CHAPTER 3

Gabriel knew I didn’t want to talk about the restroom incident so he changed the topic and asked if I wanted to come with his to the Tattoo Shop he frequents. I hesitated remembering Julian’s threat but I knew if Allie was here she would advise to grow 6 packs of balls and man up. So I agreed and decided to follow him to the Tattoo shop the next day and oh man did I regret it. I forgot how badly I hated needles and Gabriel looked like he was in so much pain. I whimpered as he let out a groan of pain. I was sitting in the seat across from the chair Gabriel was laying on. He was laying on his stomach and had his arms crossed over his head, face down into them. He glanced over and smirked a little through the pain , “ I’m fine Ollie, seriously. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

I nodded, not responding in fear that I would throw up. I looked up at the person doing the Tattoo and he had his eyebrows raised in wonder, probably at how scared I was. But why wouldn’t I be? The tattoo was huge! At first I didn’t understand what it was supposed to be, probably because I didn’t want to stare at the bloody lines for too long but it seemed to be an inky dragon.  I looked at each outline waiting to be filled before I zoned back into the conversation , “-lie, Ollie!” 

I jumped up, “Huh?!” 

Gabriel chuckled, “ I was wondering what you and Julian were talking about yesterday at the theatre.” 

I looked down at my fingers, messing around with them and mumbled, “Nothing much really.” 

“Really? Because you too seem to be really close lately,” he said, with a hint of saltiness. Oh don’t worry Gabriel, I’m not trying to take away your best friend from you. Don’t you ever worry about that.

“Seriously, it was nothing much… Just talked about the play is all.”

He raised an eyebrow, “You and Julian talked about Macbeth? Really? You, I understand but Julian and plays? You’re joking right?” 

I smiled and pointed at him, “ You’d be surprised at what people can do!”

His squinted at me and shrugged his shoulders to the best of his ability so he wouldn’t mess up his Tattoo, “Whatever you say Ollie”

I blushed at the nickname he gave me and he also realized what he said. He excused himself to the restroom when the Tattoo artist gave him a break.

I heard a chuckle and looked up towards the Tattoo artist.

“What?” I asked as he was looking at me.

“I see why Gabriel likes you.”

I scrunched my nose and looked away, “And why is that?”

“Cute, unique and not afraid to talk back yet shy and ready to listen to whatever your loved one says,” he stated, his eyebrows raised.

I blushed and averted my gaze. I didn’t say anything but I could tell he was waiting for my reply. I didn’t get to reply because Gabriel was already back and ready to finish his tattoo. 

My eye contact with the tattoo artist and he just chuckled and continued with his work. It was a comfortable but awkward silence with the occasional sharp gasps from Gabriel.

I’m worried that this tattoo was extreme because of all the bleeding. The man kept wiping up the tattoo off Gabriel’s back every couple of seconds and kept asking if he was alright. Gabriel would just respond with a grunt. 

“Why get a tattoo when you’ll be in so much pain?”

Complete silence was the response. I continued staring at him but he didn’t lift his head up. The artist slightly tapped Gabriel to get him to respond but nothing. I sighed out when the man told me he has passed out. I grabbed one of the cloths from a nearby bench hoping it was clean and went to the restroom to soak it. As I was heading back, I heard Gabriel’s voice meaning he had woken back up.

“Why didn’t you answer his question?”

Gabriel chuckled, “It’s cute to hear him flustered.”

The artist snorted, “ You’re such an ass, you’ve felt pain once whenever I do your tattoos. Shit, I honestly thought I was losing my talent today.”

Gabriel reassured him that no talent of his was lost. 

So he was playing with me? I pouted as I realized this. Well damn, here I was so worried about his well-being just to find out, he just wanted to see me flustered! What a jerk! But a cute jerk that is. Hehe. 

I didn’t hear the answer to the tattoo artist response afterwards because a phone went off. The phone happened to be the RA phone that I was required to keep with me at all times. I left first, since the tattoo parlor was walking distance to the school. It seemed some incident at the school happened so all the RAs were needed to disperse the students.