We ended up leaving the tattoo shop with fresh new tatts, well everyone except for me. I did feel a little left out but hey, at least I didn't have a needle on my skin.

I was currently puking because Lola and Mateo have this thing where they go back and forth saying cute things about each other.

"No, you have the cutest nose." Mateo says, kissing her cheek.

"No, you do-" Lola says for the fifth time.

"Can we just agree that both of your noses are cute. Jeez, I've never felt more like a third wheel than now" I shake my head.

"Oops, sorry " Lola says, leaning into his chest. A phone suddenly Rings and I make sure it wasn't mine.

Turns out it was Mateos and he answers it, while he's on the phone i pull mine out. I hadn't checked my phone since I walked into the party so I was just now seeing all the messages from my dad.

Remember NO boys.

NO Alcohol or drugs

Thalia?

Hello?

Im canceling my appointment with Dr.Canes, thanks!

Sorry, that wasn't meant for you. Don't know how to properly use an eye phone

I giggle out loud at my dads messages, he would truly benefit by actually putting peoples names in his contacts. I text him back that I would be home soon and put my phone back away.

Mateo was wrapping up his conversation as Lola stared into space. We were still walking, barely a couple steps away from the shop.

"Alright, see you" He says, hanging up the phone.

"Sorry, it was my mom. She needs me home like now. My little sisters having a really bad asthma attack and she needs the car." He explains looking at me apologetically.

"Well what are you waiting for then? For her to catch a breath? Hurry up" I said and he nods looking at Lola.

"I'll go with you. Im sorry Thalia, do you need me to call someone to pick you up?" She offers but I shake my head.

"No, it's okay. Just go already" I said because his sister might actually be suffering while we're here still talking.

"Right. Text me, I'll talk to you soon!" Lola says, running around the streets with Mateo looking like two crazy persons.

"And then there was one" I said sighing, I decide to walk back into the tattoo shop.

Who knows maybe a special someone would like to give another special Someone a ride home. I walk towards the door only to see a "sorry, we're closed" sign.

I knock through the window because I can still see Zoe and Heath inside talking to one another. Heath was the first to look and I wave at him.

He stands up and walks towards the door, unlocking it.

"What?" He asks, scanning the street ahead.

"You gave me that discount." I blurted out, smirking. His eyes don't meet mine telling me that he didn't want to draw too much attention toward it .

"So?" He asks, running his fingers through his hair and I gotta bring my focus to my main priority.

"So.. that must mean you care a little bit about what I think about you. " I said reminding him about earlier.

" You didn't have to give me that discount just to prove to me that you were a nice person, I already knew you were." I told him and his dark gray-blue eyes finally meet mine. He's reading me as if he wanted to know if I was lying or not but I wasn't this time.

"I don't care what you think about me." He quickly denies but I don't believe him .

"Sure... that's what everyone says but deep down we all care about what people think about us." I was talking about my own experience but that sounded like something a wise person Would say.

"Anyway, the real reason I came here was because I need another favor." I smile at him so that maybe it'll convince him to agree easier.

"I was wondering if maybe... if you had the time, could you give me a ride home? My friends ditched me." I pout and he raises a brow.

"Ditched you?" He asks, leaning on the door frame.

"Not in a bad way, they're actually really nice people. And Lola's really pretty, she was the pretty blonde girl I was with but you can't make a move on her because she has a boyfriend, he was also with us tonight. And if you ever decide to get in between them and break them up I will break you. Because they are the cutest couple you will ever meet in your life and they will get married and have a beach wedding, with two kids and live happily ever after " I let out all at once.

What was I talking about before? I get side tracked so easily .

I look up at him to see him already staring at me, just like always I can't read his expression so I don't know if he thinks I'm annoying or is actually interested in what I just said.

"That's besides the point, what was I asking you? Sorry I forget everything in under twenty seconds. I think I get it from my dad because it happens to him too and it's annoying when he does it so I'm probably being so annoying right now, so I'll stop." I bite my lip to shut myself up.

"So can I get a ride with you?" I ask, remembering my question.

"A ride in your car. Not like the other ride cause that's just weird. Just to clear that up." I clear my throat and try giving him a chance to speak.

"Ok." He answers and walks back into the shop, I follow after him and smile as I greet Zoe. Although she doesn't greet me back.

Is everyone here just emotionless? And if they are, no judgement. That's fine.

I wait for Heath and take a seat on one of the stools. There's an awkward silence between Zoe and I, I can't stand silence.

"I like your hair" I blurt out to get rid of the silence that was killing me.

She looks up from her phone and nods, acknowledging my compliment. Not even a thank you?

"You're welcome" I said and nod, tapping my foot on the floor, impatiently.

Heath takes his sweet time before coming back and now he's wearing a black sweater. It wasn't even too chilly outside so I didn't bother bringing one myself.

"I'm leaving early. You can close up." He throws Zoe some keys and suddenly her attention is on him.

"Got it. Ill see you tomorrow?" She ask but Heath shakes his head.

"Not tomorrow," He responds to her and I see some disappointment in her face.

"Come " Heath gestures for me to follow him out and I send a goodbye wave to Zoe, one which she doesn't respond.

I laugh to myself at how my dirty mind always goes to something else when I hear that word . Heath looks at me, almost like he was waiting for me to explain my reasoning for laughing.

But I decide not to and he doesn't ask. His black corvette was parked in the 'employee only' parking spot and I get into the passenger seat.

"You're car is so cool, I wanna drive it." I close the door as I get comfortable in the seat.

"Aren't you like fifteen" He suddenly says and I'm in shock because I think this was him trying to joke.

Someone's got jokes.

"I'm eighteen, actually" I chuckle and he turns his head to me, his eyes moving down to my legs where my skirt was ridden up.

He quickly looks forward and I pull the ends of my skirt down. He ain't slick. I caught him looking.

"How old are you? Let me guess-" I said quickly before he could tell me.

I look at him from my seat and analyze him. He didn't look old but he definitely didn't look like a teenager either. He had tattoos covering most of his arms and only a few on his hands, which now was no surprise because he worked at a tattoo shop. I wondered if he did those himself, I note to ask him about it later.

"I'll say.. twenty.. five. Twenty five, that's my final answer. Am I right?" I'm sitting so that I'm somewhat turned to him on my seat, even though it's kinda dangerous.

"Twenty four." He corrects me and watches the review mirror.

"Close enough. Do I really look fifteen?" I'm suddenly curious to know, I've never gotten that from people so I'm curious to know if I actually look younger than I am.

"No" he answers and something makes me believe him .

"Well I'll be nineteen in July, so. I had to stay back in first grade because I couldn't freaking count without skipping a few numbers. So I'm older than most kids in my grade." I tell him and he listens.

"You know, you don't say much. Which is fine. I like that you listen to me talk." I let him know as I smile to myself.

"At least I hope you listen to me and Aren't just zoning out." I think about that possibility too.

"You are listening, right?" I glance at him and he nods.

"Good " I smile.

The smile for Some reason doesn't leave my face as I look out the window. I push down the button to make the window roll down, making my hair blow in my face.

I liked going on car rides at night, they were the best. I put my arm out the window, feeling the sudden rush of wind as we drove down the streets of a quiet neighborhood.

I was glad tonight had happened, it was so much fun and it really taught me that I should go out more. Especially now that I have friends. I think about how tonight escalated and how I was actually so close to getting a tattoo. I was definitely not going to tell dad about that part.

"I love car rides, don't you love car rides?" I turn my head in his direction, still smiling.

"Sorry I keep smiling and talking, I'm just really happy. Aren't you happy?" I ask, even though it was intended as a rhetorical question.

"Not really" he ended up responding, sorta whispering it but I still heard it and I'm glad I did.

"Well what makes you happy?" I suddenly ask, sticking my arm back inside, putting my focus on him.

"I don't know" He says, his hands gripping onto the wheel tightly.

Hearing that he wasn't too happy kinda made me sad. Was it selfish for me to be happy when someone else clearly wasn't? Feeling happy for me was the best feeling ever, everyone should feel this feeling.

"Give me your phone" I stick my hand out for him to give me his phone.

"No" he says for like the two hundredth time since I've met him.

"Is No your favorite word? Because you say that a lot." I point out but he doesn't respond.

"C'mon just hand me your phone. I won't do anything too bad." I say and he thinks about it before taking it out of his pocket.

Once I have his phone in my hand, I try to unlock it but he has a password. I try to figure it out in my own and go with the stereotypical 1234.

It works.

"Wow, your passwords so hard" I said sarcastically, shaking my head.

I tap my fingers on his phone as I type away, I was secretly putting my own number on it and took a quick selfie of myself, putting it as the contact picture.

"Perfect. Now we'll really be attached because I'll check up on you everyday." I smile looking at him, his brows were narrowed from what I could see.

"You better respond . I know where you live, I'll just show up unexpectedly." I threaten, kinda joking but it sounds like something I would do for fun.

He takes back his phone and parks right in front of my house. The lights were off so I assumed my dad was asleep already.

"Thanks for the ride. I'll text you so answer. Or I'll show up to your house and job." I try to sound intimidating but I don't think it works.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and get out the car. He doesn't drive away until I'm actually inside and that reminds me of my dad.

Tonight was the most fun I've had with someone other than myself. But I was tired as heck and went to sleep right away.

But you can bet that I went to sleep happy.

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A/N

I hope u guys enjoyed this 💕🌟

As always thanks for reading

7/6/22