One Decision

23. Pain helps

Athena

I woke up in our room, in an empty bed.

When did I start sleepwalking? I covered my face and started to think about what happened.

The dinner, the pervert, me kneading his balls, begging Ace...

Ace.

Fucker.

I got up pretty annoyed and went into the bathroom. Freshening up I went downstairs to make breakfast for myself.

Again, for myself.

"Good morning." Shane entered the kitchen, giving me a warm smile. I was in no mood for it. I simply nodded and returned to my work, feeling Shane's confused stare on me.

I will be fine after I do something. But I need breakfast for that.

"You hungry?" He shook his head, still staring at me. "What's wrong?"

"Ace." I answered without reluctance, but I didn't want to go further into the nightmare. So I kept my head down, my eyes only on my cooking food hoping he would understand and stop asking anything more.

I didn't even know when Shane left. I took a plate and set my food, and began eating. I left the dishes there itself, not in a mood to clean a mess when I was one.

I called Layla and decided to do a tattoo together. It has always been something wild. This time I needed tattoos.

********

"Are you sure?" I nodded confidently.

"I mean, that was completely a bastard thing he did, but that doesn't mean you have to pierce your beautiful skin with ink." Layla suggested.

She was always there to do my crazy dares, so I won't be alone. One true best friend.

"You love tattoos, now try and get rid of the fear of needles." It's always this. If I was down I would go help someone else, and if I accomplished there would be satisfaction in me making me forget about my worries.

This time it was my best friend Layla. She was scared of needles but loved tattoos, and my goal today was to ease them, at least a bit.

I dragged her into the parlor, ignoring her cries as I pushed open the double door.

"Hey! It's been long, Lucius." I greeted the man in charge, who was taking care of a guy on the bed. "Ath! Wonderful, I had hoped for more visitors today." Lucius said in glee, his heavy Russian accent flowing out as he side-hugged me.

"You know this guy?" Layla asked wide-eyed, taking a look at the full-body tattooed guy in front of her.

The only place he didn't have tattoos were his fingers and eyes, and perhaps somewhere else unseen, other than that he was covered from head to toe.

"Let's just say I did a quite bit of tattoos from him." I said lowly making her slap my arm. "You never told me you had tattoos!" She almost shrieked. I rolled my eyes, taking her hand in mine.

"Don't let the nervousness get you. I have said it and you have even seen some too. Now go and lay down there, take the book on the tray and see which design you want and where." She bit her lip but seeing I wasn't backing away from my decision, she wasn't either.

I turned to Lucius as she walked away.

"That is Layla. She is a bit scared of needles and I have come here to try and solve it." He gave me a lopsided grin, glancing at Layla once more before turning to his customer.