I. Birthday Specialties

Ivory walked down the dark hallway, not knowing where to go when an arm grabbed her.

Ivory jumped in surprise. She wondered if it was Blue, and got apprehensive.

"Don't worry, it's me," Rover's voice echoed.

She took a deep breath as Rover led her back to the main floor. Harley and a few other girls left the living room, laughing and talking about their earnings for the week and what they would wear for tonight's party.

"Rover, where are we going?" Ivory asked as she felt the cold, fresh air rather than the cold, stuffy, stuck up air from inside the base.

He smiled down at her. "Well, your birthday just passed. I am taking you out."

"Oh, you don't have to do that."

"I insist."

"I hate it when people buy me things."

He laughed and opened the driver's seat to his own car. "Get in. I'll buy you whatever you want, and how much you want."

Ivory stood quietly before joining Rover.

"So, what do you want?" he asked as he began driving.

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it, really," Ivory frowned. "Why are we leaving the city?"

"We're going to the mall."

"But the city has everything."

"Not exactly. Besides, it's nice to get away for a while."

She nodded and thought for a moment, "Well, everyone has piercings and tattoos—"

"Wow, that's pretty bold of you," he halted the car and honked at a woman. Rover shouted at her from his window, "learn how to fucking drive." He sped off before she could say anything, but he left her mouth hanging.

Ivory was shocked because Rover was sweet, but he was a Blue Dragons member, after all. Ivory decided that Rover might be able to tell her everything she needed to know. Rover seemed the sweetest, so Ivory figured that he'd trust her enough with specific information.

"I don't want anything crazy, just something simple. I was thinking of a nose ring."

"Now we're talking. I know a place that will do your piercing and tattoo. What do you want to get for your tattoo?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Oh, a surprise. I love surprises," Rover got off the highway and parked at a tattoo parlor, which Ivory suspected was where everyone else in the gang got their piercings and tattoos. Ivory sensed that other gang members also get work done there, and maybe even work there.

"Do other gang members come here?"

Rover smiled, "You're catching on, Kid."

"Why do you call me that? I'm pretty sure I'm not much younger than you are."

"Honey, I'm 21."

Ivory made a face, "Oh," She looked at him again, seeing that he looked older than her, but had a youthful appearance.

"You and your friend are the youngest in the gang; little fetuses."

"Stop calling me names," Ivory said as she entered the tattoo parlor while Rover laughed.

A tatted man walked toward Rover, "Hey, Rover, long time no see. How's it been?"

"Yeah, it's been a while," Rover said. "Everything's fine; the usual," Rover placed Ivory in front of him. "This is Ivory. She wants a nose ring and a tattoo. I don't know what tattoo she wants, she'll give you the details."

The tattoo artist motioned for her to follow him, and her nerves kicked in, but they turned into adrenaline because before she knew it, she had a needle painfully stab her nose. Ivory was satisfied with the results. Ivory sighed as her nose bled, but she expected that. Her nose felt sore as she sat in a chair; the man permanently inked her left arm's lower-half. Ivory thanked the man who gave a discount because her tattoo was so small. Rover paid and talked to the man for a little while.

After, the two Blue Dragons members left the tattoo parlor.

Rover observed her rolled-up sweater sleeve, "What did you get?"

"Well, since I'm Irish, I decided to get knowledge in Gaelic."

The Gaelic word was in black with a green four-leaf clover surrounding it.

"Wow, that sounds nice. What does it mean?"

"Knowledge is important. I think growing up the way I did gave me a different insight into certain things. It made me not want to do certain things."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of the orphans did crazy things."

"I see," they entered the car.

Rover parked by the entrance, and the two walked inside, standing out from the crowd that flooded the main floor. Rover looked down at Ivory as she followed behind him quietly, looking at all the different stores. She began to take mental notes inside her head, creating an imaginary list of all the things that she wanted and needed.

"Where to first?"

She looked down at the black, stiff, leather boots he was sporting and loved their look. "What's the name of the boots you are wearing?"

He looked down, "Doc Martens. You want a pair?"

"Do they come in different colors?"

"They come in every color and pattern that you can think of. Come on, let's get a pair. However, I don't advise that you wear Doc Martens as soon as I buy them, they're hard to break in. They'll blister your feet."

"I'll take your word."

Rover led Ivory into a store, and she looked at the selection of Doc Martens available. She saw so many colors, bright and dark. However, the pair that stood out to her was the cherry red — they had eight holes, just like Rover's and everyone else in the gang that owned a pair. She pointed out the cherry red and gave her size, tried them on, and felt different. She felt comfortable and felt like herself, and she'd never felt that way before. She was made for the boots, made to be a part of the gang.

After Ivory got her new shoes, Rover took her to a few clothing stores, and she bought what she needed.

"Thanks for taking me shopping."

Rover smiled down at her, "No problem. Anything else that you want?"

Ivory thought for a moment, her new nose ring aching her nose, "Well, it may sound silly —" she began, and he stared intrigued at her, "I've wanted to dye my hair for a while."

His eyes glistened. "Really?"

"I love my hair color, but I want to try something new. I've been thinking about a dark auburn, but I think it will emphasize the red on my cheeks."

Rover nodded, "If you're minimizing your cool tones, you should stay away from ashy hair, it'll accentuate the blush like complexion on your cheeks."

"I was thinking of trying black hair."

Rover grinned, "Dark hair will suit you. It will bring out your eyes and the warmth in your skin. Come on, I know a place."

Rover and Ivory made their way to a hair salon, where the hairstylist spent less than an hour dyeing her hair with a simple, yet bold color. Ivory smiled at what she saw as the end result tested time, her eyes popping, showing how gray they were.

Rover paid the stylist and walked out with Ivory as her new updo shined the room, her hair sitting in curls. "Wow, you look great!"

She smiled, "Thanks! I really appreciate everything, Rover."

"Oh, no problem. Besides, you needed a wardrobe change."

Ivory laughed.

After, they both agreed to eat lunch. Rover suggested that they eat at a restaurant. The two sat in a booth, waiting for their food.

Unlike the others, Ivory felt safe around Rover. She felt safe around Hawks, but he and Lucky appeared to be overprotective of her. It seemed that the two were protecting her from something or someone.