Life in a Fast Lane

"I worked on the tattoo gallery across the street, I'm not trying to be a creep, just needed a seat so I can get away from those maniac I work with." Jason said, still standing in front of Bridget's table.

Bridget rolled her eyes out of annoyance as she stood up and let Jason took a seat on her table. She was about to leave when Jason groaned a little and grabbed Bridget's arm as he asked her to sit back because he was just about to leave. Bridget slowly counter Jason's grip as she she told him to just back off.

"You wanted to use a seat, then sit." Bridget said coldly.

"But you're leaving." Jason said as he looked down.

"I told you I don't want to be bothered. In which part do you not understand?"

"I don't understand the part where you're leaving." Jason said as Bridget rolled her eyes and went out of the coffee shop. "Hey, I'm sorry!" Jason shouted and it caught Bridget's attention and she turned to Jason.

Jason smiled toward Bridget's direction as he walked toward her and pulled her back to the corner of the room, just the place where Jason interrupted her at. Bridget tried her best to resist the guy's offer but ended up loosing because of how hard Jason insisted her to stay.

Jason steer his coffee for several times as they were sitting in an awkward silence. Bridget's eyes examine every single inch of the place, every little detail that was there and she spotted that one stain and a scratch beside it on the wall that was caused by Cameron and Eric when they were hanging there.

Bridget put on a little smile as she dropped a tear and feel the whole memories rushed back to her mind. She could still remember how Eric and Cameron excitedly told her they'd make a band on the spot. There was one thing Bridget loved the most on the coffee shop detail, the scratch of permanent marker under the table she was sitting on, written "we'll be rockstars!-TDF". She looked down under the table and it was still there as she burried her face in between her hands, sobbing quietly to the memories that flew around.

Jason noticed the bubbly side of Bridget's as he pulled a chair next to hers and sit there quietly, waiting if maybe Bridget would like to say something. The sob got even harder as Jason embraced himself to pulled Bridget into a hug.

"I'm not sure if I did right by hugging you, since I don't even know your name, but seeing you cry somehow remind me of my mom, and I miss her..." Jason said as he took a deep breath and wiped her tears away off her face.

"Where's your mom?" Bridget asked as she lift up her face and Jason put on a bitter smile.

"Heaven." Jason sighed. "She passed away on Christmas eve 2008, that's why I moved here the next day. Though I love her, its just a little depressing to remember what I've through in that house of ours." Added him as he chuckled in sadness.

"What about your dad?"

"What? No. No way I'm telling you everything! I barely know ya." Jason said as he narrowed his eyes and caused a chuckle on Bridget.

"Right! Oh well, hi, my name's Bridget and I live about two blocks away from here." Bridget said as she smiled and offering Jason a hand to shake.

"That was intense. I didn't ask for your address, you know." Jason chuckled as Bridget rolled her eyes. "But Bee, to answer your question, my dad left me and my mom when I was around 8, so I've always been the one taking care of my mom."

"I'm sorry, Jas. I do." Bridget said as he looked down to her toes and Jason smiled before sipping his coffee and strokes her hair.

Bridget was then begin to tell Jason what really was going on with her and Cameron. Those words came out of her mouth just like a pinball machine. She could no longer filter which she wanted to tell and which better to be kept secret. Even though she shed a tear at once, Jason succeeded at putting her smile back on.

Bridget spent the evening inside the coffee shop with Jason by her side. They were there until the barista told them it was closing time already. For both of them, their time that was spent together was an escape of the reality for both of them. However, Bridget managed to find out a lot much more about Jason

Jason walked Bridget to her car as he closed her door and told her to come by to the coffee shop again the next day because Jason wanted to show her his workshop. Jason was a great tattoo artist. He has enough designs painted on people’s body. He had been doing his job ever since he was in high school.

Bridget hasn’t been smiling that wide ever since she’s got into a fight with Cameron in DC, and no matter how much she resisted Jason’s charm, she ended up laughing at her effort to deny him. By the end of the night, Bridget convinced herself it was okay if she’s got close as friend to Jason.

The next day, as Bridget finished her last class, she went to Vivian’s and Gio’s campus as Vivian drove their way to the coffee shop. Vivian was of course the one who was ordering coffee for the three of them as Jason noticed Bridget’s arrival and he decided to cross the street and came over them.

As shocking as it was for Bridget’s first time meeting him, Gio and Vivian’s reaction was just the same. Vivian scoffed out of disbelief of how this guy’ act around her but managed to keep it down because he was basically Bridget’s friend.

As Jason took them inside his workshop, and the girls was introduced to some of his worker. Turned out, Jason didn’t just tattooed people, he was also the one managing the gallery and it was his very own tattoo gallery which Vivian then thought it was cool.

“There’s no way you own NOVA Ink!” Vivian gasped. “I totally am sorry for my rude comment toward you before. You’re definitely an amazing person.” Vivian added as she looked through some tattoos albums.

“Seems like you’re interested in making a tattoo, huh?” Jason said as he pulled a chair and flipped it before sitting on it.

“I’ve always wanted to make a tattoo but I was scared of its pain. I mean, its needle, man.” Vivian pouted as Bridget and Gio laughed.

“I never knew you’re as scared as Cameron when it comes to needle...” Bridget said as Vivian rolled her eyes out of annoyance then Bridget bit her lower lip and her sight were empty.

Bridget looked down to her tank an realized that Cameron had the exact same tank she was wearing. Gio noticed the emptiness through Bridget’s eyes as she pulled her into a hug and Vivian followed Gio before Bridget would cry her eyes out.

“David told me that they’re actually on the way home. It was Eric’s idea to bail on the shopping kind of stuff and back home.” Gio whispered real slow so then she would not ruin Eric’s surprise for Vivian. “Don’t tell Viv!” Added her as she realized Jason was eavesdropping at her conversation.

“Anyways, let’s roll the credit to this blue kind of moment, and get back to this shit, are you going to get tattoo? If you do, pick the one you wanted on your body and I’ll get it done!” Jason said as he clapped his hand and Vivian convinced herself to get her first tattoo.

“I was supposed to bitch around toward you, but you got me. So yeah, inked me up!” Vivian grinned, followed by the laughter from her friends.