A Dawn I Thought We'd Never See

After making it through the actual tattooing, Oliver paid for both of our tattoos and then insisted on going to lunch. That’s when I found out we were both vegetarians. We ended up in a small vegan place where we talked. Oliver and I had been on a civil level but this was deeper. We had a lot more in common than I would have guessed.

Oliver was sweet. He talked about what it was like growing up in England and what it was like having two younger siblings. His brown eyes turned warm and soft when he talked about his family. There was a permanent smirk on his lips as he went on about his friends and their trouble making ways back in school. He was sweet and he was funny.

I was hesitant at first, but then it was like a damn wall broke. I told him about my parents and their constant pushing me in school. I told him about the financial struggles they went through and their dreams of me going on to college. I told him how I was their only child yet they still disowned me because I followed my dreams and not theirs. It all came out, including a few of my past relationships that made me so bitter against love, and that was something I hadn’t even really told Victoria.

It was scary. Sharing secrets wasn’t something I was used to, but it felt nice in some way. I was opening up to someone other than Victoria for the first time in a long time and Oliver was turning out to be not so bad. He was making me laugh and I couldn’t quite deny the butterflies anymore when he took my hand on the way back to the concert grounds.

The walk was quiet, but that was just fine. I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from giggling while Oliver laced our fingers together. It felt like middle school all over again. That thought actually did make me giggle, which made Oliver look over at me with raised eyebrows. My cheeks burned.

“It’s nice to get away from tour every now and then.” I changed the subject as smoothly as I could. Oliver smiled and nodded. “Work is such a hassle.” I sighed as I thought about it. The past few hours had been amazing but now I would have to return to working my merch booth and being tired as hell.

“’S not so bad when yeh do somethin’ yeh love.” He shrugged. I guess that was easy for him to say. He did do something he loved. He touched kids and he had a blast doing it.

“I guess I gotta work on the love part then.”

“Yeh don’t like yeh’re job?” His brown eyes turned to me as he frowned. In the sun, I could see the specks of green sparkle in his pretty eyes.

“It’s fun,” I shrugged. “I get to see cool bands and rock stars become my best friends but when you get down to it,” I shook my head as I stared forward. “I sell merchandise to kids that are half my age. I hardly ever know what state I’m in. I smell disgusting 90% percent of the time and I don’t have a steady home.” When put like that, my life sounds pretty depressing.

“Well at least yeh look good ninteh percent of the time.” Oliver nudged my side and the giggle spilled from my lips. “But ef yeh ‘ate yeh’re job, why not quit?”

“What else would I do?” My eyebrows furrowed.

“What eva yeh wanted teh.” Oliver stopped walking and turned me toward him. He was grinning. “What do yeh love teh do, Emileh?”

“I don’t know.” I mumbled and chewed on my bottom lip. I didn’t like the way Oliver was looking at me so expectantly.

“Tha’ was good work yeh did back at the shop.” The corner’s of his mouth turned up. “Yeh could get into tattooin’.”

“Which reminds me,” I eyed him suspiciously. “How did you know about my drawing?”

Oliver shrugged bashfully. “I may ‘ave asked Toreh ‘bout the scribbles all oveh the tent.”

I rolled my eyes. “Course you would. You’re really nose, you know?”

“Yeh didn’t answer meh question.” I scoffed and he smirked.

“I didn’t know you asked one.” I smiled innocently at him.

“Why don’t yeh do somethin’ with yeh drawin’?” He was completely unphased by my sarcastic remark.

I sighed and pulled my gaze from him. “I’m really not that good.” I admitted as I bit my bottom lip as lightly placed my free hand on top of my new tattoo. “I’ve been drawing this since I was seventeen so I’ve had quite the amount of practice.”

“Yeh’ll ‘ave teh tell me the meanin’ behind it someday.” Oliver’s soft fingers brushed against eh back of my neck and against my own hand. My head snapped up to see just how close Oliver was.

Oh dear god. He was in kissing distance and my heart rate increased at the simple mental picture of his lips against mine. Get a grip Hale! You are losing it! But aren’t I supposed to be losing it? Before I can answer myself, Oliver drops his hand and steps back.

My thoughts return to their semi-normal ways. I clear my throat. “I want to say thanks.”

“’S nothin’, Em.” Oliver interrupted me and I tightened my hold on his hand.

“No, Oliver. This,” I paused and licked my bottom lip. “This meant a lot to me and I want to thank you for being there with me. It was special and I had a great time.” It took all the honesty I could muster to say those words.

“I ‘ad a great time too.” Oliver grins and I’m beaming. Who knew being honest was this easy? “We should do it again, sometime?”

“Yeah, we should.” I nodded and tucked my hair behind my ear. An awkward filled tension settled between us. “Well, I, uh, better be getting back to work. Alex and Jack are probably swamped with little fan girls.” I laughed nervously as I pulled my hand from his.

“See yeh ‘round, Emileh.” Oliver waved with a sad smile. My heart felt like someone was squeezing it with all their might.

A bittersweet feeling took over. “Goodbye, Oliver.”