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I grabbed two pain pills, sing the down, but I welcomed the distraction Seconds later, I heard the shower turn on and soft crying echoed through the roo, that our sad stories could affect her that irl that I knew still lived inside her

The sairl whose name she wouldn’t tell me

All I could do was hope that one day

She would

I let her have her space Grabbingout all my frustrations and sadness on blank paper I don’t kno long I sat there engrossed in my truths, when I finally heard the bathroom door open

She walked toward rabbed my hand “Come on” Without another word, I set my notebook aside and followed her

We drove in silence in the car Both of us lost in our thoughts I didn’t even care where she was taking ht up in the irony and fate of it all She parked the car on the street, pulling up the parking brake It was then that I looked around the building

“Where are we?”

She opened the door and turned looking me dead in my eyes “To make your sad story a happy one”

“What—”

She stepped out of the car before I could even finish She was on a mission as I followed close behind her up to the door She opened it and walked inside I threnon it to put it out

“Jose!” she called out to the guy in the back as soon as the door closed behind me

He turned and smiled as soon as he saw her

“Briggs! My girl!”

He was over to her in three strides, pulling her into his ar over atback at me

“Hey, man” He stuck out his hand “I’m Jose”

I shook it “Austin”

“You hanging out with trouble over here?” he asked, nodding toward her

“So like that,” I chuckled

“Hey, I bring you a new client, and you give hed

“Client?” I broke in, still so fucking confused with the turn of events

“Co my hand she led me to a table

She sat me down and it was then I realized ere in a tattoo shop She squatted down in front of ain looked deep into my eyes as she spoke with conviction, “Pick a scar, Austin Turn your pain into so beautiful”

And I did

Briggs

The second the needle touched Austin’s scar, the worst one on the middle of his back, I kneould instantly beco that could ever explain the surge of adrenaline that soared through your body when you took your pain into your own hands

Not letting it take you under Even if it was only until the needle stoppedcovered by the outline, color, and shading

He decided on a phoenix bird spreading its wings, flying out of the flames of Hell below

Rising

Reborn

The outline took upup the evidence that haunted hiht there, while Jose worked hisbeautiful out of so broken He said it would take three or four sessions to finish it completely, but when it was done it’d be a pretty sick , eager to get it finished

We drove in comfortable silence on the way back to our hotel I kneanted to say so lances at arette I didn’t need to hear it The happiness on his face was enough of a “thank you” for me

Austin went right in the shoe got back to the hotel I cleaned up the food I left in the kitchen, deciding to order room service for us instead I used the phone on the end table by the couch, turning on the TV after I hung up

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been staring at Austin’s notebook that was placed on the coffee table since I started cleaning up the kitchen It was sitting right there, te me to open it and find out the secrets behind the cover For whatever reason, he never left it out I knew he drew I just didn’t knohat he was actually drawing on the pages inside I’d watch hiet lost for hours with that notebook in his lap Never finding the courage to ask him what captivated him so damn much

I still heard the shower running I knerong to invade his privacy without per help myself

I needed to know

With shaky hands, I reached over to the table and picked up the notebook that held a piece of Austin’s world I wasn’t worried that he could come out of the bathroom at any moment and catch me red-handed

I was more worried about what my eyes would see

My heart was pounding,as if it knew that I was about to discover so that would change our future Colliding us onto a path that ould never be able to veer away from

I gasped, co his soul

Dancing Hair floild and free Big, bright, blue eyes piercing right atlashes, no make up on

I flipped the page Wings The left one darker, feathers ht one, perfect, every feather intact and i Bows Skull with roses around it Writings in different fonts scattered, flowers cascading down Everything was so intricately drawn

I stopped to aders over the illustrations with tears in my eyes

I never knehat he was drawing

Not once

Next page A girl sleeping, her head placed on a pilloith herup to her stomach Her breasts perked up She looked so peaceful Beautiful I swear I could see her breathing

More tears

Next page Book covers, upon book covers, upon book covers

Next page A girl deep in thought, her eyes so sad, so lost So fucking captivating

Every Single Page

Every last one

Was me

But not me…

It wasn’t Briggs staring back at me It was Daisy He was able to capture every detail I so desperately tried to hide Not knowing one thing about the girl behind the purple hair and tattoos, but so

“How the hell did you do this, Austin?” I asked myself out loud

“It was easy I just need to look at you”

His voice startledme jump I never even heard the shower turn off I didn’t bother to look up I was too es of a girl that I thought didn’t exist anymore

More tears filled my eyes for the second time that day I couldn’t remember the last time I cried so …

They were tears of happiness

“Why?” I found , terrified to know the answer

I heard his footsteps co toward e of the coffee table in front of ers that no longer sarettes

A smell that I now craved

“You’reeach word

I shut rabbed the notebook offme straddle his lap I could feel his arousal beneath me

There I rapped in his aruard down for the first

tiainst his as he pulled the hair away from my face

His eyes

They did it to me every time

There was so aze, and I knew it mirrored mine There were no need for words Our eyes spoke for the my mouth toward his without any hesitation

His lips were just as I reue before I had the opportunity to find his,into his mouth the second they collided

His lips, his tongue, his hands

I felt hi He was soft but de intense as all hell

“Austin,” I erratically breathed, panting breaths on his lips

“What, baby…” he groaned with the same sensual tone

“I want you,” I ed to speak

My thoughts