Forrest

FORREST

Where the fuck is she?

SHE JUST left! I was just waiting for my break to chat with her, then I found her seat empty. There was no way she went with that jackass!

I had a few ideas about Megan’s history of hook-ups, but I was the last person to judge her—she was a consenting adult. I just didn’t want her to mix with that scumbag of all the people because he had a flashy card at his disposal.

“I’ll be right back.” I patted Dice on his shoulder and took off my apron.

My blood was already boiling, and I badly wanted to light a stick if I wasn’t still working. I strode toward the exit, hoping to apologize for butting into their chin-wag earlier.

She couldn’t have gone far. The smell of pees and cigarette assaulted my senses as I scanned the area where Megan could possibly park her car. I sprinted to the parking lot, thankfully, her car tail lights were still on.

A red haze gathered behind my eyelids as soon as I spotted her outside her car.

Shit!

“Megan!” I ran toward her, already quivering with rage. Pictures of her being harassed flashed in my brain when I noticed her on the ground, leaning against her car, seemingly shaking with her face buried in her hands.

As I got closer, I could hear her sobs that had me perplexed for a moment. This couldn’t be from drinking. I’d been watching her drunk her ass for years, and she was only on her second shot.

“Megan, are you okay?” I knelt in front of her and held her arms.

“Get off of me!” She jerked away from my grasp, terrified.

“It’s alright. It’s me, Forrest. Are you okay?” I spelled out and held her tightly as I inspected her for possible injury.

“I don’t need you! All of you, assholes!” She yelled between sobs.

“Just tell me if you’re okay to drive home and I won’t bother you again.” Damn it! What am I even doing here? It was because she was a friend of my girls, and they would knee my balls if they found out I left their best friend alone. And she’s Megan, dumbass!

“Just leave me alone.”

I loosened her arms on my grip, and there was no way I would hurt her further. When she tried to stand up, I followed suit and took a step back. And that was when a chill of apprehension swept over me. Her nose was bleeding and had a hand imprinted on her left cheek.

I was already balling my hands into fists before I could ask her. “Who the fuck did that to you?”

“I’m fine. Just go. Why do you even suddenly care?” She wiped off the bloodstain with the back of her hand and gave me a cold stare.

She’s a total mess. She wasn’t like this. I wondered what happened to her for the past few days. The Megan I knew was funny and flirty who didn’t filter and never cared how people would judge her. But this woman in front of me was a completely different person. She’s lost.

“Is that a handprint of that motherfucker?” The urge to lifting my hand to wipe the blood from her nose had me shaking.

Her chest puffed out, ready to throw me a pit. She was still crying though. Tears were streaming down her smeared face.

“If you didn’t stick your nose into and humiliate him in the first place, he wouldn’t have come to do this to me!”

I had to look away and gulped down an inhale of air. “He’s a jackass, Megan, but I shouldn’t have done that. I apologize for my abominable behavior earlier.”

not the first time like this

do you mean? Do you know

I fucked him?” Her brow arched.

at her bluntness. There was something inside me triggered, and I didn’t even want to think about it right now. It just hardened and twisted my gut even though I knew her who never care to filter

about who you sleep with, Megan—”

did you have to poke your

don’t know. Can I get you something for your nose?” Jesus! I was a complete

rolled her eyes and grabbed the door handle of her car. “I don’t need your help. Not

do you—?”

her eyes. “It means I don’t

A person I ever cared about came flashing back in my mind, making me shuddered. It felt like she was telling me that I was a

“Okay.” I clenched my jaw as I tried controlling my mouth not to say any words anymore. It was my fault she was

even care? Of course, I knew the answer.

shoulder after placing an

and poured ice cubes for the order Whiskey on

those girls?” He gestured his head to the dark corner booth.

them, but one thing that caught my attention was the bare back of the woman in a red dress with a chin-length haircut. I forced a swallow as I strolled my gaze from her shoulder down to her spine. I felt the rush of blood surging

mouth dried. “I-I

need to look for a new

***

No,

I walked toward my kitchen with sweat dripping from my forehead. I grabbed a glass, filling water from the faucet

snapped, eyes squinted to the sunrise streaking through the window. I couldn’t help but chuckle

means I don’t need you, okay?”

don’t. You’re a big girl.”

already showered, dressed, and already standing in front of the tattoo parlor, Fluer.

“Coming?”

door, Milo already pulled it opened for me. His body was tattooed just like mine, but he was skinnier than me. If I haven’t known Alan would beat his ass raw, I would’ve

“How’s your sister?” His sister was newly diagnosed Diabetic. And I felt bad that as young as nineteen, she had

the family

were hanging loosely from the dark ceiling.

me his new design on the iPad. “What do you think?”

down at the screen. It was a Hawk with fierce, blazing red eyes that screamed chaos. Its frightening black shiny wings spread widely that could soar across the sky. The striking claws were long, black, sharp, and curve pointed downward promising hideous scars and excruciating pain to

you think?” he

I shifted my gaze to his slim face, finding him showing

did this since the shop opened this morning. You should have at least a better word to say than just good.” His shoulders

I could appreciate a good one. And good was not the right word for his aesthetic work. I gave him that.

scowl off your face. That can bring bad luck for the business.” I walked past him to the hallway. There were six small tattoo rooms. At the end of the hallway

“Yeah.”

could still feel the biting sting of the needle piercing my skin when I got my first tattoo, but nothing could compare to the agonizing pain on why I

knocking softly on the single panel glossy black door, Alan said to come in.

I entered and closed the

managed to stay fit. Though he had already

“I do.” I slumped my back on the black chair and leaned my elbow on his wooden desk. Bartending was exhausting and

down. You don’t wanna attract unwanted attention. Did you understand me?”

my clean-shaven chin, waiting for him to talk.

moment, squinting his sharp whiskey-colored eyes on me. “How was