Read Online Ink & Flowers by J.K. Pendragon - Free Book Online Page A

the road, and the foliage was dense. "Here we go," Cooper announced as they passed a sign indicating that the road ended ahead. He pulled to the side of the road and waved Luke out.
    Luke opened the door and jumped to the ground. There was no use arguing with Cooper anymore; he was obviously on a mission. Besides, he had the food.
    As they walked along the now narrow pathway through the forest, Luke realised that they were nearing a drop-off. It came quite suddenly, and Luke gasped at the sight. To their left was a dam, a great cement structure with water pouring out the side, down into the depths of the ravine. Luke guessed it must be miles down. A steep path led down to a metal-fenced precipice, and Luke followed Cooper down to it. He pulled a blanket from his bag and laid it on the ground before settling heavily onto it and opening the containers of food.
    Luke sat, still a bit awed by the view.
    "What do you think?" asked Cooper.
    "It's really nice," admitted Luke. "Did you just find it?"
    "No, I come here a lot. Like, to think and sketch and stuff. Did you bring your supplies?"
    "No, I left them at the school."
    "Oh. Well, here, eat."
    He'd made sandwiches with cold cuts and cucumbers and some sort of delicious honey mustard. They ate in silence for a while, Cooper obviously felt awkward. Finally, Luke sighed, the hunger satiated and his feelings became more level. "I guess I must have looked pretty funny today, eh?"
    Cooper gave a small smile. "Yeah, a little. Look Luke, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I was just trying to help, but ... it was shitty."
    "You're just, you're ..." Luke couldn't sort out his feelings. He stared at Cooper, trying to put them into words. "You have so many tattoos," he announced, as if it were an accusation.
    Cooper grinned and leaned back, hands behind his head. "Yes, I do. They're the product of a lot of time and money."
    "Why?"
    "Why what?"
    "Why do you have so many? Like, what do they all mean?"
    Cooper sat up on his elbows and squinted at Luke. " Mean ?"
    "Yeah, like," Luke grasped for his limited knowledge on the subject, "don't all tattoos have to mean something?"
    Cooper grinned lopsidedly. "Yeah, right," he said. He pointed to the dragon on his neck. "This one means strength." He pulled up his shirt to reveal the roaring tiger head, "this one means I'm fierce. And this one," he pointed at the koi fish on his left bicep, "means I love fish."
    Luke guffawed. "Shut up, it does not mean you love fish."
    Cooper chuckled. "No, it means I really like the artist's work, and he does a lot of koi fish. And I don't love flaming skulls either," he added, holding up a forearm to display the faded designs there. "I was eighteen and thought that if I got them on my arm, everyone would know how badass and straight I was."
    "You were straight?" asked Luke, surprised.
    "It doesn't work that way, dude." Cooper leaned back again.
    Luke slumped. "I know."
    "You know that?"
    "I do."
    "So," Cooper sat up again, "what the fuck? Why are you so convinced you can avoid being gay if you try hard enough?"
    "I don't know!" admitted Luke, "I just, I thought, if I tried really hard, I could ... not be."
    "But why do you care? I mean, what's so bad about being gay?"
    "I don't know!" said Luke, exasperated. "You used to want to be straight too, right? There must have been a reason!"
    "Yeah," scoffed Cooper. "I was scared. Of what people would think, and say ..."
    "Well, so am I!" cried Luke. "My family, they always say such horrible stuff. Brody—"
    "Who's Brody?"
    "My cousin, he just ... said stuff like I have to be careful. 'Don't talk like a fag, you'll turn into one. ' "
    "Seriously?" Cooper crossed his arms. "What the fuck is that shit?"
    "I don't know. Just shit."
    "Yeah, it is just shit. Are your aunts like that too?"
    "Yeah." Luke sighed heavily. "But they said it's for my own good. I don't wanna end up ..." He trailed off.
    "What, end up like me?" Cooper said, raising his eyebrows.
    "I didn't say