Mary-Wanna and Tattoos

Sigh

600 muscles in the body and they want me to learn all of them? My brain might just implode. I was currently in the library studying for my anatomy exam and I literally was about to cry real tears. I need Jesus.

"BAH!" Cari screamed in my ear, shooting me out of my seat.

Pressing my hand to my chest, I turned my death glare onto this dolt I call my best friend.

"You gone get enough of scaring the shit out of me." I seethed, turning back to my note cards.

"I was just playing, sheesh. Who pooped in your coffee this morning?" Za'Cari asked, sitting down next to me.

The library was packed since mornings were the best time to study. Science says that the brain is a sponge in the morning...so schedule those STEM classes 8 am sharp!

"I don't drink coffee."

"You should probably start. You'd be less of a grouch."

"Shut the hell up. What do you want anyways?"

"A best friend invention."

I immediately put my pencil down. If Cari ever needed me, I would be there for her and she rarely needs anyone.

"What's wrong?"

"Skip class with me?"

"Let's go."

"Okay the GPS says to make a left and you'll be right in front of the building."

"Are you going to tell me why you having me driving to a tattoo parlor?" I asked, acting oblivious to why we were here.

"To get a tattoo, why else? Be a dear and get one with me?"

I stared at her, unsure if this was good idea but I was going to exercise friendship with her.

"Sure...but I ain't getting nothing big. I don't like needles."

"Aren't you majoring in nursing?"

"aren't you majoring in — did I ask you what I was majoring in? Let's go and get this done."

She laughed, unbuckling her seat belt as I cut the engine.

Locking the car door behind me, I followed behind Cari to my doom.

"That baby ass tattoo. You could have at least gotten something medium sized. You had them tattoo artists looking at us crazy!" Cari jested, making my skin burn in embarrassment.

"What's wrong with my tattoo? I like it, thank you very much."

"It's not even the size of a quarter."

"Lemme alone! I love my ellipses. It has such a deeper meaning."

"Yeah I get it. Life is continuous."

"Exactly!"

"But it's still small."

"CARI!" I exclaimed, shoving her.

She crackled, enjoying every bit of her teasing.

Getting in the car, I sinked into the seat with a sigh.

"So, what's next?"

"Mary Wanna?"

"MARY WANNA!"

We giggled, speeding out the parking lot officially tatted up.

"MA! CARI AND I ARE GOING TO GO SMOKE! ANTIQUE YOU COMING?" I yelled through the foyer as Cari and I entered my family house.

"OKAY!" Mom replied from somewhere in the house.

"NAH, I GOTTA STUDY! SESH LATER, THO."

"BET!"

"One thing about your family...it's judgement free." Cari replied, somberly, "I wish."

"Don't judge a book by its cover. All families have shit." I stated, knowing my family could be savages.

"Yeah well I wish I could trade mine out for a better one."

"Don't we all? C'mon you need a blunt and I need to decomp."

Following me outside to the backyard, we made are way up into the treehouse. We settled on a beanbag as I preceded to pack us a joint.

"Wassup?" I asked.

"Dad hit Mom again in front of Richie and I wasn't there to protect him."

Richie is Cari's younger brother and according to Cari her father is a abusive alcoholic who refuses to stop drinking.

Shit crazy 'cause I was dealing with something almost as similar. The only difference is it's not my father and the experience isn't of my own story.

"Damn I'm sorry babes." I replied, twisting the end of the joint.

"Bob."

"Marley." Cari replied, taking the joint to take the first hit.

"I wish I could just take them both from this shit. He doesn't deserve a second chance. Nor a fifth or a sixth."

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Cari. He just needs help."

"So we are supposed to suffer because of it."

"I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that life isn't easy."

"True that. I just need to hurry up and finish college and make shit shake. Do you know what Richie asked me when I got home? The house was a shitshow by the way."

"What did he ask you?"

"If God loves us so much why does he allow bad things to happen?"

I was stunned into silence.

Why does God allow bad things to happen?

A pending question that every believer has either asked or have been asked.

"What did you say?" I questioned after some time.

"I said, I don't know bud. I wonder the same as well."

"Damn."

"Yep, damn."

After that we sat in deafening silence, just passing the joint, in own thoughts.

"Life is a journey that all of us have to take and throughout the Bible we see many people face trials and throughout those trials God sees us through it because He loves us. Nothing in this life can be avoided as much as we wish we could because that's what happened when we learned good and evil. We can't give up." I stated, breaking the silence, "Evil wins if we give up. Don't let it win."

"Sometimes I hate your optimism."

"Same."