I spent a lot of time alone that week. Well, not entirely alone. My band started meeting for rehearsals again, and when we weren’t playing, we were either at Pete’s or my house. Like they’d all gotten together and decided on a Kellan-watching schedule, someone showed up at my place almost every day. It was usually Evan, but Matt popped over from time to time, and so did Griffin. Of course, Griffin mainly showed up to watch TV, but that was fine.
So, while I wasn’t physically alone that much, mentally I’d checked out. I stared off into space a lot and spoke to others only when absolutely necessary. Left to my own devices, I probably would have become a recluse, but my friends wouldn’t let me. Everyone kept trying to pull me out of my funk, but I didn’t want to be pulled out.
The only thing I cared about was Denny and Kiera. I thought about both of them all the time, and they were each hurtful to think about, for vastly different reasons. I felt myself falling deeper into depression every day.
I was staring at the bubbles in my beer one night at Pete’s when I felt someone sit beside me. Expecting a forward fan, I was a little startled to see Sam in the next chair. Running a hand over his buzz-cut hair, he sighed and said, “Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever is going on with you and Denny, but…he’s leaving tomorrow. Like, leaving, leaving. I thought you might want to know, in case…you know, there was something you wanted to say to him.”
He gave me a pointed glance, then stood up. As I watched him leave, I felt some of my haze start to lift. Denny was heading home, but he wasn’t gone yet. I had one last chance to set things right between us. If that was even possible.
Finishing my beer, I laid down some money for my tab, then headed toward the door. Thinking about saying goodbye to Denny naturally brought Kiera to my mind. I missed her so much that every second was almost unbearable. I went to bed staring at the poster on my wall, and woke up every morning still facing the same direction, as if even in my sleep, I couldn’t turn away from her.
Realizing that now was the perfect time to create my inked memorial of her, I turned around and found Matt over by the pool tables. “Hey, can you show me that tattoo place you like? I want to get something.”
Matt looked shocked. I’d resisted getting anything on my body for a really long time now. The guys didn’t even ask me to get one with them anymore, because they knew I’d say no. Except today. Today I was saying yes. “Uh…yeah, sure. When do you want to go?”
Reaching over to a nearby stool, I handed him his jacket. I wanted to do this while the idea was still fresh in my head. And the odds were good that Kiera would be with Denny tomorrow. If I was going to see her, I wanted to have her armor upon me. “Now,” I told him. It was getting late, but I was betting the parlor was still open. Late hours were kind of good for them. Matt finished his beer with a shrug, then followed me out the door.
Forty-five minutes later, I was sitting back in a chair, being prepped for a tattoo of Kiera’s name right above my heart. Matt looked unsettled by my choice. “Are you sure about this, Kellan? Removing tattoos is a bitch, and there’s always a little bit left behind that you can see…”
I shook my head. “I don’t want this removed. And yes, I’m sure.” I wasn’t doing this for Kiera. I wasn’t doing this for show. This was purely for me, so I could have Kiera next to me for all time. I’d never been surer about anything in my life.
Once the design was in place and the tattoo was ready, the needle hummed to life. Matt cringed, but I didn’t. I’d experienced more pain in my life than most. This was nothing. I didn’t even flinch when the man started digging into my body. The sting brought me one step closer to Kiera, and I cherished the burn.
When the artist was done, he showed me the jet-black swirls, edged in raw, irritated skin. Kiera’s name was backward to me in the mirror, but it was still obvious what it said. In awe, I tenderly traced my finger around the loop of the A. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He put some ointment on it, bandaged it up, then started giving me instructions on how to care for it. I only halfheartedly listened to him. My chest felt different where Kiera’s tattoo was. I was conscious of her name above my heart, even if I could no longer see it. It felt like she was with me, forever by my side, like a piece of her soul had been infused into the ink and now it was embedded into my body. Ridiculous, yes, but that was how it felt. The actual girl might be out of my hands, but this was something I could hold on to.
I couldn’t sleep that night. I tried for a while, but when it was clear it wasn’t happening, I headed down to the airport. Searching the departures board, I found Denny’s flight. It was hours from now, so I figured I had some time before he showed up. I found a spot, then began the tiresome act of waiting.