The ash of the flame

Chapter one pt3

"So how have you been?" Jay asks me.
"I've been alright," I reply. I notice him staring at my left shoulder. I pull my shirt sleeve uk more to reveal the whole tattoo.
"When did you get into tattoos?" He asks with a smile.
"Two years after j joined," I reply. "I've got six so far." I tell him. I point to my calf where I have an infinity symbol tattoo with 'Army Strong' intertwined in it. "That was my first." I tell him. I then move my left arm so you can see the underside of it, it has a stingray on it.
"I take it that you still love stingrays then?" He asks rhetorically.

I roll my eyes.
"How could you tell?" I sass. I then show him the arrow with the word 'strength' running across it with a semi colon in the middle of the arrow shaft which is on my left forearm. I then change to my right arm. One is a colourful set of wings and the other one is right underneath the wings with the sage '2012.03.01' with a PR interval that starts off normal but becomes a straight line. Jay outs a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"She would be extremely proud of how you're turning out,you know." He reassures me with a small smile.
"I'm sorry for shouting at you six years ago..." I start. "I was just so frustrated and-" I start to explain but he interrupts me.
"You don't need to apologise." He tells me. "You went through something that not many kids at the age of fifteen should be going through, losing Lexi was hard for you and it's something that I can't imagine happening to my own brother." He explains.

Jay pulls me into a hug and I hug him back. I break away from the hug and say goodbye to him before running back home. I get back home and open the front door. Mum and dad are talking on the couch.
"How was your run?" Mum asks me.
"It was great,I stopped at the lake and I forgot how nice the scenery is around there especially the way the sunset hits the water," I reply.
"We were going to order take-out, what do you want?" Dad asks. I smile and he does too already knowing my answer.
"Chinese!" We cheer at the same time. We all start laughing.
"I'lol start the order now." Dad tells me. I nod and go to take a shower.

I wake up to my alarm beeping loudly. I slam my hand down on it and it shuts off. I then sit up and rub my tired eyes. I then get out of bed and go to my closet. I grab an olive green and black plaid shirt, a pair of jeans,socks,sports bra and other stuff. I go into my bathroom and turn on the shower. I get in after getting out of my pyjamas I then wash my hair and do everything else I needed to do in the shower before getting out,drying myself off and getting changed. I walk through my room and grab a pair of black combat boots. I then check my work bag to make sure everything is in it. I then grab my gun from its safe that dad put in the other day. I then grab my ID,driver's license and concealed weapon license. I put my ID's into my little pouch that is built for them and then put them in my pocket.

I grab my dog tags and put them around my neck,tucking them under my shirt collar. I then put my gun in my waistband,I make sure that the safety is on. I grab my phone,put my watch on and grab my sunglasses before leaving my room with my bag and shoes. I sit in the sofa and put my boots on,doing the laces up before leaving a note next to dad's and heading out. The Uber is waiting outside already. I hop in after confirming with the driver.