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Kris dropped her backpack on the floor and went over to help her friend. “It went okay, I think. There was only one question I wasn’t too sure about. How about yours?”
“Aced it,” Izzy said with a toothy grin. “So, not going home to Iowa for the holidays?”
Kris shook her head and finished tacking the last bit of wire to the wall. “No. Between tuition and living expenses my folks are broke. Plane tickets are expensive.”
Kris wouldn’t admit it, but she did have the option of going home for the holidays, but told her folks she had to stay at school instead. After months in New York with Izzy, the mere thought of returning to her old life in Iowa made her sick to her stomach.
Izzy pulled her now bleached-blonde hair into a ponytail and nudged Kris’ shoulder with her own. “Guess you’re stuck with me, then.”
Butterflies fluttered in Kris’ stomach and she couldn’t help the smile that flashed across her lips. She tried to act disinterested when she asked, “You aren’t going home either?”
“Nah. The ‘rents are out of the country and—surprise surprise—they won’t make it back for the holidays.” She plopped into her desk chair and looked up at the lights. “I like them, we should keep them up year round.”
“Works for me.” Kris said with a nod. She stole a glance at Izzy. Though Izzy was smiling on the outside, Kris knew she was disappointed on the inside that she wouldn’t be seeing her parents – the ‘rents Izzy called them – over the holidays. Izzy talked tough, but she was soft as marshmallow on the inside.
As much as it broke Kris’ heart to see how little support Izzy had, she also found herself thrilled by the prospect of spending some quality, alone time with Izzy without worrying about schedules and classes.
Unlike her, Izzy was a social creature and had a hoard of friends. She had constant party invitations and girls and boys were always flirting with her. Kris was pleased that Izzy never flirted back, but inside, privately, she was jealous nonetheless.
More than anything, Kris wanted the opportunity to be alone with Izzy without any distractions. Before she knew it, she found herself saying so.
“Well, it’ll be a good chance for us to hang out without school getting in the way,” Kris said, backing up to stand next to Izzy’s chair. She playfully tussled Izzy’s blonde hair.
“Damn straight!” Izzy said, throwing an arm around Kris’ waist and leaning her head against her side.
Kris gave a nervous laugh and folded her arms around Izzy’s neck. They stayed like that for a moment, looking at the lights, then Izzy looked up and smiled. Kris felt her heart flutter.
“We need to celebrate, cutie pie,” Izzy said, letting go of Kris to grab one of her art books off the desk. She slouched on her bed and motioned for Kris to join her.
“What do you want to do?” Kris asked, sliding down on the bed beside Izzy.
Izzy flexed her eyebrows. A devilish look washed over her face as she said, “Let’s get tattoos.”
Kris felt her jaw drop as she stared at Izzy. “Tattoos?”
Izzy laughed at the horrified look on Kris’ face. “Yes, cutie pie. Matching tattoos. Look at this.” Izzy flipped through the pages until she found a drawing of a topless mermaid with long, flowing hair and starfish pasties covering her nipples. “What do you think?”
“I don’t really have the money,” Kris said with a relieved sigh. “Maybe we can just get our nails done.”
“Don’t be a pussy!” Izzy said with a smirk, already tearing out the picture of the mermaid from the drawing pad. “Come on. I’ll let my parents pay for it. It’ll be my Christmas gift.”
Kris chewed on her lip as she stared nervously at the drawing. “I don’t know, Iz… It’s just so… permanent.”
Izzy crossed her arms and gave Kris a steely look. “I’ll tell you what. If you don’t want a tattoo because you really don’t want it, I’ll drop it. But if you don’t want the tattoo because of what other people might think, then I won’t drop it!”
Kris didn’t say anything for a moment, but she knew that Izzy had hit the nail on the head. Kris would LOVE to have one of Izzy’s drawings tattooed on her body, but what would her parents say?
She had spent her entire life avoiding things she really wanted out of fear of what her parents might say or do, particularly her father, who was possibly the most judgmental man on the planet.
If she was to really discover herself as she wanted to, it was about time for her to start doing all the things that made her happy without worrying about the wrath of her parents.
Izzy was looking at her with a raised brow. Kris took a deep breath and offered a slow nod that turned into a grin. She said, “Alright. Let’s do this.”
“That's my girl!” Izzy said, pumping a fist in the air before wrapping an arm around Kris’ neck and planting a rough kiss on her cheek.
Kris’ face turned several shades of deep red as she rubbed the spit off her cheek and watched with glee as Izzy stuffed the drawing into her back pocket and said, “OK, cutie pie, let’s do this!”
As they wandered off campus Kris regained control of her voice and asked Izzy if she knew where they were going. Izzy grinned and headed for the subway.
