He's A Bad News (Erick Brian Colon)

42 - A Night Out, Getting Marked

(I'm running out of headlines idea 😂)

Erick's POV

I haven't met Jess for like a year now. I've stopped visiting Camila's grave since Bella arranged me for therapy sessions. I'm starting to stop blaming myself. "Have you tried asking her aunt?" I asked. That evil aunt that never treats Camila and her sister well since they lived with her.

"She doesn't live there anymore. Things went really tough on her. The first time we met in the coffee shop, she looks so miserable with bruises on her neck. That's how we start to bond, you know? Me being helpful and supportive when she needs someone to talk to. She didn't let me know what happened to her, though. She just needs a friend, to comfort her. But I ended up giving too much of me. I've grown attached to her. And when I think that maybe it's time for me to ask her out, she suddenly stop showing up. No calls, no texts. Her number can't be reached."

Chris's eyes get glossy as he talked about her. "I should've make her open up more. I should've make her feel safe enough to tell me who hurted her. Things were going good, Erick. She looks better each passing day. I thought whatever happened before, doesn't bother her life anymore. I was wrong." He sighed, tilting his head back to the wall.

I put my hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Trust me, I'll help you find her." I assured him before I get back to the backyard. If it's true, Jess is in trouble, I need to help her. I owe her a life. Her sister's life. I'm not going to let anything ruin her even more.

"Let's go out and have some fun." Jennifer suggested. We all seconded the idea, but Joel seems to hesitate. "What about Chris?" He sounds worried.

"I've talked to him. Let him be alone for now. He needs to ease his mind." I throw my arm on Joel's shoulder and drag him along with us, leaving the house and get into our van.

~~

I don't even know how the hell did we get here. It started with bowling, playing tag in the park and some ice cream. Suddenly, here we are, at the fucking tattoo parlor! Yea my head is screaming the FUCKING TATTOO PARLOR!!

"Babe where should I get your name on? My chest, my butt, or somewhere around my bikini line?" Isabella asked me eagerly. Her question makes me widen my eyes. She can't be serious.

"Seriously? Who got you into this madness?" I asked. Then I heard two people giggling. I knew it. It's Jennifer and Richard. They're both getting each other's initials tattooed on their back right now. "It's a relationship goals, bro." Richard laughed.

Joel is standing at the corner, bitting his nails as he watched the needles stabbing through Richard's skin. I move my eyes back on Isabella. She's blinking her eyes repeatedly, trying to make me soft and let her get my name tattooed on her body.

"It's gonna be painful." I let her know. She nod her head. "I know. But I'm dying to have your name here. Please." She begged to me. Knowing that I can't let her be the only one going through the pain, I made a decision that I know I will regret later. "Fine. We'll get each other's name on our hand. Just a small one." I sighed.

Isabella cheered joyfully and chose the design. Joel is now joining Zabdiel and Lily, watching over us like we just sacrificed ourselves to zombies. Their eyes screams fear. It's funny until I realized that I'm about to be stabbed with inks too. Damn.

Joel grabbed my wrist when we walked out from the van. Then he looked at Bella's hand. "Are these compulsory when you get into relationships? It's crazy." he shrugged in disbelief. "It is. We have to mark our partners. Right baby?" Richard said as he kissed Jennifer in front of us.

Zabdiel and Lily exchanged looks, before they disapprove that logic. "We are still free from ink. We're happy with that." Zabdiel shook his head. If it wasn't for Richard and Jennifer's influence on Isabella, I won't be screaming when I was treated like a human canvas just now. I don't even know how Richard and Chris can undergo that process multiple times.

Just when we dismissed into our rooms, Marco replied to my text. He asked me to meet up at a bar. "It's Josh. He wants to meet me." I tell Isabella as I put my jacket back on. I gave her a kiss so that she won't complain about me leaving her alone. "Don't come back late." she reminds me before I left the room.

I asked Marco if he could help me. Knowing his job, he must've connection with people that can find Jess. As I got to the bar Marco asked me what do I need him for, so I got straight to the point. "Her name is Jessica. Jessica Fuentes."

I gave him Jess's details and showed her picture. Then I noticed his face changed. "What is your deal with her?" he asked. I told him about me dating her sister before, and now she's become someone important to my best friend. "I don't need my people to help me find her. I'll take you to her right away if you want to. But you won't like it." Marco said, his face furrowed.