First Time

80

Emily

We rush out of the rain into the tattoo parlour, giggling with each other. Aiden removes his leather jacket from over our heads and shakes the rain drops off it.

I take a moment to take in my surroundings. It is my first time in a tattoo parlour, and I have this electric, excitable feeling. The walls are decorated with harsh neon lights, graffiti designs and edgy tattoo designs of skulls, crosses, faces and roses. Electric guitar music plays in the background, warring with the sound of loud buzzing. The air smells almost metallic.

Aiden fits perfectly with the aesthetics.

"Do you like this one?" Aiden creeps up behind me and I stand staring at a disturbing design of a bleeding cross.

"Not so much," I reply.

"Is it blasphemy or something?" he chuckles snidely.

I give him a playful shove.

A girl walks through some beaded curtains and to the back of the reception desk.

"Hi guys, how can I help?" she asks monotonously.

As soon as I turn to face her, my heart sinks and an unease starts to sneak in. She looks like the perfect girl for Aiden. With her freckled olive skin, lazy green eyes, full pout, edgy side braids and numerous piercings and tattoos, she exudes confidence and cool. She looks like exactly the type of girl I would expect to see Aiden with, and the thought makes me all of a sudden uncomfortable.

She's leaning relaxedly over the counter, chewing gum as we approach her.

"I'm here to get a tattoo," Aiden tells her.

"No shit sherlock," she scoffs sarcastically, "Where do you want it?"

Great, she is moody just like Aiden.

"On my chest, right here," he answers and lifts his shirt to point to the spot.

I watch the girl's eyes widen with admiration and his physique and jealousy stabs me in the heart.

"Oh ok," she clears her throat, "Do you have a design in mind, or do you want to see some ideas?"

"He does," I say pulling his sketch book out of my bag and quickly flicking to his sketch of me.

She tilts her head as she studies the sketch and glances up at me in realisation.

"Hmm, let me go and ask my dad if he can do this one, give me a sec," she stands upright reluctantly and takes the sketch book to the back room with her.

As we wait, I fidget with my hair and clothes awkwardly.

"What's up?" Aiden asks, watching me.

"Nothing," I fib.

"You sure?"

His eyes narrow and he raises a brow.

"Yep," I fake a smile.

The girl saunters back and I get a good look at her outfit. She's wearing a tight, crop jumper showing off her toned midriff and sparkling belly piercing, a leather skater skirt, some biker boots and a bomber jacket with a big red rose on the back.

The more I glance between her and Aiden, the more irritated I become.

"He's coming out," she says about her dad.

Not long after, her dad comes out, a big burly man with huge, tattooed muscles and a tattooed bald head.

As Aiden and the man discuss his tattoo in detail, I notice the girl eyeing me up and down from the corner of my eyes. I meet her gaze and we both offer each other artificial smiles.

"Alright, Jade will sort you out with the price and then just come on to the back when you're ready," I hear Jade's dad say as the conversation comes to an end.

I feel like a spare piece as I watch Aiden and Jade make small talk and laugh whilst he signs some forms and pays.

"Ok, all done, go on through," she tells him.

"Thanks. Emily, come."

Jade and I exchange glances one more time as I follow Aiden through the beaded curtains.

The back room is dark and stuffy and the loud, droning buzz of the needles drown out the music. In separate bays, a man is laid on his stomach getting a big tattoo on his back and a woman is getting a tattoo on her ankle. Jade's father is sterilising the leather chair and equipment in the third bay ready for Aiden.

"Have a seat," he tells us, pulling up a stool for me next to Aiden's chair.

Just as Aiden throws off his t-shirt, Jade walks in.

"Mind if I watch?" she asks.

"Nah, I don't mind," Aiden shrugs a little too quickly.

"Cool," she says and sits next to her dad.

I look down at my feet to hide the irritation on my face.

We both watch as Jade's dad preps the area where Aiden once had a devastating stab wound and draws an outline.

"Have you ever seen a tattoo get done before?" Jade asks me.

I shake my head.

"You're in for a treat," she scoffs.

Aiden reaches over and takes my hand. He squeezes it reassuringly. Jade watches the gesture closely and as soon as I look up, she looks away.

Jade's dad pauses so Aiden can approve the outline and then starts going over it with the needle and ink.

Aiden seems relaxed with his head leaned back and his other arm tucked underneath it. I, on the other hand, squirm at first as I watch the needle moving over Aiden's skin. However, as the design starts to form, I become mesmerised by it.

I am amazed at how similar it looks to Aiden's drawing. What my parents always described as sinful, and the devil's work now seems to me like a form of art.

"Ok, mate, you're done. That's got to heal for a few months and then you can come back and get the shading alright?" Jade's dad says when he finishes.

"Cheers, thanks mate," Aiden responds, waking up from his slumber.

"Jade, will you patch him up?" Jade's dad asks her.

The two of them walk away.

"What do you think?" Aiden asks me.

"It's really nice."

"Are you sure? I want you to like it."

Blushing, I reply with a smile, "I do, I really like it. I can't believe you have my face tattooed on your chest."

"Now everyone knows who I belong to," he winks at me.

My face feels as if it's on fire, as I look away to hide my satisfied smile.

"So, when are you tattooing me on your body?" he teases me.

Before I can answer, Jade returns wheeling a cart with dressing and bandages. As she gets to work on dressing the tattoo, I am silently seething. I've never felt such a strong urge to push someone away. Her close proximity to Aiden, he fingers touching his chest and their eyes occasionally meeting internally infuriates me.

After what feels like an eternity, I feel relieved when she is finished, and Aiden can put his shirt back on.

We say goodbye and leave the parlour just as the rain drizzles to a stop and the sun begins to push through the dark grey clouds.

Aiden and I walk hand in hand, and I feel so content in this moment knowing that I will be forever on his heart.