THE PRESENT

Riley

"One minute." The cameraman shouts to the room. The woman in front of me is sitting in a white leather chair exactly like mine. Our legs are facing each other. Her legs are shorter because she is around 5'2" whereas mine are longer at 5'8". Journalists are not trustworthy. At least I know if she tries prying with the wrong questions she is within kicking distance.

The woman before me is crossing her legs and fixing her posture to look good for the camera. Her ruby red lips and dress scream 'Look at me' as well as her six-inch black heels. Her black hair was perfectly flat ironed. The makeup team must be amazing because her face is flawless. 

"Welcome to The Talk of Today I'm your host Sharon Tate. With me today we have the famous tattoo artist known for her friendship tattoos, Riley Harris. Let's begin." She turns her head from the camera and directs her attention to me.

 "Ms. Harris, can you tell us why friendship tattoos mean so much to you?" The host of the morning show asks me.

A memory of beautiful gray eyes capturing mine. It was almost as if I had no will of my own my eyes bound to his. With no chance of me being able to look away. My gaze, my mind, and my body were all focused on him as if there was nothing else.

I swallow and try to keep the look on my face professional. The lights in this room are so bright and on me that it's difficult to even see that I can only make out her in front of me. The lights are making me sweat so much my clothes are sticking to me. Unlike the host, my outfit isn't impressive.

I'm wearing a pair of leather mini-shorts with black fishnets. My top is an off-the-shoulder gray sweatshirt with holes in it in random places. Combat boots with glow-in-the-dark puppy bandaids stand out on my feet. I love these bandaids Jonah's daughter put them on. I will never take them off.

My light blue and lavender hair cascaded down my back in waves. I'm wearing makeup it changes the way my face looks. I still probably look vampire-pale under these lights.

"When I was a teenager I got a tattoo with someone who I thought was a friend. Turns out they weren't. I use my tattoo as a reminder of the type of person, to never let in my life again. I believe out there are best friends who wouldn't hurt each other. The friendships I happen to encounter in my job help me heal from my own past trauma." I take a breath and give a heartfelt smile. A flash of gray eyes comes in and out of my focus. Why does talking about him never get any easier?

"The people I get to meet showed me that true friendship is possible. To the point where I was able to trust another. I was awarded with a true friendship of my own. These people made me a believer. That's why they mean so much to me. The people I meet are proof of loving lifelong friendships. The kind that are bonded souls. Those are the people I tattoo." I maintain eye contact with the host. I have a passion for my work and I love what I do. I just hope it is all being conveyed through this interview.

"So you say past trauma. You never really get into what happened. As well as you never show the tattoo. Why is that?" The host deviates from the typical script.

I fight with all I have not to fidget. "I speak about the past friendship to a point where I am emotionally able. There is another half of this tattoo. They are out there somewhere. What if by chance someone noticed the tattoo I'm talking about and harassed that person? I'd rather just have my privacy and keep it anonymous."

I watch as the host bristles because I said fuck. Damn, this is a live interview.

I'm under the NDA I signed as a teenager. I wouldn't be able to speak about it even if I wanted to. I don't want to speak about it anyway. I wish I had the choice to tell Jonah if I wanted to though.

"Well, you never really went into the details on why the friendship broke off. You never talked about what that person did. Wouldn't you want a little revenge? Why do you protect this person?"

I readjust in my seat. That line of questioning is very uncomfortable. I don't believe this lady has the balls even to ask them. I have the urge to kick her. "As I said before. I only speak about what I can emotionally handle. Again it was a traumatic experience that I don't want to share with the world. I still heal from it every day. That pain never went away. So I use the positivity of the lovely people I meet to mend my heart."

"Do you ever tattoo those who want to get rid of or hide a friendship tattoo?"

"Oh yeah, all the time. I'm just as popular for those as well. We dedicate a few slots per episode just for this kind of tattoo. Where I keep mine for a reminder some people just want to forget. Which is fine, everyone is different. So they tell their stories and we show the transformation."

"Would you ever get another friendship tattoo with someone else? Like for instance the true friend you were speaking about earlier. If so where would you get it? What would it look like?"

"Oh, these are interesting questions. I feel put on the spot. If I felt ready to I would get another friendship tattoo with the person I was mentioning. We share a love for Lord of the Rings. I haven't planned it with him but if I were to get one with him I would want it to be the quote "A friend is one soul abiding two bodies." by Aristotle and written in elvish on my ribs under my heart." Thinking about the tattoo and Jonah makes me genuinely smile. "And of course, I would want us to do each other's tattoos. He doesn't even know I thought about this at all." I awkwardly laugh.

"You're a very beautiful woman sought after by many. How come we never seen you out with anyone? Are you seeing someone special? Possibly this man you keep speaking about?"

"Thank you for the compliment. You never see me out with anyone because I don't go out with anyone or are with anyone special. I don't do relationships."

"Do you not do relationships because of your past trauma?"

My jaw ticks. "Correct."

"There are rumors you're in a secret relationship with Jonah Walker. For those that don't know he's her employee and is also on the show. Sightings of the two are seen all over the place."

Laughing so loud I accidentally hurt my throat and cough. "Jonah will be ecstatic to hear you ask me that. He has a huge crush but no we're not together. He's my employee and the closest thing I have to a best friend. We've known each other for a long time. He's who I was referring to when talking about a friendship tattoo." I'm smiling so huge my face hurts. The host's look of disappointment further widens my smile. Just thinking about what Jonah is going to say to this makes me happy.

"There are rumors that some celebrities are going to be on season six. Is that true? Can you reveal to us any names?" The host sits forward her head leaning in excited for the answer.

"You will be just as surprised as I will be. I have no idea what celebrities will be on. I didn't even know we were having any. We have had some in the past and those were some of our more popular shows."

"Rumor is this star is extremely popular. We've been hearing it's going to be Lucas King that's going to be on the show."

I'm immediately stunned. I can't breathe. This can't be happening... It has to be a mistake. In my mind, Lucas's gray eyes pierced mine with an intensity that I couldn't look away. Black hair that slipped easily through my fingers. A beautiful face that I caressed. Soft lips that I have kissed.

"Ms. Harris?" The host saying my name causes me to jump and focus back on her. It can't be. The host has to be wrong. Lucas King doesn't do TV shows. He thinks they are beneath him. It has to be just a rumor. I hoped I would see him again someday I guess this is my chance. I love him the same as the day I met him. I don't know why after all these years I still want him but I do.

Deep... Deep... Deep down in my heart, there is still love for him even though he broke it. The pain he caused me never went away. It has a vice grip on me and it just won't ever let go. His one action caused repercussions throughout my life even now. Devastation has a way of ruining things.

"Ms Harris?" Her voice is more forceful now.

"Sorry, Sorry. My brain just went... Into space." I laugh to try to lessen the awkwardness. "I have no idea who is going to be on. I'm not a fan of Lucas King's music and don't really know anything about him. I guess I will learn some things if it's him who is on the show."

"So you never met Lucas King before?" The host asks seeing the dents in my armor.

Fuck... "Nope." I smile with all my teeth.

"Are you aware in interviews he has been saying he has a crush on you?" The host smirks knowing she will get a reaction out of me.

My heart starts to race and I'm perspiring even more than the lights have caused. He what? There's no way he can know it's me. Yeah, there's no way he could ever know. I don't look the same. The way I do my makeup makes me look different. I use a lighter shade of blue contacts. My name isn't the same. It was 8 years ago. Stop panicking.

"Ms. Harris?" The host starts to laugh.

"Oh, Oh, Sorry. That is a weird thing to say. I have a crush on Samwise Gamgee. Crushes are pointless you know?" I shrug it off like it's nothing. "Plus he is a notorious playboy he's had crushes on just about everyone." Laughing I try to blow it off.

"Right..." The host grins wide thinking she has gotten the reaction she wanted.

"He has never once said outright in an interview that he has had a crush though." She smirks.

"Strange... Well from earlier in the interview you know I don't do relationships or someone special. So it won't become a thing. Plus he's not my type." I lie and hope it sounds somewhat honest.

"Lucas King is everyone's type." She lets out a shrill laugh. I move my foot so that I accidentally step on hers. She makes a sound of pain. "Ohh sorry about that." I play off like I didn't do it on purpose.

"Moving on." She winces. "Were the ratings of your show doing poorly so you had to bring in a high-ranking celebrity?"

I laugh. "Our rankings have been exactly where they have always been. We have a huge fanbase who is dedicated. We don't need anyone. But we appreciate those who decide to come on the show."

Wanting no longer to be here I feel it's time to end the interview. "I'm at the tattoo convention next door, in downtown Los Angeles. We are there for three days. While all my tattoo time slots are booked I still have ears and would love to listen to your stories. A few of my team members have slots free if you want to get a tattoo by Linked By Ink. We hope you stop by we would love to see you."

"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Harris."

"Thank you for having me." Standing up I remove the microphone and hand it to the staff person grabbing for it. Fuck that interview went awful. All people are going to get from that interview is the rumors and gossip about Lucas. They're not going to focus on the important things like the friendship tattoos or my show.

I make my way out of the building as soon as I open the door people are shouting my name. Camera lights flashing in my face. People are crowding me so I can't see or move. It's never been this bad usually there are three or four paparazzi but not twenty maybe thirty! 

"Riley! Riley! Do you plan to date Lucas King?" I'm taken off guard. 

"What? Hell no!" I speak without thinking. My name is flying out more and more mouths. The words flying at me all seem to blur into one and I can't make out anything anyone is saying.

"Excuse me, Excuse me. I have places I need to be." I start pushing my way down the street so I can get to the block where the convention center is. As soon as I break through the sea of bodies I start to walk fast.

They are starting to crowd me again so I start running in a full sprint. I ran track in high school so I should be able to lose most of them. The convention center is in sight. I make sure it's safe and then I cross the street and run inside the building. None of them can get in without a ticket. "Fucking hell," I mumble the words out trying to regain my breath.