CHAPTER 2

Once home I packed two suitcases with the things that I would bring to the beach house. I already prepared my outfit for the next day and hanged it beside my door. Finally vacations were here and as from the next day the fun would start. I smiled at the thought.

"What are you smiling at sweetheart?" I turned and saw it was Jess. This was like her second house and hers was mine. Even Chase came here almost everyday and slept in my bed at night. He was my best friend so we mostly talked and cuddled.

"Nothing special. I was thinking about the holidays. Its going to be so much fun."

"Like always honey." She grinned. "So what's going on with Nash?" Nosey Jess asked.

Nash Armstrong was my boyfriend since the last two months. It was still nothing serious. He was twenty four, the same age as Chase and studied Engineering. We met one day during my volleyball practice and he asked me out. After a week of avoiding him and him following me around I finally agreed.

"I don't know where its going Jess. I mean we go out together and its good being with him but its not that serious between us." I sighed and sat down on the bed playing with the hem of my black shorts.

"Hmmmmmm. If its not serious then leave him Kate. You are torturing yourself and the poor guy over it." Jess said.

I grinned at her. "I assure you I am not the one doing the torture."

After looking at me with eyes opened wide like saucers and mouth hanging open, Jess squealed like an idiot. "Spill girl. And when I say spill I mean every single detail."

"Well like I said Jess, its nothing serious except maybe some heavy make out sessions. You know kisses and all." I said shyly.

"OMG! You are blushing!" she shouted.

I stuck my tongue at her and said "Why Jess? You could have shouted louder because I think Mrs Mason across the road did not hear you well."

Once again she looked at as if she went crazy. "Kate, come here and show me your tongue!" She screamed at me.

Uh-oh. From the look she was giving me I knew that I was in trouble. I stood in front of her and stuck my tongue at her.

"You got your tongue pierced! Why did you not tell me? We could have done it together!" now she was whining like a baby.

"I was going to tell you Jess but I completely forgot about it. I got it yesterday when I went to the tattoo parlour."

"You went to the tattoo parlour and did not tell me! Why Kate?" okay so now Jess was simply sulking.

" I went because I wanted to remove my tattoo Jess. But then when I entered, I could not make myself go forward with it. So feeling rebellious, I got my tongue pierced." I sighed and felt my shoulders drop.

"Why would you want to remove your tattoo? You love it Kate. You love him." Jess was the only one that knew all my secrets except from Chase. But there were things that I could not share with him tough. Like this tattoo. I have had it for almost five years and he does not have a clue about it.

I tried to hide it from my mom too but moms being moms, she kind of found out and freaked. So aside from Jess, only my mom, dad, Amelia mom and Adam dad knew about it. And they pinky promised not to tell anyone. So I believe them because pinky promises meant a lot to Jess and me.

"It's kind of weird Jess! What if Nash saw it? He would freak out!" I almost cried when I realised that.

"Shhhhh babe. You got that tattoo done because of a dare you lost to me and we were drunk Kate. So I think he whould understand that and understand you." She hugged and consoled me.

"I really hope you are right Jess." I whispered.

"Kate Ariana Johnson! Get down in the kitchen right now!"

"Shit! Your mom just called you by your full name. I think you are in trouble missy!" she laughed at me clutching at her sides.

"So much for being my best friend Jess!" I went downstairs already dreading to see my mom. Her temper was the worst thing that could happen in this house and I felt a bit proud to say that I earned that from her.

"You called for me mom?" I asked her timidly awaiting for her response.

"Guess what Kate? I just saw Mrs Anderson and she told me that she saw you at HEART DESIRES. You know the tattoo parlour. She claimed to have seen you there getting your tongue pierced. I mean, I am your mother, so I think that you would have informed me of such a thing if it was true right missy?"

She was so angry that she was literally shaking.

"Mom, its true. I did go the parlour. Not to get my tongue pierced but to get my tattoo removed. But I could not get myself to remove it. And you know me mom, you know how I get when I can't so something. So basically my rebellious side kicked in and I got my tongue pierced." I explained to her. I knew my mom well so I knew she would understand.

"You should have heard it from me mom and not from an outsider. I am really sorry." I sighed at her after she pulled me in for a hug.

"Family hug?" my dad asked and joined me. "But what's the occasion?" he asked.

"Your daughter got her tongue pierced." My mom said. She could never keep her mouth shut with my dad. They were so in love that sometimes I wondered if they knew that they had a daughter present in the same house.

"First tattoo, now piercing!" he huffed at us.

"Show me" my mom asked.

I stuck my tongue at her and showed her my piercing. It gleamed like a crystal. Or maybe like an emerald.

"The colour reminds me of something." She whispered and I pretend as if I did not hear her and went to see Jess still sitting on my bed scrolling on her phone.

"So?" she asked lifting an eyebrow at me.

"So what? I got crazy parents down there." And we burst out laughing.