*Author's Note: To look at my disclaimer and all of that, go to the first chapter.*
On to the story!
****
*Chapter Seventeen – Jeff's Birthday*
(About two hours later…)
"Where are we going?"
"Shush, Jeff, we'll let you know." Shawn Michaels told his roommate. They were in Triple H's car, heading to somewhere in downtown Waters Grove, but no one would tell Jeff where they were actually going.
"No, damnit, let me know where we are going!"
Shawn looked back at Jeff (he had shotgun) and said, "You'll find out soon enough."
Jeff looked nervously over at Edge, who was with him in the backseat. "Edgeness, you know where we're going?"
Edge smiled mischievously. "You'll see."
Jeff rolled his eyes. "Trips, you know where we're going?"
Triple H, who was driving, chuckled. "What Edge said." Jeff pouted. Damnit, why won't anyone tell me where we're going? I wanna know, damnit, he thought. Jeff watched as they got onto Main Street, the main drag of the small town called Waters Grove, PA. Hmm, we passed the hair salon, he thought. Shit, and we passed the thrift shop, too.
Just then, he screeched, "No shit, ya'll are taking me to the tattoo parlor?"
Triple H, who was driving, laughed. "Damnit, we've been had."
"Yeah, but even better, everyone donated to your cause." Shawn smiled.
"Even Matty?"
"Yep, even him." Shawn replied. Dude, Matty is so forgiven, Jeff thought. I'm getting a tattoo!!! YEAH!!! Shawn remembered stopping over at the Rock's house earlier and sighed. Matt looked like shit, the poor kid, he thought. Luckily he was well enough to let me take him to the mall to get Jeff's presents.
Wow, they really must like me being around, Jeff thought as Triple H parked the car. When they got out, Shawn put an arm around Jeff and said, "Stone Cold and Brock helped me get the best tattoo guy around to do this for you. We all came up with this after Edge told us of your obsession of wanting a tattoo." Jeff giggled with glee. This is just too awesome!, he thought as the four of them went in.
The receptionist, a tiny, spiky blonde-haired woman with a huge, silver lip piercing, said, "Do you all have IDs?" Shawn motioned for everyone to give up their IDs to him and then handed them to the receptionist. She looked at Shawn and nodded. He nudged Triple H. Check that out, Hunter, she's checking me out. I bet you're jealous. Triple H just rolled his eyes. I need someone without a lip piercing, thanks, he thought as he grabbed his ID back. Edge was busy being hypnotized by the woman's lip piercing.
"Hey uh, did that hurt?"
She shrugged. "Could've been worse."
Edge groaned. "Yeah, uh…ouch." He looked over at Jeff, who was busy looking around the black and white themed room. Holy shit, this is too awesome, he thought as his eyes rested on a zebra-print chair. I want a room just like this!!
The receptionist laughed as she saw Jeff's expression. "You must be Jeff." He nodded, and then went back to staring at a zebra-print mirror above a huge, white leather couch.
Triple H whispered to the receptionist, "Yeah, it's his birthday and all, so we figured we'd get him a tattoo."
The receptionist nodded. "I remember Steve (Stone Cold) calling about it before. Did Jeff decide what he wanted yet?"
Shawn laughed. "If we can ever calm the kid down. Yo, Jeff! Come here!"
Jeff bounced up to the glass counter. "What?"
"Tell her what you're getting so we know how much to pay up."
Jeff smiled. "I'm getting a tattoo on my right arm. The tiger with the Chinese writing."
Edge's eyes went wide. "Jeffness, are you sure about that? I mean, it's um, permanent and stuff…"
Jeff nodded. "I'm extreme, damnit."
The receptionist giggled and said, "Okay, then Mr. Extreme, you'll have to sign these papers." She handed them to him and turned to Shawn. "That'll be $75.78."
Shawn and Triple H looked at each other and said, "Sweet." Shawn dug out the money and put it on the counter.
"We have about 25 bucks left. Where can that go to?" Triple H asked as he watched Edge and Jeff fill out the papers on the white leather couch.
Shawn whispered, "Well, we could always give it to Stone Cold, but then again, maybe I should call him and ask what he wants. You know, in terms of alcohol."
Triple H nodded. "Right." Jeff and Edge came up to the glass counter with satisfied looks on their faces.
Shawn shook his head and muttered, "You two are up to something."
Edge shrugged. "I think it'll look cool…when it's done." Jeff nodded. This'll prove that I'm extreme, he thought to himself. Too bad Matty isn't around. He'll get to see it later.
The receptionist looked at Jeff and nodded. "Good choice. You ready?"
Jeff nodded. "Let's do it!" Triple H and Shawn decided to wait in the waiting room, while Edge went back with Jeff.
****
Back at the Rock's house, everyone was finally cleaning up after dinner. Jericho and Steph, along with Jackie and Linda, had left for campus, but everyone else pretty much stayed. There was a big gathering in the living room, with the Rock, Matt Hardy, Brock Lesnar, and Bubba Ray Dudley trying to outsmart each other on Grand Theft Auto 3. Booker T, Shane McMahon, Terri, Spike (who was Bubba Ray's younger brother), Stone Cold, Lita, and Debra were watching.
Matt's character was just about to jump on a bridge when his cell phone rang. "Damnit! Who the hell would that be?" Lita grabbed it and handed it to him. "Hello?" he said in an irritated way. He didn't recognize the number on his screen.
"Matt, calm down. It's Shawn." Matt sighed. Geez, I thought it was the Undertaker coming to get me, he thought. I wonder where the hell he has been, anyway? Wait a second. I could care less.
"What's going on?" Matt asked, handing the controller to Bubba Ray.
"Well, Jeff's getting his tattoo now." Shawn remarked. Matt winced. He could hear the whirring of the needle in the background, as well as Jeff and Edge laughing hysterically, along with some other guy. At least he's not in pain, he thought. Pain is not my thing.
"How much did it set everyone back?"
"Not much. About 70 bucks." Shawn replied. He looked over at Triple H and chuckled. He was making faces while looking at pictures of people being tattooed – with blood and all.
"So I guess there's a lot left over, then. I mean, I put in at least 25 bucks." Matt added.
Shawn nodded. Weirdly enough, that's how much is left, he thought. "I know. And we're trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the money."
Matt chortled, "Take him to the nudie bar!"
All of the guys (except for Spike), at the same time, yelled, "What?!" Lita, Terri, and Debra rolled their eyes. Typical male response, thought Terri, as she reached for her Coke. Spike just groaned.
Shawn laughed on the other line. "Well, if we did, Jeff would have a shitload of company."
Matt shrugged. "Obviously."
"But listen, Hunter and I were thinking about going to the liquor store before it closes and buying some stuff." Shawn told him. Matt stroked his chin. I know nothing about alcohol, he thought. So I'll let Stone Cold take care of that.
"Stone Cold, what do we need in terms of alcohol?"
Stone Cold grabbed the phone from Matt as if on cue, and rattled off the names of at least 15 drinks. "And don't forget the Sprite and Coke."
Shawn laughed. "Okay, then, we'll see what we can do."
Matt grabbed his phone back from Stone Cold and said, "But yeah, I'm gonna go. I'm getting my ass beat by everyone at this game. I'll talk to you later."
Shawn smiled. "Later, Matt." He hung up.
(Let's see what's going on back at campus…)
The Hurricane, Raven, and Billy Kidman were busy being bored. Of course, it was a Saturday night at a college in the middle of nowhere…what else could they really do? Raven was busy drawing, Kidman was busy reading, and Hurricane was still trying to finish his algebra. I hate this damn class, he thought. I hate math. Oh why does it have to exist? He stared at the black-inked numbers on the yellow page, which were all a big blur.
Hurricane closed the book and threw it across the room. "Fuck algebra!" Raven and Kidman blinked, surprised at their roommate's outburst.
"You okay, man?" Kidman asked, picking up Hurricane's book from the floor and putting it on his desk.
Hurricane sighed. "I'm just frustrated. I mean, this is the third time that I've taken this damn class and I still fail it, no matter how hard I try. Superheroes aren't supposed to fail at stuff, they're supposed to win."
Raven put down his pencil and remarked, "Well, you can't win everything, you know."
Hurricane growled. "Yeah, but I can't fail at this. I have to pass this class this semester or else."
"Or else what?" Kidman asked.
"Or else I'll fall behind and I'll just have to give up."
Raven and Kidman looked at each other and said, "Well, we can try to help you."
Hurricane sighed as Kidman brought his book over. "Fine."
Just then, Raven's cell phone rang. "Hello?"
Matt Hardy was on the other line. "Ya'll willing to come over to the Rock's for a party?"
Raven looked over at Kidman and Hurricane, who had curious looks on their faces. Hardly anyone calls Raven, thought Kidman. I wonder who it is? "Sure, why not? Who's it for?"
"Jeff. It's his birthday today. Try to spread the word though, at least a little bit, or this'll end up being a sausage party." Matt explained. Raven laughed. Yeah but if it's a sausage party, we can indulge in more drinking games, he thought. Stoli's, here I come!
"Alright, I'll see what I can do." He looked over to his roommates. "We're going over to the Rock's. Ya know, to relax a little bit."
Hurricane shrugged. "Normally I wouldn't go, but since today is Jeff's birthday, I might as well."
Raven said to Matt, "Alright, we'll be over in about fifteen minutes or so. Later."
He hung up and said, "Matt said to find some girls. But where can we find them?"
Kidman remarked, "Well, there are those really weird girls downstairs…Dawn Marie and Victoria."
Raven sighed. Victoria seemed to be a bit on the freaky side, but he could deal with Dawn Marie. "Okay, go and talk to them. Hurricane and I will be at the car."
Hurricane gulped as he and Raven left the room. "Girls? We're taking girls over there?"
Raven and Hurricane got in the elevator and he said, "Yeah, calm down. They're not that bad. I remember when you were with Molly. She didn't scare you, did she?"
Hurricane sighed. "All the time."
Raven raised his eyebrow. "We'll have to change that."
(Now let's go to the mall…)
Meanwhile, while all of this was going on, Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson were busy working in separate stores. Thank God Rocky woke me up at 3, Stacy thought as she went back to folding brightly colored t-shirts. She had gotten a job at Old Navy about a week before and it was only her second day. She couldn't get her mind off of the sex she had with the Rock the night before. My God, she thought, I can't be addicted to it so soon, can I? Is that a bad thing? She put down the purple shirt she was folding and twirled her long, blonde hair with her finger. Maybe that'll get people to pay attention to me. Just then, she caught sight of her manager. Shit, he wasn't the one I was looking for, she thought as she picked up the purple shirt and continued to fold it.
Her manager, a short, stocky guy with black rimmed glasses and dark hair, gave her a weird look and said, "Stacy, you're doing great. I think I'll have you do that the rest of the night, if that's okay with you."
Stacy shrugged and put on her fakest smile. "That's fine with me." When he was out of sight, she rolled her eyes. I swear to God, he was trying to hit on me. He's like my dad's age. Ewww.
A short, black-haired girl who was usually at the registers saw the look on Stacy's face and remarked, "He hits on everyone, even me. Don't feel too bad." Stacy sighed and watched the girl walk to the back of the store. She shook her head as she folded another shirt. I wonder how long I'll have to put up with this, Stacy wondered. At least I'm only here until 9 or so. She checked her silver watch. It's only 6. I have about 3 hours to go.
Torrie, who was in Aeropostale across from Old Navy, looked around at all the different-colored hoodies hanging on the wall. Hmm, I didn't do too bad, she thought. And that purple one looks cool, but it has that damn glitter stuff all over it. She rolled her eyes. Sometimes I think that Stacy and I were hired to work in the wrong stores. I wear more Old Navy than she does, and she wears more Aeropostale than me. But hey, we can always share the employee discounts with each other, and at least it's a job.
Torrie saw a small group of 2 girls, who were about 13, walk by and said rather cheerily, "Hi, how are you doing?" Torrie was usually friendly, but she just wasn't in the mood to be friendly.
The tall, brown-haired girl, obviously the leader, sneered, "Fine, thanks."
She looked at the hoodies on the wall, while her short, red-haired friend, asked shyly, "Uh, do you have the sparkly sweaters out yet?" Damnit, why is everyone all into this glitter? Ughhh, Torrie thought.
She put down the red shirt she was folding and replied, "Well, I don't think we're getting those in until 2 to 3 weeks from now. I'd check back then." Then she flashed one of her fakest smiles she could muster.
The red-haired girl pouted and looked upset. "Okay, thanks." She joined the other two girls and went to the back of the store. Torrie picked up another shirt, a pink one, and shook her head. God, did I really look that dumb at that age? I hope not, she thought as she continued to fold shirts.
****
Back at the tattoo parlor, Jeff Hardy was grinning with satisfaction – his tattoo of a tiger with Chinese characters on his right forearm, done in black, looked damn awesome. He leaned back into the green leather chair and laughed, relieved that his first tattoo experience was over. It was painful, but only for a little bit, he thought as he admired the collection of autographs from various rock bands on the opposite wall. Definitely worth the pain, though.
"I told you I wouldn't fuck it up." laughed Jamie, the tattooist, who had two huge zero gauge earrings and a silver lip piercing.
Edge nodded. "Most definitely, Jamie, my dude. When I get enough money, you can do a tattoo for me, also."
Jamie nodded. "Sure thing." Edge handed Jamie a 20 and shook his hand. From the hour or so that they were in there, Jeff and Edge become fast friends with Jamie.
"Take care, man." Edge told him as he got up from the red leather chair.
"See you around Edge, and Jeff, remember what I said – don't scratch!" Jamie said in mock warning tone.
Jeff laughed as he got up from the green leather chair and patted his newly tattooed arm. "I won't." Edge and Jeff went to Shawn and Triple H, who got up from the white leather couch and stretched.
"You ready?" Triple H asked.
"Did it turn out alright? Jamie's the best one they got here." Shawn added, peering at the long line of white gauze on Jeff's arm.
Jeff smiled. "Give me about 4-6 hours, and then you can see it." Shawn nodded.
The four of them got into Triple H's car and Edge said, "Wait a sec. Did you guys go to the liquor store while you were waiting for us?" Shawn and Triple H, who was driving, snickered.
Jeff laughed. "Let me guess. We're going over to the Rock's."
"It's really not that far from here, to tell you the truth." Shawn remarked. They found a parking space next to Stone Cold's car and went into the crowded-as-hell house.
Jeff looked around – there were blue, black, and silver balloons everywhere, and there was a handmade banner that said, "Happy 18th birthday, Jeff!" Jeff smiled from ear to ear. "Wow, this is just too awesome!" He looked around and saw a whole bunch of people. Trish, RVD, Tommy Dreamer, Bradshaw, and Faarooq had just stumbled in from Tommy Dreamer's apartment a few doors down, and Raven, Hurricane, and Kidman had arrived with Victoria and Dawn Marie.
"Wow, uh, thanks for everyone who paid for my tattoo." Jeff said sort of shyly.
"No problem." Shane told him, patting him on the back.
"We can't wait to see it when it's uh, safe to see." Bradshaw added, noticing the white gauze on Jeff's arm. Bradshaw then looked over to Triple H and Shawn, who were busy hauling the alcohol that they'd bought into the house. "What'd you two get?"
Shawn laughed. "Come in the kitchen and see for yourself!" Bradshaw and Faarooq followed the two into the kitchen, the hardcore alcoholics that they were.
Edge and Jeff were busy making their rounds with everyone, but Jeff was looking for his brother Matt. Matty? Where the hell are you?, he thought to himself as he said hi to everyone. Matt finally showed up in the doorway to the kitchen, with Stone Cold and Brock to his sides.
He grinned and said, "I got you something, bro. I think you'll like it."
Jeff bounced over to his brother and found a squared shaped box wrapped in blue and black paper. Hmm, I wonder what that could be, he thought as he shrugged and opened it. Everyone watched in anticipation to see what it was. In it, was a small amplifier for his guitar, and two boxes of purple Manic Panic hair dye, his favorite color.
Jeff squealed and jumped on his brother, which made everyone laugh. "Thanks, Matty!! I love it!! And I love you!! Eeee!" Matt had to laugh back. I guess this means that Jeff isn't mad at me anymore, he thought as he hugged his brother tightly.
"Awww!" a lot of the girls said. The guys just shook their heads. Just then, Shawn came into the living room with two shots of Southern Comfort.
Jeff stared at it, bug-eyed. Whoa, I've never touched that stuff before, he thought as he slowly took the shot glass from Shawn and eyed it. "What is this?"
"Southern Comfort. Just down it." Shawn told his roommate.
Jeff nodded slowly. "Okay." Shawn looked around at the big gathering of everyone in the living room and smiled. I have the greatest group of friends, he thought.
Shawn raised his glass, and Jeff did the same. "Here's to a good year, Jeff. May you get what you want this year, and then some. Happy birthday, kid." And with that, the two downed their shots.
Everyone cheered. "Alright! Enough with the sappyness and whatever! Let's party!" the Rock bellowed from the kitchen. And with that, Jeff's 18th birthday party was underway.
****
End of Chapter Seventeen…