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“You’re kidding, right?” Scarlett scoffed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I shot back. Sure, we all knew I wouldn’t be getting a tattoo, but Scarlett’s tone irked me.
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’d actually consider getting that virginal skin of yours tattooed?”
“I’ve never really thought about it,” I said, a defensive edge to my voice.
“Becca, ignore her. She’s had a stick up her butt all day.” Lilly shot Scarlett a knowing scowl, and we all climbed into the car.
“Yeah, well, sometimes, life is shittier than usual.” Scarlett gunned the engine and pulled out of the school parking lot. “You should think about it, Becca. It’s body art.”
“That you can never get rid of,” Lilly added.
“Sorry,Mom, I didn’t know you disapproved so much. Besides, weren’t you just telling Becca she should get one?”
Lilly threw herself back against the seat and folded her arms across her chest. I caught her eye in the rearview mirror and smiled, trying to ease some of the tension filling the car.
“I think a tattoo might be a little permanent,” I said, “but maybe there is something I can get.”
An hour later, Lilly and I were hovered around the small hand mirror watching as the jewel sparkled as I moved it around my face.
“It looks so cute,” Lilly cooed, eliciting a groan from Scarlett.
“You got your nose pierced.”
“So?”
She shrugged, busy looking at the angry heart inked on her wrist. “Whatever.” Scarlett stalked off back into the main room in the tattoo studio while Lilly and I took one last look at my new piercing.
“What the hell is her problem?”
“Stuff at home, I think. She’s been like this since the club.”
When she’d let it slip things weren’t so good with her mom.
“Is she going to be okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Lilly smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’ve probably worked it out by now, but Scarlett fixes everyone around her. Herself, not so much. She’s like a ticking time bomb.”
“Is there anything we can do?”
“Other than be there to pick up the pieces when it all goes to shit? Nope.”
I placed the mirror down and followed Lilly out front. Scarlett was waiting, arms folded over her chest, staring out into space. Her hard edge was all a front. If you looked close enough, you could see the vulnerable girl vying for attention. But Lilly was right. Scarlett wasn’t the kind of person you fixed. Not unless she asked.
“Are we heading to Rogues?” Lilly asked Scarlett, who shook her head.
“Nah, I have some shit to take care of. I’ll drop you there if one of the guys can give you a lift home?”
“Yeah, I’m sure Malachi won’t mind. You’re coming, right, Becca?” She turned to me.
“Uh, yeah, I guess.”
* * *
I checkedmy cell phone again, but there was still nothing. It had been a whole twenty-four hours since we’d last talked, and I was starting to worry.
“So, do you want to talk about it?”
