I'm losing my mind over this book that I remember reading when I was probably around 13.
Here are the things I remember:
there is a love triangle with a girl (main character) and 2 boys
boy "A" our main girl is dating
boy "B" has known her for a long time and liked her for a long time
boy "B" is potentially bald, def has a tattoo that is very visible (i think i remember it being like a butterfly or moth on either his neck, back of head or hands???) he might be called Florian or something like that :D
and the plot is that our main girl was fat, now is skinny, and boy A likes her because she's skinny but boy B says it never mattered to him.
Any ideas plsss tell me i'm losing sleep over this.

Hi guys!! So i F(21) been talking to this guy M(21) for about a month and a half and are planning to meet this weekend! He lives in Az rn and I live in Cali but we actually went to school together in HS for about two years and then met on social media recently. he is VERY different than i am. i am hispanic and my family is very much catholic but i am very much a black sheep of the family. i’m covered in tattoos, have gauges, piercings, dates girls etc… and he is very republican,blue collar, white and has like a “bad boy” side. i don’t judge him by how he makes himself seen on social media (very tough, posting with guns etc… just very different than i am…) because he is genuinely a man and is very into work, and the future and is just a gentleman as i’ve seen. anyways, we get along great but i am VERY nervous about meeting. he is pretty sexual, and i know he plans for us to have sex because we are going on a trip to the beach and staying a night at the hotel. long story short, i’ve dated girls the past 3 years, so i have been out of the “straight” game for a while now when it comes to men and i have no idea how to act!! i know men like to be in control sometimes when it comes to non sexual acts like making the first move, driving, paying for stuff etc.. but being dominant is something i’ve always been and i do want to impress him. any advice for our date would be great! and if you have any advice for the sex part 2: well that would be amazing as. i’ve been with guys before in high school and i know the basics. but is there anything that a girl does or can do that will make her stand out more during sex or non sex acts that will make her more attractive? i genuinely like him and i don’t want no “just be yourself” comments because i will be myself at the end of the day but if there’s something extra i can add with ur guys help will be amazing!!! :)

Really want to get a Cannons inspired tattoo but have absolutely 0 idea what to get.

I (25F) planned to move out today after being not so formally kicked out. After discovering i was dating someone they werent fond of (strictly for the reasons of them having tattoos, piercings, being older then me by 6 years, and being a veteran) I was facing the options of staying locked up in my home, or finding an alternative place to live. I chose the second option.
So, i gathered a crew of life long friends that my parents have met/known for minimum 5 years (this is relevant) to help retrieve my stuff. We discussed that i would stay hidden in a car to keep me safe with my partner who would exasterbate the situations.
My two friends went in with boxes and plastic tubs and were forcibly removed by my father within minutes. My one friend had a bag forciblly removed from her hand, injuring her, and throwing said bag to the ground. That bag containing a 300$ sewing machine which may be broken now (i do not have the items in hand due to the events that followed). He swore and threatened to bash everyone's head in with a bat if they were to ever go onto their property again.
Calling the cops was not my idea. It was only by the advice of a non emergency number that finally convinced me the police had to be involved. The operator did not help my uneasyness by stating that it made sense my father wouldnt want me to leave since im their only child (it was a very innapropriate comment that i still find a bit baffling that a 911 operator would say).
When the cops came, i approached them with aprehension. Despite everything my parents had done, i did not want them to get in trouble. Not over my clothes anyway (yes, this is all over clothes and a playstation gifted to me by an old boyfriend). As i explained the situation, my father came out and seemed elated the police were here. They had threatened me with calling 911 multiple times, so i believe they were under the impression they would work in their favor. What followed was a blatant display of entitlement and reality checks. He demanded to speak with me, the poliece told him he wasnt allowed to. He monologed about how i got whatever i asked for (seemingly everything but my freedom), like that was a noble thing to do as a parent. That he paid for my college, that he did x, y, and z. Trust me when i say, i was always greatful. I never took anything for granted. I was always made to feel i owed them something for being my parents.
The poliece told me he was not allowing me to get mg things without a lawyer. Yes, my father was screaming at me to get a lawyer. Then came my mom who was missing from this whole situation. She came out like a bat out of hell ready to swing on my parter (seemingly). The police jumped inbetween as she hurled insults at us.
"(My name), you dont know what you started!" She screamed.
Even when faced with possibly getting arrested, she didnt back down. My friends and partner rallied aroubd me as i hid behind my hands and cowered. Despite everything, i still did not want them to get arrested. I wanted to beg them to stop and not do anything stupid.
Eventually they were convinced to return to their home. The police informed me on my options of how to get my items back. We are now at the stage of going to family court for me to get a warrant to retrieve my items. If any of my items are missing, hidden, or damaged, my parents will go to jail.
Despite this 'win', im not happy. I didnt want it to get this far. I am mortified in all honesty. But, i will do what i must to be able to pick up the pieces of my life and start a new.
Thank you to anyone who read this fully. If anyone went through something similar, any and all advice would be appreciated.

Hey 20m here from California, im 6’2 and covered in tattoos over my chest, I have a good amount on my right arm but I want to fill up a sleeve haha and maybe get more on my legs.
I like cool spooky tatts or anything kinda freaky lol. Give me your best suggestions I can show my tatts I just want more suggestions and any opinions.
Dm with age and sex and lets chat!

I'd never thought I end up like her. There was this girl I met when I was 23 and we went out clubbing to celebrate her bday. My cousin said, "if she acts crazy it's because she's hurting. Her parents never approved of her bf so she had to leave him because they came from different social classes. She might start crying suddenly after she drinks too much and fall drunk."
About four years ago, I met him at a wedding and he had long hair, tattoos and everything and he was nice to me. He smoked and we clicked. We were both into each-other and liked the other. We made plans to celebrate Halloween and I was going to dress up as Selena Quintanilla and he was going to be Chris Perez with the long hair but that never happened. We went on a few dates before family found I was dating him. I was in love with him. All hell broke loose when my mom found out I was dating him. My dad was diagnosed with cancer that year and I didn't want to tell him I was dating him. My mom told me, "You're going to kill your father if he sees you with that guy. He is no good for you. and he will NEVER be allowed in this house or within our family."
I now 30F still cry thinking about this. I didn't want to cause any drama I've always been such a good daughter and "good girl." I never once rebelled because I didn't want to worry my parents. He kept reaching out to me and I would make excuses and we never celebrated Halloween together. He kept trying to find out what was wrong and it was excuse after excuse. I didn't want to tell him the truth and hurt him. Until he finally grew tired of chasing me. Now he has a gf but he deleted me off social media. I understand him. My parents want me to date only men they approve of because they are worried about me. And they want me to get married and I am so sick of it! The guy they kept pushing down my throat- who my mom said was perfect for me- was recently arrested by the FBI. I through a fit and told my mom off. "you never wanted me with the other but you wanted me with that convict. Don't judge a book by its cover"
I keep rejecting every single man that tries to get to know me. I've tried to like them but I don't feel anything. I think I am broken. I keep this idea in my head "if it's not with him, it wont be with anyone else." Everyone that meets me always wants me to date their sons because I seem like such a "good woman." I am tired of this image. I don't like being touched by men. Now I keep a tequila bottle in my room. I don't even like to drink but recently I've been drinking to numb myself. But sometimes I get tipsy and want to call him but I forgot I don't have his number and I'd never do that. And I cry sometimes at night like every other night. I need small distractions to keep myself distracted at time.
I don't know if this will be my life. I can't develop feelings for others. What is wrong with me?

After seeing how successful the first Neuralink implant is, I think there's a lot more it can do. Some backstory on where the following ideas come from, I played the Cyberpunk game recently, and there's a lot of bionic "upgrades" people can do, which of course, they'd have to be able to control in one way or another, and I couldn't help but think, with what Neuralink is capable of, is this something we'll be seeing in the near future? Bionic body modifications? For example, let's say a person doesn't have their right arm, in 10-20 years from now, will that person be able to get a robotic right arm that connects through Neuralink, and is able to use this arm as if they'd never lost it? Same idea for any other limbs, what if a person that's become a quadriplegic gets sort of like a bodysuit? A robotic body with a spine and everything, I mean this doesn't seem far fetched after seeing what the Neuralink implant is capable of. Now over to the second part, there would be some concerns about people using these body modifications that don't need it, let's take tattoos for example, tattoos used to be a key part in some cultures, and was frowned upon as a form of expression for many years, I grew up in South Africa where tattoos are still a big no-no in a lot of Afrikaans families, but I'd say around 90% have come to be okay with it, now when I go out in public I see people with tattoos everywhere, could this be the same with Neuralink and robotic modifications? I mean at first it will be totally crazy people who use this to modify their bodies, but in time, it could end up being weird not having it. Third part, ethicality, will it be ethical to do body modifications? Assuming it would be safe, effective and the informed consent has been provided, a concern rises about the equitable distribution of such advanced medical technologies. Ensuring that these enhancements are available to those who medically need them, rather than only to those who can afford them, this proves a significant ethical issue. Then, the potential normalization of body modifications could lead to societal pressure to get these modifications, thereby creating new forms of inequality or discrimination. It is essential to consider how these enhancements might affect societal norms and values. The psychological impact on individuals opting for or against such enhancements must be considered. The social dynamics and the potential for creating divisions between enhanced and non-enhanced individuals are important factors. I mean, there could even be an Enhanced+ Olympics in 20 years. Now another issue, the mental stability of patients will have to be ensured, since imagine how scary it would be to get attacked by someone that can bench 300kg and run as fast as a cheetah. As with all things, there will naturally be a black market for these enhancements, cheap ways to get the procedures done, the possibility of problems arising then are endless. Anyway, I've just been thinking about this. Neuralink could be to the 21st century what antibiotics were to the 20th century..

Hi everyone! Just joined this subreddit and eager to connect with like-minded individuals. In these unusual times, making new friends sounds like a great idea! A bit about me: I'm from Cali and passionate about music, tattoos, basketball, true crime shows, movies, and gaming. You'll likely find me shooting hoops on the basketball court or indulging in the thrill of true crime documentaries while cozied up under a blanket. Also, a huge animal lover—tell me about your pets if you have any! Currently pursuing my dream of becoming a teacher. I embrace individuals hailing from every corner and corner of the globe. If you're curious to learn more, feel free to hit me up! Can't wait to chat with you.

Hi all,
I might be getting a tattoo in London this Saturday, and wanted to shoot a few quick fire questions since this community seems to be really helpful!

1. What do you guys think of this design? I added an outline to make it last longer, but chose a dark brown instead of black.
2. I would like to get it in a small size on my hip (about 1,5 cm / 0.6 inch). I heard that microrealism fades easily on the hips because of friction and movement which is why I changed to a brighter outlined design. How would my idea hold up there? Any hip experiences?
3. What do you guys think of this artist? I think they pack in colour really nicely, but I'm no expert. They've done some cute fruits before, and I see they use the dark colour outline here as well.
4. I would be getting the tattoo on Saturday and I'm in London until Monday, including a long day at Comic Con on Sunday. It it ok to walk around all day the day after getting a tattoo?
5. At the moment I have a pimple where I'd like to get the tattoo done. Is this a problem? I'm hoping it'll be gone and healed by Saturday but not sure.

Thank you!

im wondering where in the world would you consider the best place to live with our disease for biologics? who truly has the best healthcare when it comes to AS or autoimmune diseases in general? im a 25F tattoo artist living in the united states and im terrified when my moms insurance drops me at 26. private insurance is going to be so expensive. if for nothing but shits and giggles, any ideas?

*Please dont message me if you're a man and if you're anyone under 25 years old.
I will write some about me and what Im looking for, I like to write a lot so Im not sure how long this will be, so If you dont like reading a lot, then we arent compatible lol but I will give a quick summary of what Im looking for so you dont have to read that long of my post if you dont fit that criteria (I know Im asking for someone very specific but if she doesnt exist Im ok with staying single forever)
-- Im looking for a cis woman, 100% lesbian someone who isnt confused about her sexuality, ready to settle down, femme, girly, monogamous (wanting to be with only 1 person forever, no having fantasies about threesomes etc), old enough to date me because Im 35, introverted, short (under 5'5), petite, bottom, submissive, honest, loyal, know how to communicate very well, romantic, kinky, clingy, know how to make conversation, emotional intelligent, you know affective responsibility, know how to make me feel wanted and cared for, respectful of my religion and religions in general,because Im catholic (you dont have to be religious but not talk shit on my beliefs or try to stop me from believing in what I want), not have exes or situationships as friends, not into astrology,magic or tarot, not into illegal drugs or be an alcoholic, not being a flirt with other people while in a relationship or someone who looks for external validation, no face, neck tattoos or gauges.
Im old enough to have tried a lot of things and everything, now Im 100% sure of what I want and what works for me and Im not willing to compromise my peace over someone who is not what Im looking for. For me is a relationship is something very sacred and special. I have learned you really can tell how much you love yourself by the partner you've chosen.
I know people on the internet get mad at others when you say you only like an specific kind of person and set boundaries, but thats a mindset I dont like, how others wanna force others to have the same taste that they have and date the same people that they want, everyone is allowed to have preferences and If someone doesnt like it, too bad for them, I will continue with my preferences doesnt matter how many people get mad. Im not looking to change anyone or force anyone to like the things I do, I look for someone who is already like that and in the same mindset that I am, Im not settling for just anyone and I dont want anyone to settle for me either. Its not my responsibility to be likeable on the internet to strangers. It's only my responsibility to pursue the things I like. My life, my rules. I simply dont like to give energy to people I dont even care about.
I like to very very honest and direct, I never lie, some people mistake me sometimes as rude, but I swear I dont say things thinking bad, I have autism so that can be the cause of me being like that. My autism just affect me in being kinda weird and veryyyyyyy antisocial and introverted, I dont like going to parties at all, or going to reuinions, or meeting people I dont know. Im a INTJ.
Im a cis lesbian, I have always know Im gay since I was a little girl. I used to be skinny and since I have some problems with how I look( because of some trauma) , I decided maybe I just wanted to gain weight and look different so right now Im chubby and I dont like it lmaoooo Im gonna lose the weight. I wanna be clear that I dont have low self esteem, I have learned to really love myself with therapy, meds and just over the years experiences, I have learned to know my worth, just have some problems with my looks still.
I also have ADHD so I have very bad memory and short attention span, but that doesnt mean I wont give attention and listen to what you have to say, in fact when I like someone I put so much attention and care in that person. My adhd pretty much just affects the things I dont really care about.
Im a hopeless romantic, I love hard, Im very consistent, I will never leave you wondering about anything, I have never ghosted anyone, I also have never cheated, even if it was just like a situationship. I like talking to only one person and putting all my attention in one person. Im very excited to the idea of growing old together with someone and keep choosing that person forever. My words follow my actions. Im not friends with exes or situationships or entertain people who like me more than a friend, I also dont stalk those people in any way, I retire my whole energy from them and its like they never existed.
I recognize the value of a person since the beginning, Im not one of those that only realize what they had when they lost it.
I like to think Im a very emotionally intelligent person and have a lot of affectionate responsibility.
I believe that if youre in a relationship you face life together, not separate and not against each other, you need to think for the 2 in the relationship not only in yourself, which I think a lot of people dont do because theyre selfish.
Also I believe in a relationship where theres no insults and cussing each other, I would neverrr insult someone Im in a relationship with and I ask for the same, of course there can be banter and joking, but Im talking about disagreements or when someone gets mad, I have a policy of 0 insults, if you get mad you can take time for yourself, but Im one of those people that will never get on an argument without solving it, I always wanna talk about it.
With me you will never have to question my loyalty to you, or to question anything to be honest. Im not hesitant and indecisive,I will make you feel loved like never before, seen, respected, desired and safe. Your opinions and thoughts will be cherished, valued, respected and acknowledged, I dont brush things off and I also ask for the same.
I cant stand when people like to do the bare minimum in a relationship, with me you have to match my energy, Im a very passionate person when it comes to love. Also I need someone with my communication style, I dont want anyone avoidant or someone who can go days without talking to me, no one is too busy for someone they care about,, if you dont have consistency and integrity with me, then we arent compatible.
Im the kind of person that if my girlfriend dont like something or dont want me to do something, I dont do it, or if they want me to do something I do it.
Love isnt enough for a relationship to last, you need connection, intimacy, safety , accountability, vulnerability and trust.
I also wanna ask for someone who have healed their problems or working on healing them, because I have put so much effort in healing for everything that has happened to me and I continue to put effort in being the best version of me for me and for anyone who wants to love me. I ask for this because some people dont even put effort on their mental health and dont even want to heal, I have learned that someone who doesnt want to get help, is someone Im not compatible with. Also some people believe a good relationship needs "drama" and feel bored when they enter a normal loving relationship, Im also not compatible with that type of person.
The difference between happy couples and the unhappy ones is that happy couples are kinder when they speak to each other, they treat each other more gently without criticism or sarcasm. You need mutual respect, consideration, affection and treating each other in the ways we feel close and valued the most, having empathy in our communication. I wont nurture a relationship with someone who avoid emotions and find them exhausting. I learned to invest in the person that also invests in me.
The degree which a person can grow is directly proportional to the amount of truth that they can accept about themselves without running away.
Im not from the USA, which I know the majority of the people here are, but I think the love of my life can be anywhere in the world so I dont mind of what part of the world are you. If we happen to be soulmates someone has to move. I speak spanish and english.
I graduated university and I work (will give personal details about any stuff to the person I talk to) but to he honest, I dont like working or studying lmaoo I said Im very honest and this is a trait of mine that will put off some people I know, because some people love working and want their partner to have work goals and all that stuff, but I wasnt born to do labor lol I still have to work because I need to exist and this economy is insane but If could stop working, I would do it in a heart beat. But Im fine and happy with my low wage job and I dont mind if you love working or not working, just that you respect my way of thinking.
Like I said Im religious and I think thats something very private, I dont mind if you arent religious, I just need respect about that. I also believe in energies and some of that stuff, but never messing with rituals and that kind of things so I ask for my future gf to be the same. Also not messing with paranormal things, like ouija boards etc.
I like the paranomal, aliens etc but always from afar and not getting involved with it. I dont like astrology or tarot at all so I would never date someone who is into those things.
My favorite hobby is to watch movies and tv shows, I love movies so so much, I like every genre, so I would appreciate someone who likes to watch a lot of things with me and dont get tired of it.
I like all types of music, really all types, but I do have my favorites, like Taylor Swift, Blackpink, Adele, Britney Spears, Twice, Oasis, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Placebo and a million of more artists.
I will talk now about how Im a very dominant person and I like bdsm, but I need to clarify, I will not talk about something this personal with someone I just met, I just feel the need I need to bring it up because some people are not into that.
Im a demiromantic lesbian, which means I get attracted to the person after getting to know them and talking after a while.
I dont drink, I have never gotten drunk, I dont smoke, I dont do drugs, but I do take cbd for anxiety.
Also I have to add that I love Disney and amusement parks, I have seen a lot of people hate on people who like Disney, so if you are one of those Im not into you either.
Ok so this is everything I wanna say, I think, if theres anything more I will just edit the post. Thank you for reading all of this and Im sorry if Im all over the place.
Im gonna find you, soulmate and I will create a wonderful and beautiful love reality for both of us.

I was just at the San Diego concert and they played two new songs from their upcoming album! During the concert there was also this cool pay phone on the stage that rang a few times and would play these spooky poems/ messages from this woman describing other worldly and supernatural phenomena. To me it seems like the new album could be similar to how long lost is a broadcast from whispering pines, where instead it’s this woman sending out messages to get help or maybe recount her experiences. One of the new songs heavily focused on sending a signal out to whoever was listening. Anyone else at the concert have any ideas about how this all could tie together? Overall I’m super excited to finally get a new album and see what the bands been cooking up!

Hello! I’ve recently been looking at getting a cassandra cain tattoo and wanted some ideas. I’ve found some art that i could get back what i was really looking in to was some quotes. So that’s why I’m here, what are some of your favourite Cass quotes that could make for a good tattoo?

I was thinking best quotes or something all I can think about is privacy pussy pasta 😭😭

I’ve been learning MSA for a while now and was thinking about getting a tattoo to commemorate the occasion. I like all my tattoos to be symbolic of things that I find meaningful or interesting and a possible idea I had was to get a tattoo of an arabic word that has a cool origin.
For example, the Chinese word for contradiction is spear and shield put together. If I remember correctly, this dates back to an ancient folktale about a merchant selling a spear that can puncture anything and a shield that can deflect any attack. It draws from the metaphysical impossibility of the terms given that if the speak breaks the shield the shield can’t deflect every attack and if it doesn’t the spear can’t puncture everything. I’m simplifying here but are there any Arabic words with similar ecological myths or legends attached? I memorize a lot of words but don’t really dig into the etymology so help would be greatly appreciated :)

What are some designs or themes you love to see in knee tattoos? I am going to be getting a tattoo either on or just above my knee, and I’d love to hear some fun ideas for inspiration!

Hi, I never have made a post on Reddit but I’m in desperate need of support. I don’t really have anyone to talk to (besides my ex and which we are in no contact on and off randomly) We just recently broke up M(30) and I F(34) less than a month ago. We were friends for many years online and we eventually developed feelings for each other. He left his ex wife due to his feelings for me AND other issues in their relationship… it was his one and only ever relationship. They had split up twice prior to getting married. I was already on and off with my ex husband (he cheated and I tried to work through it because of new baby) so divorce was already in the works on my end. Our story is so long but I will do my best to make it make sense.
I felt terrible with how we started, and it played into a roll of how I came into the relationship. I have moved across country to be with him and the hopes of being successful in making money to afford a car of my own (ex husband’s demand was that if I take our child (who he wasn’t very involved with) was that got to keep my charger which was under his name (which I was paying for before the divorce)) Sadly, that wasn’t the case. I was there for 1.5 years and my mental health had taken a toll. I wasn’t making money, had no social life, no car, wasn’t experiencing anything except staying at home. I had kissed someone else while we weren’t together technically in my eyes before we got into a relationship. In his eyes he claimed he was devoted to me while saying he was confused on what to do between his ex wife and I at the time before I had moved across country. Which is why I thought nothing of the kiss back then. That also played a roll in our relationship to how he was coming in for me for a bit. He was considering breaking up with me because it took me 4 months (2 months after I had moved in) to admit a kiss that I didn’t think anything of (but I did regret doing right after it happened because I was in love). I DO regret keeping that from him. So that was our first talk of breakup from him…but he got over it in two months(according to him) The idea of us breaking up has been a talked about but it was mainly my unhappiness with where I was at in life. That would mean I had to break up with him and move out of state AGAIN with my 5 year old. He kept wanting to be reassuring that he loved me and wasn’t looking to date right away but it’s only been three weeks and we talked on the phone today…. He told me that he had gone on a date already. I was already insecure about the fact that he’s only been in one relationship besides me. We would get into arguments about dumb things and a lot of misunderstandings because he has only been in one other relationship. He also never really tried with my kid no matter how many times I would bring it up. He would blame his childhood experience with his step dad on trying to “not be so pushy” but my son is easy to entertain. He would always try to claim that he (my son) wanted nothing to do with him which isn’t always the case. He kept trying to say if things were to get fixed in aspects of our life that we could get back together down the road and he would propose to me… He even said he would never cover my name, got a tattoo of an anime character that resonates with me (he had me do it the week before I moved out) I just got off the phone with him bawling and I’m so hurt that he kept trying to pursued me with keeping in touch and now he completely said we absolutely should not be talking…. He claims that since I left he realized it was a bad idea because he still loves me. We had differences AND similarities throughout our relationship and even I felt like he did need to experience other relationships or date… it just hurts that it hasn’t even been a month and it’s now all flipped. He doesn’t want to stay in touch but he wants to make sure he still has access to me. I asked him if we can just check on each other every other months as friends and he said “no that it wouldn’t help the situation.” He also made a weird/hurtful comment “Even if I had a wife and kids then she cheated on me, I know I’d be like “ok, she (me) would never do this to me so I need to reach out to her” He also did mention that he was taking action on things that needed to be done… claiming he went on the date with me in mind. Maybe to see if I really was the best thing for him. I just need advice on how to let go or move on. :(
I apologize for being all over the place. There were a lot more things that I could add but my phone is starting to freeze up.

The Whole Thing

4/14/94

I stepped back from the guy in disbelief. He held his bandaged hand up to his chest, hugging it and turning away from me like he was ashamed of it.
"Oh my god! You're bitten, aren't you?" I gasped.
He nodded sheepishly. "It burns," he whimpered.
"Wha... When did it happen?" I asked.
"I dunno. A week ago, I think. I… I just wanna be like them already," he said as tears filled his eyes.
"But you're not sick, right?" I said.
He shook his head and started to sob, "I... I just want this to be over," he cried. “I hate how they all look at me.”
I stepped forward to comfort him as he balled.
"Hey, hey, hey. What's your name, dude?" I asked sincerely, gently putting the back of my hand on his forehead.

He wasn’t lying. He was cool to the touch, and I couldn’t feel any fever. 

"Daniel," he sniffled.
"Daniel, huh? I'm Mel. Can I... Can I see the bite?" I asked.
"Are you a doctor?" Daniel asked.
"No, but I'm the closest thing to one you have right now," I pointed out.
Daniel tentatively gave me his wounded hand. I took it and gently unwrapped the bandages. The wound looked well-dressed, but he hadn't changed the dressing in a while, or ever. The bandages had yellowed, and it stank as I peeled them off.
"Who wrapped this up for you?" I asked, trying to take his mind away from any pain.
"My friend, Elise," he sobbed.
"Did she turn? Is she one of them now?"
Daniel nodded.
I unwrapped the last few turns and saw the wound. It had started to heal and scab, just like mine had all those months ago. My eyes grew wide, and I gasped in shock.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Daniel asked frantically.
"Err... Nothing. You said it burns, right?" I inquired.
Daniel nodded.
"But you're not sick, right?" I continued.
"Yeah, everyone got sick but me," he pointed out.
"Daniel, I think you're gonna be ok. I think you're immune," I said with a hopeful smile.
"What do you mean? How do you know?" He asked.
"Look," I said, turning my head to the left and pulling back the collar of my Dad's bomber, revealing the ugly bite scar on my neck. "One of them got me right around the time this whole thing started, and I'm still here. Still breathing."
"You... You think I'll be ok?" He sniffed.
"Well, why don't we find out, huh?" I said, giving him a pat on the arm. "Here. Let me dress that up for you."
I dropped my Go Bag and pulled out my first aid kit. I grabbed a bottle of disinfectant and a bandage. I opened the bottle, offered my hand, and he gave me his. I took it and pulled it towards me to inspect the wound. I poured the bottle on it without warning, and Daniel screamed, leaping back and pulling his hand away from me. He cried and yelped loudly, clutching at his wrist and contorting his hand in agony.
"Dude! I'm sorry, but you gotta keep the fuck down!" I growled through gritted teeth, apologising for the pain I'd just inflicted.
I checked left and right for any dead ones who might have heard this six-foot, farm-boy-looking guy screaming his lungs out over a little splash of disinfectant. I knew it hurt; I'd done it to myself on the bites I'd received, but Daniel couldn't take it.
"Calm down! You'll attract them!" I yelled over his cries.
The fear of the dead ones showing up made him gulp it in and stand up, whimpering and holding his wounded paw. I reached out, and he pulled his hand back.
"Please! No more of that stuff," he pleaded.
"Don't worry. I'm not trying that again," I said, rolling my eyes as I started to bind the wound with a bandage. "You can get gangrene for all I care if that's how you're gonna take it. You gotta keep it down, dude. How else did you guys survive this long?"
"We had Father Jim," Daniel sniffled.
"Yeah? I heard about him. He sounds like a real stand-up guy," I said, trying to make conversation while I finished dressing his hand.
"Did you know him?" Daniel asked.
"Only through what I found. I ran into your little expedition about a month ago. They were looking for medication, right? Did Father Jim get better?" I asked.
"No. He died. They all died," Daniel said, tears returning to his eyes.

I gave him a second. He wasn’t even looking at me, just looking through me, lost in shock and wherever his mind was taking him to protect him from confronting all he’d lost. “Hey,” I spoke softly, “You’re gonna be ok. It’s gonna be ok. You’re not alone,” I guided him back to the RV. He lumbered slowly behind me and struggled to keep pace, but I gave him time. For the next few days, we cruised around rural Kentucky. We didn’t even see a single dead one. Daniel took the back bed my Dad used to sleep in, and I slept above the cab, my Beretta under my pillow, just in case. 

Daniel took his time recovering. Physically, the guy was OK. The bite wound recovered well. I told him it would turn into a gnarly scar like mine, smiling and trying to cheer him up, but he didn’t react. The poor guy was like a lost, lonely child. He spent most of his days catatonically staring, and at night, he would cry quietly. I just gave him his time. I had no idea how to handle this. I was barely able to understand it myself. I had been alone, living in my own fiction with Dad and Madeline, hoping that I might find another living person. And here that person was a crying, broken young guy I now had to care for.

Daniel had been too shocked or scared to leave the RV. He hardly ate and barely got up from the back bed, but I'd had enough by the time the fourteenth rolled around. I didn’t care if he wanted to stink up the place; I wanted to get showered and changed. “Look, dude. We’re both getting a little ripe in here, and I’m not getting changed in front of you,” I reasoned, but poor Daniel was timidly sitting on the back bed. “There aren’t any out there, man. Trust me, it’s ok,” I said. 

I tried my best to understand his fear of the dead ones. It was crippling him and trapping him here in my RV. Whatever trauma he'd been through, he was lugging around inside him. No matter what I did or said, I couldn't coax much out of him besides simple answers. I knew his name. I knew he'd been with a group of survivors at that complex in March Ridge. I knew they had their pastor leading them until he died, along with the rest of them, and that had turned poor six-foot Daniel into a lost little boy.
“Hey, Daniel. You can come back in now,” I said when I was all cleaned up, opening the door and letting him back into the RV.
Daniel climbed slowly up the steps with his head down, walked to the back bed and sat back down. I put a jay in my mouth and stood by the door.
“I'm gonna go for a smoke, dude. The bathroom’s all yours,” I said, trying to hint him towards getting washed up, but he wasn't listening.
It was like he wasn't even there. Like a lost, stray dog that didn’t trust humans anymore, he timidly lumbered around, reeking of mange and b.o. I shook my head, stepped, and lit my jay, closing the door behind me.
I'd parked us by large open fields of farmland on the edge of some woods. I could see for miles around in the warm spring of the late Kentucky morning. With nothing better to do, I took a stroll along the woods until I was far enough away from the RV to talk out loud without being heard. Despite being around another living person for the first time in almost a year, I felt so alone. While Daniel struggled to adjust to his new reality, I was adjusting to mine and having no one to talk to. So, hoping to find solace, I slumped against a tree at the edge of the woods, smoked my jay, and closed my eyes.
“Hell of a find, huh, Songbird?” Dad said, leaning in next to me against the tree.
I beamed out a relieved smile, opened my eyes and turned to see him smile back.
“He didn't turn. He's immune, like me,” I said.
“He ain't doing much else, either,” Dad scoffed.
“It must have been traumatic,” I reasoned.
“You got over it, Mel. The end of the world passed you by, and you rolled with it,” Dad pointed out.
“Did I, or did I go just as insane as he did?” I asked rhetorically, looking my dead Dad in the eye with a raised eyebrow. He paused for a moment, curled his lip and shrugged.
“Touche,” he admitted.
I leaned back against the tree, took a drag and held the smoke in my lungs a little longer than I would normally. I let it all out in a sigh through my nose and closed my eyes.
“What the fuck am I gonna do with this guy, Dad?” I asked.
Dad took a few seconds to consider, then said, “Well, you could start by finding him some fresh clothes.”
“Shit,” I muttered. “I didn't think about that.”
“Maybe you have been alone too long,” Dad pointed out.
He wasn't wrong, but I hadn't realised how out of touch I'd been. It was a sudden realisation of how much I'd forgotten what real human contact was supposed to be. I hadn't had to think of anyone but myself up until this point. Dad and Madeline had just been along for the ride.
“I have an idea,” I said aloud, hauling myself to my feet and walking back to the RV.
I climbed into the driver's seat and told Daniel we were hitting the road and that he should buckle up. Daniel didn't even ask where we were going. He had yet to ask since I found him. I had no idea if his head was so full of trauma that his thought process wasn’t functioning or if his mind was completely empty. Neither would have surprised me.
I drove the RV to the intersection south of West Point. We were gonna kill two birds with one stone; I needed fuel, he needed clothes. I didn’t know how long he'd been wearing the rags hanging off him, but I felt guilty that it had taken me this long and a conversation with my Dad to notice. It also worried me slightly that he hadn't even mentioned it himself.
“Hey, Daniel,” I called out to him as we hopped out of the RV after I pulled it up to the gas pump and killed the engine.
He craned his neck and looked at me, waiting for me to respond.
“Can you give me a hand with something?” I asked.
“Uhh… yeah… ok,” he nodded.
He followed me around to the side of the RV, where I opened one of the cargo hatches. Inside was a generator I'd been keeping for power on the move and most of my tools. Being used to doing this alone, I grabbed the generator with both hands and lugged it towards the gas station.
“Can you grab my tools, dude?” I asked, and he obliged.
“Do you… can you handle that?” He asked as I hauled the genny and lowered it down about a foot from the gas station power box
“Nah. I got it. I've been doing this kinda shit for a while now,” I said, gesturing that it was no big deal. “Thanks,” I said as he placed my toolbox beside it.
“Do you need to fix it or something?” Daniel drawled.
“Nope. I need to hook it up to the gas station to power it up so I can fill up the RV and a couple of gas cans. I have something for you, though,” I explained.
I returned to the RV, reached into the storage and pulled out a folded-up duffle bag. Carrying it in one hand, I strolled towards the Barg'n'clothes at the north side of the intersection.
“Come on!” I shouted cheerily as I turned around and gestured at Daniel to follow with a smile.
He followed me across the parking lot and through the double doors of the huge outlet. The place was dark and dusty, but enough of the midday sun beamed through the windows to see the racks of clothing—all shapes, sizes, and styles of cheap, off-brands.
“Here,” I said, thrusting the folded duffle bag against his chest and letting him take it from me. “I'll get the RV gassed up. You do some shopping,” I said with a wink.
“What? I just take stuff?” Daniel gawked.
“Of course, dude. Take whatever you want,” I shrugged.
“But, like, isn't it stealing?” He asked.
That question visibly struck me because how I looked at him made his face drop slightly in shock. My confused frown must have made me look angry.
“Daniel, there's… there's no one left to steal from. The world ended, man. Whatever you don't take is gonna rot here, dude,” I explained.
“You're sure no one will care?” He asked sincerely.
“Where do you think I got my winter clothes from? Trust me, no one's alive to care,” I said, waving my hand and heading for the door. “I’ll be by the gas station if you need me. Take your time. Try stuff on. Get cleaned up.”
I left Daniel on his shopping spree while I hooked up the genny to the gas station. With the afternoon heating up, I peeled off my plaid shirt, tied it around my waist and got to work. I was filling up some gas cans when Daniel finally emerged from the store in fresh clothes and a stuffed duffle bag. He wore a plaid pattern similar to mine, only yellow instead of red, some baggy jeans and a green and white Kentucky ball cap. He looked less like the rag-clad shell of a person I'd pulled out of March Ridge and more like someone who was, at least outwardly, looking better.
“Looking good,” I said with a smile.
“Thanks,” Daniel said, returning it. “I didn't know that covered your whole arm,” he said, gesturing at my snake tattoo.
“Yeah, cool, huh?” I said, giving him a good view of my right arm. “You got any?” I asked.
“Nah. My Mama never liked 'em,” he said.
“She probably wouldn't have liked me then, huh?” I asked.
“Well, you seem like a good person, Mel,” he said, smiling but not looking at me.
Daniel turned to look inside the gas station, now powered up with the lights on inside. His eyes grew wide as he stared down towards the ground inside.
“That's the fucker that gave me this,” I said, pointing at the bite scar on my neck.
He took his eyes off the skeleton with a missing skull that I'd left on the floor that day in late July and turned to see me craning my neck.
“He wasn't the only one either,” I stated.
“You've been bitten more than once?” Daniel exclaimed.
“Sure, the other one was a high school kid. Got me right here,” I said, pointing at the bite scar below my collarbone. “Almost bit my fucking tit off,” I said with a wry smile.
Daniel winced at me. I didn't know if it was due to seeing the scar or if me using the word “tit” made him uncomfortable. In either case, I quickly changed the subject.
“So, it's pretty hot, and I'm pretty hungry. I’m gonna get the grill out and cook us some fish. How about it?” I suggested.
I grilled, we ate, and I brought out some beers and lit a small fire in the middle of the intersection, tossing wood and whatever crap was lying around that would burn. I offered Daniel a beer, but he refused.
“Mama used to tell me that my Dad was a drinker, so I never wanted to,” he explained.
“That's fair,” I said. “Was it just you and your Mom?” I asked.
“She uh… she was the only one who got me, you know?” He said. “She was all I had until, you know, then I had Father Jim, Elise, Beth, Derrick, all the others,” he listed before going silent. “They're all… them now,” he said as he curled in on himself, teled in his eyes.
It took me a while to come up with something to say, but I jumped in before his quiet sobs turned into whole cries.
“I know that feeling, dude. Believe me, I do. You can't let them get to you, though. They're just part of the world now, and we can beat them. I've done it,” I claimed.
“Huh?” Daniel said, looking at me with glossy eyes.
“See that over there,” I said, nodding towards the burned-down dealership and blackened burnt-out cars. “Not long after the whole end of the world, when people outside Kentucky stopped broadcasting, I cleared this place out—learned my lesson, though. They can creep up on you, but they're slow and stupid. Now, the only bunch around for miles are up North in West Point.”
“How many have you killed?” Daniel asked.
“Fuck if I know, dude. I don't exactly keep count when they're all burning in a pile,” I scoffed, sipping my beer.
“Are they still, you know, them?” He asked.
“I… I don't even know if it was just me going crazy or if I really did hear it, but I've heard a few of them talking. Just a word here and there, nothing more than that. If whoever they were is still in there, it isn't coming back. Putting them down for good is, well, it's mercy. Madeline taught me that,” I said quietly over my beer.
“Who's Madeline?” Daniel asked.
“She was my girlfr… my wife,” I corrected myself.
Daniel looked at me confused, gawking with that slack-jawed look under the brim of his cap.
“I know, I know, girls can't get married to other girls, but Maddy was raised Catholic, and she always wanted to be married,” I started. “One day, before all this end-of-the-world crap, she put this ring on my finger,” I said, fiddling with the silver wedding band. “She died a few weeks after,” I went on, as tears started to fill my eyes and reality started to dawn on me. “And for those last few weeks, she didn't call me anything but her wife,” I said, choking on the last word and trying to hold down the sobs, but everything hit me all at once.
The fabricated world I'd built out of frosted glass in my head suddenly shattered in Daniel's presence as I told him about Madeline. I had spent almost a year surviving the apocalypse when any average person would have been grieving. And now I grieved for Madeline, out loud and in the open, in front of the first living person I'd seen in what felt like a lifetime. I balled up my hand and held it against my mouth as my body shook with quiet, subdued sobs. My aching heart punctured the lump in my throat as the real world poured into me like cold, icy water and the fact that Maddy was dead, buried, and gone slapped me in the face once more after almost a year of refusing to see it. I turned away from Daniel as the tears rolled down my cheeks. He said nothing as I kept my eyes tightly shut, trying to compose myself. I sniffed, wiped the tears from my cheeks and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, Maddy was my wife. It might not have been real to anyone else, but it was real to her,” I paused. “It was real to me,” I added, looking back at the ring on my hand. “I haven't talked about it to anyone. I haven’t been able to talk about it to anyone,” I admitted. “She died right before all this went down, and I've been alone ever since.”
The two of us sat silently as the fire cracked at our feet and the sun fell below the treeline.
“Sorry for unloading on you there,” I sighed aloud, trying to chuckle awkwardly to lighten the mood.
“It's ok. You've really been alone this whole time?” He asked.
“Yeah. I guess it wasn't all bad, but yeah, just me,” I answered.
“I… I was trying to get help for my Mama when it happened,” Daniel started. “She was getting sick. She got really hot, and then she stopped breathing. I went to get help, but they… they were everywhere. Derrick from the store where I work grabbed me. A bunch of people were running for the army barracks.”
Daniel paused there. It was his turn to get choked up. I let the tears fill his eyes without judgment.
“I tried to get them to help my Mama, but they said it was too dangerous. I didn't leave until… until there was no one left but them,” he gasped before crying.
I let him ball it out as the memories of the trauma he'd suffered came bubbling back up to the surface.
“I just wanted to be like them. I hate how they look at me. They look so mad, like they hate me,” Daniel sobbed.
“I don't think they hate you. I don't think they can hate anything, Daniel. They're dead,” I stated.
“But they can't be. They're walking around,” he retorted.
“I don't know what kind of disease caused it, but some of the shit I've seen happen to them. Some of the shit I've done to them, you can't survive that. They're dead, dude, and nothing is bringing them back,” I said.
Daniel took a long pause as he composed himself.
“What do you think caused it?” He asked.
“Fuck if I know, man. There was this one guy, though. I saw him with his family right at the beginning of it all. He worked at the military base, and I’ve been trying to find it since. I found his home in Ekron and some dead special forces dudes. They seemed to know more than anyone else did. Not that it even matters anymore,” I sighed.
“Derrick said it was something in the Spiffo burgers. He said they had human meat in them, and it made people go crazy or something,” Daniel said, looking over at the Spiffos on the other side of the intersection.
“For real?” I laughed. “Dude, when I thought I would turn into one of them, I ate everything in that place. I wanted to be the last person alive to enjoy a Spiffo burger.” I said, gesturing at the same Spiffos
“Mama never let me eat fast food. She said it was full of junk. Maybe Derrick was right?” Daniel sighed, staring into the fire.
“Maybe,” I sighed as well.
For a while, we sat there staring in silence. Daniel was lost in his thoughts while my slightly buzzed brain was half baking a plan.
“I have an idea,” I said, smiling.
I got up, walked over to the Barg'n’ Clothes and grabbed the first t-shirt closest to the entrance. Then, I marched back to the RV and pulled out one of the gas cans I'd filled earlier. I took them to Daniel by the fire and carefully filled my empty beer bottles with gasoline.
“What are you doing?” Daniel asked curiously.
I filled the last empty bottle and started ripping the t-shirt into rags.
“We're gonna take our revenge on Spiffo Burger on behalf of all mankind,” I said with a wicked laugh.
As I jammed the t-shirt strips into the tops of the bottles and the gas inside, we were left with four Molotovs ready to go.
“Here,” I said, handing two of them to Daniel. “Let's have some fun,”
With my two in hand, I marched towards the Spiffo Burger and stopped when I was within my throwing distance. I put one down at my feet and turned the other upside down to soak the rag while I lit it with my lighter.
“Fuck you, Spiffo! You killed the human race!” I shouted as I hurled my Molotov right through the window.
The glass smashed, and fire lit up the inside. Flames danced through the window, and an orange glow shone against the waning light of the evening in the large, empty intersection.
“Woo!” I cheered, laughing with delight. “Come on, try it,” I said to Daniel, offering my lit lighter.
He carefully held out one of his Molotovs and pulled away timidly as the rag caught fire. He readied himself, smiled and hurled it.
“Fuck you, Spiffo!” He yelled as he did.
Daniel, as it turned out, didn't have the best throwing arm, and his Molotov landed a few feet in front of the doorway to the old-world fast food chain.
“Dude,” I said, giggling, which made Daniel look away from me, embarrassed.
I picked up my second Molotov, lit it and cocked my arm back.
“This is for discontinuing the Fluffyfoot Ribs!” I yelled as I hurled my second Molotov, laughing hysterically as it landed on the roof.
Daniel held his second Molotov towards me. I lit it, and he walked a few paces closer to the burning building. He said nothing this time and hurled it at the door, which shattered the glass and added to the flaming interior.
“Woo! Fuck yeah!” I cheered, clapping.
I jogged over to the RV, opened the driver door and leaned in. I grabbed the first tape my hand could find and looked at it. “Mel's”, it read simply. I smiled, put it in the tape deck, turned the ignition on and cranked the volume as high as possible. The opening notes to Heroes started to play and put a big beaming smile on my face. I walked back to Daniel and the fire pit. David Bowie began to sing, and I half drunkenly danced as the Spiffo Burger burnt down.
“Can you smell that?” Daniel asked, sitting by the fire and staring at the conflagration we'd caused.
“Yeah, it's fry oil. Smells like french fries, huh?” I explained.
I finished a fifth beer and smashed the bottle on the ground. I spun around, dancing to the music, before I tripped and almost fell over. Daniel and I both laughed. I sat down next to him and lit a cigarette. We let our smiles subside, and the moment passed as the sun set and the building continued to burn.
“Do you think everyone is gone?” Daniel asked shyly.
“No, just most of us,” I sighed. “But I found you, didn't I?” I said cheerily, nudging his shoulder with mine.
When I looked at him, my words didn't seem to comfort him. He looked into the fire and got lost in its licking and crackling. I stood up to get another beer but stopped and looked down at him.
“Hey, Daniel, I'm gonna make you a pact,” I stated.
He turned to look up at me with puppy dog eyes.
“You and I are gonna find some more people, living people. I promise. And we'll do it together,” I said, offering my hand.
Daniel took my hand gently; his soft hands felt like they didn't have a single callous. I grasped it firmly and shook it once with a smile. Daniel smiled hopefully back at me, and we celebrated while Spiffo's burnt down in front of us.

From Abstract. “trapped within an abstract from a moment of my life” And then surround the tat with images or ideals that represent events in your life.
Would this be cool or lame? Lol. Thanks for input

What are some of your favorite things to see as knee tattoos or tattoos right above the knee? I want to get something on or above my knees and am looking around to see what kind of ideas might inspire me!