Rosalie and Alice looked so at ease shopping together, it's like they were hurricanes going around and leaving only stray hairs and perfume scent behind. We were currently standing in our second shoe store, which only contained high heels. I don't understand why anyone would specifically want to wear high heels if they weren't going to prom, or a society event or anything. I was sitting in a big cushy black leather chair, with a red throw draped over my legs, keeping them warm. My cell phone was on my lap, and I was on Facebook checking things from New York; not many people have posted anything new, or at least, not that I cared about. I nibbled my bottom lip, glancing around the store. There were glass display cases full of jewellery for some bizarre reason, and racks and racks of designer shoes in every shape, size, and colour you could possibly imagine. It was like a very famous person's closet threw up. Well clad women teetered around in their six inch heels, squealing and air kissing everyone in their wake.
"Bell, why aren't you looking for shoes with Al and Rose?" said Jasper, popping around the corner, scaring the living shit out of me.
"Don't call me Al!" said Alice from what seemed like the other side of the store. Jasper rolled his eyes.
"I don't go shoe shopping, unless they're moccs, high tops, or vans" I said, grinning at him. Japser nodded and sank down into the other leather chair next to me. We watched as everyone milled around, looking for the perfect shoes for whatever special occasion they had, or in Alice and Rosalie's case, for the shoes that they didn't already have. Just as I thought that, my cell phone began vibrating. It was a text from Jamie.
B,
How are you? It feels like we haven't talked to you in forever. I miss you, please come back to New York :c Speaking of miss, I have a surprise for you!
-J
I smiled as the text. I missed Jamie too, and I missed Selena; I haven't seen them in forever, and it kinda pulled at strings in my heart. These were my best friends in New York, the people that did absolutely everything and anything with me. That spent weekends partying in clubs, that spent school lunches going out for sandwiches at Mark's Deli, and sushi, skipping classes to smoke weed in the park, or going to used bookstores and browsing the racks for anything we could find. I started tearing up, they really were the best friends I could have asked for. I typed out a reply to Jamie.
J,
I'm amazing, for the most part. I had an issue with a boy at school, but…well… he's a jackass, so it's done and he isn't in school anymore. Haha, my bad? :3 How are you? How is Selena? I miss you too! I wish I could come back to New York for like, a week or something :c Oh jees, you know I hate surprised! D:
-B
I smiled at my reply and tapped my toes on the ground to whatever song was playing on the radio that I couldn't quite make out, not that I really cared enough to learn the lyrics or to ask what song it was. Jasper was still sitting next to me, not really saying anything; I didn't mind, though, because I was used to Jasper not really saying anything, it was the company that I enjoyed. I looked around the store, trying to place where Emmett, Edward, and Travis were. They were sitting on a big leather couch with fluffy white pillows looking bored out of their minds as Alice and Rosalie gestured to different shoes on the wall, then their feet. My cell phone beeped again, and I lifted it out of my lap
B,
Dammit, do we need to punch him in the balls? Pleeeease, I've been a good boy lately (A). I'm good, and so is Selena; it's our six months soon, you know :$ I know, but I think you're going to… enjoy this one? Okay, I know you won't, but you'll like the idea of it afterwards? :)
-J
I laughed out loud at the screen; Jamie being good for once? I hardly believed that. That's like saying I've all of a sudden started wearing pink and talking in acronyms constantly, it just didn't add up. Jasper looked at me with raised eyebrows, I made hand motions towards my phone, he nodded and smiled, turning back to the phone that was currently in his lap.
J,
Why do I doubt that you've actually been a good boy? You're NEVER good. And yeah, if you can find out what military school he's at ;) Oh god… Might as well tell me so I can get over the shock!
-B
Just as I clicked the send button, the blanket was whipped off my blanket, and I was being hauled out of the chair, and dragged to where everyone was standing. I whipped my head around furiously, not even seeing who was pulling me- it was Travis. Travis was pulling me towards everyone… Travis… he hardly knew me, though, why would he do this? ESPECIALLY because he knew what just happened to me. I started whimpering, trying to get my arm away from him; he obviously didn't notice my whimpering, because he continued to pull my arm, with more force than before. I looked around with wide eyes, still whimpering until my eyes locked with Emmett's.
"TRAVIS, LET GO OF HER" He yelled, running over to me and wrapping his arms around me, calming the quakes my body was giving off, letting me whimper into his chest. He smoothed down my hair and cradled me in my arms, whispering words of encouragement and care into my ears. My eyes were watering and I was shaking. The shakes and tears kept coming, and I couldn't stop them. Everyone stopped talking, and even though I couldn't see, I'm sure they were all staring at me. The girl who couldn't control her emotions, and broke down, even at the smallest of things. I felt arms rubbing against my back, and scolding's towards Travis. I knew he didn't mean to hurt me, or scare me… or make me feel this bad, but… I couldn't find the words to tell him that. My phone vibrated in my pocket, but I didn't notice as I was still shaking, it was Emmett whispering that it was that made me notice, I didn't move, though, I didn't want anyone to see my eyes, even if they were fine because everything was waterproof.
"Bell, you should go on a walk" Jasper said to me, voice soothing but caring, as if he genuinely wanted me to feel better. Why is it always me that acted like an ass in front of guys? I nodded and let go, looking up at everyone. They all looked at me with sympathy and a sighed, turning around and starting for the door. I sighed and left the store. Stupid Travis. Stupid me for getting so god damn upset of the simplest of things I said, glaring at my reflection in the glass of the store window.
"Have a nice day" said an overly perky employee who I didn't care to know, or acknowledge; Things were way more simply before. Before my uncle, before Mike, before everyone. It's like living with the pain of if continuously haunted me, it's like I didn't know what to do anymore because everything was so messed up, and I was just a teeny tiny girl in a too-big world. I sighed again, this was getting ridiculous. I walked up the street to see happy parents, happy teenagers, even happy homeless men and women walking around, smiling. Are their smiles real or fake? Are they actually happy, or are they pretending just like everyone else? I touched my stomach and winced, the marks still hurting. I heard several beeps of a horn and I glanced up, squinting into the horizon. They were just taxis. Taxis who were driving god knows who to god knows where. I walked by an old homeless man who was sitting on the ground, a Starbucks coffee cup in his hand. He looked so sad that it broke my heart, even if I didn't know him. He rattled his cup and I reached into my wallet and pulled out ten dolloars, handing it to him and smiling; even if he didn't use it for food, he would still be happy.
"Thank you so much, young lady" He said, with an ear-to-ear smile that came so car across his face that it showed his broken teeth, and a slight lisp. I smiled at him and walked away, glancing over my shoulder to see the man still staring at me, waving at me. I smiled again and waved back. If he can be this happy and living on the street, why can't I be that happy? I said, looking into the bright sun. I continued walking, not exactly knowing where I was going. I remembered that Jamie texted me back, so I pulled out my cell phone and began reading the text.
B,
Well, our prom is soon... Selena and I would really, really like it if you came back for it.
You know, it just wouldn't be the same without you. We would have a good time! And...
you'd be with us? You don't even have to get too dressed up, promise. :)
-J
I bit my lip; I really didn't like formal things, because I didn't like the idea of getting all dressed up and doing my hair and makeup perfectly, or putting on heels that made me tower over everyone else to the point where I'd feel like the Empire State Building threatening to fall over. But on the other hand, it would be fun to go.. To see Selena and Jamie, to go to the parties and do all the things we used to do before I moved. I texted back a simple reply.
J,
I'll think about it, and get back to you by the end of the week. Promise. :)
-B.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and glanced around the street, noticing a tattoo parlour across the street called "Artistic Integrity" (a/n That's a real tattoo parlour, and it's where I got my belly button pierced. If anyone lives in Ontario then let me know if you're getting a piercing!) I walked a bit further up to a set of lights, and crossed, back tracking to the entrance of the parlour. It wasn't a big store, or at least from the outside it didn't look like it. There was a big picture window at the front of it with the shop words etched across it in odd, but effective text in shades of blue and yellow. There was a stencil of a big tiger right under it, then other elaborate designs of other tattoo's, I'm assuming. I opened the shop door and it dinged, signalling my arrival. I looked around; there were two plush couches and a coffee table in the middle holding big leather books with "tattoos" inscribed onto the front. Straight ahead there was two large counters split in the middle, one held a computer with a bored looking guy with tattoos covering every inch of skin you could see, and the other counter had display cases filled with different body jewellery. Right behind that were two tattoo chairs, with people in either one. The one on the left had a guy who looked about 25, 26 getting his chest tattooed with some elaborate design I couldn't quite make out; the tattoer was actually really cute. He had swishy black hair and tattoos up and down his arms, but not to the point where it looked crowed and overwhelmed. The one on the right was a pretty girl who looked about eighteen, holding her friends' hand and getting what looked like a butterfly on her lower back; the tattoo artist was a short, stocky girl with brown hair that bit her lip as she worked on the vine design on either side of the completed purple butterfly. I walked up to the counter, not quite sure what I wanted, or if I even wanted anything.
"Hey, welcome to Artistic Integrity, can I help you with anything?" He said with a grin, he was actually extremely cute too.
"Um, hey. I was wondering what piercings you guys do?" I said, biting my lower lip. What are you doing, Bella? A voice screamed in my head. My phone vibrated again but I disregarded it.
"We do a wide variety of piercings, actually; here, look at this" he said, giving me a colourful pamphlet filled with dozens and dozens of piercings. There was everything; from belly button, to cartilage, to tongue, to hip dermal, to eyebrow, to chest, to neck; the possibilities were never ending, or so it seemed. I bit my lip again.
"Okay, um, I'd really like to get my lower naval, and my left cartilage pierced" I said, looking from the pamphlet to Dawn to the pamphlet. He nodded and asked me for ID, email address, and postal code, then brought me over to the large display case filled with every type of ring you could possibly imagine.
"Okay, for cartilage I'm going to give you a ring because it's easier to clean, and it doesn't come out when you sleep, is that okay?" He said, smiling at me, I nodded and he continued.
"And most girls choose to get a clear diamond for their navel piercing so they don't have issues with matching them, is that okay too?" He said, I nodded again; he bent over so he was out of site, and pulled up my belly button ring, and my cartilage ring. He motioned for me to follow him to the back of the shop, so I did. All the walls around were white, and the rooms had black doors. He took me into the last one, closest to the back exit where it was crowded. The room was all white, with a wall being mirrors, and a big tattoo chair in the middle. To the left were cabinants and cases of needles, sanitizer, plastic gloves, and everything else you could possibly need. I took a deep breath; this was it.
"Okay, which would you like done first?" He said, looking at me under long lashed.
"Um, I'm going to say my cartilage" I said, grimacing as I saw him get the needle ready. He explained what it would feel like, and what he had to do to prepare the needle, etc. I sat on the table and took a deep breath, like he told me to, and he put the needle through; it hurt for maybe an instant, if that, and then I was fine. Well that was easy I thought to myself as he wiped around it, telling me how I should take care of it. Then he got the other needle ready, and placed it on the counter
"Okay, are you ready for your navel?" He said, smiling, as if to encourage me to not cry, or chicken out or something. It was soothing, though, his smile. It made me want to get it pierced.
"Yeah, sure" I said, smiling a genuine smile. He marked my belly button and told me to get up and see if it was okay, or if I was content with it. I nodded as I looked at my stomach, careful not to expose the cuts which was harder than I thought possible. I laid on the table and took a deep breath, closing my eyes and pressing my fists to my eyes, and then the sting. It was more intense than the cartilage, but it didn't hurt that much, only when he put the needle through. I let out a gust of wind. It was done. I was pierced, and I smiled.
"Thank you so much, Dawn" I said, still lying on the table, staring down at my stomach.
"You're quite welcome" he said, laughing "You should get up and check them out in the mirror" He said with another smile. I looked in the mirror first at my cartilage, and then at my belly. They both looked amazing, I'm reallllly glad I decided to do something "reckless" for once.
"Okay, let's go get you rung up" he said, smiling again. I followed him into the main foyer thing and he rung me up, which in total –with the rings- cost $90, which I was fine with. I handed me a VIP card, and a piece of Bristol like paper with cleaning instructions and the website name on it.
"There you go, shoot us a call or an email if you need any help with your piercings" he said, pulling out a dog eared copy of Dracula from under the counter. I smiled and said okay and left the store, shoving the paper into my bag. I pulled out my cell phone again and checked the messages; I had four new ones. One was from Jamie, telling me he'd call me later, and the other three were from Alice making sure I was okay, and asking her where I was. Deciding that I should probably make it so she wasn't worried I was dead or anything, I texted her back.
A,
I'm fine now. I'm just… overdramatic? I don't know. I just left Artistic
Integrity. Where are you guys?
-B
And slid the phone into my pocket. Hm, now what should I do? I said as I paced up the street again. Well, I should probably wait for Alice's text so I knew what they were doing. I don't know what I'd do, though, seeing Travis again. He probably wouldn't even want me after what I did, and the way I freaked out. I hope he could forgive me, maybe I could salvage what I could, and hope that in his eyes I'd at least be semi-normal. One could only hope; then my cellphone vibrated.
B,
You're not overdramatic at all. You were raped and it brought back bad
memories. Travis is extremely sorry, though; he completely forgot. He feels
SO bad about it though. WHAT? WHAT DID YOU GET PIERCED?
-A
I grinned and touched my ear, then winced. Not, don't touch freshly pierced pieces of body I said, frowning to myself again.
A,
I am! But I feel bad… tell him it wasn't his fault and I'm so sorry for
Reacting like that. I got my belly button and cartilage?;) Where are
you guys? We should meet back up
-B
And with that, I started walking back to where we started, hoping that they were still there.