Shatter .:5: Mistaken:.

The month passes by with hardly any more....complications.

My mother plays hostess for some relatives that had flown down for the funeral. Weeks after some of her friends stay over, a bit unusual but my mom needed girls nights like that. She often visits their homes too. She drinks every other night but I don’t think she’ll become an alcoholic. Her work and friends keep her sane and grounded. The alcohol is never much and it's just for that 'edge' she murmurs about.

My mom decides to go spend the rest of the weekend with her sister who lives in the next state over. I get to stay because I’m grown up and I know my mom can’t afford two round trips.

Since things have cooled down a bit and I haven’t been plagued by the presence of Dash in over three weeks, Ami and I decide to have a girls night out with Lira. It’s agreed upon to make it relatively sane because I do have work in the morning and Lira has a ballet recital.

Girls night is to begin at Lira’s house after I get off work. I text Ami that I’ll ask to get off early so we can have more time for ‘beautifying’ ourselves.

When I get to Isaac’s Ink, it’s chaos. Someone had broken in. They didn’t steal anything but the security tapes. Germane has been talking to police since they opened at six. I take my position at the front while the cops interview everyone. When it’s my turn, I know the officer.

“How have you been, Trinity?” I frown.

“Fine. I was attacked a couple of weeks ago and then my grandma died the next day.” He looks at me.

“Why didn’t you report it?” He asks.

“Its too much for me to deal with the police anymore. I’m too stressed out and I’d rather just take my chances. There’s a boy who likes me that’s looking out for me.” I stretch the truth but only by a little.

“Oh. Your friend Ami got a gun.” I just nod. I had told her earlier in the week that I wanted her to have more than a baseball bat to defend herself and gave her detailed instructions on what to do.

“I told her she should. She’s terrified and doesn’t have anyone to look after her like I do. She did tell you it’s for protection? Because neither of us feels safe? I told her to tell you that. I want it down on record.” I tell him. He nods.

“She did and I’ve made a note. Would you like to file a report?” I shake my head.

“I really wouldn’t.” We continue talking and he gets to the topic of the tattoo shop. It’s a short interview and I’m back to work within the hour. Today was particularly busy because a new movie came out that EVERYONE loved. They want to get the tattoo that the main people in the movies had. There were two sides and each had a specific tattoo. People go crazy for that shit here.

“Hello Trinity.” I look up and see Lira.

“Lira! How are you? What are you doing here?” She smiles and holds up a picture of the main member of the ‘good’ gang. I laugh happily. “People love that tattoo.”

“Yes, but I’m the only one who really means it.” She jokes. We talk for a little while and she tells me that the football player who tried to rape me was arrested for rape. It makes me feel a strange sense of smug satisfaction. Three other players were arrested for being drunk in public and underage.

I know some football players, two, and they’re good guys. Just not all of them are. Like the idiotic ones.

“So, you and Ami wanna go see a movie tonight? When do you get off of work?”

“She’s getting off around 8 today.” Anne says. I look up at her and she nods.

“Not enough sleep?” I ask her. She nods.

“BUT we have coffee so I’ll live.” She says. We all start talking about the best way to wake up, the best way to fall asleep, and who is the hottest movie star of our time. Anne eventually has to attend to a customer and it’s back to just me and Lira.

“So, you and Ami want to see the latest THRILLER movie with me?” She asks, raising and lowering her eyebrows. I turn away, pretending to be embarrassed.

“Oh...I don’t know....I haven’t washed my hair for like five weeks! And my dog needs to shampoo HIS hair....today is just not so good.” She laughs and shoves me from the other side of the front ‘desk.’ I laugh. “Of course, we’d love to go. What else would we do on girls night?” She smiles.

“We should....eat lots and lots of food. When I say 'lots' I meant the quantity, like a parking lot." I laugh and agree to eat lots with her. "Fantastic....what did I come in here for?”

“That tattoo.” She nods.

“Yeah. I need an estimate.” She says. I write it down on a piece of paper and a name.

“He’s the nest with these tattoos. He can add a little personal flare to them that you’ll LOVE.” She smiles at me.

“Oh you are so great.” I smile and see her off. I text Ami that we’re going to the movies, the latest thriller, and she’s excited to go out. She also says that she has a plan for another girls night activity though it’s top secret. For now.

“Hello Trin,” I look up and smile.

“Hello, I suppose you aren’t here for a tattoo?” I say, too happy to be bothered by his presence.

“No, I’m here for you.” He says. I nod and yawn.

“Do I need saving today?” I ask. I look and see Anne fawning over Dash. I point her to her cubicle and she remembers her client.

“Not today.” I look up.

“Really?” He smiles.

“Yeah. I wanted to ask for a redo. “

“Redo?”

“Redo our first date.” He clarifies. I think a moment.

There’s a temptation. He’s dangerous but he makes me feel. He makes me feel without the hollow sorrow of my fathers recent death and now my granny’s. He makes me feel whole emotions and that’s the biggest temptation of all.

“Fine.” I say. “But not tonight. I’ve got a date.” He smiles.

“With?”

“My two hot girlfriends.” I tell him. “Maybe you should be jealous.” His smile is genuine and so is mine. The thought of a normal date with my two best friends sounds amazing.

“How can I make it up to you?” He asks.

“By keeping me, Ami, and Lira safe tonight...And our mothers, me and Ami’s that is. I have a feeling they’re going to run in to trouble as well.” I tell him and yawn again. “Damn, I think I need coffee too.”

“I will try my best,” he tells me then pauses before adding “for you.”

“Thank you, Dash.” I say. He studies me a moment before a veil falls over his eyes, blocking me from seeing his thoughts, his emotions, HIM.

“Of course.”

. . . . . . . . .

Dash clouds my mind but not for long. I want to know what exactly this twisted relationship IS. I mean, does he hate me or like me? Do I hate him or like him? Do I love him? No. But I am attracted to him. He wants me dead but won’t let anyone else kill me. He’s protecting me but WHY?

All the questions are quickly forgotten at girls night.

We all go over to Lira’s mansion of a house to get ready. We decide to dress up in the worst things we could find, Ami’s secret plan now revealed. We have to take a million pictures and go out in public looking our ‘worst.’

Ami wears orange pants and an orange matching jacket with padded shoulders, a zoot suit type of outfit. Underneath she wears a crazy hot pink and lime green shirt that was painful to stare at for too long.

Lira wears a bridesmaids dress with an obnoxious hat. The hat is very wide brimmed, a deep pink color that doesn’t match the pea soup green of her dress or the bright yellow fake flowers attached to the dress, had feathers, beads, and a miniature bird on it.

I wear two completely different knee high socks, a blue tutu over an orange skirt, a neon yellow tee with a dark brown leather vest over the shirt. I’m wearing Mardi Gras beads that don’t look good together. I’m also wearing bright yellow high heeled shoes.

Ami’s hair is bumped up to a height that looks dangerous. Lira’s hair is teased and all over the place. My hair is pulled into high pigtails on either side of my head.

We all put on incredible amounts of neon colored yellow and green eyeshadow, bright pink blush, and obnoxious colored lipstick.

Once our outfits are all put together, we take hundred of pictures. We pose like models, like mannequins, like muscle men, like gangsters, like animals, and anything else we can think of. It was absolutely hilarious.

We head out to the theater in Lira’s fancy European sports car she got for her birthday last year, while singing whatever song comes on at the top of our lungs, even if we didn’t know the words.

Once at the theater, everyone stares at us but I can’t help but believe they would’ve anyway because we get SO loud around each other. Talking or singing, we’re always practically shouting.

The movie was amusing, much more so because of the comments we all have every few seconds. It was funny despite it being a thriller movie. Halfway through some guys came in and sat behind us. Five minutes later the ugliest one came up to us and asked if we wanted to join them.

“What do you like best about me? Is it the hat or the shoes?” Lira asks in a serious voice. Ami and I titter. The guys puts on a charming smile.

“I think it’s the color of your dress.” He replies. Lira lets out a loud laugh.

“All right, we’ll join you.” She says. We all get up and walk to the row behind us, sitting next to the guys. While Lira and Ami flirt like schoolgirls (which they are) I watch the movie. I laugh as the guys add their own comments. Near the end of the movie, I begin having trouble breathing. I look at them and simply leave. I didn’t want to interrupt and it will take them awhile to notice I’m gone.

I rush to the lobby of the theater where there’s barely anyone around and more room to breathe. I walk over to the concession stand and check the price of a soda. “Can I get a water cup?” I ask the person. The guy looks at me without a single thought in his head. I snap.

“Huh?”

“Water cup?” I ask. He ducks under the counter and hands one to me. “Thank you.” I murmur as I fill it with Dr. Pepper. The bubbles help calm my stomach and I take a seat in one of the two seater tables. I rub my eyes and scrunch my face when I see the yellow eyeshadow has rubbed off on my finger tips. I wipe it off on the orange skirt.

I chug the rest of my soda and wipe the back of my hand across my sweaty forehead. The whole theater feels as hot as if the place was on fire. I begin to hyperventilate and run outside. It’s cold and the air is clouded with smoke from the smokers hiding in the darkness.

I run to the other side of the theaters entrance, off by the emergency exits and security doors.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” A short, fat security guard asks me.

“I’m fine. Small panic attack.” I inform him, hands on my knees, knees bent, head hanging. “I just need air.” I swallow the words instead of spitting them. It was one of the two and I figured gulping the air down might make me feel as if I’m OK.

“Rough night?” I hear Dash’s voice cut through the night like a hot knife through butter.

“WHY?!” I cough. My knees fail and I drop to the ground. His arm loops through mine and yanks me up quickly. I fall back into his arms and look into his eyes. They’re crazed.

“Come away with me, eh? We’ll live in Germany. Move to a small town, Karlsruhe it’s called. My grandfather grew up there. It’s a beautiful place, you’d love it.” I clear my throat

“Dash, what are you talking about?” I ask calmly.

“Come on! You love me, I love you, we’ll run away!”

“Dash....”

“You’ve no need to be so stuck up, Emma, really! Your mother may not approve but we’re in love!”

“Dash, I’m not Emma!” I tell him. His eyes flicker and I see only rage. He lets go of me as if I were a hot potato. I hit the ground with a thud and watch as he storms off into the darkness.

I push myself up and go back to the theater where my friends are flirting endlessly with two guys each. The ugliest is left all alone and I scold my friends mentally for being so shallow and cruel. The rest of the movie I talk to him.

On our way back they talk of how who THEY were flirting with was the hottest guy. I act as referee and tell them who they should text that night.

We get home and they crash after a couple of hours. I spend the night lost in thought and confusion. I really I wish I had control over my life....

But then again...who says I don’t?

I’ve seen plenty of movies, read WAY more books, I know how to handle this.

“AMI!” I shake her until she wakes.

“Am I on fire?” She groans, drool sticking to the pillow. She groans. “What?”

“I know how to fix this!”

“Fix what?” She asks.

“Our problem! I know how to keep us safe! I KNOW!” I tell her excitedly. She doesn’t get the significance and falls asleep almost immediately. I’m so excited and happy, I end up giggling myself to a peaceful sleep.