Hidden truths

My feet pound the pavement as I run from campus. I check over my shoulder periodically to make sure I am not being pursued. My mind is reeling from seeing all three of them here. Here.

Why are they here?

How did they find me?

Better yet, how did they know it was me? I don’t look anything like my former self. But the flare of recognition in his eyes and that knowing smile, told me everything I needed to know. He knew me. They weren’t supposed to know where to find me. I was so careful.After a few minutes, I ducked into a familiar alley to catch my breath.

“I really need to run more” I gasped in between breathes.Pacing the alley, I took a minute to gather myself. I am not the same girl I used to be. I am not afraid of them anymore. They can’t hurt me anymore. HE can’t hurt me anymore. I knew this day would come and I am ready to be the badass I made myself into.I checked the time on my phone and cursed. I don’t have to be at work for another hour. The local coffee shop seems like the most logical place to crash until my shift starts. As I enter the “JAVA MAMA”, I order my coffee and take a table in the back facing the door. A little trick I picked up in high school.

Back then, I was bullied. If you would call it that .it was more like being tortured. Zane Blackwood was my tormentor, with his two best friends, Oliver Watson and Luke Morgan. We all grew up together but never ran in the same circles. Zane’s Family was loaded. They live in a huge mansion just outside of the city. His Father, Jack Blackwood, owns half the business in the city. He is a very powerful businessman. While, my mother, was the town drunk/whore. She frequented the local bars, day or night to pick up men, married or not, didn’t matter. Many of whom, I had walked in on after I got home from work or school. She had gotten fired from jobs more times than I can count. Mostly for showing up drunk or high. Sometimes both. The last one was because she slept with all the staff and caused too much drama for the workplace. We were lucky that the small house we lived in was paid off by my grandmother years ago. Or we would have been homeless too.I managed to be invisible, flying under the radar until my Junior year. My life imploded.

A loud noise pulled me out of my thoughts.“Jay? Jay? Mocha Cappuccino with soymilk?”  the barista yelled again, this time more annoyed.I quickly stood up and headed to the counter.

Grabbing my coffee, I turned around and walked right into a wall of a person.

“I am sorry, I didn’t see you there.” I said to his chest. Looking up, I see a very handsome man smiling down at me.

“Your Jay, I assume?” He asked still close.

“Yeah, name is Jasmine, but everyone calls me Jay.” I blush. Why am I talking so much?

“Hmm, I think Jay suits you. Mind if I join you?” he asks pointing to the table I was just sitting at.

I smile again, and nod. Turning, I walk toward the table. Peeking over my shoulder to be sure he was following. I caught him looking at my ass in my black skinny jeans. I turn around quickly smiling at myself. Paired with my leather jacket, white crop top, and my black combat boots. It made me feel like a complete bad ass. I sit quickly and motion for him to do the same.

“So, what is your name?” I ask him while taking a sip of my coffee.

“Jason Pierce” he said with a smile.

“What brings you here? I haven’t seen around.” I asked. God. What was I doing? Twenty questions?

“business” he stated with a touch of annoyance. Which he quickly covered with smile that didn’t touch his eyes.

I frowned and studied him carefully. He looks older than me, maybe twenty-six. He has blonde hair and dark green eyes. He was handsome in the frat boy kind of way but not my type. There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. He didn’t seem to want to be here talking to me. Which is odd because he is the one who initiated the conversation. Getting the tingling sensation in my neck, I knew it was time to go. my phone suddenly started to vibrate on the table. It was text from an unknown number.

UNKNOWN: LEAVE NOW. HE IS NOT WHO HE SAYS HE IS.

Looking around, I don’t see anyone paying attention to us. I stop when I finally look at Jason. His eyes are glancing from the phone to me. Then his eyes slightly narrow.

“Everything alright? You look a little spooked.” He asked.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just my work. They need me to come in a little early” I lied.

“Hmm” he said but didn’t look like he believed me. “I won’t keep you.

”“Oh, okay. Um, Ill see you around.” I said while gathering my stuff. I smiled as I stood up.

“Yeah, maybe I’ll stop in for a tattoo” he said with a wink.I froze and nodded.

It took me a few seconds to recover, and I briskly walked out the door. How did he know where I worked? Who was that guy? Who is texting me? My mind was full of so many questions when I walked into the tattoo shop a few blocks away, I didn’t notice Caleb behind the desk. He stood as I looked up.

“Hey Jay, you good?” He asked with concern in his voice.

“yeah, Yeah, just a very strange day is all.” I sighed and walked around the desk.Caleb Cox, my Boss, is hot as hell. He looks like a sexy surfer. Chiseled body with long blonde hair. His crooked nose and full lips make it impossible to look away. We have gotten close lately. He is teaching me to fight some mornings before the shop opens. His father was a boxing legend before he died in a car crash a few years back. I bite my lip and try to not appraise him anymore than I already have. I glance back up to find him smirking at me.I winked at him and walked around him to the computer. Bending slightly to look at the schedule on the screen. Looking up I see Caleb eyeing me up and down. I stand up slowly.

“Like what you see?” I say doing a little turn.

“Actually, I do.” He says, as he walks toward me. With his hand resting on the side of my stomach exposed by my crop top. He brushes over my stomach again. “I think a belly button piercing would look so fucking hot on you.” He whispers into my ear.

“Let’s do it” I say with my hands on his chest. I push him away a little and he laughs. He walks backwards, as I follow him to the piercing room. He closes the door behind him and starts getting to work. I take off my leather jacket and pull my blonde, blue hair up in a messy knot. As I lay on the table with my arms above my head, Caleb stares at me for a minute and stands up. He is looking at me like he is hungry, and I squirm a bit. He notices the movement and licks his lips as his eyes travel down my body. He hovers over me for a second before he slowly lowers his face to mine. Right before his lips touch mine, the bell for the front door goes off.

“UGH” We both huff at the interruption.

“I should probably finish this quickly.” He says breathily

.“Mhm.” I murmur still frustrated.

Once he finished, I quickly get up and headed toward the front door.“Welcome to Killer Tattoo. What can I do for you?” I say while looking down at my new piercing.“Hello Jasmine” The customer said. I stopped and looked up into the eyes of Zane Blackwood. Behind him were his friends Oliver and Luke.

“What the fuck do you want?” I say with more spunk than I feel. When they are around, I feel like that little scared girl again. It makes me angry.

I glare at them refusing to back down. Zane looks bigger than he was a few months ago. Broader. His jet back hair is longer and shaggy. While his blue eye flare with irritation. He looks less put together. I kind of like it. I look him up and down and smirk like what I am seeing isn’t turning me on. He steps forward and clenches his fists.

“Look who grew some balls over the last few years.” Oliver snickers from behind Zane. His shaggy brown hair is a bit longer. His green eyes always sparkling with mischief. He is the typical hipster. Or just a well put together stoner. Zane shoots him a glare and then turns back to me.

Luke sits on the couch in the corner of the lobby and starts flipping through pictures of tattoos. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. He is the nicer of the three. Never yelled insults or went out of his