The Tattoo // Joshler AU

Chapter Two

Tyler's POV

I can smell coffee. It's all I ever smell. Sure, working at a cafe means I can always get an iced mocha frappucino with 1 pump of chocolate syrup and 2 pumps of hazelnut... But my life revolves around coffee, making coffee, serving coffee. And that sucks.

I slowly rise out of bed and look at the sleeping figure next to me. She's my whole life. I never thought I'd find the person with the initials on my wrist. Albeit, I will admit I didn't expect it to be a, well, a female, but this was what the universe had decided for me, so oh well.

She turns 25 in a little while, and then our bond will finally be complete. I glance back at my wrist.

J.W.D. Jenna Willow Daniels.

At 5'6", with gorgeous golden locks, ocean blue eyes, and a charming smile, she was gorgeous. But she wasn't the heartbreaker type. She was sweet and caring, always looking after me and sweeping me off my feet time and time again.

"Baaaabbbbeee." Jenna groaned, indicating she wanted me to come back to bed with her. I was almost tempted, before I remembered the low balance of our bank account, and the several bills that needed paying.

Going to work was the only way we were ever going to be able to save for a house like we dreamed.

"Trust me Jenna, I wouldn't be going if I had a choice." I chuckled, and with that, went into the bathroom to get ready for work. Looking in the mirror, I contemplated why she was with me.

Looking at my weird mess of hair, too-big eyes and super-skinny body, I was less than average. Jenna, on the other hand, was a veritable sexy goddess, yet we're somehow meant to be. I know, because her tattoo says my initials.

T.R.J.

For some weird reason though, Jenna's T looked a little weird, like the font was different on her tattoo or something. It was probably just a coincidence.

Soon, on February 18th, she would turn 25, and her bond with me would verify. It was the most anticipated day of my life. It couldn't come soon enough. Even though we'd only been together for 2 months, I knew she was the one... She had to be.

~~~~~

Work. Ewww. I'd rather be singing, or song-writing, or cuddling with Jenna. Weirdly, I haven't told her about my dream to be a singer. Right now, I needed to focus on saving money.

The cafe was crowded, and I was super busy. People in suits were tutting and sighing when I took simply more than a fraction of a second to make their coffee. If you don't like the fact that it takes time to make your stupid coffee then you can fuc-Oh.

Suddenly there was a new guy in front of me, with bright red hair, lovely eyes, and a button down which was just tight enough on the arms, if you know what I'm saying.

"One light mocha frappucino with one shot of hazelnut syrup please."

Huh? I was brought out of my daydreaming by him saying his order. Wow, he's even prettier up close. His eyes are a deep pool of blackish-brown, which may seem very average, but on him it just seemed to work. Damn he's cute.

Oh right. I have a girlfriend. A wonderful girlfriend who I should be daydreaming of, not some random stranger with pretty hair, gorgeous eyes and a cute ass smile.

Oops, I did it again.

Before he gets pissed off with how long I'm taking, I remember that I need to make human interaction and answer the beautiful stranger.

"Sure, coming right up." Wow Tyler, aren't you one smooth, suave guy. That's totally what you say to a hot stranger when you're trying to be cool. Tyler, I swear to god, you have a wonderful, caring girlfriend at home. Stop it.

My internal war wages on inside my head. It's not like I'm gonna make a move or anything. I can look at the menu, I just can't order. I got the coffee ready, and brought it back to the counter, where the guy was standing with a faintly amused smirk on his face, and curiosity in his eyes.

"That'll be $4.95 please."

This is what my life has come to. Ogling random strangers who like coffee. Great. Not exactly living the glamorous high life I pictured when I moved to LA when I had just turned 19. Yeah. Really not what I wanted.

"Thanks cutie." He said with a smile. That goddamn smile, with his eyes crinkling up at the corners. My face lit up like a radioactive tomato, and the cute stranger grins at me.

I was just about to ask his name when- "Tyler Robert Joseph! I've missed you babe, why didn't you call me?" Jenna strolled in and gave me a massive grin. I smiled back. The guy at the counter handed me the money and walked out, but not before I could catch a glimpse of something that made me question everything.

My life. My relationship. My future.

I saw his tattoo. T.R.J. Could it be?

The initials kept playing through my head. Jenna was talking to me, but I wasn't listening. All I could think of was that stranger's wrist. I shook my head to clear it, surely that couldn't have meant anything. Later on that night, I had almost forgotten about the stranger.

But as I lay down to sleep that night, only 3 letters on beautifully soft skin kept flashing through my mind.

T.R.J