This is a work of fiction. If you are under 18, get out please.
It was 2:00 PM on a cloudy saturday when I first saw her. She walked into the parlor just as I was finishing up with a customer's first tattoo. It was just a small rose on his upper arm. One of my best roses if I do say so myself. Anyway, I was cleaning it up and telling him how to take care of his new tatt, when the most stunning girl in the world walked in, and I laid eyes on her for the first time.
She was only a little taller than me, which means she was about 5'5". Her hair was long and black, just like I like it. Even though i'm bald doesn't mean I don't like hair at all. Her tits were about my size, 32C, and she wasn't fat, but just a little on the meaty side, once again, the way I like it. Bottom line, she was hot. Her looks weren't the only thing I noticed when she first walked in. She was upset. Definitly pissed off and I knew it. She went to talk to our manager, who happened to be working the front desk that day. I couldn't hear what was said, but I assume that he told her to wait, because next she sat down on one of the chairs across from the desk, and stewed in her anger.
I politly excused myself from my present customer and strode over to my manager, whose name is Joe by the way. I had to see this girl done myself.
"Hey Joe, you gotta let me do her," I said, discreetly indicating the beauty that was sitting not 12 feet away.
"Jeez, Jane, don't you at least want her name first?" He said with a smirk.
"Ha ha you know what I mean, let me tatt her!"
"Didn't you just get done with that one guy? That's two in a row for you, I thought i'd let Dan take this one."
"No way man please I have to talk to her!"
"Ohh I see Jane wants a new girlfriend. She is cute isn't she?"
"Yes she is, plus look at her: she's pissed, I think she needs another girl to talk to you know?"
"Maybe you're right." Joe looked at me and I gave him the best sad puppy eyes I could.
He laughed. "Jane you're the only girl covered in tattoos and piercings who can still make the sad eyes work. OK you can have her."
I gave him a big hug. "YAY thank you so much!"
I rushed back to my customer, finished him up and gave him all the cleaning stuff, and then waited for my beauty to come to my station.
10 minutes later she walked, or rather stomp-walked over to my tatting station. Man, I thought, she's more upset than I thought.
I introduced myself. "Hi, i'm Jane, i'll be tatting you today."
"Great," she said heatedly. "All I want is something to cover up this." She lifted her shirt sleeve to reveal a heart tattoo with the name Eric written across the middle in all caps.
"Ah," I said as the realization hit me. "I see, asshole fucked you over huh?
"Oh that's an understatement."
"Well maybe we can talk about it while I prick you."
She kind of gave me a look like what the hell did you say to me. Quickly I added,
"I mean you know while I tatt you."
"OK," she said with relief, "I've never heard it put that way though," she laughed weakly.
I laughed too. "Sorry, thats just what I say," I said with a smile. "So what would like to cover it up?"
She sighed, a sigh full of pain as she lay down on the reclined chair. "I don't know, whatever you want, just cover it up."
"OK then." I leaned back for a second to think, then thought of something. "How bout a dragon? Nothing fancy just a little green dragon on your arm. How's that?"
She thought for a second. "I think that might be ok, sure."
"Alrighty." We finally got down to buisiness.
I got the black ink and began doing the outline. She tensed a little, but I could tell she was used to this. We stayed quiet for a little while, then I decided to speak about her asshole ex.
"So what happened between you and this dude, if I might ask?"
She remained silent for a second, looking off to the side and biting her lip, and I could tell that this wound was still fresh and gushing.
"You don't have to talk about it if you want, I understand."
She looked at me and said "No it's ok, I think I need to talk about it and I don't have anyone to...I can talk about it."
"OK," I said gently, determined not to rush her. I've always had a soft spot for people in distress, and I think I have a knack for helping people.
She waited a second and then began with her story. "His name was Eric, I think you already guessed that. I met him when I was in high school and we hit it off right away. We started out as just friends and after we graduated we decided to go to the same college. I thought we were falling in love, and when we started dating I thought it was the best thing that could ever happen to me. We dated for like 5 years and I loved him so much." She took a deep breath and it came out ragged. I suddenly felt a wave of sympathy. She was about to cry. But she continued. "He always seemed a little distant but he always told me he loved me whenever I asked questions. And I believed him."
"Then four days ago, I finally walk in on him screwing some chick. I always suspected but I wanted so much to believe I was his one and only. I walked in and told him to get his ass into the living room. We argued for an hour, in which first he said it wasn't what it looked like, then that it was his first time, then that it was my fault he had to sleep around because I was a cockteasing bitch. I told him to get out of my house and he said make me, and that I couldn't make him do anything. And..." She paused and began to cry softly. I put down the tattoo gun and took her hand. She looked at me, unsure, and I said,
"It's ok, no one can hear you beyond these walls. Go ahead, we've got plenty of time. Please continue."
I gave her hand a squeeze and she went on. "He grabbed my wrists and shook them, and asked what I was gonna do about it. He told me I couldn't do anything."
She was sobbing now, deep, pained sobs that almost made me cry myself.
"I kicked him in the nuts and broke away, I fought him off and threw him out(the whore he was fucking had already cleared). I can take care of myself, the reason i'm upset is because he tried to hurt me. He had never done that before, in the years i'd known him as a friend, and as more, he had never been violent towards me. He thought that just because we'd been together so long he could just treat me like his fucking doll. I never thought things would turn out like this."
She put her hands over her eyes and cried, unable to speak anymore. I sat for a second still holding her hand. Then I got up and sat next to her on the reclining table, still holding her hand.
"I'm so sorry, honey. That's awful. But men are like that, they decieve and lie and they're good at it. He didn't deserve you. He'll get what's coming to him, they all do."
I had put my arm around her while I was talking, and she leaned her head on my shoulder and I let her drown all her sorrow in me. We sat there like that for awhile, I didn't complain. I was already attached to her and I hated that asshole Eric for even thinking of hurting her. After awhile she looked up.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you all this. I don't even know you. I must seem like a weak chick to you."
I smirked. "For kicking a guy in the balls? I don't think so. I don't mind you telling me. I'm glad you feel you can trust me. You can trust me," I reassured her.
She looked at me with teary eyes and smiled weakly. Suddenly Joe poked his head around the corner. I quickly got up and sat back down with the tatt gun.
"Jane?" He asked cocking an eyebrow, "Is everything ok in here? I walked by and i'm not hearing the gun."
"Sorry," I said, a bit flustered. "Just a little trouble with the gun, thats all."
He narrowed his eyes and looked at the still teary girl next to me.
"Seriously," She said, nodding. "There was trouble with the gun."
He looked back to me and shrugged. "Alright. Do you need any help?"
"Nope," I replied quickly. "I think I just about got it, thanks." I added a smile I hoped was convincing.
"OK," he said. "Get back to it then." And finally he left.
We both sighed with relief. Being a therapist wasn't what I was getting paid for, so I didn't want to be caught being someone's shoulder to cry on.
"Sorry" She said meekly. "I don't want to get you fired or anything."
"Oh you won't, he wouldn't fire me, trust me." I winked and smiled for her and she smiled back.
"I guess you should finish that now."
"Oh yeah." I said, suddenly remembering my job and the green dragon I was putting on her arm.
I picked up the tatt gun and started filling in the details, the scales, teeth, eyes and whatnot. While I was doing the eyes, she said,
"Anyway that all happened in Indiana. I decided to pick up my stuff and move after he tried to hurt me, and I thought maybe i'd be happy in Minneapolis. I got here yesterday and I don't know anybody yet."
I smiled. "Well you know me now. Minneapolis is a great town, you'll make good friends here."
She smiled back. It was kind of a weak smile, but at least she was cheering up a little.
The rest of the tattoo session was in mostly silence. We talked a little about the weather, other tattoos she had, little things like that. Since it was just a little tatt it was done in about 30 minutes, and I cleaned her up while telling her all the cleaning procedures.
"Thanks," She said, "I really appreciate it. I mean for the tattoo and for letting me vent. It's just so hard, I knew him so long." She started to tear up again but shook it off, and looked at the pretty dragon I had put on her. "It looks nice." She said with a genuwine smile on her face.
"I'm glad you like it," I replied, "And I was wondering you know since you don't know anybody yet, maybe I could take you around and show you the sites. Or we could just hang out, you know. Or if you want to talk again...." I decided I was babbling just a little too much so I wrapped it up. "Anyway here's my number." I gave her the company buisiness card, which also had my number on it.
"Thanks," She said, taking it. "I'll give you a call sometime." Then she came towards me and gave me a hug. Not just a little one you get when you meet up with your friends, a nice, big, caring hug. It was kind of surprising but I put my arms around her and hugged back, grinning. After a bit she pulled back. "I'll see you later." She gave me a wave and walked out the door.
"See yuh." I said, waving back after she left. I just stood there for a moment, then walked back to my station. Joe caught me on the way. "So what's she like?" He asked. "And what happened back there?"
"Would you relax," I said hastily. "We were just talking about her past and she's had a rough time, ok? She's nice. And I gave her my number." I felt pretty good with myself.
"That's great. By the way, what's her name?"
I started to answer when I realized I had no answer. "I don't know....I never got it." I was baffeled. She had poured her heart out to me, and I didn't even know her name. But I wanted it now. And I wanted to know a lot more about her than that, too.
Part two to come....Questions and/or comments always welcome at specialpopcorn@aol.com.