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Much to her surprise, the man’s face lit up with a smile when he saw Izzy come through the door. “Hey, college girl. You here trying to get a job again?”
“Not this time, Nick.” Izzy said with a smile. She waved a hand between her roommate and the tattoo artist. “Nick, my roomie, Kris. Kris, the ink master himself, Nick Bolero.”
“Nice to meet you, Kris,” he said, holding out a hand the size of a catcher’s mitt. He reached across the counter and waved a hand over Izzy’s head. He smirked and ruffled her blonde hair until she giggled like a little girl.
Nick propped his elbows on the counter and raised his eyebrows at them. “So, ladies, what can I do for you?”
Izzy nodded at Kris and smiled. “My friend here wants a tattoo.”
Nick narrowed his eyes at Kris, as if he could sense the trepidation in her heart. He said, “That so, Kris? Are you eighteen?”
Kris swallowed hard and gave him a nod. “Almost nineteen, actually.”
“This your first tat?”
She tried to swallow again, but found her mouth completely dry. “Yes. The first of many.” She glanced at Izzy and smiled.
“All right then,” Nick said. “Come on back.”
Nick led them to the back of the shop. He and Izzy made small talk like old friends as they followed him back, but Kris wasn’t listening. She was fighting the surge of nervousness that was sparking through her body.
“Have a seat,” Nick said. Kris froze at the sight of the cushioned chair she was supposed to sit in. It looked like something out of a dentist’s office; if that dentist decorated his office with black leather. She tried to maintain control as she sat in the chair and held out a hand to Izzy for support.
Izzy squeezed Kris’ hand, no doubt sensing her nervousness. She squeezed Kris’ hand and gave her a reassuring smile. With that simple action, all of the fear shooting through Kris’ body disappeared. She felt like she could do anything; even get something permanently etched on her skin.
“Do you know what you want?” Nick asked as he got his tools ready.
Izzy fished the folded drawing out of her back pocket and handed it over to Nick, who gave it an admiring look and nodded his approval to Izzy.
“You draw this?” he asked. Izzy nodded. “Very nice. Very classic.”
“Thank you, sir,” Izzy said with a bow. “Remember that the next time I come in asking for a job.”
Nick gave her a smile. He patted Kris’ arm. “Alright, Kris. Wait here while I make the transfer.”
Kris nodded and took a deep breath as Nick left the room carrying the drawing. She was relieved to have a few moments to relax before the needle started buzzing.
Izzy gave her hand a squeez. “Do you really want to do this?”
Kris nodded. “I do. It’s just scary. Does it hurt?”
Izzy, who had multiple tattoos scattered about her body shook her head and chuckled. “Mine never did. The feeling is more annoying than painful.” She used her fingertips to brush the hair back from Kris’ forehead. “Relax, cutie pie. You’re gonna be fine. I promise.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“Have I ever let you down?”
Kris’ head shook ever so slightly. “Not yet.”
The girls exchanged a smile as Nick returned with Izzy’s drawing traced on the transfer paper. “Where are we getting the ink?”
Kris chewed her lip and pointed to the outside of her right bicep, assuming it would look best there. Izzy and Nick seemed to approve of her choice. Nick used an antiseptic wipe to clean her skin, then pressed the paper against her arm, and the image of the mermaid transferred perfectly. Nick held up a mirror to let her check the positioning. She gave him a smile and a nod, pleasantly surprised at how excited she was to have the drawing become a part of her forever.
“Ready?” Nick asked as she sat down and wiggled his thick fingers into a pair of black latex gloves. Kris took a deep breath and nodded with her eyes closed.
Exhaling, she said, “Let’s do this.”
The buzzing of the tattoo machine filled her ears and when the needle touched her skin, she had to turn her head away. Izzy had lied: it hurt like hell at first, but she gritted her teeth against the pain and soon, it was more annoying than painful. She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth and comfort of Izzy’s hand in hers.
