Redheaded Bliss

Be Careful.

Ring... Ring...

Angeline was calling.

"Hey, are you ready?" My head was pounding.

"Ouch, fuck," I mumbled. I heard a sigh at the other end of the line.

"I know the feeling, dude. I'll be there in fifteen, alright? Bye." I thanked the lord she shushed after she sighed. I would have died.

I got up and walked to my dresser, grabbing my Big Bang Theory tank top, and plain white jeans. I bent down in my very much needed closet (I had too many damn shoes) and grabbed my black Vans. I dressed and brushed my hair and teeth. My hair actually cooperated.

Well aren't I lucky? Something else is gonna fuck up today, I thought. No matter what I did something went wrong.

Angeline pulled into my driveway and I hopped in to her car.

"Are you excited?? This will be my first tattoo, ya know." I nodded and smiled. On the way there Angeline cursed the driver in front of us. He was slow as fuck and kept swerving. I thanked god for the second time that day for not making me smack a bitch.

"Hey, Belinda," Markus said as we walked in. He was the man who did my first tattoo and we had been friends since then.

"Hey, Mark. We all set?" He nodded and Angeline and I sat in our seats. I only trusted Markus to do my tattoos.

"So," Markus started talking as the needle hit my skin. I loved that feeling. "How's work?"

"Shit. New people every few days, coming in and out, it's bullshit."

"I see. Well when you're fresh out of college you don't know what the fuck to do. But I totally understand your frustration."

"And it's just a whole bunch of blonde bitches and jackasses!! Drives me up the goddamn wall. Some new whore drove into the freaking building for Christ's sake."

"Ah. I feel for ya. This part's gonna hurt like a bitch."

"Do it." I smiled as if to say, what the fuck are you waiting for? He got the message and kept going. It did hurt a lot but I chose to get it there. So it was my fault. I looked over at Angeline to find her flirting with Damian, wincing every few seconds. I could tell she was using him to get her mind off of the pain.

"So, you got anyone important to talk about?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're hungover but conversing. You're either happy or close to it."

"How would you know?"

"Belinda I know. So who are they?"

"Her name's Amber," I sighed.

"Oh? How old is she?"

"Twenty-one," I said, wincing at the needle on my collarbone. Markus was doing okay though. He sighed and lightly shook his head.

"Be careful, Belinda. Please be careful."

"What do you mean?" I winced again and he scratched the back of his neck.

"She's young. She's reckless. They all are."

"I know."

About another 20 minutes and our tattoos were done. I paid Markus and Angeline and I walked away with flawless tattoos.

My phone rang and I answered.

"Dannie?"

"Have you seen Amber?"

"Please tell me you're fucking with me."

"No. I just found a note saying she'd be back at around noon and it's almost two now."

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

"What's your problem?" Angeline asked.

"Amber's gone." Angeline picked up her pace as I did and we sped off to Amber's place.

When we got there, I read the note she left.

'Dannie,

I'll be home around noon, okay? If for some stupid reason I don't make it back, tell Belinda she needs to drive to Danville.

-Amber.'

"I'm going alone," I stated, grabbing the keys to Ambers suburban. She took her Audi.

"Why?" Angeline asked.

"If she's done something stupid, or is doing something stupid, she'll only talk to me."

"Can I go?" Dannie asked. "I am her best friend."

"No. If her and I fight, you shouldn't be there, okay?" Dannie nodded and hugged me tightly as if I was going to lift off of the ground.

"Be safe."

"I will." I left to look for my lost friend.