Page 30 of Revelation

Henn is howling with laughter. “You’re demented, Reed.”

“Hey, all in good fun.”

“Fun foryou, maybe,” Josh says. “You’re not the one with YOLO tattooed on his ass.”

“Aw, bad tattoos happen to the best of us,” Will says, slapping Josh on the shoulder. “Look at this.” Will rolls up his sleeve and shows Josh a tattoo on his forearm—and I immediately slap my hand over my mouth at the sight of it. Oh my God, no. Will’s got adragonon his arm—one of the tattoos on my so-called list of no-no’s.

“Oh, look, adragon,” Josh says, smiling, his facial expression morphing into one of pure glee. “Do you see that, Kitty Kat?”

My cheeks burst into flames. Holy crap. Why the heck did I name dragon tattoos as one of the items on my “social suicide” list? I was talking out my butt—pulling it out of thin air. Why the heck did I say that?

Josh looks at me and smirks wickedly and I shoot him a look that begs him for mercy.

“I got the heart first,” Will says, oblivious to the nonverbal exchange happening between Josh and me. Will points to a prominent heart on his dragon’s chest. “My ex-girlfriend and I got matching hearts.”

Josh’s face lights up at Will’s use of the word “ex-girlfriend.”

Oh no.No. This can’t be happening.

“Oh, so you got the heart with yourgirlfriend,did you?” Josh asks Will. “Who’s now yourex-girlfriend?”

“Yeah, I was sure we’d be together forever. But then she slept with my best friend, so I had to get the dragon to camouflage it.”

The smile on Josh’s face is positively merciless. “Hey, Kat. Did you catch that? Will’s gotbotha dragon tattooandan ex-girlfriend tattoo.” Josh can barely contain his giddiness. “Imagine that.”

My cheeks are on fire. Why, oh why, did I say all that stuff to Josh about prohibited tattoos? I was just being snarky. I had no idea what I was saying.

“What’s so funny?” Will asks, looking confused. “Why do I feel like I’m missing the joke?”

Oh, God, please, no. This can’t be happening. I cover my face with my hands.

“Are you feeling like crawling into a hole about now, PG?” Josh asks.

I nod from behind my hands and Josh hoots with laughter.

“Well, Will,” Josh begins like he’s teaching a lesson to a grade-schooler. “Kat here’s got a very specific list of tattoos that she’s decided in her infinite wisdom areclichéand stupid and therefore tantamount to committing ‘social suicide,’ as she so colorfully puts it.”

“And dragons and hearts are both on Kat’s list?” Will asks.

“No, not hearts, surprisingly. Just dragon andgirlfriendtattoos.” Josh chuckles happily. “Social suicide, both of them, Will, I’m sorry to inform you—but they’re simply not allowed. I guess you’ll have to get that shit lasered, huh?”

“Oh, shit,” Will says. “Yeah, this is a catastrophe. I’ve gottwoprohibited tattoos? Damn that Stubborn Kat. She won’t do anything you want her to doandshe thinks your tattoos are stupid.”

I’m dying. I’m physically dying. “No, Will, I...” I begin, but I can’t speak. I’ve never been so frickin’ mortified in my life.

“And guess whatelseis on Stubborn Kat’s list?” Josh continues, beaming.

Will shrugs. “I dunno. Flowers? I’ve got flowers for my momma, too.”

Josh shakes his head. “Nope. Flowers are allowed. Guess again. I’ll give you a hint: it’s on my ass.”

The entire table erupts with laughter.

“Well, I can’t blame Stubborn Kat for that one,” Will says.

“Neither can I,” Reed says. “She probably took one look at your ass and added it to the list.”

“Oh no,” Josh says, laughing. “That’s the best part. Stubborn Kat came up with this listbeforeshe’d seen a single one of my tattoos.”

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