This part, and the whole story, is dedicated to LDCrichton! Thank you so much for giving me the motivation and inspiration to get somewhere with this story some day :)
I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on him. Partly because he was the hottest guy I’d ever seen; lip ring, chestnut hair, coffee coloured eyes. But also because somehow I’d managed to tip my glass of orange juice all over him. I mean, yeah, great first impression. I still blamed the way my heart was hammering through my chest like it was going to explode, though. And anyway, it was his fault for walking into the kitchen looking like the image of perfection while I was minding my own business making a drink. He shouldn’t have snuck up on me. Still, I’ll never forget the way my brain was shouting one thing…
“He’s ugly.”
No. I think I remember it being something along the lines of ‘Oh my God.’
“I mean, really. People like him shouldn’t be allowed out in daylight.”
Cassie’s voice brought me out of my daydream and back to the reality which was the crowded college lunchroom. I peered up from my lunch of cheese and crackers, (I had a thing for cheese at the moment) to see a guy walking past our table wearing a black t-shirt and dark jeans. His hair was long, past his shoulders, and his skin was pale.
“I mean, I’m trying to eat.”
I finally turned my gaze to the girl sitting next to me. She was frowning and her nose was scrunched up, giving off the impression that she’d just smelt something horrid. She fixed her eyes on me and waited for my response.
I sighed. I really did love Cassie, but her constant need to slag someone or something off could be a little tiring. Especially when college seemed to have dragged on this week and it was only Monday.
“I suppose he could do with a haircut.”
Cassie’s eyes widened. “You suppose! Guys with long hair are just gross.”
I shrugged and popped a slice of cheese into my mouth.
“Goth guys are just,” she paused, biting her lip in thought. “Wrong.”
I suddenly felt my temper rise. “Can’t we give the ripping into people a rest?”
Cassie raised her eyebrows in surprise before she pushed her half eaten salad into the center of the table. “I’m sorry, H. I forget sometimes.” She twirled a strand of her hair around her pinkie finger. “How is Leanne, anyway?”
I sat back into my chair and watched the boy Cassie had just hated on, leave the college canteen. In my opinion, he wasn’t that bad looking. Not that I’d ever tell Cassie that. She’d be on me in a second, eyes wide and tongue wagging about how I was never to say something so ridiculous again. Actually, he kind of looked like Leanne’s old boyfriend, Tom. It wasn’t though; Tom was covered in tattoos. Leanne, my older sister, was a self-confessed bad boy chaser. I, however, was known for my taste in rather more plain guys. Eric from French class. Pete from English class. So why, all of a sudden, was I crushing on Sonny? The same Sonny who was my sister’s best friend and total rocker bad boy.
“Has she had her tattoo done yet?”
I stopped pondering and turned back to Cassie. She was looking into her compact while applying yet another layer of mascara. She pouted at herself before looking up at me.
“No. She can’t decide on the final design and Dad said she can only have it done if she’s one hundred percent happy with it.”
“But she’s nineteen. She shouldn‘t have to listen to your Dad.”
“Tattoos are permanent, Cassie.”
She shrugged, snapping her compact shut. “She got her nose pierced without your parents’ permission.”
“She can take it out if she wants. She can’t just wash the tattoo off when she’s bored of it.”
“Well I’m not asking my mum before I get my belly pierced this afternoon.”
I grimaced. “You’re making a big mistake there.”
“Don’t care. It’s a done deal.”
“Still a mistake.”
Cassie pinched my shoulder with her manicured nails. “Well. I can’t wait till I get it done.”
I rolled my eyes at her. Sometimes I wished she was less stubborn.
“So you’re not getting yours done then?”
I snorted into my drink. “Umm, no.”
“You don’t have to dis me.”
I gave her an apologetic smile. “It’s just not my thing.”
“But I thought you wanted it done when you saw that girl with hers done in town that time. You know, when we were in Top Shop.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Whatever. Your loss.”
“I just don’t fancy having my stomach clamped before having a giant needle shoved through it.”
Cassie’s face paled, even under all of the foundation she was wearing; I was always trying to get her to cut down on the amount she used.
“It’ll be worth it in the end.”
“If you say so,” I replied, picking up my plate and scooting back in my chair. “I’ll just put this away and then we can head to French.”
Cassie nodded, her attention back on the reflection in her compact mirror as she slavered on a layer of pink lip gloss. Sometimes I worried about her.
Tipping my rubbish into the bin, I didn’t notice someone coming up beside me until I heard a voice.
“Hey Harriet.”
I spun around to see a guy dressed in a white polo shirt and jeans smiling down at me. I smiled back when inside all my brain was telling me to do was run away. I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t interested?
“Hey Brandon.”
His smile grew at my response. “You heading to French in a bit?”
“Well, it is our next class,” I replied, immediately berating myself for being sarky towards him. He’s only being friendly. “I mean, I’ve just got to get my stuff.”
“Cool. Can I walk you?”
I held in a sigh. “I’m walking with Cassie. You can join us if you want?”
His smile faltered for a second. “Sure. If that’s okay?”
“Course.” I nodded, heading back to the table with Brandon following closely behind.
Cassie gave me her ‘Oh my God’ face when she saw who I’d brought back to the table with me. I just picked up my bag and tried to ignore her.
“He is so fit!” Cassie exclaimed in an excited whisper as she, like Brandon, hurried to keep up with me. I was almost running down the languages corridor. All I wanted to do was get to my seat and pretend to do some work for the next couple of hours and then I could go home.
I sank into my chair and watched with feigned interest as the teacher started explaining the work. Cassie was in the seat next to me, tapping my shoulder and whispering things that I made a point to ignore. She was only saying how cute Brandon was. How I should give him a chance, but I didn’t want to hear it. I was about to turn and hit her with my ruler when Brandon caught my eye. He was sitting a few desks away, smiling like a loon at me. I buried my face in my palm before setting my eyes on the front of the classroom.
Brandon’s mop of brown hair kept bobbing in my peripheral vision and I wanted nothing more than to concentrate on my work. My French grade wasn’t what it should be, mostly due to Cassie’s constant chatter, and I didn’t need any more distractions. Brandon seemed like a nice guy, but he just wouldn’t quit bugging me. The crush had been cute when it had started three months ago, but now it was just darn annoying.
The bell couldn’t ring soon enough and when it finally did, I didn’t try to hide the glee from my face. I could finally escape home. Or so I thought.
“Where are you going?” Cassie asked as we reached the gates after college and, like usual, I turned left to go home.
“My house. Why?”
Cassie rolled her eyes and dropped her bag to the floor. It hit the pavement with a thud. “You’re coming to the piercing shop with me. Remember?”
Snippets of Cassie’s constant rambling from today starting replaying in my head. I sighed. “But Cass. You know I hate needles. I’ll just pass out and cause a scene. You’re better off going without me.”
“You want me to go alone?” Cassie looked hurt; her arms folded tightly over her blouse and her blue eyes wide open. “And I thought you were my best friend.”
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. I knew what was coming.
“Fine. Whatever. I just guess I valued our so called friendship more than you. I’ve been believing a lie for the last six years.”
“Cass.”
“No, H.” She waved her hand in my face, trying to shush me. “It’s fine. I’ll go alone. And when I get abducted for walking the streets by myself, you can be the one to tell my mum why you weren’t with me.”
“Cassie.”
“It’s okay, H. I’m sure my mum will get over my death. She’ll only cry twice a day. Three times at the most.”
Around us, other students were leaving college for the day, stepping around the two of us to walk through the rusting green gates. Cassie stood resiliently in the middle of the gates as people pushed past her and I knew that if I didn’t back down now, we’d be here until midnight.
Noticing a gap in the throng of students, I stepped towards Cassie and hauled her bag up from the ground.
“Don’t blame me if I pass out.”
Cassie unfroze immediately, letting a grin slide over her glossy lips. “Yay! I mean, I’m sure they’ll have a bucket.”
“Great. Problem solved.”
***
Cassie nattered nonstop about which colour gem stone she wanted in her piercing, all the way to our destination. The shop didn’t look like much from the outside. Orange paint around the windows, chipped and peeling, and a sign above the doorway that looked as if it hadn’t been updated since the eighties.
“The eighties were cool,” Cassie said as I expressed my concerns about the shops appearance.
“You weren’t around in the eighties.”
“So. Hilary Swath got hers done here so it can’t be that bad.”
“I suppose. Hilary is a hygiene freak.”
“Exactly my point,” Cassie said. “Anyway, you’re always saying how it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”
I nodded just as Cassie pushed the door open. I followed her in, only to step backwards at the overpowering smell of antiseptic. The white walls lined with chairs reminded me of a doctor’s surgery.
“I feel sick already,” I whispered to Cassie.
She patted my shoulder and pushed me down into a chair. “You’ll get used to the smell. Now, sit here while I go and speak to the receptionist.”
I began picking the remains of the nail varnish off of my fingers nails, and tried to pretend that I couldn’t feel the nauseating swirling going on in my stomach.
“Oh hello there.”
I looked up to see Cassie over the other side of the shop, talking to a lady behind the counter who I guessed was the receptionist. She didn’t look like the kind of receptionist you’d get in a doctors surgery though. She was young, probably early twenties, and dressed in a bright green ripped t-shirt. Her hair was black and short and she had tramlines shaved on the right side of her head. Her nose was pierced, as was her lip and eyebrow, and she had tattoos covering the whole of her left forearm.
“Yeah. That’s great.”
Realising I’d missed the conversation while observing the woman, I gave Cassie a small smile.
“How did it go?”
Cassie took the seat next to me and grinned. “Great. I’ve just got to wait five minutes and then I can go in. Room two.”
“Cool,” I replied.
The secretary got up from behind her desk and headed for the corridor leading off of the room we were in, and I saw her outfit was completed with a pair of black skinny jeans and blue daps.
Attention back on the room, I noted Cassie was flipping through a magazine.
“What are you reading about?” I asked. I wasn’t really interested, but I didn’t like the fact that the new found silence had enabled my ears to pick up on the sound of buzzing coming from one of the rooms off of the corridor, where I guessed someone was getting a tattoo.
“I was just checking up on Zelda King’s column,” she replied, pointing to a bright pink page covered in writing and pictures. “Apparently, her new boyfriend has a Ferrari.”
I nodded nonchalantly, but tried to keep my face looking interested. Cassie carried on blabbering on about Zelda King’s amazing life while I let my eyes wander around the room again. The phone on the desk was ringing and the secretary reappeared from the corridor to answer it. The wall opposite Cassie and me was blank, but the wall adjacent was covered in posters and prints of paintings. The colours stood out against the white background, and I couldn’t believe I’d missed it when I’d first walked in.
I was just about to point out to Cassie that there was a poster for ‘The Dead Atlantic’ in amongst the mass of flyers when the secretary called over to us.
“You can go in now, Chick. Room two.”
Cassie practically jumped up from her chair but I moved with a lot less enthusiasm.
“Can I stay here?” I asked Cassie, feeling the nausea in my gut stir with my movement.
She sighed. “But, H. You got this far. It’ll only take five minutes.”
I saw her face start to twitch and I knew she was readying herself for round two of ‘I thought we were friends.’
I got up before she had the chance to speak and she regarded me with a smile.
“Room two,” Cassie said.
“You go, I’ll follow.”
The sound of Cassie’s boots on the laminate flooring echoed loudly in my ears as I trailed her down the longer than expected corridor. My heart was doing little drumming patterns on my ribs and I was making sure to breathe deeply and slowly. The smell of antiseptic got stronger as we reached room two and Cassie knocked. A man’s voice called out for us to enter and I hovered on the threshold before Cassie pulled me inside after her.
Room two was painted white like the lobby, except there were no flyers or posters on the walls. It was rather plain looking, except for an old fashioned fire place on the back wall that looked really out of place next to the metallic table and implements. My stomach squeezed as my eyes caught sight of what looked like a giant clamp.
“Now which one of you ladies is here for a belly button piercing?”
A man was sitting on a large black swivel chair on the other side of a reclining seat. He was wearing a brace, which was rather odd, and he was pulling on a pair of medical gloves. The latex stretched over his large hands and made a snapping sound against his skin when he adjusted them.
I pointed to Cassie quickly and took a seat on an unsteady looking wooden chair.
“Can you hold this?” Cassie asked, thrusting her baby pink bag at me.
I nodded and rested it in my lap, letting my own bag slump on my shoulder.
“Take a seat,” the man, who looked to be around forty, said, gesturing to Cassie and the reclining, dentist style, chair.
Cassie did what he said.
“Good. Now, what colour piercing did you want?” He held a small case in front of her.
I saw Cassie’s eyes widen. “Ooh. Can I have the red one please?”
The man nodded and I noticed he had a tattoo of a scorpion on his neck, just where his sandy coloured hair fell to.
“I won’t be a moment. I’ve just got to get things ready.”
Cassie nodded and he flipped a switch on the chair which caused it to start tilting backwards. The chair stopped once she was lying down. Cassie repositioned her hair so that it was falling over one shoulder, before leaning back against the headrest.
With the man facing away from us, hunched over a table, Cassie caught my eye and opened her mouth as wide as she could, as if she were at the dentists. I giggled at her even though my stomach was squeezing uncomfortably at the sight of the needle that the man was holding as he twisted back around. Cassie snapped her mouth shut and smiled sweetly.
“Now, I just need to apply some disinfectant to the area and then I’ll clamp your stomach. There’s no need to worry, everything is sterile here.”
Cassie nodded the best she could while lying down and turned her head to face me.
“Okay?” she mouthed.
I nodded weakly. In truth, I wasn’t. I could almost taste my cheese and crackers from lunch, but I didn’t want to leave Cassie on her own. I gripped the sides of the wooden chair I was sitting on with both hands and focused on my breathing.
“Alright then,” the man said. “I’m going to start now. Ready?”
“Yep,” Cassie replied.
The last thing I saw was the metal clamp before I hid behind my hands.
***
“I mean, it did hurt, but it wasn’t the worst pain ever,” Cassie said, staring down at her stomach before looking back up at me.
We’d left the piercing shop ten minutes ago and were now, very slowly thanks to Cassie’s idleness, making our way home.
“Remember when I fell down the steps in the park and hit my funny bone on the metal railing? That was the worst pain ever.”
I doubted hitting your funny bone hurt more than having a needle thrust through your stomach, but I nodded anyway.
“Are you wishing you had yours done?”
“No! I was surprised I didn’t puke up just watching you have yours done, let alone it being me.”
“That’s because you were staring at your palms the whole time,” Cassie said with a laugh.
I nudged her elbow with mine. “I can’t help being a wimp.”
“Well, how are you expecting to go with Leanne when she gets her tattoo done?”
“I’m not,” I replied. “I’ve told her she has to go with Sonny.”
The thought of Sonny made my heart beat faster and I almost didn’t see the lamppost in time, having been picturing his chestnut brown hair and lip ring.
“I feel sorry for you,” Cassie said suddenly and I raised my eyebrows at her. “No, really, I do. You haven’t even got your ears pierced.”
“So?” I said with a shrug. “It doesn’t make me any less of a person.”
Cassie fiddled with her earrings for a moment. “I only meant you’ll never get to wear earrings.”
“I don’t see that as being the end of the world.” I paused as we crossed the road before continuing. “But if say, I could never eat a chocolate brownie from Keke’s again, then it would be the end of the world.”
Cassie nodded dramatically. “Yum. I want one now.”
“Good job we’re walking home that way then isn’t it?”
“One of Keke’s chocolate brownies is definitely worth the detour.”