Killing Loneliness

By the time we had both turned our heads towards the door it was swung open by none other then Novak. He smiled largely when he saw Kat and then smiled as he looked over me.
"Hey Kat! I haven't seen you in so long! I'm so stoked for you to do these tat's" He stepped aside and let us threw the door.
"I know man! Oh this is Ashleigh, she was my apprentice and now one of the best tattoo artists in my shop," Kat put her hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. It always felt amazing when Kat would say encouraging things like that to me. I stuck my hand out confidently now towards Novak and smiled.
"Hey, it's nice to meet you," I watched as his eyes scanned up and down my body quickly and then check my face over again.
"Hey, it's great to meet you too. I wish Kat told me a long time ago that you were this hot!" Novak smiled. I couldn't help but make my already large smile even larger. I stood there for a moment with Novak while Kat walked over to the table that had been set up and was looking around the large hotel room.
"Where's Bam?" Kat dropped her purse on the chair and pulled off her jacket. Just after she finished saying that Bam came out of the other room. I couldn't help but admire his tattoo covered body. He was just wearing a pair of jeans. I paused for a second not sure if I should introduce mysely or wait for Kat to do that for me. Kat and Bam smiled hugged and talked for a moment. I stood next to Novak for a minute and waited for Kat to mention my name.
"Oh Bam! This is Ashleigh, she was my apprentice and as I told Novak that she's one of the best tattoo artists in my shop now," Kat smiled over at me again and then continued what she was saying. "And if you're cool with it Bam, I was thinking that she should do your tattoo? I want her to get the experience of working on other people and gaining new experiences," Kat looked like a proud parent letting their kid finally take over the family buisness.
I couldn't help but smile at the compliments that Kat was giving me today. Without a hesitation I walked over to Bam and placed my hand out for him to shake. He took it quickly and shook back.
"Yah thats totally cool. It's nice to meet you. Any friend of Kats is a friend of mine," Bam smirked and then pulled his phone from his pocket. I looked around the room as Kat started to open up her box filled with all her tattoo gear.
“Hey aren't we going to get lunch first?” Novak popped out of nowhere and had I could see that he was standing unusually close to me. Without saying anything, Bam walked out of the room and came back out a few seocnds later with a shirt on. Kat seemed totally at ease with the guys and it was hard for me to act just like that.
We hung around the hotel room for a few more minutes and then together the four of us left.
I walked behind Kat and Bam and tried to act as normal as I could. I surely didn't look like the other 3 people I was with. I may have my fair share of tattoo's and random peircings but they aren't out in the open as theirs were. I wasn't paying attention to aything when Novack appeared next to me and started talking to me.
“So did you grow up here?” His eyes were sparkling as he looked down at me. I felt my cheeks starting to get hot but I shook my head and ignored it.
“No, I'm not from here. I moved here a little awhile ago though,” I smiled cause I appreciated the small talk that he was trying to have with me while Kat and Bam rambbled on the whole way without even breaking a breath.
“Oh really? Where are you from then?” Novak seemed interested enough and when we came to the front doors of the hotel he opened it for me and let me go threw it first. I thanked him and walked next to him, not careing that my boss and her friend were 15 feet infront of us.
“I'm from Vancouver, this deffiently is different from home.” I looked up at the buldings that were all cold stone and thought of the tall buildings back home that seemed to be built ith much more character.
“Oh like Canada?! Man that city is awesome! I totally loved it there! When bam was there last I went with him. It was so awesome!” Novak and I continued to talk about ourselves as we walked loser to the place that they were wanting to go for lunch. I kept my eyes forward on Kat and Bam, just only every so often letting my eyes look over at Novak. I was starting to notice that Bam kept on looking back at me... or maybe it was us? I wasn't sure but every little bit his eyes would wonder over his shoulder and meet mine. I contiuned to smile and laugh and have a good time. I mean thats part of what you get for working with Kat right? All the amazing experiences!
When we finally came to the resturant I sat down opposite of Kat, with Bam on my right and Novak on my left. Once we sat down everyone ordered something to drink. Kat graciously said no to any alcohol but when it came to everyone else we all agreed to it. I figured just a beer or two would make me feel better, a little more comfortable. I ordered a vodka martini, something simple. When it came to Bams turn to order he suprised me by what he said.
“Ooh vodka martini? Sounds great! I'll have one too,” I felt a little honoured that he wanted the same thing as I did and smiled and he smiled over to me. Kat saw the moment of eye contact that Bam and I had together, she started to talk to Novak.
“So how do you like LA so far?” Bam twisted his body a little more so that he was facing me now .
“Well it's deffiently different from home, but it's deffiently awesome here,” He smiled and nodded, taking a moment to think.
“Kat said you were from Vancouver, I love that place. There are some crazy party people there,” A large smile spread across his face this time as he thought of memories.
“Yah we kinda have a reputation for that,” I smiled and laughed the same time Bam did. I felt like I could stare at him for hours, well not in the creepy way I mean. His eyes were so beautiful, they sparkled like little gems. I got lost in the moment of looking into his eyes. It felt like time stopped. Bam was looking stair back into mine. A wave of shivers ran down my spine but I didn't dare move to loose the contact with his eyes. We both didnt move til Novak threw something at Bams face. The look on Bam's face changed instantly as he was caught off gaurd. He looked over and started cursing.
“Dude, what the fuck was that for?!” Bam picked the napkin that was off of the table and balled it up to throw back at him. Novak and Kat laughed as if nothing happened. Bam threw the napkin at Novak but it just hit him in the chest.
“Sorry bud, but I had to ruin that little moment of yours there. You two were about to make me puke!” Novak took a swig of beer and looked back and forth between the two of us. I looked over at Kat franticlly not knowing what to do and she just smiled and laughed. I could feel the hot flames starting in my face again and I tried to breath deep enough breathes for it to go away. I looked back at Bam, as much as I didn't want to yet but his cheeks were flushed red like mine. I couldn't help but smile and laugh when I saw them that way. He looked at me for a moment with a confused look.
“What are you laughing about?”
“Youre cheeks, aww how cute your blushing!” I couldn't help but giggle to myself and lean back in my chair for more room to laugh. He watched me as I laughed in my chair and tried to force the smile off my face. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop laughing or smiling. After a few minutes we all had calmed down and we all talked like normal now.
Before food was brought Kat asked if I wanted to go to the bathroom with her, knowing that women always travel in pairs I nodded and pushed my chair behind me. Kat linked her arm threw mine and winked over her shoulder as we walked away.
“What was that wink for?” I couldnt help but question what her motives were for that. Kat smiled a large smile, she looked miscevious.
“Oh nothing,” Her smile just got even bigger. Once in the washroom we both in there she paused me by the counter.
“So how do you like Bam?” Her eyes were bright as she asked the question. I placed my hands under the sink faucet to wash them as I thought. I must have been taking to long for her cause she huffed and started to walk away.
“Hey! Slow down their partner! I was just thinking thats all!” I grabbed her arm before she got very far. “He seems nice. Really nice. I love his eyes too, I got caught up in the, - I don't sound crazy do I?” I looked up at my mentor, hoping that she would bring some sort of clarity to me.
“No you dont, I just thought that you might like him,” With a smirk on her face she turned to the mirror in the bathroom and played with her hair. I stood next to her, stairing into space a little with my mind racing over a hundred different things I wanted to do with him. Wait – there was something wrong here. I have a boyfriend – wait no a fiancee!
I shook my head and smiled at Kat. I wasn't going to mention it cause i'm sure she forgot about it too. We walked out of the bathroom together and when we were in range of the table I could see Bam's eyes light up when he saw us coming. I wasn't sure what him and Novak were talking about, but they leaned back and acted as if nothing happened.
We sat down and talked about random little things, and finally got onto the topic of music.
“So Ashleigh, whats your fave band?” Novak was leaning closer to me now and smiling as he was nursing her 3rd beer.
“Well theres a couple, I mean you can't go wrong at all with HIM. They are deffiently in my top 3!” I gushed over how I loved them. Who wouldn't right? With a lead singer that good looking it's almost a crime not to want to listen to him sing!
“What? You like him too?” Bam cut us off in the middle of our conversation, The expression on Novaks face twisted and I could tell that he was about to get angrey at Bam. Before he was going to start saying anything I cut in to answer Bam.
“Yah I love them, even have a big HIM tattoo that Kat did when I first got down here,” I smiled over at Kat who was smiling back.
“Really? Thats awesome. So do I, I totally love them,” Bam smiled and I think I forgot how to breath for a second. “What else do you like?”
“Well, I really like Avenged Sevenfold and you can never do wrong with a little CKY in there too,” I smiled and took a sip of my martini, feeling Bam's eyes on me the entire time.
“Really? I love those guys too. Thats great,” Bam seemed amazed that I liked these bands. I smiled back at him and for a moment him and I were both caught up with eachother. I heard the squick of the chair that was on my other side and noticed that Novak got up.
“Lets head back to the hotel room, I wanna get this tattooin started!” He picked up his beer and as he started to walk out Kat quickly agreed and sugested that I catch up to him and talk to him about what he wanted her to do for him. I chased after Novak, thankfully he wasnt very far away. He had a cigarette placed in between his lips and was starting to light it. Each time he flicked his lighter it wouldn't start and I could hear him cursing under his breath from 5 feet away. I pulled the lighter that was in my purse out, that I kept in there for occations like these. I flicked the lighter on and held it up infront of Novaks face.
“Thanks, I guess my fuckin' lighter isn't working anymore,” he took a deep breath of the toxic fumes and then let it out in a puff of smoke. “Do you smoke?” He held up his pack of smokes, with the top still off.
“Nah, I just like to keep a lighter with me if I ever want to light something on fire,” I smiled and that seemd to make Novak smile again. I turned behind me and saw Kat and Bam making their way over to us.
“Ready to go tattoo?” Bam asked while smiling,
“Hell yes!”