The Bucket List [#Wattys2018]

Chapter Thirty Four: Inked

       "Great things never came from
                      comfort zones."
                           •••••••••
So the plans that me and Bridgette made are to get tattoos. And I am scared out of my freaking mind. If Amy were here with me, she'd be already on the crazy train, with a first class ticket. If something scared me, she was all for it. And that's what made us friends.

She was the one who made me try things when I was too terrified to on my own.

"Amanda..." Amy tries to get my attention. My finger hovers over the send button. "It's too risky Amy, I can't do it." "Of course it's risky. And yes, it's scary. It's totally out of your comfort zone. Here..." Amy stands up and leaves the room, returning with a piece of paper and a pen. She sits down next to me on my purple queen sized bed. "You see this little dot?" I nod as she draws a tiny circle. "And this..." she draws a giant circle outside of it. "This giant circle, is everything you've ever wanted. This tiny circle is your comfort zone. Everything you've ever wanted Amanda, is outside of your comfort zone." I look up and meet her shining blue eyes with my dimmed brown eyes. And I suddenly feel a surge of confidence overcome me, as if it was contagious, and Amy was the provider. With no last hesitation, I press the send button, along with all my worries.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bridgette asked me, fear subconsciously weighing on her voice.

"Having second thoughts?" I inquired with a laugh in my voice.

She shakes her head, her red hair bouncing as she denies ever having second thoughts.

"So what are you getting?" She asks me.

"I'm getting the initials A.P. With a heart on the outside of my wrist." I tell her.

"A boyfriend?" She inquires.

"No, my best friend's initials, she passed away recently."

I swallow the lump in my throat and blink away the tears trying to form their way in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

The room is filled with an uncomfortable silence so I choose to break it.

"And what kind of tattoo are you getting?"

"A bird on my collarbone."

"You really seem to like birds a lot." I acknowledge.

"My mother always called me Allie, like from The Notebook, because of the fact my red hair matches hers. It was our favorite movie and she read it to me every night. Her favorite quote was, "If Im a bird, then you're a bird." She passed away a year ago, and birds are my way of feeling close to her when she's gone."

She starts to play with her necklace, the one with the silver bird charm. And she starts to notice me eyeing it.

"My mother gave me this before she passed away."

"I'm so sorry." I stand up and hug her.

"I'm okay Amanda, really. But thank you." She wipes her eyes with her knuckles.

I understand how she feels, it's hard to lose your mother, especially if you're really close to her. I miss my mother every single day. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of her.

The tattooist breaks the silence, "Bridgette Nelson?" Bridgette stands up and follows him to another room.

Nelson!?

Red hair, green eyes, the chin and nose were similar. Could her and Liam be related?

I was about to pull out my phone when a woman comes over. "Hi! I'm the other tattooist, you're Amanda Clermont right?" I nod and follow her to be seated. She had short blonde hair that didn't touch her shoulders with black highlights. Tattoos covered her arms and neck.

"What are you wanting?"

I point to the outside of my wrist, lining up with my thumb. "The initials A.P. With a heart next to it." She smiles.

"Must be one lucky person." She eyes me in the mirror.

"Not romantically, Best friends." I reply.

"She's still lucky. I'm Lauren by the way."

"Amanda, oh sorry, you already knew that." We both chuckle.

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."