"Oh this is amazing, I will so have to remember his face to write down later." I think to myself as I see Duncan look me up and down, his jaw slightly ajar. "I gotta admit, I do like having this effect on him. I haven't felt this sexy in a long time." I bite my lip.
"Geez Gwen I uh…happy birthday to me-I mean you! Yeah happy birthday to you!" He runs his hand through his signature Mohawk. I giggle, boy do I have him flustered.
"Thank you, Duncan." I smile. "This sure does feel like a first date, because I have no idea what to even say to him."
"You ready for tonight, birthday girl?"
"I guess so! I have no idea what the hell we're gonna do, but I am ready for it!"
"Oh I think it'll be a night you'll remember for the rest of your life." I feel my cheeks flush and get hot.
"Oh really? Why so confident, Juvie?" His signature smirk flashes across his face.
"Because, I'm just confident in my abilities to make this an unforgettable night for you." He winks and I get even more red in the face. "We've flirted before, but it sure is heavy tonight."
"Alright madam." Duncan puts out his arm for me to grab. "Your carriage awaits." I smile and take his arm. We walk down the stairs and his sleek black 2014 mustang is already running. He opens the passengers seat door and I get in.
"Our first stop, will be food of course. The birthday girl deserves a great meal." We drive for about twenty minutes listening to the radio. We don't talk much, but it's not an awkward silence. We pull into The Breakout Steakhouse, one of the most fancy restaurants in this mediocre size town.
"Oh Duncan, how much is all of this going to cost you? It's just my birthday, I would have totally been fine with a movie and pizza."
"I know that Gwen, but just trust me."
"I do, Duncan." "I think it's so sweet, but him being sweet isn't something I'm used to. Oh Gwen, stop overthinking. Just enjoy the night with this handsome man." We walk in and right as we walk in, a booth that has roses on the table and a white table cloth immediately catches my eye.
"Hi, I'm Duncan Howard, I'm the one who called for the reservation last week?"
"Last week?! He's been planning this for at least a week?!" I can feel my heart pounding and the palms of my hands sweating. "This really is a date…but why didn't he just ask me on one? So no, this isn't a date, it's just for my birthday….right?"
We get walked to the table with the roses and the tablecloth, where there is already champagne glasses filled and ready for us.
"Oh Duncan, this is too much…you shouldn't have."
"Gwen…really do not worry about it. I've missed too many of your birthdays. Just relax and enjoy tonight." I look down and rub my left arm and take a deep breath.
"Okay okay, I'm sorry for being….weird." He smiles at me.
"It's just me, Gwen. You know there's nothing to be nervous about." I smile.
"Well of course I know that, it's everyone here that doesn't know that." He laughs.
"Damn, that one hurt Gwenny." After that, I started to relax.
"What made you want to do this for me?"
"I just want you to enjoy your birthday. It's the first birthday I've been around you for in many years, I'm going to make sure I make it the best birthday that I can." I blush again. He takes a sip of his champagne.
"By the way." He runs his hand through his Mohawk again. "You look really beautiful, Gwen…"
"Oh! Thank you Duncan, you look really handsome tonight too. Who knew maroon was your color." God I'm stupid. He smiles. Before we could talk more, the waiter comes and gets our order. While we're waiting we keep talking. Everything from the store to Duncan's Uncles shop. What feels like no time at all, we get our plates. After that, there wasn't much talking. Dinner was amazing, the steak was so tender and the cheesecake they brought out for me was Devine.
"I had fun-"
"Oh Gwen, we're not done yet." He winks at me. "Come on, I got a couple of more stops for us."
"Duncan where-" before I could finish, he grabs my hand and walks me back to the mustang. We get in and he's the one who seems nervous now.
"Why so quiet again?"
"Because this one is your actual present, Gwen. And I just hope you like it or you might just hate me for the rest of your life."
"Duncan, that's silly."
"You say that, Gwenny." The car ride goes silent again, and we pull up to the mad tatter.
"Duncan, why are we at a tattoo shop?"
"Again, trust me?" I nod and we walk in. First thing I notice, is the woman with lots of tattoos on her arm, and she's pretty busty.
"Tara! We're here!" Tara?!
"Oh my God, Tara!" I go up to her and give her a hug." Tara is Duncan's older sister. She moved out of his parents house when we were like thirteen or fourteen, but she's the absolute best.
"Gwen! My have you grown! It's been a long time sweetheart." She looks at Duncan. "You did good little brother!" Duncan groans.
"Tara you said you wouldn't make this weird."
"Dunky, it's only weird if you make it weird!" I see Duncan roll his eyes and I giggle.
"How the hell have you been? It's been so long since I've seen you!" I smile.
"I've been good. Better since Duncan's been back that's for sure."
"Oh I'm sure, with that whole Trent and Ryan drama." Duncan's eyebrow furrows, and I gulp.
"Yeah, all that has been put behind us though. I've just been really focused on my studio."
"Oh that's right, you came and decorated the Mad Tatter for me a couple of years ago! I'm glad things are going good. So did my baby brother tell you why you're here?" I shake my head no.
"Nope, I haven't told her yet. And we're not going to, it's all going to be a surprise."
"Oh God, am I getting tatted!?" Tara laughs.
"You sure are sweetheart, and I've personally designed it myself. So I promise you'll be super pumped."
"Hey, remember I gave you the idea Tara!" She rolls her eyes.
"Yes, Duncan did help me with the idea. He just didn't draw it cause God knows you'd end up with a stick figure on your body." I laugh and Duncan grumbles.
"Come on Tara, let's get the present of the century started. It's gonna take a long ass time." I gulp. I actually am a bit nervous here.
"Fine fine, just go sit in the waiting room while I take her back." He nods and we go into the room and she shuts the door. "Like I wouldn't tell you what you're gonna get."
"Oh thank God." Tara laughs and pulls out two stencils. One left arm and one right arm.
"Listen, Duncan told me the story about what happened right before Courtney's bitch ass got my baby brother sent to jail. That you hurt your arm, and I know the story of Trent and Ryan, but I didn't tell him that it wasn't all his fault you have those scars." I sigh.
"Yes, I'm super-"
"Subconscious about them. That's what I've heard. So I have for you Duncan's idea for two tattoo sleeves for you to get those covered up, honey." My eyes well up.
"You're kidding me right, I've been saving up ever since I broke things off with Trent…"
"It's been paid for baby girl, so don't worry. You ready for this?" I nod my head.
"I can't believe Duncan would do that for me…well I can but I just am in shock…"
"He cares about you, that for sure. But you haven't told him about Trent? I'm surprised he didn't see the news or tabloids."
"I'm assuming it's because of him being in juvie, but he knows they exist just…not what happened."
"But you said you guys are cool?" She lays the stencils on my arm to find the correct placement.
"I guess, it's complicated. I thought with them getting engaged and shit that Ryan would be just as nice as he was but it's like things have gotten worse. Like I'm the one who should hate your ass, not the other way around."
"Do you think it's because he thinks Trent is having doubts?"
"I still don't get how that involves me. After Trent cheated on me with Ryan he knows nothing will ever happen with Trent and I again. I was made a goddamn fool…" Tara nods and she begins the process. I feel the pain, but it's almost numbing because I drift off to that fateful day. The day that was the worst day of my life, at the time.
I remember stepping off the plane in Houston, Texas. I couldn't wait to surprise Trent. He'd been gone so much lately and those damn tabloids had gotten inside of my head. Is Gwen out of the picture with Trent? Does Trent have a new Hollywood leading lady in his life? It was making me and my heart sick. Straight from the airport, to the hotel I went. From the hotel I went to the arena where he was performing. The crew knew exactly who I was so I didn't even have to fight security like all of the other girls awaiting outside.
Tears fall from my face, not because of the tattoo pain.
I remember opening that door, Ryan on Trent's lap, Trent shirtless and Ryan gripping his hair. I screamed and fell to my knees. The look on Trent's face burned in my head. That look of oh shit I'm caught. Not even pain…and Ryan had a look of pure shock.
"I thought you told her about us?!"
"I haven't yet!"
My screams attracted the press that was outside waiting for him to come out of his dressing room, so of course they got the winning shot of my ass crying like a dumb bitch, Trent was outed, and Ryan was known as the other man. I got out of there. Then of course he had the nerve to find out where I was, begged me to forgive him, that he was so confused and just needed someone who could be there for him. I was there. I always was. Just not in person, that was the day I realized no matter how many years you could know someone and love them, you never know what they're capable of. It destroyed me. I can only like Ryan enough to know he saved my life. I cut myself. Bad. Apparently blood was everywhere when Ryan came to talk to me. Again, tabloids loved that story. To protect them both I said it was a lie of a tabloid. I swore that was my final gift to him to show my forgiveness even though I couldn't feel anything. I saved that mans career and Ryan's reputation. That's love I guess, a stupid form of it. Neither one of them deserved that kind of pain, even though I wanted them to hurt like me.
"Gwen, honey you're shaking and crying are you okay?" I sniffle and come back to reality."
"I'm fine Tara, just thinking about that fateful night for whatever reason…"
"I know it still hurts you honey" she continues on with my tattoos, one arm seems done, the one where I cut myself that night. "Just remember, not every single guy is like that, and some can still surprise you."
It does still hurt, but nothing like how it hurt when it first happened. Ya know, it was the worst moment of my life. It was, but I'm so glad it happened if it means I got to meet Duncan all over again. If I was still with Trent, nothing I have now would be here. I would have had to just stay on tour with him and be a tour wife. It was always his dreams first, never about mine. I tried so hard to make him happy in the end. You know what…oh shit…if I'm sitting here thinking that happened so I could meet Duncan again, does that mean I love him? I haven't been this happy in a long time, and he is so supportive of the store, he is consistent with wanting to spend time with me, and more importantly I really enjoy spending time with him. I mean look what I'm doing right now, I didn't even see the sleeves and I trust him enough that he knows me to out art on my body that will be there for the rest of my life. And him, he wouldn't do all of this if he doesn't have some kind of feelings toward me, right? Have I managed to completely move on? Have I done it again and fallen in love with Duncan?! Oh Gwen…you swore to yourself. Then again, he really has surprised me. In the best ways possible. I never knew he could be so supportive, romantic when he probably never meant to, and just fun to be around. I never knew what Duncan was capable of, and capable of making me feel. Oh. Shit. I am in love with him…now what am I going to do about it?