She Doesn't Believe In Love

I got out of the Jeep Commander. My lovely father has the best car. My mom? I hate her car. Stupid Toyota. At least her car is black, but like my father’s maroon…. It’s better. Maroon is always better. I grabbed my little suitcase and slammed my door shut. Clearwater, Florida. My brother, Jack got out of the car. He’s in a band, I doubt you don’t know them. My mom flipped her sunglasses up and opened the door.

“Come on!” Jack yelled.

“I’ll go check in. Jack and Ivy, get the bags.” Dad said walking over to the hotel. I nodded. I popped the trunk open and started getting the 3 suitcases out. Cool.

“Are we gonna go hunting for hotties?” Jack asked shutting the trunk. I nodded.

“Of-fucking-course.” I said rolling the bags to the street corner. I breathed in the salty air. My distressed, dark wash jean shorts felt right. My GK loose tank top with bikini top, felt perfect. My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Fuck it. I’m no where near Philly. I smiled. I rolled the suitcases across the cross walk into the beach front hotel. God, I love Clearwater.

“Ivy!” I turned around. Jack was waving me down.

“What?” I screamed back.

“There’s a party tonight at the beach.” He said shoving a flyer in my face when he over to me.

“Sweet.” I said shoving the flyer into my bag, it’s a not purse but it’s a bag.

I walked through the door that some old guy had opened for me.

“Thank you.” I said. He nodded.

Dad was standing by the elevator and he handed me the key.

“812.” He said. Cool. The eighth floor. I nodded.

“Go have fun.” I nodded and went into the elevator when it opened. I pressed the number eight and tapped my foot.

Damn, these elevators are fast. The elevator door opened and I walked out.

I looked at the sign. 840-869 to the left. 800-839 to the right. I went to the right. There was another hall down where it said 800-815. I followed that to my room. The door to 800 busted open and I stumbled backwards. Fuck my life.

“I’m sorry.” I heard, I looked up. Gorgeous blue eyes looked back.

“Oh, it’s ok. I wasn’t watching the doors.” I said jokingly and smiled.. He laughed and smiled.

“Are you going to the party tonight?” He asked.

“Yeah, you?” I asked.

“Yeah, maybe I’ll see you there.”

“Maybe.” I said, smiling. I hope not.

“Cool. By the way, I’m Matt.”

“I’m Ivy.” I said.

“Cool, see you around Ivy.” He said smiling. He walked away and I walked to my room.

“Who the fuck was that?” Jack asked bounding up behind me and scaring the shit out of me.

“Matt.” I said.

“Matty?” He asked. I shook my head as I opened the door.

“Just some random hottie named Matt.” I said walking in and dropping my shit off. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and checked it.

A call from Danny. 5 texts from Danny.

“im sorry baby, I fucked up. Take me back.”

“I love you.” Sure you do. Is that why you cheated?

“I miss you.” Sure.

“Take me back baby.” No.

“please.” No. I grabbed the key and put it in my wallet. I grabbed my beach bag and put my wallet in there, along with my iPod.

“Ciao.” I said Jack.

“Ciao bella.” He said hugging me. I rolled my eyes. Don’t ask. I looked down at my feet. Black nail polish on my toe nails and lovely chipped black on my finger nails.

I walked down the hall to the elevator. Too many people waiting, I walked over to the stairwell and walked down the stairs. People say that your life is a song and your heart writes it. If that’s true metaphorically, them damn. My song is like a Good Charlotte song, maybe a You Me At Six song. Mmmm….definitely heartbreak though. A lot of drums, guitar solos. I smiled to myself. I’m enjoying that too much.

I opened the door and walked into the lobby. I can not be seen with any guys. That tabloids would get a hold of it and bam! I’m a whore. Let’s clarify this, I’m not famous. My brother, Jack, is in a band. You might have heard of them. All Time Low. Yes..I’m Ivy Barakat. Shocker, right? Shut up. I have a thing with Zack. It’s kind of friends with benefits, but it isn’t. We like each other, but Jack has this thing where I can’t date band members of his. Hence the friends with benefits thing. Oh, and the other part of the whole FWB thing… we don’t wanna be in love.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I grabbed it. Zack. Haha, speaking of the devil.

“’Sup?” I said into the phone as I walked out of the lobby.

“Good afternoon to you too baby.” Zack said laughing.

“I’m sorry, I’m in public. I can’t just say your nickname in the lobby of a hotel.” I said apologetic.

“Oh, I forgot.” He said. I laughed.

“I figured.” I said smiling at the little girl that waved at me.

“Guess what.” Zack said, I could tell he was smiling.

“What?” I asked.

“Remember that house you wanted?”

“Yeah?” I said walking across the street. I loved Clearwater, especially the tattoo shops.

“I’m buying it.” He said excited. I stopped.

“What?!” I asked, happily. He always said he wanted to move in with me, as ‘friends’, but living with my friend Lyndsi wouldn’t work.

“Yeah, for both of us.” He said happily.

“Oh my God babe! Your amazing!” I exclaimed. I substituted his usual nickname with babe.

“Well thank you. You’re pretty amazing yourself.” He said. I smiled.

“Thank you.” I said. I stopped in front of the shop. I smiled.

“Tell Jack to call me then.” He said,

“Okay, I’m gonna go talk to your friend about my tattoo.” I said.

“Okay, tell Jeff I said hey.”

“Ok, bye.”

“Bye beautiful.” I blushed and ended the call. I opened the door and I felt home.

“Hi, I’m here to see Jeff.” I said to the receptionist.

“Ivy Barakat?” He asked. I nodded.

“One second.” I nodded.

“Jeff! Merrick’s friend is here!” He screamed, I giggled slightly. I’ve met Jeff a few times before. He walked down the steps from the top level and over to me.

“Hey Ivy.” He said hugging me loosely.

“Hey Jeff.” I said.

“Tattoo?” He asked. I nodded.

“You emailed me the picture, right?” I nodded.

“I have it drawn up.” He said grabbed the paper of my tattoo. I smiled.

“Any color?” He asked. He handed me the paper of the tattoo. I looked at it. My 5th tattoo. It was a little stereo boom box style with music notes coming out of the speaker part.

“Can the boom box be purple?” I asked.

“Of course.” I smiled. I handed the paper back to Jeff.

“Come on.” He said walking up the stairs. The tattoo stations are up there, the shop is cool as hell. He led me to the first station and I sat down on the chair.

“On your hip?” He asked. I nodded. I rolled my tank top up and I unbuttoned my shorts and moved them down onto my upper thigh on my left side. My bikini bottom showing.

“Zack coming down?” He asked as he placed the stencil on my body.

“Not that I know of. He says hey though.” I said laughing.

“Cool. He let me in on a wittle secret.” He said smirking. I gave him the bitch brow.

“Really?” I asked. He pointed to the mirror and I walked over.

“Perfect.” I said.

“Yeah, he did.” He said as I walked back over to the chair.

“What was it?” I asked.

“That you two are doing the friends with benefits thing.” He said, I laughed.

“You didn’t know?” I asked surprised. He shook his head as he started the tattooing process.

“I know more then that too.” I raised my brow again.

“Is it about the benefits or me?” I asked rolling my eyes.

“Both.” He said laughing. Oh God..

“I also know about your secret tattoo.” People think this is my 4th tattoo. It’s my 5th.

“Where is it?” I asked. It is secret, but people will find out soon enough.

“Bra area.” I nodded. I have a song lyric where my bra covers my side, upper side of my torso.

“What does it say?” He asked.

“You know the song I Miss You by Blink-182?” He nodded.

“It says, “We can live like Jack and Sally if you want. Where you can always find me, we’ll have Halloween on Christmas.”

“Cool.” Jeff said.