Somewhere Between Water and Sky (Shattered Things #2) (7 page)

I can
’
t shake this feeling of uneasiness or dread snaking its way through my bones.

Chapter Four

We arrive in San Diego early afternoon, Ren intent on heading immediately to Coronado Island.

“
Let
’
s just stick to the La Jolla area, Ren. Avoid all these tourists.
”

“
It
’
s San Diego, Jess. Tourists will be everywhere.
”

She tilts her head half a degree.
“
I guess you
’
re right. I really don
’
t care where we go between now and sunset. But why Coronado? Any reason?
”

“
The beach. Beaches equal bikinis.
”

“…
in April?
”

He looks at her and raises his eyebrows.
“
Spring break.
”

“
Well then. If I knew you wanted to go to the beach I would have come prepared.
”

He laughs under his breath.
“
Oh Jess. You
’
re being innocent for our guest. We both know you
’
ve stripped down to those lacy underthings and deemed those appropriate.
”

Jessa
’
s eyes jump to mine and then back to Ren.

Ohmigosh she
’
s actually blushing.

“
If I remember correctly you liked what you saw. Mentioned something about me being so colorful you wanted to lick me like a Jolly Rancher.
”

Welp. My turn to blush.

Ren clears his throat.
“
Proof that some things are better left in the memory tank.
”

Jessa smiles slightly and glances out the window. Suddenly she jumps up and down and waves her hands around, hitting Ren
’
s arm in the process.

He jumps.
“
Jesus! What the fuck, Jess?
”

She looks at him and smiles and my eyes go wide. I know that smile. I
’
ve known this girl less than twenty-four hours and I am beginning to read her. That smile? It
’
s the one she gets when an idea pops into her head.

“
I know what we can do.
”

He looks at her.

“
Go to Coronado?
”

“
Get a tattoo.
”

“
Get a
…”
Ren
’
s face blanches.
“
You want another tattoo?
”

Jessa laughs.
“
No. I want a septum piercing.
”
She pokes him in the arm.
“
But
you
want a tattoo. Remember?
”

He glances at her out of the corner of his eye.
“
I do. But I can
’
t just
get a tattoo.
Not when I have scripts and stuff I
’
m supposed to be reading.
”

“
Lame.
”
Jessa rolls her eyes and then turns her attention to me.
“
How about you, Steph? You want a tattoo?
”

“
Actually yes. I do.
”

“
NO. WAY.
”

Jessa is so excited and moving around so much I
’
m not sure she
’
s going to be able to stay in her seat. I lift my hand to calm her.

“
Yes way. I
’
ve wanted one since seeing a piece on this hairstylist back home.
”
I brush my finger against my forearm and look back at her.
“
It
’
ll be on my forearm. A girl holding a quill and dancing in a field of flowers.
”

“
You write?
”
Ren looks in the rearview mirror at me.

“
I did.
”

“
No time now or what?
”

“…
some shit like that.
”

Recognition flares in his eyes and he looks back at the road.

“
A poetry-loving, tattoo-wishing, crimson-haired writer-runaway
”
Ren turns on the blinker and catches my gaze again in the rear-view mirror.
“
If you
’
re not careful, Steph you
’
re going to tell us all your secrets.
”

I shrug.
“
Go ahead and believe that, Renfro. I got some deep ones though. Those are vaulted. I threw away that key a long time ago.
”

They stare at me for a few seconds in their respective mirrors before breaking contact. Things grow quiet for a few moments as Ren waits for a green light.

Jessa places her hand on Ren
’
s arm.
“
So what do you say, Renfro? Adventure at the tattoo parlor?
”

He sighs and then nods his head.
“
You know what? Screw it. Yes. Adventure at the tattoo parlor.
”

.::.

Thirty minutes later, we
’
re waiting in the front of a tattoo shop. This place is nothing like your typical tattoo parlor. There are multiple stations built up like a hair salon. The floor is a deep ebony wood. And the ceiling? The entrance has a gold tile ceiling
—
each tile imprinted with a roaring lion. Ren looks up, his hair falling like a false mohawk behind him.

“
Whoa.
”
He whispers.
“
That
’
s intense.
”

He pulls out his phone and snaps a picture and I just shake my head.

The girl at the front desk finally walks around the corner and gives us a smile.

“
Hey y
’
all!
”

We glance at each other and Jessa leans closer to me.
“
Is that accent real?
”

I study her bright purple hair and multiple tattoos and shrug.
“
Who knows,
”
I whisper back.

“
I
’
m Stacy. Paco and Tim are working today. What were you guys looking for?
”

Jessa walks forward.
“
I wanted a septum piercing.
”
She jerks her thumb back toward me and Ren.
“
Those two want tattoos.
”

Stacy nods.
“
Groovy. You guys got lucky. Paco was supposed to be out of town for a convention but he canceled it because his son got sick. His whole afternoon is free.
”
She turns and stretches to look around the pillar next to her desk.
“
And it looks like Tim is almost done with his morning appointment so you
’
d only have to wait like
…
thirty minutes?
”

A guy walks around the booth and leans his elbow on the wood.

“
What
’
s up guys?
”

Stacy presses her hands on the desk in front of her and leans over to point at us.

“
Paco, one of them is here for a tattoo with you.
”

“
Alright alright. Which one? Who
’
s doing what?
”

I speak without even thinking, telling him my idea. His eyes brighten.
“
Oh yeah. Let
’
s do that. Come back here. We
’
re gonna make this fucking perfect.
”

I smile and follow him, my gaze resting on a poster on the wall.

Baby Cheesus wants you to buy a t-chirt.

I frown and Paco catches me.
“
Oh. You like that? I swear people here are always fucking wit me about my accent. Whatever man. I
’
m Aztec. I win.
”

I smile and he motions for me to sit in the leather chair.

He sits down next to me and focuses solely on my eyes.

“
What are we gonna do to you today, sweetheart?
”

It takes less than an hour for him to sketch up something amazing. I
’
m leaning back against his leather chair and watching as Paco balances the paper against my skin. He talks to himself softly as he positions it just right. He looks up at me.

“
This is your first tattoo? You
’
re getting a big piece. You ready?
”

I nod.

He rubs the paper smooth and lifts it gently.

“
What do you think about the placement?
”

My breath catches at the outline covering my entire forearm
—
from elbow to wrist not a piece of skin is clear of his sketch.

No one will be able to see the scars anymore.

I blink furiously to keep the tears at bay. There
’
s nothing more hopeful than for me to douse the flames of self-harm and abuse with vibrant color.

He taps on the ink with his finger.

“
This may take a few hours. Do you have time? We could just do the outline today if you want
…
.
”

Jessa
’
s voice bounces off the walls throughout the shop.

“
Fuck, Ren! Squeeze my hand a little harder why don
’
t you?
”

Ren wheezes.
“
Why didn
’
t anyone tell me it would hurt this bad? Holy hell I want my mom.
”

Paco shakes his head and whispers under his breath.
“
What kind of fucker thinks a tattoo is going to tickle? I
’
m almost 40 and I still cry when I get these things.
”

I laugh.

He swivels the chair around to his station and preps the colors and gun. He gives me a quick look.
“
One time I had this girl come in and get a whole side tattoo. It was banging. Although, it
sounded
like she was
being
banged while my guy was working on her.
”
He shakes his head and does a little hip thrust.
“
Talk about awkward.
”

My eyes grow wide.

“…
Uh. Yeah. Awkward.
”

He laughs and throws his long black hair up into a ponytail. He shifts his head toward me while he wraps the rubber band around a few times.
“
This means it
’
s business time.
”

“…
Okay?
”

He sits back down and rests his arms on the back of his chair while putting on some rubber gloves. He nods toward Ren, still moaning about the pain.

“
Do you know those guys?
”

I nod.
“
Kind of? We met yesterday.
”

“
Did they talk you into this?
”
His eyes grow serious.
“
This is my art. Everyone who asks where you got this
—
you
’
re gonna tell them good things?
”
Shifting in his seat he calls for the receptionist up front.