To be completely honest looking in on the small hole in the wall tattoo parlor you would have thought it closed down years ago, the only inhabitant being a middle aged man littered with black and white tattoos up and down his arms . It didn't bother her though, she didn't need the fancy high end, highly praised tattoo parlor all she needed was someone who would get the job done. This was it, she was finally 18 she needed something to commemorate the day. School had ended a week ago, finals ending only yesterday this day marking the first free day she's had ever since walking into school on her first day of freshman year.
"Are you sure you want to go in there?" Amy whispered tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear "It looks sketchy"
"Amy the only reason you're here right now is cause Emma and I aren't talking and cause Tori and I have a complicated past, plus JT isn't here" Miranda explained throwing opened the door a faint chime ringing as she and Amy stepped inside "So if you don't mind keep you judgmental comments to a minimal"
"I'm not trying to be judgmental I'm just trying to look out for you, I wouldn't want you to get an infection" Amy said following Miranda inside watching as she snatched up one of the many design books "What are you getting?" She questioned standing over the blondes shoulder her eyes scanning each and every page
"I'm not sure yet, I'm just gonna see what jumps out at me" The blue eyed girl continued her search for the right design flipping through at least twenty pages before finding something she deemed acceptable "What do you think?" She asked pointing at the image
"It suits you" Amy commented giving the younger girl a small smile as they made their way over towards the empty chair "So how does this work?"
"Why don't you wait and see" Miranda said outstretching her arms in front of her awaiting the moment when the needle would drag across her wrist leaving ink marks in its path
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you Happy Birthday dear Emma happy birthday to you" They all sang attempting to sing on key but all failing except Tori and Aria who both seemed to know how to hold a tune "Are you one are you two are you three" She cut them off not having the patience to hear them sing to 18 quickly blowing out the candles lined across her cake
"Happy birthday Emily" Aria grinned pulling her daughter into a tight hug forbidding her from getting enough air "Here's a gift from your father and I" She said passing Emma a white envelope a large grin plastered on her face hiding her obvious pain the mere mention of her husband's name threatening to break her, every trace of him having disappeared only a few weeks after the disastrous trial.
"Are you serious!" Emma laughed out loud her eyes connecting with the thin strips of paper "Are these real?"
"Trust me Em, there real I had to wait on line for them for five hours!" Tori giggled peering over her cousin's shoulder to get a glimpse of the tickets "You're taking me right?" She questioned once again trying to rip the Justin Bieber tickets from Emma's tight grip
"Hell no, you don't respect his music therefore you don't get to see his concert!" Emma explained getting onto her feet stuffing the tickets back into the envelope "Maybe Noah will come with me" She suggested turning to face the brunette who stood behind her completely oblivious to the current conversation
"Did you say something?" He asked feeling Emma nudge him lightly in the ribs pulling him from his daydream
"I asked if you wanted to go to the concert with me"
"No thank you honey, no offense but your taste in music isn't exactly my cup of tea" He grinned kissing her on the top of her head running his hand along her back "Maybe you could take Ella"
"No thanks I've decided I'm no longer speaking to her" She declared turning her back on Noah slipping out of his warm embrace slowly making her way to the living room violently throwing herself onto the old couch instantly sinking into it taking satisfaction in the comforting feeling
"Emma!" Aria berated following her daughter a plate full of cake held in her hand "Don't say something like that!" She spat in between bites of the sweet dessert or sweet breakfast considering that it was only 9 in the morning the family always making time for dessert even when most people declared it too early for sweets
"Why? She obviously doesn't care about me, so why should I care about her!" Emma pulled her phone from her back pocket rapidly logging into her Facebook page a large smile crossing her face as she read the numerous Birthday wishes "Shit" She cursed under her breath reading the familiar name on the top of her news feed
"What is it?" Tori asked from her position on the other couch the younger girl playing on her phone as well looking up from her intense game of flappy bird just long enough to catch Emma's surprised expression
"Miranda posted a long ass status about our birthday" Emma explained still shocked at what she was reading "Damn her!" She groaned returning to her feet practically running out of the door leaving Tori Aria and Noah staring at the door in awe just watching as the brunette disappeared down the street "Miranda open the god damn door!" Emma begged cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice as she look up towards Miranda's open window hoping the blonde was home "Miranda!" She screamed louder finally drawing the attention of the girl inside
"What?" She answered angrily poking her head outside her bedroom window "Emma? What are you doing here?" She questioned squinting her eyes desperate to get a better view of the girl who stood outside her window the sun light shining in her face not helping her cause at all.
"Sometimes you put up walls not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down!" She read off of her phone once again looking back up at the blonde "You put that on your dumb Facebook post, you can't write stuff like this than ignore me when we see each other in public! If you want to be friends let's be friends but if you want to forget me, then forget me!"
"I could never forget you Emma, trust me if I know one thing for sure it's that I will never forget Emma Fitz" Miranda admitted propelling her legs out of the opened window resting against the window frame swinging her legs underneath her feeling the cool breeze send goosebumps up her legs "I want to be friends, I really do but Emma I don't know if I can forgive you for everything that's happened"
"Maybe you don't have to, maybe we just have to move on. Maybe we have to use these setbacks as the foundation of our new friendship, Miranda all I want is you back in my life" Emma said taking a small key from her key ring which was snapped on the top of her jeans "Here" She yelled tossing it up to the blonde who almost fell out of the window as she attempted to catch the shiny metal object
"What's this?" She questioned examining the key which appeared to be the type you would find on a first graders diary
"Your birthday present!" Emma grinned turning on her heel strutting back in the direction of her house leaving Miranda alone with the odd gift the blonde now having to discover the meaning behind the small key
The rest of the day past rather quickly each girl enjoying their 18 birthday differently, Emma using majority of her time to hang out with her family Tori Noah and her mother all surprising her with a trip to the Rosewood Museum of Art her all-time favorite place! Miranda on the other hand spent her day in her bedroom her ears plugged with her headphones as she searched her room for something that the small key would fit in, only stopping when her mother came in to ask what she wanted for dinner. Things were different around her house nowadays, her father spent most of his time if not all his time at work doing his best to work overtime in order to earn money to pay for her college, Hanna working alongside her stepsister Kate in their interior decorating business which surprisingly enough was doing quite well the two blondes finally seeming to put there great differences aside.
"That bitch!" Miranda screamed at the top of her lungs tumbling off of her bed after tossing her pillows onto the floor in frustration darting towards the door tripping down the stairs her legs moving so quickly they seemed to be detached from the rest of her body
"Miranda are you okay?" Hanna asked cringing as she watched Miranda bounce down the steps smacking her head against the hardwood floor as she reached the bottom
"Peachy" She giggled wiping at her lip which dripped with blood seeping slowly into her mouth staining her teeth with the warm red liquid "I'm gonna be back in a few minutes, probably with a guest"
"Who's coming over?" Hanna asked her curiosity suddenly peaked
"You'll see" She smirked bolting outside her house running as fast as her still injured leg would allow the throbbing sensation growing in her calf the burning shooting throughout her entire body as she ran faster, the always present pain now amplified as she pushed herself further and harder than her doctors recommended. She had made a lot of progress over the year, she had regained almost all of her feeling in her leg and would hopefully gain the rest back in only a matter of months resulting in her finally healing from the attack, the only other reminder being the scars above her eyes something she wished every day to rid herself of the scars always forcing her to return to that dark time.
"Emma?" Aria called peering out of the window moving the curtains out of the way to get a better view of the scene unfolding in her backyard "Why is Miranda digging a hole in the garden?" Emma remained in her spot at the dining room table finishing her slice of pizza before rising to her feet passing Aria, Tori and Noah who were all watching Miranda from the window desperately trying to decipher what she was doing.
"So you finally found out what the key was for. Took you long enough" Emma teased crossing her arms over her chest walking towards the blonde standing only a few feet from the fresh dirt which sat beside Miranda who continued to dig up the earth searching for something that she believed was long lost.
"I can't believe I forgot about it!" She laughed finally finding what she was digging for pulling a large box from the dirt quickly blowing the old dirt from the top before unlocking it and diving inside to lay her eyes on the riches from her past "Is this my Barbie doll?"
"No I think that's mine" Emma said reaching for the dusty doll turning the head around so it was facing front instead of backwards like an owl "You got it for my 9 birthday"
"You kept it this long?" Miranda questioned lifting her eyes from the box finally meeting Emma's gaze "Why?"
"Cause my mom said I couldn't throw out a birthday present" She joked causing Miranda to shove her into the large dirt mound sending dirt flying up into the air littering the girl's previously clean hair with bits of dirt "What's that?" She asked her eyes glancing at Miranda's covered wrists "You didn't try and.."
"No of course not!" Miranda answered quickly knowing what she was implying "No I got a tattoo today and they said to keep it wrapped up for a while" She explained tearing the bandages of her wrists revealing the fresh ink that was written "Do you like it?"
"I love it" Emma grinned forcing Miranda into her arms "Very Demi Lovato of you" She giggled in her ear thinking of the singer's own Stay Strong tattoo "I'm so proud of you Miranda you have to know that"
"I know that" She confessed sniffling slightly as she attempted to keep herself form crying "I love you Emma! I never want to fight again!"
"Never?" Emma laughed "Seems kind of impossible doesn't it and for what it's worth I love you to Mandy"
"What do you mean?" She asked tears overwhelming her the cold water sprouting from her eyes rolling quickly down her cheeks staining her face "What are you saying"
"I'm saying that I have one to two weeks to live" He explained taking her hand in his bringing it to his lips placing a soft lips against her skin doing his best to keep himself from giving in to the temptation of tears "Jess I'm dying"