Page 21 of U + Me

Rockby Plieswas blasting through the speakers as Darius coasted down I-95 headed south to the hundreds. Darius bopped his head and rapped along to the song as I smiled and looked out the passenger window. My mind was flooded with thoughts of everything that was going on in my life; the good, bad and the fear of the unknown. Me and my mom weren’t talking at the moment, but my dad was now in my life. Darius and I were now connected on a different level, but he was about to move away, and in a way, so was I. My life was going to completely change, and it scared me to death, yet I hated the life I had and prayed every night for a change, and I got it.

One of the first things my dad got me was a cell phone. He thought it was ridiculous that I was a seventeen-year-old without a cell phone, more so for safety reasons if nothing else. I made sure to give Darius my number so that we could keep in touch. I was still processing the fact that he was moving to Georgia tomorrow. It was crazy that we wouldn’t be able to hang out anymore.

I could feel myself getting emotional, and I didn’t want to look like a weirdo crying out of nowhere, so I cocked my eyes to the left. I was told that when you looked up and to the left, it would prevent tears from falling, but this time it didn’t work.

“Why you cryin’?”

“Just thinking ‘bout everything. It’s just a lot, you know.” I sniffled.

“You gon’ be good, KK. You a muthafucka soldier, a rockstar and a fighter, you might bend every now and then, but you will never break. Don’t ever forget that shit!” Darius encouraged. “I feel you though cause I’m excited and fucked up ‘bout leaving, too.” Darius reached over and held my hand then glanced over at me with sadness filled in his eyes.

When we reached our destination, I looked out the window and a bright ass neon sign flashed that read ‘Ink’ed Chicago Tattoo Shop’ in red, black, and white.

“Uh, where are we going?”

“You trust me, right?”

“Ion know; depends on what’ you’re about to do.”

When we went into the tattoo shop, Darius dapped it up with a guy named Vance and started babbling about getting some work done. When dude said he could do us both I regretted that I wasn’t more invested in their conversation from the start.

“Both of us as in who and doing what, cause Darius, I’m not getting a tattoo if that’s what you’re thinking. I just got back in good with my dad and now you want me to do some shit that’s gon’ get me tossed back to the curb. You tried it.”

Darius busted out laughing.

“Listen, come over here for a second.” We walked off to the side then Darius took one of my hands in his. “I know this looks crazy but hear me out.”

Can You Stand the Rainby New Edition was playing in the background, as I listened to Darius convince me into getting a tattoo.

“You know I been wanting to get a tat for min, and I want you to be with me for my first one.”

“But dude said he could do us both.”

“On the way here, I thought of something else. We need to get something that will always remind us of each other.”

“So, you want me to get your name, and I get yours?”

“Hell nah.” He laughed. “Something more personal, more intimate.”

The way he was looking at me, if he would’ve asked me to get the statue of liberty tatted on my ass, I would’ve done it.

“I’m only seventeen, you gotta be at least eighteen?—”

“Don’t worry ‘bout that. It’s already taken care of; all you gotta do is say yes.”

“Depends on how big this tattoo you talking about is.”

“I’ma get ‘U’ and the plus sign on my pointer finger, and you will get the word, ME, on yours. When we put our hands together it will read, U + ME, signifying the bond that you and I have. This being my first tat as well as yours, it’s just another first we get to experience together. It’ll always be that…U + Me no matter what. Distance won’t change that. I promise.”

Now I was crying because who knew Darius was this sentimental? I knew I had no business getting a tattoo, but I didn’t care.

“I love it.”

Once we were done, we got some Jamaican food from a place called Jerk King, then headed back to his house. On the way back I kept looking at the piece of gauze that was wrapped around my finger. Whether we ever talked or saw each other again our finger tattoos will always be a reminder of each other. It’s so small, meaningful, and intimate, which was a perfect representation of what we meant to each other.

Right as Darius was parking, my dad called.

“Hey, Dad.”

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