American Idiot

Me and Mary-Jane have been together for well over an year. And since today is our anniversary, I told her hat I wanted to get an tattoo of her name on my arm. Because after an year, I was already considering forever.
She was unusually quiet as she drove me to he tattoo shop. I figured that she was just nervous. Even though se wasn't getting n tattoo because she insisted that only the boyfriend s supposed to have one. I don't know, never look into it, but whatever she thinks Is best. She turned up the radio volume loud enough to tune out any hope of coversation. I just sighed and looked out the passengers window. Even though she kept flashing me innocent smiles, I still couldn't be sure why she'd just drown me out. I watched as bits and pieces of California passed. I'm not the Jesus of all of it. Just the Underground. The place sort of condemned to me. I don't even remember how in the hell I got a hold of it in the first place. But I didn't judge it, I enjoyed my power. Even if my power was collecting the Cocaine and booze from local outlets for the minors down there. It gets me respect and puts me up higher on the list for being an troublemaker.
We arrived within twenty minutes. Mary-Jane cut the engine and climbed out without an word. Every time I met her eyes, it looked like she wanted to say something. Just didn't know how. I followed her inside and didn't prod her with questions. She hates people quizzing her.
She is of popularity around town. Her dad an successful businessman like my own. They live at the fancy side of town while I live in the dumps. Her two parents can afford to buy her fancy clothes and cars. But she ends up cutting up her clothes to fit her style and help her fit into the Underground an little better. She wears jeans and t-shirts instead of the sundresses and heels her mother tries to get her into. She's an Perfect girl. To me, even she has her secrets from her parents. She comes home hungover and red eyed and everything else. Her dad works late at night and her mother typically is found in the big livingroom with the curtains drawn, an box of tissues and ice tea watching soap opera marathons and Lifetime movies. So I don't think either of them really notice the quality of their daughter when she returns home and slinks off to her room.
Mary-Jane says she wants to be like me. Be the queen of Suburbia. It's been her dream since we got together. But lately she hasn't talked about it much. Like she's trying to forget something. I brush it off and try not to notice. Mary-Jane got introduced to the underground by my best friend Tunny. She went to school with him and wanted an change from hanging out on the rusty bleachers watching football games after school. That's when she was an popular wearing sundresses and heels...
Tunny introduced us. Mearly, then when our eyes locked. I just wanted to talk to her. She was really nice, and sort of awkward coming from her popular society. To here, this land that's practically an weed overrun dump. Don't ask me why she favors it now... Cause I really don't know.
Mary-Jane and I went out an week after that and have been together ever since. I never thanked Tunny for getting us together, I'll have to do that when I return to the Underground tomorrow. Tunny hasn't really talked to Mary-Jane since that day an year ago. I guess it's because he finds nothing special in her. She's beyond special to me.
Inside was fairly comfy for an Place packed to the gills with needles. We went to work deciding how we wanted the tattoo to look. She talked with the tattooist enthusiastically about it and then they went to work actually applying the thing. I have an few tattoos already. Nothing from Mary-Jane though. Nothing to scream I love her. I zoned out while I laid on the table and let them do what they wanted with my arm.
About an hour or so later I was free to get off the table and looh at it. I revolved my arm around in front of the mirror. Getting an good look at the fresh ink. The black cursive letters speeling out 'Mary-Jane' on my forearm. The letters glowed with an lime green ink following the black letters like an echo. It was amazing.
I nodded. We paid for it and took care of all that stuff. Mary-Jane's attitude had changed since we'd gone in. She was laughing and smiling, and most of all, talking. She'd better love me after all. I got her name burned into my skin.
We got in the car and she drove me home. Parking alongside the curb. Unwilling to come in, I'm sure that coming from the nice neighborhood she did, it's hard to downgrade. Even for an visit.
I leaned over for an hug and an quick kiss and I climbed out. The sun was beginning to settle over the bay.
“Happy Anniversary.” I smiled at her as I leaned in her open window. One last kiss and I walked up the driveway toward the front door. I reached for the handle and paused, turning to look back at the street. It was empty of everything but the bright beams from the streetlights.