The Things We Wanted Most

Mike slipped the pay check from my hands, and unzipped my Jansport and set it inside, before zipping it back up. When he was done, arms pulled me into a chest, which I recognized to be Vic's.

"Keep these ones in line little one. I expect you back in one piece." He said into my ear causing Tony and Jaime to protest loudly. Kissing his cheek, I promised him I would with a laugh, tears beginning their trek down my cheeks. He pulled away from me to say goodbye to his best friends. Turning to face Mike, I wiped my eyes, not wanting him to worry.

"I promised you I would never leave your side." He whispered, his vans shuffling closer to my converse.

"Your not leaving me. I'll see you in a week." He nodded, a small smile took over his face. He reached forward and pulled the hood over my head. My hair landed in my face, causing me to wrinkle my nose in irritation.

"C'mere." He whispered opening his arms. The tears began to fall again as I ran to him, jumping into his tall body. My small, 5'3 body, wrapping itself around his. My legs settled onto his hip bones, my arms wrapping tightly around his neck. I stuffed my head into the crook of my elbow. He held me up with one arm, tightening his free arm across my back. He rubbed his nose into my shoulder.

"It's only a week." He whispered, pressing his lips to my cheekbone and holding them there for a few seconds. I melted in his arms, slipping my right hand into his hair.

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We had been in the car for about 2 days. My driving shift had come and gone, both guys agreeing that from now, I wouldn't be driving. I was okay with that though, because I hated driving. As of now I found the car driving smoothly down some freeway in the middle of no where I had taken control of the backseat. My feet were folded on top of the upholstery, a blanket covering my legs. I still had Mike's hoodie on, the scent occasionally wafting to my nose. My left arm was folded on the window seal, my right arm riding the waves of the wind. My hair was flying everywhere, because I had my head rested on my arm.

"Jaime?" I questioned, my voice barely an octave above whispering. My eyes were focused on my hand, floating up and down, so I didn't see him already facing me, with a camera in his hand.

"Hmm?"

"Where are we?"

"Kansas." He responded back.

"Are you okay GG?" Tony asked me.

"Yeah, just bored. What about you Tortue?" I had taken to calling him Tortue, which is french for turtle, after he expressed his love for the adorable sea creature.

"We are going to stop at an outdoor mall, to get food. You want to do something there?" I suddenly sat up at Jaime's words, facing him, noticing the camera. I sighed, realizing he was recording something for Micheal. Reaching out, I blew a kiss towards the camera lens and then stole the device from Jaime. Pressing the record button again, I turned it off, and then looked up at the boys in the front.

"I want a tattoo." Tony looked up at me, through the rear view mirror and Jaime grinned excitedly at me.

"Are you sure GG? It's going to hurt a a lot." Tony questioned. I thought about it, over and over again in my head while Tony found a mall, and an empty parking space.

"I am sure." I told him as I met him around the trunk of the SUV.

"I'm not so sure, I'll have to call Mike, see if it's okay with him." Jaime protested against let quickly.

"Tortue! He's not my handler! Please." I stopped him from walking, alcing my hands on his face and squeezing so his face contorted to look like a fish.

"I want to surprise him." I pouted. Jaime stood behind me, his head clearly passing mine. I looked back at him noticing he was pouting as well.

"Please, please. Please. Please. Please!" He pushed my hands away from his face as he sighed loudly, clearly not liking the situation we were putting him in. I knew he had given in though, which made me squeal and throw my arms around him. When Jaime caught up with the moment, he let out an impassably girly squeal as well, wrapping his arms around both of us.

"Okay, okay!" He yelled , trying to hide his smile, and failing miserably.

"What're you gunna get?" Jaime asked as we made our way to the LA Bou.

"I have to draw it, it's hard to explain." So, I asked Jaime to order me a turkey melt and then sat at a table. I pulled out a notebook that I kept in my messenger bag and flipped it to a blank page. I began to loosely draw a willow tree, but made sure I made the branches look like they were blowing in the wind to the left. When the boys sat down next to me, I was just adding the swing in.

"The only way I'm taking you to get this, is if you eat something first." Tony said. Nodding my head, I quickly, I began to scarf down the still warm grilled cheese sandwich. I was anxious for this moment, knowing I wanted this tattoo since my mom died.

"What was your first tattoo?" I asked in between bites.

"My first bands name is tattooed on my forearm." Tony replied.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Jaime exclaimed, jumping up and down in his seat. He had eaten his sandwich within minutes of sitting down. While Tortue had ordered a bag of bread and dill sauce. Jaime was wearing my messenger bag across his chest. A few minutes before he had shoved my notebook into my bag.

"Toooooony." He dragged out. Tony rolled his eyes before standing up and holding his colorful hand out to me. I glided around the table, to meet him. When I got close, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. There was a tattoo and piercing ship in the mall, and we only knew this because Jaime had already scouted it out. Compared to Tony, Jaime and I looked like saints. His colorful arm wrapped around my neck, I'm sure made us look like quiet the pair.

"What can we do for you?" We heard as we walked, or in Jaime's case, ran into the small, brightly lit shop.

"We're in need of some ink." Tony announced.

"Ahhhh. Add to your collection?" The giant, colorful man questioned. He had long features, really broad shoulders, a thick chest, and ginormous arms. His black hair was cut close to his head, but was still long enough to be spiked. He had bright blue eyes and a long nose, his top lip was thin but his bottom lip was thick. I huddled into Tony's side, feeling slightly smaller then the man.

"Actually we have an ink virgin that we need to break." The man's eyes fell on me, slight surprise echoed through the bright orbs.

"Excellent!" He shared his name with us and then invited us over to the desk station, asking if I knew what I wanted. Jaime whipped out my notebook, flipping it open to the correct page.

"Where do you want this?" The man asked, quickly looking over my design.

"My right side. From my hip to the skin under my breast." I told him. Tony looked at me suddenly in surprise.

"That's going to hurt a lot, excruciatingly bad." He whispered into my ear.

"I can handle it Tortue."

"It'll take about a half hour to draw this. Is that a'ight?"

"Yeah! But actually can Tony draw it for me? I don't doubt your skills. But this is important to me and he is apart of the meaning behind it. It would make it even more special." Tony looked over at me in surprise again.

"Of course! It's your tattoo." Robert smiled at me. Tony started to protest but I gave him a look that basically told him to shut it and draw. He looked nervous the entire time, which Jaime made fun of him for. This in turn made me laugh. I felt bad for not asking Jaime to, but he seemed to understand.