Ten

It's beendays since I saw Luci in John's truck leaving town and my heart still feels like it's breaking every time I look at a picture of us or see his name on my phone.

I've left at least half a dozen voicemails apologizing and trying to explain myself. My thumbs hurt from so many love and apology texts sent. But not one of them has been replied to.

My front door flying open has me jumping from the couch brandishing the spoon I was just digging in the ice cream tub at whoever broke in.

"Heyyyy, good looking. Eek, or maybe rough-looking is more like it. Go get your ass in the shower, we're going to Posey's for a sleepover." Stacy shuts the door and flops down on the couch.

"I'm not going."

"Yes, you are. Enough moping about, it's our last few days before the semester starts and the girls wanna get together for drinking and chilling. So go on, get to moving." She shoos me with her hands and I roll my eyes but get up.

I head to the bathroom connected to my room and wince when I see my mascara-stained pillowcase. That's gonna need to be washed before it goes to campus with me. I wanna kick myself for falling so hard in such a short time. But I couldn't help it. I'm head over heels for a fucking horseman and he can't be bothered to hear me out.

I peel off my stale pajamas, the fabric slipping off easily, leaving me standing here looking as vulnerable as I feel. Stepping into the shower, the water beats down on me, its warmth seeping into my bones, washing away the fragments of my sorrow.

With a sigh, I reach for the bottle of body wash, squeezing a generous amount into my palm. The scent of pomegranate fills the air, briefly lifting my spirits. I lather up, the suds mingling with water, taking the evidence of days spent being a couch potato with it.

Stepping out of the shower, I wrap myself in a towel, relishing its softness against my skin. Feeling lazy, I gather my damp hair and twist it into two playful space buns, securing them in place with a couple of hair ties before swiping on some gloss.

If we're just going to Posey's for the night then I'm gonna dress casually and comfortably. Turning the light on for the closet, I grab a skort and a T-shirt, slipping them on.

"Okay, let's go. I swear though, if this is anything other than drinks and a chill night, I'll murder you," I warn Stacy as I step out into the living room.

"Scouts honor." She holds two fingers up like the girl in the Hunger Games movie.

"Wrong symbol idiot." I laugh.

"Whatever. Get your shoes so we can go. I already got the booze in the car. I grabbed your favorite; Carbliss."

The ride to Posey's is filled with us belting the lyrics to every song on the radio and cackling when Stacy doesn't know the right lyric and makes some shit up.

We pull up to the house right as she screams. "Like my eyeballs stuck on replay."

"You could just not sing when you don't know the words ya know," I tease

"That's no fun," she tells me, shutting off the car and grabbing the case of seltzers from the back before she gets out.

Posey opens the front door and is already in her pajamas. "You got her to come!"

"She didn't have a choice," Stacy calls. "It was pretty much a kidnapping."

"Well, either way, I'm glad you came."

"Dahlia isn't coming is she? I'll go home right now. I'm not in the mood to see her," I ask.

Dahlia's and my friendship is over until she apologizes to me and I see her treating people better. I'm not putting up with her shitting on someone just because they're different from her.

"Nope. Haven't talked to her. She needs a reality check." Posey shuts the door behind us and leads us up the stairs to her bedroom.

When we get into the room Mindy is sitting next to the TV reciting Legally Blonde verbatim as it plays. Posey throws a pillow from the bed at her and she falls over laughing.

"Hand me a drink, Po?" Mindy asks, holding her hand out.

"Sure thing, babe. Marley, you want one?"

"Yeah, I'll take a Carbliss."

Stacy opens the box and hands me a cranberry flavor. I savor the taste as I take my first swig.

"Okay so tell us, Marley, have you heard from Lucius?" Mindy sits next to me on the bed and lays a hand on my thigh.

"No," I whisper. "I've sent texts and called, but nothing."

"So that's it?" Stacy throws a hand up in the air. "You find love and it ends just like that? What's that say for the rest of us?"

"I don't know. He was thinking of going to CSU but he had an internship he applied for as well. I doubt if he left so close to the start of the semester that he's coming back for college."

My vision blurs as tears sting my eyes, but I hold them in. I'm not crying and bringing the mood down for my friends. They deserve this last night of fun before college starts.

"Enough of that sad shit." Mindy claps, changing the subject.

"Agreed. It's our last night together just us before school takes over. We should do something fun," Stacy chimes in.

"Ooh, I've been seeing all over the internet about this write-a-prisoner thing. You can go online and pick a prisoner to write to. We could have a convict penpal." She wags her brows.

"What the fuck?" Stacy is the first to reply.

"It could be fun!"

We just stare at her trying to figure out if she's serious or not. The way she's looking at us in return tells me she is indeed very serious.

"I'm not writing to some axe murderer." Posey grabs a new drink and opens it.

"Fine. I'll just do it alone then. You know I love a good bad boy." Mindy starts scrolling on her phone, no doubt looking for the sexiest prisoner she can find to write.

"We should get tattoos!" Posey offers.

"I don't know about that." I'm not sure if there's anything I want on my body permanently, I've never put much thought into it.

"We could do something for the four of us! Or you could get a hoofprint, Marley. Commemorate this summer. Your first love, forever!" Posey squeals like this is the best idea ever.

This drink must already be hitting me because I'm finding myself not hating the idea. I'd always have a part of Luci with me. And somehow that makes me feel better. If anyone has an issue with it, I'll plead momentary insanity by heartbreak.

"Okay. Find a shop."

"No fucking way," Stacy hollers, grabbing her phone and clicking away. "Done!"

"That fast?" I ask.

"Yeah. I'll drive, come on."

We pile into Stacy's car, drinks still in hand. Let's pray we don't get pulled over and caught with open containers.

"Replay" by Iyaz picks up where we left off and Stacy pulls out onto the road taking us to whatever shop she found to take us to last minute.

We pull up to a tattoo parlor, and the neon sign of The Ink Den flickers above, casting a glow onto the dimly lit street. With bubbling excitement, we step out of the car, giggling uncontrollably.

Stacy ushers us out onto the sidewalk and the faint aroma of coffee from the neighboring café tickles my nose.

As we enter, the atmosphere inside is incredibly cool. Vibrant artwork covers the walls, while the constant buzzing of tattoo machines fills the air.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the figure behind the counter. His tall and imposing figure is adorned with intricate tattoos, but what captures my attention the most is his face—a skull with eyes that shimmer like onyx.

"Welcome," he greets us with a voice that rumbles like thunder. "What can I do for you ladies today?"

Stacy steps forward. "We're here for some ink."

"What are we getting?"

I gather my courage and step forward. "I want a centaur hoof print on my hip."

Like a gentle rumble, his soft chuckles echo through the room. "A Monster's girl, huh?"

I shrug, my lips curling into a small smile. "I was, but he left. But I want to remember him."

A silent understanding passes between us as his expression softens. "Whatever you want, babe," he replies, his voice gentle. "You're paying me, so it's up to you."

With a grateful nod, I confidently approach the desk to sign the form he smoothly slides across. As I lean in, I can't help but steal a closer look at his face. His face is indeed made of bone, no skin, and while it was shocking at first, there's a certain beauty in its uniqueness.

"Alright let's go to my chair," Skull Face says.

I follow him to his chair and climb into the seat, settling in as he takes his place opposite me. I adjust my skort, pulling it down slightly to expose my hip, making it easier for him to work. I can"t believe I'm really going to do this.

Leaning back into the chair, I close my eyes, listening to the rhythmic buzz of the tattoo gun. The sensation of the needle piercing my skin sends prickles of excitement coursing through me, a mixture of pain and pleasure.

I breathe through the discomfort, focusing on the end result, the permanent mark that will remind me of Luci forever.

Finally, he finishes, and I open my eyes to see my new ink reflected in the mirror before me. A smile spreads across my face as I take in the design.

"It's perfect."