❝ A L W A Y S ❞

"We should get tattoos," Aurora proclaims, skipping throughout the mall and dragging Carmen along. "Don't you guys agree?"

"Of course," Addilyn chimes from where she's walking next to Callie. "But, maybe on another day. Today, I just want to focus on buying Corbs' gift."

The four girls had taken a trip to the mall together for two sole purposes, other than Aurora's desire to get kicked out; to keep Callie's mind off of her upcoming trial against her father and to help Addilyn find the perfect birthday present for Corbyn.

"So," Addilyn begins, wandering idly into the nearest store. "Is our Dani still third wheeling?"

Unbeknownst to the group of girls, the five boys had decided to explore downtown LA while they were shopping and, at that precise moment, Daniel Seavey had swept a girl off of her feet - literally.

"Yeah," Callie shakes her head dejectedly. "He's yet to find himself a girlfriend."

"Or boyfriend," Aurora interjects. "We don't know which way he swings."

"I'm starting to think him and Zach are secretly dating," Carmen jokes, messing with the hem of a nearby t-shirt. "They argue like an old married couple."

"Oh my goodness," Callie giggles, holding up a shirt for the others to see. "Addi, you should get Corbyn this."

"Absolutely."

****

"What the hell, Mother Nature?" Aurora shrieks as they exit the mall, Corbyn's gift resting in the bag swinging from Addilyn's arm. "We fucking live in the middle of California!"

Addilyn stood in awe, amazed by the truly rare and beautiful sight before them. It had been chilly when the girls left the Why Don't We house earlier that morning, but now, snowflakes were drifting softly to the ground, dancing through the frigid air.

"I love the snow!" Addilyn exclaims, skipping and skidding through the parking lot towards her Yukon while dragging Callie with her.

"I'm not coordinated enough for this," Carmen states, clinging onto Aurora as the two slowly make their way over the patches of ice.

Climbing into the driver's seat, Addilyn looks around at the others. "Where to now?"

"There's a tattoo parlor right up the road," Aurora pipes up from the backseat.

"Absolutely not," both, Carmen and Callie, say simultaneously.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Addilyn pleads as Aurora attempts to persuade Carmen. "Pretty please? With a cherry on top? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Okay," Callie laughs, putting a hand over the girl's mouth. "I'll do it."

****

"If you follow me, I can seat all four of you right now," a woman, who's arms are covered in ink, states, holding a door open. "Oh, hey, Aurora!"

"Is it just me," Callie mutters, "or does literally everyone in here know Aurora?"

Addilyn giggles nervously, her pulse spiking with every step she took.

Callie did have a point. The man at the front desk had stopped badgering them for ID once he saw they were with Aurora, he even gave them a discount.

Claiming the leather seat in between Carmen and Callie, Addilyn examines the dimly lit room while subconsciously rubbing her left wrist.

"Is this your first time getting a tattoo?" A man no older than twenty asks, causing Addilyn to jump.

"Is it obvious?" She questions, looking at the needle in his hands instead of making eye contact.

"Yeah," he chuckles. "Only newcomers are as jumpy as you."

"Sorry," she offers a weak smile, discreetly wiping her sweaty hands on her pants. "Does it hurt?"

"You'll feel a little pinch," the guy, who's name tag reads John, informs her. "But, since this is your first time, I'll give you a lollipop once it's over. Sound good?"

Addilyn can only nod in response. She didn't have a problem with getting the tattoo, or feeling a pinch. It was the needle that made her so jumpy, having never been a big fan of them.

"Great. Now, what do you want and where do you want it?"

****

Addilyn drops onto the couch in the living room of the Why Don't We house, resting her head on Corbyn's shoulder. The excitement of today's events had thoroughly exhausted her.

"Did you get a tattoo, too?" The blond questions.

"I did," she smiles sleepily up at him, pulling her sleeve up so he can see her left wrist. "I also got a lollipop, but I ate it during the drive over here."

None of the girls had backed out of getting their tattoos, although Addilyn had had her doubts.

Carmen ended up getting a small heron on the back of her neck. Callie got the word, 'fearless' scrawled across her left ring finger. And Aurora had decided to get the Dark Mark on her arm.

Addilyn chose to have the word, 'Always' written on her left wrist. While Aurora assumed it was a reference to Harry Potter, the tattoo had a deeper meaning behind it.

It was a promise. Every time her brother was deployed, he made the same promise to her. He would always come home, safe and sound, no matter what.

"That's cute," Corbyn comments, only to glance down and see Addilyn sleeping soundly.

"Aurora," Zach complains from his spot on the loveseat. "You can't ju-"

"THE DARK LORD IS CALLING ME," the girl screeches, clasping her arm where the tattoo is dramatically. "I MUST GO!"

She sprints to the kitchen, leaving Zach to look around in disbelief.

"I swear that's the only reason she chose that tattoo."