“Okay, that sounds great, see ya then!” I said cheerfully into the phone then groaned, and rolled my eyes at Marcus, my boss, once I had hung up.
“Oh what is it this time Liz?” he said smiling from his boss chair.
“A freaking daisy on her hip. Guess what her name is. Come on, guess.”
“Daisy?“ Robert asked questioningly, I nodded my head, and put my head in my hands.
“Oh boy that’ll be fun, eh Seth?” Robert yelled.
My eyes floated over to Seth and I smiled, he was bent over Tony, one of our regulars and was finishing up the chest piece he has been working on for a few months. It was beautiful watching him concentrate. His shaggy black hair hung in his face, and his blue eyes focused completely on his work, with the tip of his tongue stuck out of his mouth. He flashed us a five star smile, winked at me then went back to his work.
I was blushing so madly that Robert; Marcus’ son came over and jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow.
“hey, babe you are blushing quite a bit there, you wanna go take a cold shower or something?” he smiled and I just rolled my eyes and shoved him away. Just about everyone knew about my crush on Seth. Except Seth that is. isn’t that the usual story though? The girl who falls for the boy ,but the boy hasn’t a clue?
“As long as its not with you. Yes.” I smiled, hopped off the counter and then grabbed my keys. I looked around and saw that everyone was busy. Robert was the manager of the shop and did the online stuff and filing. I answered phones and helped the artists with whatever they wanted. Marcus, Seth, Trevor and Shirley were the tattoo artists. Each had their own style, Marcus was great at everything, and the owner of the shop. While Trevor was the new age, skulls and crazy stuff, Shirley was the portraits, and realistic tats, then Seth did old school type tats.
“Okay what does everyone want to eat? Its like one thirty and none of yall have had anything to eat.” I got out my note book and took a pen out from behind my ear, and waited for the argument to begin.
“SUBWAY!” Trevor yelled
“No way man! Get some taco bell!” Shirley yelled from her back corner, nearly scaring her client half to death. Shirley was also the piercer and she was in the middle of piercing some girls lip.
“OH whoa, I am so craving a bean and cheese burrito now! I agree to taco bell!” Seth yelled while still working on the tattoo.
“I’m the boss and I say Taco Bell!” Marcus yelled and everyone but Trevor cheered.
“Whatever, I just wont eat…” Trevor mumbled
“Okay, the usuals for everyone!” I yelled then on my way out the door I winked at Trevor
“Ill get you your meatball sub, don’t worry trev.” his eyes immediately widened and he hugged me quickly before heading to the back room.

After everyone feasting on their lunch, and a few more phone calls it was time to call it a day.
Everyone left so it was up to me to close up shop. Then out of nowhere marcus came up to me and pulled me aside quickly.
“Your one of the best workers here Liz, I wanted to tell you that. I think we would all run around like chickens with our heads cut off if you weren’t here”
“Well thanks Marcus, but you didn’t need to, I know ya’ll would be dead without me.” I grinned and he just chuckled.
“Yes, well I have a favor to ask liz, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Anything for you Marcus whatcha need?”
“Well its something big, and it will be very important. And has nothing to do with the shop.” I raised my eyebrows, and looked at him curiously
“Okay, well what is it? Marcus spit it out!” I stammered
“I was wondering if you would take care of my nephew. He’s coming to town in a day or two and he’s kind of famous, and I would offer to let him stay at my loft but as you know it’s a really small loft and I already sleep on the couch. He’s visiting because his mother and all” he looking off into space and I just nodded and patted him on the arm.
His sister Nadine had just died a few days ago and he was trying to pretend he was okay, but I could tell they had been close.
“Yeah no problem Marcus, I didn’t know you had a nephew.”
“Yes, I do. He’s a crazy one alright. So you wouldn’t mind?”
“No not at all, you know I would do anything to help you out.”
“His name is Mike Newman and-”
“WAIT! THE MIKE NEWMAN?!”
“Oh don’t tell me you’re a fan…” he mumbled and rubbed his temples
“No. I just cant believe he’s your nephew.” it was the truth Mike Newman was the newest Hollywood star and was only getting more famous. Almost every girl had a crush on him. I didn’t find him appealing though, sure he was kinda hot, but still not my type. Besides, I loved Seth….. Even if he didn’t know that.
“What I’m not cool enough to have a famous relative?”
“Nah, I think your too cool for him.” I hugged him and reassured him I was up for the task.
He told me how all mike wanted was someone to help keep the paparazzi, and girls away so he could just focus on dealing with the death of his mom. Apparently it was taking a toll on him.
I was like a mother hen to some, and could rein people in easily. So I think that’s why he asked me to take care of him. Turns out I was wrong.


“WHAT?!” my sister shrieked, then immediately started fanning herself with a nearby magazine.
I had called my older sister Kimberly (AKA Kim) and her fiancé Luke into the living room to announce the news, and ask for permission. Even though I knew they would say yes. They loved helping others and the fact that it was Mike Newman staying at our house would make my sister go crazy. She was another one of the girls who thought he was the hottest thing on earth. Luke knew and didn’t care…until now, because who thinks their girlfriend will really get to actually meet and hang out with their famous crush?
Luke looked worried and held her close.
“So wait, Mike Newman is Marcus’ nephew.”
“Yeah, hard to believe, huh?” he just nodded and kept watching as Kim was having a panic attack.
“So is that a yes or-?”
“YES!” she looked at both of us then calmed down, or tried to. “Well, you know he’s mourning his moms death, and if he has no other place to stay we cant just turn him away when we have a perfectly good guest bedroom..” she mumbled
“I’m sure he could have some fan girl let him stay with them.” Kim looked at Luke like he was crazy, and signaled for him to follow her up the stairs to their bedroom. Luke looked at me with a scared face and I giggled. Soon their radio was blaring and I heard loud voices coming through the wall. I sat back and went through my phones messages, only to have Kim come out of the room five minutes later, nodding and smiling, only to be pulled back into the room. I grimaced at the thought of what they could be doing but just shook my head and went to the kitchen.
After eating a carrot and apple sauce I did the left over dishes from during the day and went up to my room, to play some video games.
*Bzzzz Bzzzzzzzzzz* I jumped up at the vibration I felt under my hand and looked down to see my phone lighting up. I paused my game, saw the caller ID and picked it up quickly.
“Hello?”
“Hey Liz, can you come pick up seth and robert? They are a bit drunk and they think they can just walk home. Im going to take home trevor, since I only have a two seater and seth an robert live kinda your way.”
“Oh I see. Okay Shirley, you guys at the pub?”
“Yup, thanks. See ya in ten.”
I looked at the clock, only to see it was two in the morning. I sometimes had insomnia, so i stayed up till early in the morning.
“Ugh, great…” I mumbled, then quickly headed out to the bar.

I pulled up to the pub to see robert and seth hanging off each others shoulders singing.
“Alright guys, time to get home, come into the car now.” the looked at me with dull eyes and just laughed.
“Hey! HEY! Its LIZ! Cant believe shes here man. "Dude. Get in the car." What a CREEPER!” robert yelled quite loudly, which made seth just laugh even harder.
As people looked my way I got out of the car and grabbed them by the back of their necks and shoved them into the backseat of my car. And drove off quickly.
“Liz, I love you. You’re the greatest.” Robert slurred from the back seat, then his head lolled back and forth, and before we knew it he started snoring. Seth just had a huge smile on his face, then leaned over my seat, close enough for me to feel his hot breath warming my neck, which gave me goose bumps. I almost swerved to the side of the road when his hand gently rubbed my shoulders but I kept my hands sternly on the wheel, and I tried to ignore him. He had been known to be a very very "friendly" drunk.
“You know lizzy. I love you…” my heart suddenly beat so fast I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. He actually said he loved me! He finally said it! Oh how long I have longed to hear those wore come from his beautiful lips.
I looked in my rear view mirror and was about to tell him I loved him also, only for a second later to feel is hands become still and they suddenly fell down, I could no longer feel his breath. I finally looked back, and saw him leaning back, away from me.
“I mean, you’re the best friend any guy could have. I love you, you’re my best friend.” my heart dropped, and I felt my eyes grow moist.
Of course that’s what he meant. What else could he mean? I knew he didn’t like me in that way, but I just kept my heart attached to him. After all these years of having a crush on him, he had never felt the same way. I mentally slapped myself, I needed to get over him… it truly didn’t help that the whole way to his house he was talking about some beautiful girl he met at the bar.