Skyscraper // Demi Lovato // 5

13.

After a ton of work, the apartment was done by the time Jay was released. We made it an event, Barrett getting a car big enough for me and the Richardsons. I had originally wanted Demi and Maia to come, but that meant Mara would be there, so I made up some excuse that could have been easily fixed.

Inside the lobby of the rehab center, Jay stood with her suitcase next to her. She pushed the handle down, stopping before it went too low for her to curl her fingers around it and pull it back up. She did this as she talked to the receptionist behind the front desk and Sandra, her therapist.

I couldn't help the grin that surfaced when Jay turned her head at the sound of the footsteps echoing slightly in the large room.

Her face lit up and she ran to me, but Jordan pushed me out of the way and hugged her.

She was taken aback, but laughed."Didn't think you missed me that much," she said before greeting her parents.

Mariah was near tears as she stroked Jay's naturally wavy hair. Most of the red had faded out to a reddish-orange-blonde shade. "He's been lost without you," Mariah said, Jordan rolling his eyes.

Jay punched his shoulder, coming up to me and practically melting in my arms. She held onto me for a long time as Sandra joined us.

Mariah thanked her for everything she had done for Jay.

"It was my pleasure. You've raised an incredible young lady."

Without her makeup to hide it, Jay's cheeks turned slightly pink and moved closer to me, like she was trying to hide.

After a long round of hugs and goodbyes, Jay wanted to go home, but I reminded her about the tattoos and the surprise.

"I can't believe I forgot. I literally spent all my free time thinking about what it could be."

So now we were at the tattoo shop where we had our appointment. Barrett came in with us because we could see a few heavily tattooed guys in the chairs by the window and he always said it was better to be safe than sorry, especially after the Rosie's Pizza incident.

Jay and I shuffled past them and were led back to a private room, requested by Demi. The stencils were made and placed on our right wrists, a decision we made in the car. We were both right handed so it made sense, but then we had to figure out who would go first.

"You," I said because I was scared.

"No, you," Jay replied, because she was also scared.

"You," our artist said, pointing at me.

"Just my luck," I muttered, sitting in the chair and extending my arm so he could do the tattoo. Jay laughed, sitting in the little folding chair, carefully holding her arm out so she didn't smudge the stencil.

"Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I said with a chuckle. I didn't think I'd ever be ready, so it was best to just do it.

My mouth dropped open when I first felt the needles penetrating my skin. It wasn't bad, but I grimaced dramatically as Jay pointed her the back of her phone at me.

"You're laughing now," I said. "Just wait."

"I am waiting," she replied smugly.

We all made small talk during both tattoos, mostly to distract us from it. At one point, I tried watching but it freaked me out and I almost told him to stop. But I knew if he stopped, I'd never get the tattoo finished.

Once I was done, I looked at my wrist, the black ink crisp and beautiful against my tanned skin. The redness wasn't the best look, but it would go away.