Tattooed

“Wake your ass up.” And that’s all it took from him and I was sitting up in my bed fully awake. I threw the covers off of me and slipped into my bathroom. I stared in the mirror while waiting for the water to heat. How was I going to explain this one? It’s from the surfing accident? Yeah right. Like anyone would believe that, besides Zack knows better. Fell off my bed? Yeah, that’d suffice. The mirror started to fog so I turned my attention to the shower; turning the water down a bit to keep from getting burned. I stripped, cover my cast with the cast protector the hospital had given my mother, and stepped in. The almost scolding water cascaded down my back, easing the tensed muscles. I washed and shaved before relaxing in the water for a short minute more. The cold burst of air didn’t feel too great when I opened the shower door. Grabbing the big black fluffy towel off the hook I stepped out wrapping it around my thin frame. My wet hair clinging to the top of my shoulders, beads of water stream down until the were swallowed by the towel. It was dry soon enough thanks to my best friend, the blow drier. I dragged my feet walking into my room.

“Shit.” I looked at the clock only to see I had 15 minutes to be dressed and out of the door. I hastily dried my body. I grabbed the first things I saw out of my drawer and tossed them on having a little difficultly because of the cast. It only went to my mid forearm but damn it was inconvenient. I made my bed to Aaron’s specification; not like I cared what my bed looked like, I was the only one who was ever going to be in here. I did my make up in 2 minutes flat. Granted form it only being foundation, eyeliner, and mascara, that was pretty quick for one hand. I grabbed 2 paintbrushes off of my desk, after throwing my messenger bag over my head and dry swallowing the pills from the doctor, and whipped my jet black hair into a messy bun -my bangs still hanging angled across my right eye- shoving the brushes through it as I almost tripped down the stairs. I missed the last step and smacked dead into the wall then stumbled into the kitchen, shoving a piece of bacon in my mouth, and basically ran through the living room to the front door. I swung the door open only to be greeted with those big green eyes I was so excited to see.

“Hey.” His hand dropped to his side as I swallowed the meat. Apparently he was about to knock. “I thought I would see if you needed a ride to-Whoa. What happened to your lip?” Zack quickly noticed the wound on the left my slightly swollen lip.

“I fell off my bed and hit the nightstand last night. New room; woke up and freaked out.” I shifted my eyes slightly with a slight laugh.

“Are you ok?” He was staring at my mouth, worry plastered on his face.

“I’m fine. So how did you plan on getting to school?” I quickly changed the topic.

“Oh. My sister, Zina, is cool enough to give me a ride and I asked her if she would mind giving you a lift and she doesn’t mind. Come on.” He took a hold of my right wrist and led me across the small lawns to the car that sat in his driveway. He open the back door for me, allowed me inside, before shutting it and running and hopping in the other side.

“Hi. I’m Zina. This is my friend, Rick.” The driver said to me through the rearview mirror before nodding toward the guy in the passenger who turned and shook my good hand in an awkward position.

“Hi. I’m Danni. Thanks for giving me a ride.” I smiled and buckled my seat belt. Rick turned back around and Zina raced out of the driveway toward the high school. The music started up.

“Little Angelfuck. It's a shame that luck is the only thing. Did you like the fun? Did you like the times that I promised you?” I sung along to myself bouncing in my seat to the music looking out of the window.

“You listen to the Misfits?” Zack asked somewhat shocked. I turned and gave him that ‘are you stupid’ look. He just smiled. The expression on his face changed for a split second before he started digging through his bag. I watched confused. He sat up straight smiling and silver sharpie in hand. “You can have this on one condition.”

“Why would I want it? I have 3 in my bag.” His sudden spurt of energy was kind of cute.

“Fine. Just burst my bubble then.” He turned, crossed his arms, and pouted. He was so adorable I couldn’t help but smile.

“What were you wanting for it?” I asked trying giving him a suspicious look but couldn‘t stop smiling.

“No, I don’t want it now. Forget it.” He continued to pout. I was starting to feel bad for some reason that was beyond me.

“Oh come on. You might get it and still get to keep your sharpie.” He eyes lit up and he turned to face me again.

“I want to sign your cast.” I busted out laughing. “What? Why are you laughing at me?” He started to pout again.

“You couldn’t have just asked? You don’t have to bribe me with sharpies.” I giggles and pushed my arm out toward him. The smile on his face was priceless. He looked like an 8 year old who’d just received a puppy for Christmas. He ducked under my arm so he was closer to my body and started to write on it, with his head blocking my view. The scent of shampoo and cologne with a hint of salt water filled my nose as he did so.

“So you can read it better.” He explained going slipping back under my arm returning to his original position. I looked down at the bulky thing on my wrist. ‘For surfing lessons, well just stick to the snow- Zacky #7’ I started laughing again.

“What if I really want to learn?” I was still smiling.

“Then I will teach you.” His half smile could melt anyone.

“Alright kiddies, we’re here.” Zina said as the car stopped. Z was out of the car and had my door open by the time I got my seatbelt off.

“Are you always this polite?”

“Not always but I was raised to be a gentleman. I can stop you know. Want me to walk you to the front office?” He offered once I was out of the car.

“You don’t have to stop and considering I have no earthly idea where the office is, that would be helpful.” I closed the door cheerfully.

“Right this way miss.” He jokingly bowed a bit and linked arms with me. We walked through the parking lot, in a door, and through some hallways before another doorway. I
was never going to be able to find my way back here. I got my schedule and a stack of papers that everyone gets at the beginning of the year, well more like Zack got them for me. We started to walk out of the office just as a boy about a foot taller than me walked in, a teacher in tow. He looked me up and down as Z and I passed him.

“Um. This may sound really sad but, can you help me find my way around? Or at least to my first class?” I asked once we were out of the office.

“Sure. Lucky for you, you‘re starting on a Monday so you‘ll go to all of your classes
today. Then Tuesdays and Thursday is odd numbered classes; Wednesday and Friday are even numbers” That perfect smile taking hold of his lips once again as his eyes glanced over the paper. “Oh cool. You have French with me. Right this way.” He linked arms with me once more, after I shoved the papers in my bag, and headed down the hall.

“God, this place is huge.” I looked around once we were outside walking to the far building on the left. The entire school has an old roman architecture feel to it. Every part of it was concrete with carvings in it.

“You’ll get used to it.” Zack beamed at me. “So tell me why you don’t have an accent?” It seemed to be more of a question than a command.

“Well, my mom is a native-born Canadian- I’m sure you hear her accent- and my father is from Los Angeles. They met while my dad was up there for military training. They got married and when my mom was pregnant with me, they went up to visit family, thinking I wouldn’t be born for a few more months, and I came early. They came back not long after that and filed all the papers so I have dual citizenship.” We walked in the building. “They were going through a nasty divorce, so instead of putting me in the middle, I moved in with my aunt in Montreal until everything was settled.” He was leading me through the hall.

“How long were you up there?”

“3 years. Mom just got custody of me 2 weeks ago and made me move down here.” We walked in the second to last door on the right; J11. The entire class seemed to be in here already.

“Must suck to have to leave all of your friends.” He gave me a look of sympathy.

“It’s ok. It not like I never get to talk to them. I just hated having to leave the band I was in with my cousin.” The bell rang just as I finished my sentence. The teacher walked in and shut the door behind her putting an end to our conversation. Zack quickly took his seat in the front row near her desk.

“New student?” She asked looking at me.

“Yes ma’am.” I smiled and handed the schedule I had be given.

“Parlez-vous un francais?” She asked raising an eyebrow. (Do you speak French)

“Oui. J'ai parle le francais depuis que j'avais quatre ans.” (Yes. I’ve spoken French since I was 4.) She smiled pleased. I glanced at Zack and chuckled slightly at the look of astonishment on his face. “Je m'appelle Danni.”

“Je m’appelle Mme Dunn.” She then instructed me to take the only empty seat in the room after giving me my textbook. It was in the back to the left of a lanky guy who had his head down and his clothes looked like acid trip. I did as I was told and Mrs. Dunn quickly started her lesson. I opened the book and pulled a bag of gummy worms and a notebook out of my bag before setting it to my left. After biting into one of the worms and setting the bag in to top right corner of my desk, I realized I couldn’t write anything due to my broken wrist. I waited for the teacher to finish explaining the assignment then slipped up to her desk.

“Mme. Dunn, I can’t write anything. I’m left handed.” I said in a low, regretful voice lifting my wrist slightly to emphasize.

“Just try your best. I’m sure I’ll be able to make out your answers.” I saw Zack roll his eyes and shake his head in my peripheral vision. I walked back to my seat to see the boy in the bright clothes was sitting up writing something with a gummy worm hanging out of his mouth. A smile spread over my lips as he looked up and sucked it in his mouth, seeing me walking back. I took my seat just as he swallowed.

“Want another one? I‘m Danni” I offered in a whisper holding out the bag with a slight laugh. His blue eyes lit up and he took one.

“Jimmy.” Biting into it. “So, what happened?” He raised an eyebrow looking at my cast.

“Tried surfing.”

“Not from around here are you?”

“Not really.” I laughed.

“So, I see you’re friends with the baseball team.” His gaze flickered to Zack.

“Oh, Zack? He’s my neighbor. I don’t really know anyone. He’s just being nice and helping me find my way around.” I shrugged. I mean, that’s all he was doing, being nice, right?

“Just wait ‘til his friends find out.” A bitter look on his face.

“Why? Won’t like me or something?”

“If you’re not a cheerleader or athlete then they don’t want you around their star.” He rolled his eyes. I threw a glance at my personal savior. “Don’t get attached.” The bell rang as if on cue and he was out of the room.

“Hey, what’s your next class?” Zack asked walking up. I brushed off what Jimmy had said, standing up and shoving everything in my bag..

“English 1 Honors with Mrs. Anderson room A26.” I replied.

“Head back to the building we came from turn left go up the stairs turn right and it’s the first door in the right. My class isn’t far from there so I’ll walk with you. What’s after that?” We started back the way we came.

“World history with Elburg in A40.”

“That’s actually where I’m going now. It’s just down the hall on the left.” He gave me that heart-melting smile. We made it to my class in next to no time. “I’ll meet you here when class is over?”

“Sure thing.” He walked off as I introduced myself to the teacher. She gave me a thick book, welcomed me to her class and gave me my locker number, A1031, and combination. It was located on the bottom floor close to the guidance office, which I’d been in this morning. The class was dull like most English classes but Zack was at the door as quick as the bell had rung. He stood in the doorway smiling as I threw my stuff in my quickly filling bag. Now would be a good time to dump these books.

“How was it?” He questioned once I was near the door.

“Boring. I just got my locker number so I think I’m going to dump these books.” I motioned to the bag.

“Want me to walk you? I have my English class next so I have a few free minutes.”

“Thanks but I think I’ve got this one. Plus I don’t want to take up all your time. Won’t your friends be missing you?” A warm expression on my face.

“True. After this I’ll walk you to your next class?”

“Sounds like a plan. I believe I have Algebra with Mr. Medure.” I nodded after glancing at my quickly getting wore schedule.

“Yay! You’re in another one of my classes!” His excited face was be far one of the cutest things ever.

“See ya.” I called over my shoulder before going down the stairs and finding my locker in a sea of students. I had a little trouble with the lock; it took me 3 tries to get it to unlock. I placed my books on the shelf at the top before stepping back to close it but it was slammed shut for me. A guy around 5 foot 11 with a buzz cut, brown eyes, and wearing a varsity jacket was leaned against the locker next to mine looking down at me. He eyed me up and down a few of his friends behind him doing the same.

“Look what the bats dragged in boys! We’ve got some fresh meat! Not in the best condition but not too bad.” He exclaimed. I looked down and tried to step past him but was stopped short by his large hand pushing on my chest. “Not going to say anything sweetheart?” His eyes locked on my cast. “Oh, so Zack’s already beat us to the punch? I should have known that boy would jump on any new girl in town.” He laugh gave me the chills.

“I need to go to class.” I went to push my way through only to be roughly forced back onto the lockers. Jimmy’s words surfaced in my mind. Guess this is just the beginning.

“You can go when I say you can.” He was towering over me. I knocked his hands off of me and went to walk yet again only to be slammed into the lockers, head hitting them, and held there firmly. The halls were starting to empty. Was no one going to say anything? I closed my eyes and relaxed trying to keep the pain shooting through my head to a minimum. The guy holding me in place said something but I was so focused on my breathing I didn’t process his words. His grip was ripped from my shirt and my eyes snapped open.