The girl with the tattoo ~ 𝕷𝖔𝖚𝖎𝖘 𝕻𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖌𝖊

𝐸𝓅𝒾𝓁𝑜𝑔𝓊𝑒

The familiar sound of the buzzer goes off and I push the door open the cool air of the building greeting me.
It's blazing hot outside and I take a refreshing breath thanking the person who invented air conditioners.
"Hey Tony." I great the guard who presses the buzzer so I could enter the department. The old man nods giving me a thumbs up before his eyes go back to the screen in front of him.

I walk over to the metal detector and grab a small box where I can put all of my jewelry, phone and my belt.
It's a procedure I've done a hundred times and every time I ask myself why I'm even bothering to wear jewelry in the beginning.
I put the box on the band which moves through the scan while I walk through the detector.
Nothing makes a sound and I grab my belongings nodding towards the female guard.

They're switching them up every other week that's why her face is unfamiliar to me.
I walk over to the desk and grab a form filling in my name, address and phone number as if they wouldn't already have it.
Lastly I put in the time I'm visiting and check over everything stopping at my name.
Melody Chalamet.

I changed my name a month after he got checked in.
I didn't feel comfortable with having my dads last name and choose the one of my mother instead.
Even though I don't remember I know it's the same name Timmy carries and it makes me feel good it makes me feel like I belong somewhere.

I put the paper on the stack that's already there and walk towards the big double doors Kyle greeting me.
"You look gorgeous as always Miss Chalamet." He says and I give him a grateful smile.
Kyle knows me as well he's always here when I visit him and he's easy to make a few small talks with.

We walk through the long hall with the cold lights before we reach the room.
Various rooms with plexiglass are shown with people in front of it phone to their ear as they talk to people they know.
Kyle shows me my place even though he doesn't have to because I already recognize the man sitting behind the glass.

I sit down and put my bag beside me pushing my hair out of my face.
I look into the face that raised me over the years which now looks thin and hollow.
His hair is in a buzz cut his beard nonexistent but his eyes are from the same blue as they always were.
He grabs the phone and I copy his actions putting the speaker against my ear.

"Hello dad." I say giving him a small smile.
No reaction but I know he heard me.
"I just came to tell you that I got the job at the art gallery I told you about last week. They saw a few of my pieces and told me that I could work part time while I'm at university and they even wanted me to sell them a piece so they could get it to the exhibition." I say happily and his face begins to move out of its motionless state.

"Your hair is shorter." His rough voice surprises me and I look down to my lengths which are indeed shorter.
"It's really hot outside it bothered me too much." I tell him looking back up to see him nod.
"How-how long do you still have at university?" He asks slowly and I'm glad he remembers.

Sometimes he doesn't, at this times he thinks I'm my mom and it makes me worried for seconds what they're doing to him here but I stop myself from thinking about it too much.
This are the consequences he has to carry on his own.
"One more year then I'll have my bachelor afterwards I still have two years to go making my master." I tell him and something inside me moves when I see the sudden proud look on his face.

"How are you doing?" I ask him cautiously and his shoulders drop even more if that's possible.
"Same old Jimmy-" the cook in the cafeteria "created some new gray mush of food that doesn't even taste that bad. Or I'm getting used to the food here. The therapist says I made progress but I don't know if she's just saying it so I keep coming to her office."

"That sounds good. You should take her advice it's her job to help people." I tell him nodding and his lips form a small smile.
Well I'm assuming it should be a smile but it looks more like a grimace.
"Timothée..told me to greet you." I say now slowly waiting for his reaction and he nods again.
I don't know if he understood what I said or not but I take it as a yes.

"And your boy how is he doing?" He asks and a smile instantly raises on my lips.
"Louis is good he's away for a couple more weeks because he's filming a new movie it's exciting he gets to see New York. I would've joined him but I have classes." I shrug my shoulder because it's fine I'm going to see him in a few weeks again.

"That sounds good..I'm happy for you. You made something out of your life without me." He says slowly and I nod.

"Because I don't need you. I'm better off without you." I tell him honestly and as cold as it sounds it's just the truth.
He wraps the wire of the phone around his finger as he looks at his lap nodding.
"Yes you are."

I look at the clock to see that my hour is almost over and a guard steps into his room so he can escort him out.
"Dad?" I ask again and he looks up his blue eyes glazed over with tears or some memory in front of his eyes I'm not sure.
"Yes?"

"I forgive you. I'm never going to forget what you did but I genuinely do. You should start letting it go as well everything." With everything I include my mother's death.
I'm telling him this sentence every week.
And every week he nods before he gets up the guard grabbing his arm and bringing him back to his cell.
I put the phone back and brush away the tear that somehow escaped my eye.

"You ready Miss Chalamet?" Kyle speaks up behind me and I grab my bag standing up and nodding as I smile at him.
I go back through the hall, the metal detector and tell Kyle and Tony that I'll see them next week before I step out of the prison and take a deep breath in.
It feels good.

Every time I come here it seems to be easier for me and every time I come out I feel a bit lighter.
A happy smile makes it's way onto my lips as the sun beams down at me and I open my eyes wanting to walk but freeze when I see the person a few feet away from.
"Oh my god." I say breathlessly before I let my bag crash to the floor carelessly and rush over to Louis.

I wind my arms around his neck and he spins me around laughing as I chuckle.
He stops spinning and my feet touch the ground again as I look up at him.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him the grin never leaving my face.
"Filming finished earlier than I thought and I wanted to see my library girl as fast as I could." He tells me and I shake my head unbelievably.
"Are you alright?" He asks me he does it every time after I visit my dad and I give him the same answer.
"Better than I could ever be."

I get on my tippy toes and close my eyes pressing my lips against his.
His arm encircles my waist and I nod at the sensation.
I missed him so much over the weeks I can't believe he's finally here.
"I missed you." I tell him breathlessly as we part.
"I missed you even more." He mumbles before pressing his lips against mine again passionately.

When we feel like we got enough energy from each other we stop and he grabs my bag slinging it over his shoulder while his other arm pulls me close to his side.
"Let's go home." He says and I smile my heart warming up as I nod at the love of my life.
"Let's go home." I tell him knowing that anywhere he is or he will go, will be my home.
Because he's my home.

And whatever happened. Whatever scars I'll have on my body and soul will always remind me to fight, to never give up.
I will always be the girl with the tattoo.

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This is the last chapter of the girl with the tattoo and I'm so thankful for everyone who liked and read this story.

I hope everyone is doing good and I wish you all love. 💓