Safe Haven

Chapter Thirty One

Life continues as if nothing had happened. I'm feeling like myself again and I really enjoy that. I spend as much time as I can with the girls and Scott. We invited him to Fresno, but he is going back to LA to see his parents.

Speaking of him, I spent so much time focused on me, I completely forgot about the Jess-Scott situation. I don't know if they're still 'having fun', or if Daisy knows about all that.

"Hey," I say to Jamie while we're walking back home after our last Calc class of the week. "What's going on with Jess and Scott? Are they still... doing whatever they were doing?"

"Unfortunately for my back, yes." She huffs. "She kicked me out twice last week, but Daisy let me crash on her floor."

I was about to say she could've come to me, but I realize she was giving me the space I needed and that meant a lot to me.

"Does she know about them?"

"No, Jess asked me not to tell her since 'it isn't a big deal'." She makes Jess' texan accent and I giggle. "Whatever. I started ignoring whatever was going on between them so I can keep my sanity."

"I guess I will do the same."

We walk in silence for a little bit and then she turns to me. "How are you? I mean, I'm asking as a friend. You know I care about you, and I just wanted to know how my friend was doing." I turn to look at her and all I see is sincerity and genuine concern. "I saw you when you asked for space, and you seem so much better now, but I want to hear you say it."

"I'm really good." I smile. "I still have some things to figure out, but just to think I believed I was fine when now I know all that was suppressed..." I sigh. "Thank you for letting me do this." I stop walking and grab her hand.

She turns to me smiling. "I just want you to be ok. And I don't have to 'let' you do anything. You are an independent woman that makes her own choices. Just 'cause that piece of shit made you think he had to allow you to do something, doesn't mean that's how things are. You can do whatever the fuck you want."

My grin somehow keeps growing. "You know what? You're right."

"Fuck yeah, I am." I laugh hard. "C'mon, let's do something you want. Anything. Just say the word and we'll do it. Right now."

"Now?" I stare at her.

"Yeah! Right now. Don't overthink it. Choose something, anything. We can call the girls if you want." We stand in the middle of campus while I think of something.

What do I want to do? Anything at all, I just have to choose it. I guess I should do something to help me let go of Matt's claws, but what could that be?

"Oh! I have an idea!" I start jumping with a huge smile on my face.

"Care to share?" She smiles.

"Call the girls first. Tell them to meet us and then I'll tell you all at once." I giggle.

"Ok." She sighs and pulls her phone out of her pocket.

"Why did y'all convince me to do this?" Jess cries.

"Because I wanted to do this with all of you," I say. "I want this to be something to remind us of each other."

"But did it have to be a fucking tattoo?" she shrieks when the girl starts cleaning her skin. "Isn't a picture of us as your phone background enough?"

"Just shut up, Jessica." Daisy snaps. "It's just a tiny tattoo. That's why we made you go first, we knew you'd chicken out if you saw us doing it before you. So just suck it up and let the girl do her job."

The rest of us stare at Daisy for a little bit and I start laughing. "I love you." I hug her.

"Of course you do." She chuckles.

"Y'all are mean," Jess whines. "Just get this over with."

We're all impressed with how well Jess does. She makes weird sounds here and there, but since it was a small design, it was over quickly. We leave the parlor and go to Jamie and Jess' room, with a quick stop to get our dinner.

"Thank you for making me get this. I love it!" Jess squeals from her bed while looking at her tattoo. I nod and look at my own.

We all got four small birds on our left wrists. I couldn't stop looking at mine. Matt always said that tattoos ruined people and he hated the two I already had when we met. When I absentmindedly mentioned that I wanted to get another one, he threw a fit. One would think that reaction was because I said I wanted to kill a person and eat them, but it was only about a tattoo.

"I propose a toast." I lift my half full cup, the girls follow my lead, and I clear my throat dramatically. "Here's to being independent, strong, free-as-a-bird women who don't need a man. At all." They break out in laughter and cheers.

"And fuck Matt!" Jess adds and I laugh hard.

"And here's to never saying the name of that asshole ever again!" Daisy adds and I promptly support her. "We all know Jamie has a bigger dick anyway." The room breaks into laughter while I almost choke on the sip of water I just took and spit it out all over the floor. "Even I have a bigger dick."

"What the fuck, Daisy!" I get off Jamie's bed laughing and rush to where she is on Jess' bed to jump on top of her. "I love you." We both smile. "All of you." I turn to look at Jamie and Jess.

"We love you too, babe." Daisy kisses my cheek harshly and I laugh.

"You three are my ride or die." I smile and hug Daisy tighter.