to not rush forward at the blonde boy.
"Hey," I spit out.
Niall sighs and crosses his arms across his chest. Oh, he's definitely asking for a good beating. "What the hell happened to your face, mate?" He scrutinizes my face and every mark on it from Zack.
I laugh under my breath and lift up my shirt to reveal the rest of the bruises. Niall's eyes widen as he takes them all in. "Nothing I can't handle. A couple cuts and bruises are nothing compared to-" I stop myself from continuing and drop my shirt back down. I hold my chin up. "It's none of your business."
Niall's eyes flick to the tattoo parlor behind me. "So what're you doing here?" Niall asks."Gonna get another tattoo or do you have a meeting?"
Meeting? I don't have any meetings that I know of. "With who?" I try to keep my voice tough and my face angry. I will not let NIall feel superior over me.
Niall runs a hand down his face and then through his hair. "Look man, I'm not trying to pry anything out of you, but I'm just saying that she's dangerous. I swear, she's just a bunch of trouble that you don't need."
I narrow my eyes at him. How dare he talk about Ashlyn being trouble on me. He doesn't know anything about our relationship. Why the hell would he bring her up right now out here? What about the tattoo parlor could ever remind him of her? Niall has no interest in tattoos and I've only mentioned tattoos maybe once when he was around.
"Oh and I suppose you're trying to tell me to stay away from her as well right?!"
"Well obviously! Don't you see what she's doing to you?" Niall thrusts his hand out towards me but his aim is a bit off because it's actually pointed towards the tattoo parlor. "She's making you crazy!"
"Of course she makes me crazy! I LOVE HER! LOVE MAKES PEOPLE CRAZY!" I yell at him, my body moving forward without me knowing it. How dare he question me against my love with Ashlyn. "You wouldn't know because you've never had this kind of love. You've never had to deal with something like this!"
Niall stares at me confused. After a moment he talks again. "You love her?" He asks in a whisper.
"Of course I love her. I've loved her since the first day I met her," I say with a roll of my eyes.
I can still remember the very first day I laid eyes on Ashlyn. We were sent to her office since she was our new manager and there she was, sitting in the black chair behind her desk. She looked too young to be anyone's manager let alone a company owner, but I had heard all about her family's death. But goddamn, she was beautiful.
Niall actually scoffs and shakes his head. "You love her," he says mostly to himself.
"I do," I say.
"I've got to tell Ashlyn," Niall says before looking at me horrified. "She has the right to know."
FInally! He's finally understanding what's going on. "Then go tell her. I've got nothing to hide!" I holds my arms out as if he could see everything with just this gesture. "I'm sure she'll be delighted to hear all about this conversation." I exclaim. Maybe after she hears what Niall has to say about me loving her then she'll take me back.
Niall steps backwards slowly. Niall looks at me with calculating blue eyes. He blinks at me a couple times and I wonder what he's doing. I can actually hear his thoughts as he tells himself repeatedly that I love Ashlyn and that there is no room for him in our relationship.
He turns to walk away but then turns around against to face me. "Let me ask one more question before I break the news to Ashlyn."
I laugh and cross my arms. "Whatever you want," I say.
"Have you had sex with her?"
I choke on how hilarious his question is. I bend over from laughing but he just stands there completely serious. Have I had sex with her?! Of course I had sex with her! We've been together almost seven months. What did he expect?
"Of course I have," i tell him as I wipe away tears from laughing so hard.
Niall shakes his head. "I can't believe it. I thought, I thought-"
"Well you thought wrong," I interrupt him. "We have sex all the time. Beautiful sex. Hot, passionate sex. You can ask even her yourself next time you see her!"
Niall just sticks his hands in his pockets and stares at me like I'm some kind of stranger. He shakes his head again. "Whatever, I'll see you later."
As he walks away I call out, "Don't forget to tell Ashlyn all about what we just discussed! I agree, she should definitely know, since I plan for our relationship to go much farther than where it's at right now!" If Niall heard me, he doesn't show it. He just keeps walking towards his car.
I smile to myself. Despite the bruises on my body and pain going through my body, I feel good. I feel great. Ashlyn will know exactly how I feel about her and Niall finally understands that he has no possible way to get with Ashlyn.
I've won her back.
A door behind me opens and I turn to greet whomever comes out. I'm in such a good mood that I can't stop smiling.
"Harry!" Lucinda exclaims when she sees me. "Sorry to seem rude, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Niall."
"Lucinda? What are you doing here?" I ask. I don't care about her hearing what I was saying to Niall. It's maybe even better like this. She knows exactly how I feel about Ashlyn and doesn't have to ask all those formal questions at our meeting tomorrow.
She cocks her head at me. "Didn't Niall tell you I was here?"
"Nope," I say. "He actually went in that place? That's a shocker."
Lucinda laughs and smiles at me, her red lips fit perfectly on her face. "Shock indeed. Listen, I've got to head out now, but don't forget we have that meeting tomorrow! Or well today since it's already past midnight."
I feel so great right now that even a meeting with Lucinda doesn't seem that bad. "I'll see you there. Have a great night," I tell her as she walks past me.
She tucks a loose blonde strand of hair behind her ear and grins wider. "Oh it's already been great." She winks at me but it just floats over my head. My mind is too filled with thoughts of Ashlyn to notice any form of flattery.
"So has mine," I say and start heading towards my car.
"Oh and Harry!" She calls out, her car a bit of a distance away from mine. "Do tell Ashlyn that I told her so."
"Told her what?" I ask as I open my car door.
"Oh, she knows exactly what I'm talking about," Lucinda grins so widely before waving and dropping into her own car.
I get in my own car and stare at my reflection again. The bruises are all still there but this time I smile at myself.
Everything is starting to turn out right again.
**A/N**
Dun Dun Dun. Drama.
Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter!
Comment and tell me what you think will happen next. (:
Stay Great,
Kathleen.