Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 24
By the time I emerge from the bathtub, the bubbles have long disappeared, and the water is uncomfortably cold.
I remove what’s left of last night’s make-up and cover myself in my favorite body lotion in an attempt to perk myself up a little before making my way back to my room.
I pull on a pair of leggings and an oversized hoodie with the intention of spending the day chilling out in front of the TV and hopefully catching up on some much-needed sleep.
As I descend the stairs, the familiar sizzle of frying bacon hits my ears seconds before the smell surrounds me. My mouth waters and I pick up my pace a little.
“Hungry?” she asks when I join her in the kitchen and pull out a bottle of orange juice from the fridge.
“Starved.”
“That would be all the exercise you had.” My cheeks heat despite the fact that she’s not looking at me.
“Hmm…” I mumble, pouring us both a drink and taking a seat at our table.
Bailey finishes up our sandwiches before placing a plate down in front of me.
“You do know that you’re not getting away with it, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I say with a mouthful of delicious salty, smoked bacon.
“I want all the details from last night.”
“I already told you, it was good. Fun… while it lasted.”
“Oh come on, you need to give me more than that.”
“He was…” I pause to think of the right word. “Mind-blowing.”
She stares at me for a beat, and I can almost see the excitement building behind her eyes.
“You rode him all night long, didn’t you?”
My face flames red. I already know the answer is written all over it, however that doesn’t stop me from muttering a response. “Might have.”
“Yes, get in there, girl!”
“What about you?” I ask, turning this on her, not wanting to give her a play by play of my regretful evening. “You’ve only just got in, how was your night?”
“It was fine.” I narrow my eyes at her. It’s so unlike her to withhold any details about her conquests.
“It was fine? Wow, he must have really rocked your world. Was it the guy you were dancing with?”
“No, he disappeared not long after you left. It was just some guy. There won’t be a repeat.”
“When is there?” I ask, pushing my now empty plate away from me.
She shrugs, totally unfazed by her behavior.
“So have you decided if you’re going to call him?”
I open my mouth to respond but soon discover that I don’t have the answer, at least not the one she wants to hear.
“I’m going to lie down. Leave the washing up, I’ll do it later.”
“That’s it,” she says as I leave the room. “Run away.” Her voice is light, but I can’t help wondering how true her words are.
She ignores my parting words, because by the time I get to the top of the stairs, she’s crashing around in the kitchen, tidying up.
I don’t make it to my bed. Instead, I come to a stop at my dressing table and fall down onto my stool as I stare at the photograph of me standing with my parents and little sister when I was a kid.
Reaching out, I run my fingertip over each of them. I desperately try to remember what it was actually like to touch them, how warm their skin was, how they smelled, what their voices sounded like. Some days it feels like only yesterday they were taken from me, but others I almost feel like I’ve lived my entire life without them.
My eyes drift to the frame slightly behind them of my aunt and me the day I graduated college—something I never thought I’d be able achieve during my last few years at high school. She was the only one who was able to break through the dark haze I was drowning in and make me look forward. I’ll forever be grateful for what she gave me.
I blow out a breath, making the piece of paper stuck to my mirror flutter. I stare at the drawing I did so long ago.
“Today could be the day, you know.” I didn’t hear her join me, so the sound of Bailey’s voice startles me.
I look over at her to find her resting her hip against the doorframe with her arms over her chest.
“Maybe,” I say, but it’s sarcastic at best.
“You should go and see Sledge.”
“Who the fuck is Sledge?”
“The guy who inked Colton and Rylee.”
“You are aware that they’re going to take a restraining order out on you soon, right?”
“Ha ha, you’re funny. I wasn’t at the window watching or anything. Rylee was telling me about it at work one day. I’ll message you the address in case you get brave.”
“Thank you.” I’m not sure if I’m actually grateful or not. I know that I should either pluck up the courage and do it or forget about it. Maybe having this address sitting on my cell will be the kick up the ass I need.
Deciding against lazing in bed all day, I pull my hoodie off, remove my leggings and open my closet. I grab the first thing I put my hand on, a black t-shirt dress, and pull it over my head.
After running my fingers through my now dry hair, I grab my purse from the dresser and slip my feet into my flip-flops. At the last minute, I turn and pull my sketch from the mirror, just in case Bailey is right.
“I’m going out,” I say as I pass Bailey’s door.
“Do you want company?”
“No, I need to clear my head.”
“Okay, have fun.”
I climb into my car and sync my cell the second the engine comes to life. The music is still on low after my devastating drive home from my aunt’s yesterday.
Jesus, how was that