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Chapter 18: She Agreed to It!

"I can't believe I let you guys talk me into this," I told Logan's three best friends, getting into Gabe's car. Tony had called shotgun, so Will and I sat in the back as Gabe drove in the direction of my house.

"Hey, in the end, it was your decision," Tony pointed out. "All we did was encourage you to grant yourself a wish."

"You manipulated me with your words," I argued back, wincing as we went over a bump on the road. "You guys know I'm not good at thinking up arguments on the spot."

"You just needed a little push in the right direction, and that's what we did. You should be thanking us."

"My dad's going to kill me," I mumbled the thought that had gone through my mind halfway through the process. Fortunately, the small of my back was easy enough to hide, so perhaps I could keep it a secret from my dad for a while.

"I thought Logan had said your dad was chill," Gabe said, though it sounded more like a question.

"He likes to think he is," I admitted. "But he still thinks I'm just a little girl."

"Then, maybe this could be your chance to convince him that you're not," Will suggested. I was tempted to agree, but I knew better. A tattoo wouldn't convince my dad; it would make him freak.

"So, are you ever going to tell me what you got?" I asked Will as my eyes landed on his newly bandaged right wrist. He hesitated before reaching into the back pocket of his jeans to pull out his phone. He took a moment to search for something, then handed it to me. On the screen was the picture of another person's tattoo I'm guessing he'd found on the internet. It was a bird, but instead of feathers and colours, the bird was filled with music notes. It was beautiful, and very original. I remember that moment as one of the few when I found myself truly impressed by William Cook.

"What do you think?" Will asked me as I handed the phone back to him.

"It's gorgeous," I told him honestly, earning myself a small smile from Logan's best friend. "Does it have a meaning of any sort?"

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. He frowned, blinked several times and took a deep breath, then tried again. "Logan and I... We're like brothers. We've been friends for years, so obviously I've gone to his house many times. Up until not so long ago... Clara was usually there when I came over." I felt a pang in my chest. Suddenly, I had a feeling I knew the general direction of where this story was going. "I used to play guitar. I stopped when she died because it was too painful, but ever since she'd learned to talk, she'd always beg me to play for her. She always seemed fascinated by the music, sitting still beside me, staring with her mouth wide open." He smiled, his eyes stuck in a memory.

"And the bird?" I asked. "Was that a random choice or does it have a deeper meaning?"

"Well, she once told me she'd learn to fly. She was very convincing, so I felt like a bird was the right choice. I like to think that, wherever she is, in whatever form she is, she's gotten to fly after all."

-/~\-

Amanda and Kelsey were waiting for me when the guys dropped me off at my house. Someone, most likely Parker, had let them in, and they were watching television in my room. They were both dressed fancier than usual, which immediately made me suspicious.

"Great, you're home!" Amanda exclaimed when she saw me, jumping up from my bed. She was wearing a black dress that hugged each and every one of her curves perfectly. I often found myself jealous of Amanda's body. This was one of those times. "We're going out tonight to celebrate your birthday, so we need to turn you pretty."