Realistic or Modern Mad House.

[Wiggle]

Benjamin opened his door and poked his head out.


"Don't get one from their art books, unless you wanna copy someone else. Ask them to draw one for you, and you'd better have an idea of what you want. Tattoo artists are an unruly sort." He said.

 

[Rise]

Ava looked away as Ben poked his head out from his door and shifted her weight off one leg to the other. She bit her lip and retreated back into her room, saying she was going to put on her shoes. Grabbing her converse shoes off the floor, she sat on her bed and put on her shoes. She wasn't going to change from her pajamas, not really caring. The weather outside was still nice so she didn't need to put on a sweater.


She got up and left her room, closing the door behind her. "I'll meet you downstairs," she said to Jodie before she walked down the hall to the stairs.

 

[spectro]

"Thanks for the advice." She tapped him on the shoulder and followed Ava downstairs. "Lets get out of here." She said, pulling on her leather jacket.


When the arrived at the tattoo parlour, they were greeted by a young girl who was tattooed almost head to toe. "Jodie!" She said, pulling Jodie in to an embrace. "It's been forever!" She pulled away. Jodie had literally spoken to the girl once and she didn't even remember her name. "So you're getting a tattoo?" She smiled. "Don't worry if you aren't old enough, I won't tell anyone." She giggled. "So what do you want doing?" She raised her eyebrow.


"Ravens, on my collarbones. 4 of them." She smiled.


"Oh, like from Divergent."


"Yeah!"


The tattoo woman looked to Ava, "Are you having one too?"

 

[Rise]

Ava left the orphanage with Jodie, embracing the cool air of evening. She felt so much better away from the confines of that place. When they got there, Ava just hung around a few feet behind Jodie, looking at the art on the wall of the parlour.


Ava's eyebrows rose as she was asked and then blushed. "Hmm? Oh n-no. I'm just here to support Jodie..." She said shyly, mentally smacking herself. She could never have Jodie's confidence.

 

[spectro]

"Fine, don't worry sweetheart, it isn't for everyone." The tattoo chick said. "So, lets sit you down. I already have the raves in my template book, you'd be surprised how many people have asked for it." She smiled and Jodie sat in the dentist-like chair. She felt a little nervous now and her palms began to sweat. She squeezed her thumbs like she usually did when she was nervous. The tattooist prepared her skin and then lay the template down, it was a little sticky and a dark blue colour. The tattooist handed her the mirror and made sure it was in the right place. Jodie nodded and bit her lip and the tattoo gun touched her skin and stung. "Wow!" She laughed off the pain and squeezed Ava's hand.

 

[Rise]

Ava's eyes widened as she watched the needle touch Jodie's skin, but she looked back to Jodie's face. Jodie always laughed when she felt pain and Ava chuckled a bit. She decided to strike up a conversation with Jodie, rubbing her hand.


"Hey, you don't think you have some spare money so that I can get a tattoo as well...?" She asked quietly, feeling a little stupid.

 

[spectro]

"Yeah! Omg totally! What're you going to get?" She suddenly forgot about the pain and was more excited for Ava's first reckless act.

 

[Rise]

Ava smiled some, thinking about what she was going to get. Ever since she laid eyes on Ben's tattoos, she had sometimes thought about what kind she would get, if she were ever to get one.


"Oh, I was thinking about an open bird cage in the middle on the top of my back with a silhouette of a sparrow on the corner of my shoulder. Maybe with the words Set Me Free somewhere in there..." Her face reddened as she laughed and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I suck so much at tattoo ideas."

 

[spectro]

"That sounds beautiful, honestly. How'd you come up with that so quickly?" Jodie winced.

 

[Rise]

"I've had it on my mind for some time..." Ava said as she squeezed Jodie's hand, trying to get her friend's mind from the pain.


"It's not that bad, is it?" She asked as she looked back to the tattoo gun.

 

[spectro]

"Not at all. I mean, I'm having it right on my bone so, you know-"She breathed as the gun was removed. "


"You're all done." Jodie looked down and saw her tattoo.


"I love it, what'd you think?" Jodie looked at Ava,

 

[Rise]

Ava smiled as she looked at Jodie's new tattoo. "Amazing!" It really was amazing and the detail was perfect. "My turn now, I suppose?" She was a bit nervous, but she wanted to get it done, now that she was here.

 

[spectro]

"Of course." The tattooist sketched dout the design Ava described and held it up to her. "This okay?" When Ava nodded, she printed the template onto her back and began.

 

[Rise]

Ava bit her lip as she felt the weird sensation of a needle buzzing against her back. It didn't hurt to say the least, but it felt different. The second the needle touched her back, it did hurt, but she got used to it as her back became numb to the jumping needle. She smiled, a laugh escaping her lips. She could not believe she was doing this and it was invigorating to her.

 

[Pine]

Nick stood outside the door, huffing a quick breath. He would have liked to gone up to his room to get out of his jeans, as it was hardly the best thing for him to be running in, but he didn't want to risk getting into another friendly conversation. He had no idea how long this would take, but... Nick snorted. It's not like I'm going to be missed, anyway. He pushed the thought out of his mind. Gripping the handrail loosely, just to have his hand slide down it, he took descended the few steps quickly, and in the next moment, his feet were hitting the gravel.


There had always been someone at school that was faster than him. Of course, in elementary school, when kids would compare height and claim they were taller because they reached over the other's head, some would argue otherwise. However, statistics proved otherwise in middle school. Instead, the boy had found his niche in his endurance. Needless to say, it was a while before he had begun to slow down. All the while that he ran, Nick tried to keep a clear head, only taking notes of landmarks that he turned down. A right out of the driveway, a left across the street all the way to the ice cream parlor, then a left all the way to where the sidewalk ended, then across the street to the bank...


Nick had slowed to a jog, but upon the appearance of a chain link fence, the metal encased in some black material, he finally came to a halt. His fingers pried into the fence, curling into the woven design of it. His nostrils flared, drinking in the air around him, before expelling it with long sigh from his parted lips. He stood there, leaning against the fence for a while before casting his gaze over it. Nick blinked, taking in the sight flashy bright colors. Two slides, an enormous tic-tac-toe board, monkey bars, a swing set, soccer goals, and a hut it all centered around - a playground. The boy blinked at the sight, looking past to see the school that went with it. The parking lot was largely empty, only containing a red diesel truck and a particularly colorful Beetle.


He looked over his shoulder. No people.


Without hesitation, Nick's other hand dug into the fence, a shimmering sound coming from the action, and he hoisted himself over with a swinging leg. He clasped the other side and quickly stuck his foot in it to quickly bring himself over the fence, not wanting to experience a painful moment of straddling it. He dropped to the ground a little less than graceful in his hurry, but it had worked. Crossing the crisp stretch of dress and ascending the sandbox that was littered with wood chip, he climbed up a spiral and ducked his head to get into the hut. I seriously don't think I was ever small enough to slide down that. Nick sat down as soon as he could, not wanting to hit his head against the ceiling like he already almost had upon entering. He attempted to stretch out his legs, but with his feet up against the other wall, slouching was not an option. Somewhat disgruntled by this, he pulled his legs up to his chest, letting his chin rest on his knees.


It wasn't exactly the same, especially considering it was about half of the size, but it was enough to remind him of the tree house back home. It was simultaneously a comfort while it was a depressant. The memories made him hyper aware of his heart thumping in his chest, just when he had gotten it down from his run. No, don't think about that. It's all over now. That's not why you're here.


He stared at the plastic across from him. Nick was calmer now. At the very least, that feeling he had earlier that had made him panic so much had subsided for the time. It was just... that girl, then everyone's reaction to it. Everyone was so strange. He hardly fit in, though, so in some funny way, that made him the weird one, didn't it?


You know people avoid me, right? It's because I'm dangerous.


Please don't tell me you actually like that asshole?


Well here's a tip; sleep with one eye open.


You're much more trusting than you think, that's why.


My room has blood hand prints on the walls and I have a case of knives under my bed.


Not saying that I personally haven't killed anyone, but I'm sure most of the other kids have clean hands.


Reflecting on everything that had been said to him in the past few hours, now that they didn't seem like such fleeting comments, he was deeply disturbed. It wasn't as if people had never wanted him dead, but it was the fact that these people didn't even hate him and he genuinely believed some of these kids would. They were all so casual about these darker topics. Nick's arms reached over then, slowly rubbing up and down the opposite.


Now thinking about it, the thing that was most unsettling to him was when he reflected back on Isadore. Initially, he had blown off a lot of his comments, taking it as some sardonic sense of humor. Just like Orion, he realized. Now, however, he was doubting that. The last thing that boy had said to him easily looped in his mind. All the other kids like that were easy enough to avoid, and he had no problem with doing that, but... it didn't make any sense. He reflected back on the question that had been burning in his mind from earlier. Why are you being so nice to me? He didn't want to think there was something more than this. He didn't want to keep digging, find that there had been some underlying message in everything he had been told. Nick just wanted to feel like he could hold a conversation without someone wanting to see his head on a spike.


He breathed heavily from out of his nose, purposefully throwing his head back against the wall too hard. They were right, though. Nick hadn't been as guarded as he normally was. He just wanted to be able to trust them, someone, and not have to approach his new home like everything was some twisted mind game. He rolled his head over, casting a tired glance at another, brilliantly colored wall, becoming lost in his own thoughts that were too cryptic for him to completely decipher.

 

[Rise]

Once Ava had her tattoo done, she got up and walked over to the mirror. She looked over her shoulder as she stared at her tattoo in the mirror. "Perfect." That word left her smiling lips, glad that she had this done. She thought she would regret it, deeply, but she didn't. She returned to the tattooist, who put some ointment on her back and covered the tattoo up with some gauze and medical tape, telling them both how to care for their tattoos and gave them both ointment, saying the ointment was on the house.


Jodie paid for both her and Ava, then said her goodbyes and headed with Ava back to Sunny Brook. As they walked, Ava had a bounce to her step and smiled the whole way back, chatting amiably with her best friend. It was like all the worry and tension had disappeared from her body; she wasn't even self-conscious about her slightly mangled face. Once they reached the orphanage, they entered through the front door and that's where they parted ways.


Ava stopped in front of the stairs and looked up them, not really wanting to go back to her room. She walked to the door that led to the backyard, opening it and walked out, closing it behind her. She walked over to the poor excuse called a garden. She sat down cross-legged on the pavement, making sure not to lean the top of her back against the wall behind her so she wouldn't hurt herself, and picked some buttercups and dandelions, braiding their stems together. Her curved lips fell a little as she remembered the last time she did this and who sat down beside her, then scoffing a little. Why does he have to be in everything I see and do?

 

[Wiggle]

Benjamin rolled over in his bed and sighed.


"Comfortable." He repeated, remembering the time Ava had laid in the exact same spot.


He scoffed with a smile on his face and flipped over on his back and stared at the ceiling, and downstairs he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, which always seemed to vibrate the building. He could not get his mind off of her, and her subtle beauty. Every time he closed his eyes his mind sought fit to picture her. So he grabbed his tennis ball and began to throw it at the wall, making a continuous thud sound on the wall.

 

[Rise]

Thump. Thump. Thump... That was the noise Ava could hear coming from somewhere upstairs. It was a quiet night, except for the occasional car that passed by in the street. "Ben..." She said under her breath with a small chuckle, knowing it was him who was probably throwing a tennis ball against the wall. She wondered if he had his window open because she could hear the sound well.


He's going to piss his neighbors off if he continues... She thought as she continued braiding flowers together, shaking her head a little.

 

[Wiggle]

Benjamin continued to throw the ball at the wall, it was a kind of therapy for him. It allowed him to clear his mind, and focus on nothing but watching and catching the ball. But this time it didn't help, and Ava kept wondering through his mind, so he began to throw the ball harder and harder until the soft thud became a loud thump, and then a loud bang, until he threw it and allowed it to ricochet around the room until it bounced out the window.


"Damnit." He cursed under his breath.


He stood up and looked out the window, and turned to go find it.

 

[Rise]

Ava had stuck her tongue out while she was trying to tie the braid of flowers into a circle to make a crown, ignoring all sounds. She was so focused on making that crown as well, until she was bothered rudely. Very rudely.


"Ack!" Ava cried out in pain as she was thumped hard on the head, the tennis ball bouncing off her head. Her hands dropped the crown and flew to the top of her head as she held it, eyes filling with tears rapidly. It hurt her so much, especially from the force it had when it flew out the window and from the height it fell from. She gasped some and bit her tongue, trying to keep herself from crying out more than she had. She curled up a little as she rubbed her head.


Ava looked at the ball that landed in the garden a few feet away from her. She glared through her tears at the ball that sat comfortably among the marigolds. Bloody murder she would have screamed, but her pain reduced her to nothing but a writhing mess on the pavement.


What the hell did I do to deserve this!? She thought. She had the worst luck sometimes. Or was it most of the time?

 

[Wiggle]

"Goddamn ball" Ben said.


He reached the door to the backyard and opened it quietly and stepped outside into the cool evening, cursing under his breath the entire time. He walked down the stairs and nearly tripped over Ava who was laying on the ground, obviously in pain. He looked at her for a moment before stoop down and placing a hand on her arm.


"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

 

[Rise]

"Y-you jerk!" Ava cried as she glared up at him. "That was your ball, wasn't it!?"


She shrugged off his hand and sat up as she held her head, blinking a few times to clear the pain and dizziness she felt in her throbbing head. She groaned as she rubbed her head some more before slowly getting up with one hand on the brick wall behind her while the other was on the top of her head. Pushing past him, she slowly made her way to the door, tears continuing to leak from her eyes. Damn, I need some ice...

 

[Wiggle]

"It was an accident! It's not like I would want to hurt you on purpose!" He yelled after her.


He picked up his ball and threw it back through the open window.

 

[Rise]

"Whatever, Benjamin!" Ava seethed as she entered the building. She trudged her feet toward the kitchen, cursing under her breath the whole way. Once in the kitchen, she looked in the freezer, hoping for some ice. This time she found some ice and then went off to find a plastic bag, which she found in a drawer as well. She filled the bag with ice, closed the bag, and then wrapped the bag in a paper towel before placing it on top of her head. She leaned against the counter and closed her eyes. I'm such a magnet for bad things...

 

[Wiggle]

Benjamin screamed an obscenity and punched at the air. He was getting really tired of this, he might as well just go be with Ashley, or one of the cheerleaders. At least they wouldn't play the "victim" approach all the time. He sighed and shook his head, that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted Ava, and she was playing hard to get.