Meeting You

I woke up as the sun was rising. Today was the day, I would see you. Hopefully. When I talked to Teri, yesterday, she informed me that she was heading to Ghost Riders.

Ghost Riders was a tattoo parlor. I worked there every now and then. It was also the first time I met Teri a year ago. She came with Daire.

I got ready for the day and walked out the door. I started my motocycle and pulled away from the curb as I headed downtown.

Since it was early, I was the first one at Ghost Riders. Chase and Dean wouldn't be here until later. I unlocked the door and walked inside.

Ghost Rider was located in the bad part of L.A. and if you weren't careful, you could end up in a dangerous situation. I didn't want Teri to bring you here for obviously reasons but there was nothing I could do about that.

Besides it might be better if you were here with me than somewhere alone. Some hours passed when the bell above the door rang.

I glanced up and arched an eyebrow when I saw who it was.

She smiled. "Hey, baby."

I ignored the nickname. I wasn't hers and she wasn't mine. "Thought you were mad at me."

I could care less if she was still angry at me for yesterday but she came here for a reason. One reason only.

She leaned over the counter I was at and batted her fake long eyelashes. "You know I can't ever stay mad at you."

"What do you want?"

"Seeing as we're the only ones here, there's a lot of things I want." She said, grinning.

She walked around the counter and pressed her chest against mine. She still needed a release. She reached up to kiss my lips but I turned my head and she kissed my cheek.

"Look, I don't have time for this." I told her, backing away. "Chase and Dean will be here any second."

"Since when did you care if Chase and Dean was here?"

Normally, I didn't but today was a little different. I wasn't going to tell Daire that though.

"What do you want?" I repeated.

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I want but since you refuse to give in, I guess I'll get a tattoo."

I nodded. I walked over to the tattoo station and Daire stopped me.

"The place I'm getting it requires us to go in the backroom."

Chase and Dean walked in together when Daire and I were heading into the back.

"You guys better not fuck again in the back room." Chase warned us.

"Wasn't planning on it." I muttered.

Daire hopped onto the black table and I began to get everything ready.

"What do you want?"

Without missing a beat, she replied. "A rose."

"Where?"

She took her shirt off and along with it her pink bra, exposing herself. I shouldn't expect any less from her. She did this so I could change my mind but I wasn't going to.

I cleaned the area and prepared the needle. She laid back on the table and my hand hovered above her. After warning her not to move, I begin.

I focused entirely on the rose and not her, much to her dismay. I was close to finishing when I heard Teri's loud voice. She yelled for Chase.

I finished Daire's tattoo and that was the part she was waiting for the most. I grabbed the ointment and covering and handed them to her.

"Aren't you supposed to do this for me?" She asked.

I was sure she could cover her tattoo herself.

"Not today."

I left the room and Teri was asking Chase if he could do her tattoo but I figured I could it.

"I can do it for you if you want." I said, stepping into the front of the building.

Teri brightens up when she saw me.

"Hayes!" She exclaimed. "Yes, can you do it? No offense Chase."

Chase merely shrugged before walking into the back.

I shifted my eyes away from Teri when I noticed a movement in the corner. There you stood by the entrance as if you were going to make a break any given second. You were scared anyone could see that.

From where I stood, I could make out the fading bruise on your face. The thought of someone hitting you made my hands ball up.

I nodded with my chin. "Who's she?"

Teri looked at her terrified cousin. "Oh that's my cousin, Audrey. Audrey this is my reckless friend, Hayes."

Once our eyes connected, you quickly looked away, only to look back at me. I stared at the bruise, wishing I could've prevented it. The day they went out, I was with Daire.

You tried to hide your bruise with your dark wavy hair but it was no use, I could still see it.

Daire yelled at Olly for messing up and Teri looked over my shoulders.

"Is Daire back there?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I just finished her rose tattoo."

Teri grinned. "Where did she get it?"

My lips twitched a little as I thought about the place Daire received her tattoo.

"I rather not say."

Teri laughed. "That's Daire for you."

I looked at you and you were still in the corner, refusing to take a seat.

"You don't have to stand there, Boo." I informed you. "We won't hurt you."

You groaned and I couldn't help myself for thinking about your moans if you could turn me on by your one groan. But I chased the thought away because you were off limits.

"I'm fine right here." You muttered.

I smirked. "Okay." I dragged Teri into the back and I throw over my shoulder "But I wouldn't stand there. That's where the bullets come from?"

I chuckled but Teri whacked me in the back of my head, hard.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!"

"Don't say that." She scolded me as if I were a little kid. "She gets scared easily."

I shrugged. "Not my problem."

"You should be more considerate."

"Trust me I am." I told her.

Half of my focus was on Teri while the other half was on the girl in the front sitting in the worn out seat. Once I was done with Teri we headed back into the front room and Teri suggested we all go to this amazing concert.

You didn't want to go and Teri begged you.

"Audrey please come with me."

"Teri I-"

I interrupted you. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

Again. I added to myself.

When you didn't deny it, Teri clapped.

"It's official. We're going to the concert tonight."

°§°

I arrived to the concert and met up with Chris, his girlfriend, Gina, and of course Daire. Shawn, Teri and you arrived later.

We were heading to the stage when you changed direction.

"Audrey where are you going? The concert is this way." Shawn said.

You tensed up but wordlessly you walked beside Gina. I looked around me to see what changed your mood but I saw nothing out the ordinary.

We found a spot and before the concert began, you asked Daire if you could switch spots but Daire was too stubborn to move.

"I said no. Stop asking." Daire snapped.

I might've been looking straight in front of me but I was listening, intently, to each and every word.

"Audrey? What are you doing here?"

You didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"I was wondering the same thing. But then I thought about it. I don't care."

"You don't have to be a bitch about it. He was just asking." A new voice joined. A girl's voice.

Then the brave part of you emerged. "Was I talking to you?"

"No but you're not gonna disrepect my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? So he hasn't told you he's already-"

I looked when your sentence got cut off. I frowned when I saw who it was. Jason, your ex boyfriend. He already hurt you by cheating on you with your best friend.

You pulled away from him. "Let go of me." You ordered him.

"No I think we need to go for a little walk."

I decided to step in. "And I think you need to let go of her."

They both looked at me and Jason frowned. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me." I said, coolly. "Remove your hand or I'll remove it for you. It's as simple as that."

I could feel Shawn and Chris backing me up but I didn't need their help. I could handle this scum myself.

Jason realized what position he was in and he took his hand off of you. With one last look, he disappeared.

After making sure you were okay, we enjoyed the concert. One point during the show, they put the spotlight on our group and we sung along. Chris made our group sound horrible but everyone was loving it.

We were heading back to the cars when Shawn brought up a touchy subject for you. He asked why you didn't sing and you said you couldn't sing but we knew that was lie.

"She sings." Teri said. "She's just being a jerk."

Everyone seemed to get why you didn't sing anymore except Daire. Or maybe she did but she was being bitch. She brought up your family and you broke down and ran away from the group.

I went after you but the crowd blocked me and I lost sight of you. Eventually it got late and we still haven't found you. I got worried because you drew trouble like a magnet.

I split from the group and travelled by foot. You couldn't have gone far. I turned onto a dimly lit street and I saw you.

And you weren't alone.

There was a guy standing over another body. You were terrified as he made his way over to you but once you saw me, you relaxed a little.

He told you he would make it quick and painless for you. I walked behind him and ripped him away from you but not before the knife grazed your chin.

The unknown guy, who was later identify as Eli Smith, was mad I interrupted him and you just stood there instead of running.

"Audrey. Turn around, run down the street and don't stop." I told you, keeping my eyes on the guy.

You didn't like that idea. "What? I'm not just going to leave you."

"You're not doing much help standing there, either." I said, clenching my jaw because you were still in harm's way.

I could see your mind working, overthinking. I knew you were afraid for my safety but you didn't have to be.

"Have some faith, Boo. I'll be okay." I assured you.

But yet you still didn't run.

"But-"

"Go, Audrey!" I said, forcefully.

Finally you got the hint and ran. I made the mistake of taking my eyes off of the man and he took my by surprise. He latched out and the knife cuts me.

I smirked and he looked at me weirdly. I understood why. My back lit up as my tattoos come visible.

"You just made a big mistake." I told him before making a move.

It was over just as quick as it began. I saw Teri's car coming down the road and I grabbed the two unknown bodies and vanished.

I couldn't go very far and what distance I did go made me weak. I was in the middle of the sidewalk when someone noticed us and the next thing I knew the cops and ambulance arrived.

I come to in a hospital bed. Two offices were in front of me. They moved closer when they realized I was up.

They asked me series of questions and I lied on some if them. They left. I sat up and just as I was about to leave my room, the curtain was yanked back, revealing a worried you.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I chuckled. "Glad you had so much faith in me. But yeah I'm fine."

"He didn't touch you?"

"Nope." I told you but you didn't believe me.

"You're a lair."

"Okay fine he might have cut me on my stomach but it's nothing too serious."

After assuring you I was fine, you got offended that I told the cops I was your boyfriend. I told you my reason behind it and then Teri walked in.

"Are you two lovebirds ready to leave?"

We left the hospital shortly after and I decided to stay with you and Teri. You made sure the door was locked and I promised you no one was going to hurt you as long as I was there.

The next morning, I decided to make breakfast and you walked in looking like a beautiful mess. I could tell your neck hurt because you kept rubbing it.

I made a joke about your appearance and you lashed back.

"You act like you look perfect." You tried to fix your hair but gave up on it.

"Yeah but girls seem to like it."

"Like what? I hope it's not your cocky attitude."

I glanced at you. "No. They like something much more."

I gestured to my body and your eyes followed and lingered. I chuckled.

"I'll say you like what you see too."

You blushed and told me not to flatter myself. After stating you were uptight and you making your pile, I suggested making you my famous treat. You were hesitant to try it because you thought I poisoned it but eventually you tried it.

I grinned and you asked why.

"You have cream on your lips."

I offered to kiss it away but unfortunately you turned it down. Teri then blessed us with her wonderful presence. I made a comment about her.

"You look so beautiful, Teri. You're like a goddess, right Audrey?"

You stuffed your mouth so you couldn't respond and Teri flipped me off.

"Fuck you, Hayes."

It was around ten when I decided to leave. You pretended to be happy I was leaving but you weren't.

"I don't know what's worse your big ego or you delusion youself into thinking I'll actually miss you."

I smirked. "Acting hard to get. I like that." I opened the front door. "Bye Teri!"

"You're finally leaving, thank God!" Teri said from the livingroom.

"Even Teri wants you to leave."

I shrugged. "She's annoyed. She'll get over it." I moved closer to you. "But you I'm going have break your walls down. And that's going to require us to spend a lot of time together."

You rolled your hazel eyes. "Good luck with that"

I told you, I didn't need luck.

When I walked out the door, Ramadi called me.

"How powerful is the girl's voice?"

"Don't know. She hasn't sang yet."

"It's been two days already. How hard can it possible be to get her to sing?"

Harder than I thought.

"Exactly." I told him. "It's been two days. She just met me. I'm still a stranger."

"The clock is ticking and if she doesn't sing in the next month, your mother is dead." He warned me.

"Don't you dare touch her." I growled.

"I won't. Not yet." He said. "And while you're at, make her fall in love with you."

"Why?"

"To keep things interesting." He replied. "It's shouldn't be hard for you. You know since that's what you're good at. Then once she's completely gives you her heart, crush it."