String of Fate

Chapter Fourteen

I could remember the day it happened. It was nearly six years ago now. Jamie had finished school and I had just been starting comprehensive school. He'd used the age difference as an excuse to avoid me for the last five years, even though he lived and worked in the tattoo parlour next door to the florists that my parents owned.

I was now waiting impatiently for my sixteenth birthday to see if my string would appear. I hoped it would show up on my birthday. I didn't mind if they were older or younger, male or female, I just wanted to know who they were. I was being very impatient.

"Chloe, stop daydreaming and put these bouquets on the display out front." My mother ordered me from behind the counter. She was pulling the thorns off the roses. I was glad that it wasn't my job. It hurt and sometimes even drew blood. I picked up the two bouquets that she had already made and headed out to the shop front, seeing Jamie heading back into the tattoo parlour.

"Hey!" I called to him. He stopped and turned to me from the doorway. I was surprised that he had actually stopped. I noticed a new tattoo on his shoulder, the wolf shown off by the tank top he was wearing. It matched the black bandana that held his long fringe out of his eyes. He couldn't get distracted while inking someone's skin. "How are you? It feels like ages since we saw each other. I like the new tattoo."

"Oh, thanks. It's about a month old now." Jamie answered, shrugging a little. "I'm good. I'm in the middle of a tattoo at the moment, so, I'll speak to you later."

"Okay, see you later." I replied as he headed back inside, knowing that 'later' probably wouldn't come. I tidied up the display and went back in. My mother continued with the roses until I told her I'd do them.

I kept myself busy for the day and helped around the shop like I usually did on a Saturday. As I was helping to shut the shop, I saw Jamie's parents leaving. I overheard a little bit of their conversation as they walked past. "Do you think he'll be okay? We didn't leave him anything to eat."

"He's twenty-one years old. If he can made food then that's his problem." Her husband replied.

The couple headed off, leaving me wondering if Jamie would be alright on his own. I knew that he wasn't a good cook – he'd given his whole family food poisoning when he'd last cooked. I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if it was only him that got sick. Then I remembered that I didn't want that. I passed my mother as I headed back into the shop. "Mum, I'm going out."

"Don't be back too late." She called as I headed up to my room. I grabbed some stuff – my bag, the latest Halo and my phone charger. I came back downstairs and pulled my jacket on. I was only going next door but it was still cold and there was a high chance that he wouldn't let me in.

I headed next door, walking past the shuttered door to the tattoo parlour and ringing the doorbell of the upstairs where the whole family lived. It took a minute until his rough voice answered. I really liked his voice. I balled my hands in my pocket and answered him. "Hey. It's me. Do you want to play Halo?"

There was a moment of silence before the intercom buzzed and I headed inside. I went straight up the stairs to where he lived. I kicked my shoes off as I headed through the door at the top of the stairs, just like I always did when I had visited Jamie before. He was waiting for me in the hallway. "What are you doing here, Chloe?"

"Your parents headed out as I was shutting the shop. I remembered the last time you cooked, too. I didn't want you getting sick again." I explained. I pulled the PS4 game from my bag. "I also brought this. I remember you used to kick my ass on these types of games. Want to see if you can beat me now?"

"Fine, since you won't take 'no' for an answer anyway." He answered, pushing off the wall and heading into the kitchen. I followed him, shutting the door behind me and pulling my jacket off since I was warm. I glanced around the kitchen to see if there was anything on show that I could use as an ingredient. There wasn't anything on show. "So, what are you making for food?"