tattoos // lashton

three.

- Ashton -

"What happened last night?" Calum said when I walked in instead of hello. What a nice greeting. 

"Nothing. I was just hanging out there. I do it all the time." I said, walking over the the counter to help a girl check out. Calum jumped over the Starbucks counter and followed me. I rolled my eyes, taking a book from the girl and scanning it. 

"It didn't seem like you were just hanging." Calum said. I sighed.

"Well I was. So please go back to your work." I said, taking another book from the girl to scan. She tried to act like she wasn't listening to our conversation.

"No. Not until you tell me what's wrong." He said, crossing his arms. 

"I'm fine." I said, taking another book. Eleanor & Park. This one was good. 

"This book is good. All of these are, to be honest." I said to her. She smiled. I grabbed a bag to put the books in.

"Talk to me." Calum said. I ignored him, putting the books in the bag.

"You know, I can give you this free annoying asshole with your purchase." I said to the girl. She laughed. Calum looked offended.

"You know, I'm just trying to help." He said. I turned to him.

"I don't need help." I said, a little bit louder than I had been talking. He backed up a step. I let out a breath, turning back towards the counter and handing the girl the bag. She gave me a pat on the shoulder after she took the bag. I put my arms on the counter and put my head on them.

"I'm sorry." Calum said.

"Fuck off. Go back to Starbucks." I said. He laughed and left. I laughed, too, but I wasn't going to let him know that. My cell phone rang and I grabbed it, not even bothering to check who was calling me. It was either Michael or my grandma.

"Hello?" I answered, sitting back onto the desk chair that I always sat at. 

"Hey. So that one guy got the job so it's going to be a lot easier here." Michael said. 

"About time they hire someone new. I think they were just trying to test your patience." I said, grabbing the book I've been reading from below the counter. Looking For Alaska. I always put off reading it until recently. It's been hard to go through the nights without reading it, as I'm too cheap to buy it to take it home. The weekends are hard, too, since I'm left in suspense until Monday.

"I know. It's hard, too, because I have no patience." Michael said. I laughed.

"I know you don't." I said. He paused to talk to someone else, then started talking to me once again.

"Oh, yeah! So Miles and I are going out to some pizza place when my shift is over. Wanna come?" Michael asked. I didn't want to be a third wheel.

"I don't know. I don't want to disrupt." I said. I think Michael could guess that I didn't want to be a third wheel. 

"No, it'd be no problem. She's having one of her friends come, too." He said. I sighed.

"Is Miles doing that thing again where she tries to find my soul mate?" I asked. Miles had been trying to find the person who will say the words of the tattoo on my wrist. She always set the dates up with girls. Michael knows I'm gay, but Miles doesn't, as her and Michael haven't even been dating for five months. They found each other three months ago.

"Maybe." Michael answered. I sighed again.

"She doesn't know I'm gay." I said, leaning my head back on the wall behind my chair. I was getting sick of getting girls' hopes up.

"If you would just tell her..." Michael said. 

"I don't really know the girl as much as you. So maybe you could tell her?" I asked. He groaned.

"Fine." He said. I cheered a little. He laughed.

"Don't make it sound like a big deal, though." I said. He was going to make it sound like a huge announcement no matter what I say, so there was no point in telling him not to. 

"I won't. I promise." He said. I knew he had his fingers crossed behind his back. I just told him bye and hung up. I read my book until my shift ended, taking breaks in between to check out a customer. I've read a lot of the good books in the store, so I normally wrote down suggestions for the customers who wanted them. A lot of them did. 

When I left the store, it was nearly midnight. I had to shut down today, meaning I had to stay there until the janitors were done cleaning. It took awhile, but it gave me extra time to read. I was a little upset that I didn't get to go to Michael's work, but I guess I have to be responsible. 

I texted Michael to tell him I'd walk home. It was kind of chilly, but I needed some fresh air. It's been while since I've walked home. I used to do it all the time, but I guess I started to want to get home quicker so I could go to bed. 

I put my earbuds in so I couldn't hear the cars around me. It may be almost midnight, but that didn't stop the roads from being so busy. Everyone is rushing like they have somewhere to go. If it's midnight, I think you're already late. 

The only light on the pavement was from the street lights. I hated how the lights were all white and orange. Why couldn't they be pink or purple? That would be so much cooler to take selfies in. Not orange. 

By the time I got home, it was 12:30. I could survive a thirty minute walk. It wasn't too bad, but I was tired. I took a shower with music blasting so loud that there was no doubt in my mind that Michael could hear it. Once I got out, I turned the music down and went to bed, dreaming of scenarios that could be the story behind my tattoo.

~

A/N:

late af but it's here. was really busy. sorry.

ily.

-jc.