Playing (Inked Hearts 2)

"What else am I gonna do?"

"Live your life."

"Yeah…" She pulls her arm across her chest. Runs her fingers over the ink on her forearm.

You are not your mistakes.

I still don't know what it means.

What she's trying to escape.

But I want to.

"What are the other steps?" I bring my glass to my lips. Take a long sip. Fuck, I'm thirsty. She wore me out.

"It's boring."

"Not to me."

She wraps her fingers around her glass. Stares at the water like it holds all the secrets to the universe. "A lot of basic stuff. Eat right. Sleep right. Exercise."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Yeah. I guess. It all takes so much time and energy though. Don't you think?" Her eyes go to my chest. My shoulders. My forearms. "No, I guess you wouldn't."

I chuckle. "I didn't realize I was derailing your life plan with that cake."

"It was sweet. Different." She brings her glass to her lips and takes a long sip. Another. She swallows hard. Wipes her lips with her thumb. "There's other stuff."

"I imagine."

Her eyes go to the table. Her voice gets nervous. "Get in touch with old friends. Make new ones."

"How's that going?"

Her lips curl into a half smile. "I'm here."

Yeah. But she's not quite here. She's thinking something.

I'm not used to it.

I don't like it.

I want all her attention. "And Sandy?"

She laughs. "Yeah. And Sandy."

"You don't like her?"

"No. I do. Just she…"

"Can't stop gushing about her boyfriend?"

"Exactly." Iris laughs. "I thought I was the only person who found it obnoxious."

I shake my head. "I figured it was a girl thing. That he had some amazing trait I couldn't see."

"No. He's nice. And… nice." She pulls the paper off her straw and slides it in her glass. "How did you meet?"