The Morning After
Rianna woke up to see Nick’s blue eyes staring back at her. Each set reflecting love.
“Do I snore? Marcy never gave me a straight answer when we were little.” Nick smiled.
“Just a little. But in a very cute way.” She scooted closer to Nick and rested her head on his warm bare chest.
“I could lay here with you just like this, forever.” She whispered. Nick let his fingers twirl around in her hair while she went over the lines of his tattoos with her finger.
“I’m gonna get one of these one day. It’s gonna say ‘property of Nick Carter’ in español. Then your face will be here, right next to it.” Both were amused with the thought.
“Come to think of it. You would look really sexy with a butterfly or something on your stomach.” Nick suggested.
“Oh really?”
“Yes, really.” Nick crawled over on top of Rianna and kissed her. “Shit!” His sudden change of mood alarmed her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I was supposed to be somewhere at 12 and it’s almost that now. I’m late.” Nick got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Rianna giggled at Nick walking around in the full flesh, being that the lights were out the night before she couldn’t see much, but now she could, and she was impressed.
“Will you be here when I get home?” He called from the bathroom.
“Of course I’ll be here. When should I expect you back?”
“I’ll call you, cause I have no idea.”
“Well you will have to call my cell, I might be out with Marcy for a while.” Nick came out of the bathroom, still naked, and searched for a towel in the laundry basket on the floor.
“Forgot to put them in the linen closet.” He put on a foolish smile and went back into the bathroom. Rianna sat in Nick’s bed analyzing her situation. She hadn’t had sex with anyone for at least a year.
“What a way to get back into the swing of things.” She thought out loud. The scent of Nick’s cologne was all over the sheets. The sun was shining in on her face. She had never felt so good and guilt-free after sleeping with someone.
“I could really get used to this.”
“Get used to what?” Nick opened the bathroom door and stepped out wrapping a towel around his waist.
“Being with you like this. Waking up in your arms every morning.” Rianna had a sudden jolt of regret for being so honest. Most men would take that comment as being rushed into a commitment.
“I’m already used to it.” Nick replied with a smile. Rianna felt instant relief rush over her.
Nick got dressed as quickly as he could, then left to meet the guys. As soon as he was gone, Rianna picked up the phone and called her sister.
“Marcy! Marcy! Guess where I am?” Rianna shouted into the phone.
“Mmm, let me think. The caller ID says Carter, N. Are you at the Smithsonian Institute?” She replied. Marcy was sarcastic by nature. No matter what anyone said, she had an obnoxious comment to come back with.
“Ha ha, Marcella, you should see his room. It’s so big. And his bed is very comfortable.” Rianna bragged.
“His bed? You didn’t!”
“We did! We did! We really did! And it was wonderful girl. I have never felt so loved by a man in my entire life!” She sighed and hugged the pillow.
“So he’s a keeper then?” Marcy put her nail polish away, fanned her toe nails, and listened closer.
“Definitely!”
The sisters got together later tha day at the mall. They did a little shopping and then grabbed some lunch.
“See that place over there?” Marcy put her burger down and looked.
“Yeah, so?”
“I say we go over there and get some tats. Right now.” Rianna answered back. Marcy nearly choked.
“For what?!?!?” She shouted.
“Because they’re sexy. You know that you want to.” Marcy rolled her eyes and kept eating.
“I double-dog dare you!” Marcy nearly choked again.
“Listen, don’t you go daring people. I am not about to go in there to inflict pain on my precious skin. My body is my temple.” Marcy wiped her mouth then put a few fries in her mouth.
“Yeah, which is why you are filling your body with greasy food. Some temple. But you know what? It’s ok. I’ll just tell Jimmy that our wimpy sister, who has a whole lot of mouth about everything else could not even get a measely tattoo!” Marcy threw her napkin down and stood up. She grabbed her bags and headed toward the “Piercing and Tattoo Heaven” parlor. Rianna smiled knowing that she had won. She gathered her things and followed her sister.
They walked in and could already see a young girl getting her tongue pierced. Another guy was getting a tattoo on his arm. Behind them was a curtain which concealed a doorway that led to the more private work areas.
A girl sitting in a chair next to the door signaled for them to come to her.
“What can we do for you?” She asked. Marcy looked at Rianna so Rianna spoke up.
“We want tattoos. Firts timers, you see.” The girl nodded and pointed to the wall.
“You might wanna look at those. It’s better to start with something simple with little color— hurts less.” Rianna looked up and scanned the wall for butterflies. When she saw a set of a five butterflies, she quickly chose the one with the most blue in it. She held her finger on it and looked at the girl.
“Sure?” Rianna nodded. What about you?” Marcy looked over the photos without actually studying them.
“I’ll just get my name, thanks.” Marcy answered, cursing Rianna in her mind for daring her to do this.
“Ok, hold on.” The girl instructed. She went behind the curtain and Rianna could see that she was discussing the choices with the tattoo artist. She came to the curtain and motioned for Marcy.
About 35 minutes later, Marcy emerged from the back with tears in her eyes. She sat down in an empty chair and the girl gave her a cup with some sort of soda in it. Rianna looked at Marcy’s arm and saw “Marcella” written on it and a barbed wire design going around her arm under the name.
“Barbed wire?” Rianna asked.
“Last minute decision.” She puffed out between sobs. The girl motioned for Rianna and she followed her back.
“Yours might take a little longer.” The man said as he pointed to the chair where Rianna would have to sit.
“Where?” He asked. Rianna lifted her shirt and pointed to her stomach, to the right of her navel. The girl came back again and opened a book to find the blue butterfly.
“Take aspirin before coming here?” Rianna shook her head. “Drunk?” Rianna shook her head again. The girl chuckled a bit. She gave Rianna a little stress ball.
“You might need this.” She took it into her hand and began squeezing before the tattooist had even got his ink ready. He took a think blue marker and drew an outline of the butterfly using a stencil. After her finished he got new black ink and a new needle.
She heard him start the needle and she clenched the ball so hard that it hurt. It reached her skin and Rianna’s whole body cringed. She’d felt worse pain before, but the fact that she was allowing it to happen made it worse.
After a while, the pain evened out and she felt used to it. Then it came time for him to color it in. It felt like he was poking the needle in the holes he had made before. Twenty minutes had passed and Rianna almost wanted to call it quits. She decided to just close her eyes and try to focus on something else.
Twenty more minutes passed and he was finished. The pain lingered on though. He wiped her skin clean of excess ink and blood. She looked down and smiled. It was over. She felt like a new person. Her skin was still swollen, but she was happy with it. He wrapped it with a bandage and told her to keep it on for a few hours.
When Rianna went back into the front, Marcy told her that everything had been paid for.
Later on in the car, Marcy looked over at her siser and nudged her with her elbow.
“Still hurt?” She asked. Rianna just lifted her hand in there air and made a “so-so” gesture. Marcy continued to Nick’s house and dropped Rianna off. She saw that his car was in the driveway. She went to the door through the garage and turned the key. Nick was in the kitchen waiting for her.
“If you’d have called, I’d have been here waiting for you.” She said as she closed the door and locked it behind herself.
“Well, I decided to come home and wait for you instead. Where have you two been anyways?” He asked. She lifted her shirt and pulled the bandage away. Nick looked shocked, yet pleased.
“I can’t believe it, you actually got the butterfly. Did it hurt bad?” She nodded yes, then switched to an unsure motion.
“Well this presents a problem.” Nick put his glass down and looked her in the eye.
“What kind of problem.” She began to worry. She would be highly upset if she went to get the tattoo that he suggested and he had a problem with it.
“Because I can’t be on top tonight.” With that he scooped her up into his arms and carried her up to his bedroom, Rianna giggling and squealing.
Chapter 10
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