Chapter 2
Leo burst out laughing. "You little rascal, Mia. Are you trying to butter me up so you can get some candy out of me?"
Every time I got a tattoo, I bit my lip until it bled, forcing myself to endure the pain in silence.
Leo never cared about how tightly I was frowning. He kept coaxing me, and when he finished, he'd hand me a piece of candy.
He thought I was easy to coax. But really, I swallowed all the pain because I loved him.
I didn't want to be the one holding him back from chasing his dreams.
"Leo, I don't want to get any more tattoos," I said.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
Under the streetlights, the shadows of the trees flickered through the car window, casting dappled patterns on his handsome face. His face was caught between shadow and light, illuminated in patches.
Leo asked, "Can you stop messing around?"
Here he went again. Whenever I didn't do what he wanted, he'd get all moody. And in the end, I was always the one who gave in.
He continued, "How many times have I told you? I want to stand at the apex of this industry. Is that too much to ask? Won't you support me in this? Do I even matter to you?"
"Is this Lucy's idea again?" I cut him off before he could keep trying to mess with my head.
Suddenly, the air in the car turned icy cold.
Leo stammered, "W-What are you talking about?"
His Adam's apple bobbed, his anxiety palpable. It was a stark contrast to the torrent of criticism he'd unleashed just moments before.
After a moment, Leo snapped at me, just like always. "Seriously? Lucy again? What's she got to do with any of this?
"If you don't have the guts, just say so. Stop talking in circles.
"You promised you'd always support my art. If you're changing your mind, just say it. Why bring her up?"
Same old trick. He always loved to guilt-trip me.
Every time I so much as complained about the pain during a tattoo, he'd instantly say I didn't love him.
Somehow, all his selfishness always became my fault.
Back then, I'd always feel guilty, thinking I shouldn't hurt him. I thought I had to support him, encourage him.
Now, watching him lose his temper at the mere mention of Lucy's name, I realized—after my brush with death—how selfish Leo truly was.
When I stayed silent, Leo gripped the wheel and swerved to the curb, pulling over abruptly. "Get out! You lunatic!"
As soon as the car stopped, I pushed the door open and stepped out without a second thought.
It was late at night. The chilly breeze swept through the empty street.
I pulled my thin jacket closer around me, walking alone under the dim streetlights, my eyes brimming with tears.
Behind me, the engine roared as the car sped away, leaving a blast of hot exhaust in its wake.
Tears rolled down my face.
Leo probably never thought I'd be the one to bring up Lucy's name for once.
She was the woman he'd kept close to his heart, treasured and protected for the past five years.
She was his Achilles' heel. The slightest mention and he'd lose it.
*****
I dragged myself back to the apartment, physically and mentally spent.
Just then, a text from my bestie, Kara Ward, popped up. [Mia, you've been MIA for a whole week. I was about to file a missing person report.]
I replied: [Come on, you know I've been buried in end-of-year art exams.]
I brushed off the fact that I'd been through hell and back this week.
No way was I ever letting Kara know I nearly lost my life because of Leo.
Kara texted: [I honestly thought that lunatic Leo had tortured you to death.]
Kara couldn't stand Leo. She always said guys like him were selfish, obsessed with their so-called art, acting like maniacs.
Every time she spotted a new tattoo on me, she'd roll her eyes and scoff.
Part of her felt bad for me, but the other part was mad at me for letting it happen.
Back then, I was head over heels for Leo. I nearly stopped talking to Kara every time she badmouthed him.
But this time, when Kara called him a lunatic, for once, I found myself agreeing with her.
I replied: [Come on, I'm not dumb.]
Kara called me instantly. "Wait, did I hear that right? You finally snapped out of it? Congrats, sweetheart."
No wonder Kara was so shocked by my reaction.
After I started dating Leo, I got all sorts of tattoos. Some were lopsided, some looked like amateur work.
If Leo wasn't satisfied, he'd make me get them removed and have them redone.
Kara felt sorry for me and always said I was blinded by love.
She'd scold me, "Your body's a gift from your parents. You shouldn't be messing it up to make his dumb dreams come true."
I knew it hurt like hell, but I loved him.