Lovelocked
Ch.1
RPOV
Beep beep beep my alarm goes off, but that doesn't sound like my alarm, in my room, in my apartment above my tattoo parlor, Black Night Tattoos.
"OH SHIT!" I say sitting up in bed wearing a man's t-shirt.
Taking a look around the room I realize I'm at my step-brother Emmett's house in his guest room wearing one of his old football shirts.
"Thank God." I say as I run my hand through my long blonde locks.
As I get up and walk towards the bathroom I twist all of my piercings in order to make sure that they are healing correctly thinking about the night before, because it must have been one hell of a night for me to stay at Emmett's instead of going home . Looking in the mirror I throw my hair in a ponytail and grad a pair of Emmett's basketball shorts before going downstairs to the kitchen where I can smell the scent of bacon wafting out into the hallway.
"I'm unusual not so typical way too smart to be waiting around, Tai Chi practices, snowboard champion, I can fix the flat on your car, I might even be a rock star, I might even be a rock star." Came from the kitchen in Emmett's deep baritone voice as I descend the stairs slowly holding tightly to the railing.
"Well I knew you could fix a flat on my car, but I didn't know you were a rock star Em." I say leaning against the breakfast bar that separates the kitchen from the family room.
"Good morning to you to Rose. How's your head?" Emmett says still bopping to the beat of the song.
"Em you know dam well that my head hurts like a bitch because you only had scotch and whiskey in your liquor cabinet." I say sitting down on a stool as Emmett cooks breakfast.
"Sorry missy I didn't have any TEQUILA or vodka. I wasn't planning on getting shit faced."
"Since when do we ever PLAN on drinking ourselves under the table?" I ask exasperated.
"Here take this and eat this." Emmett says as he sets down a glass of OJ, two aspirin, and a plate of eggs and bacon.
Downing the aspirin I begin to eat my eggs asking Emmett, "So why did we decide that it was a good idea to get wasted last night?"
"Because Alice is coming home today and we wanted to celebrate our success?" Emmett says smiling goofily.
Chuckling I say, "SUUUURE that's the reason. We didn't want to forget about our nonexistent love lives at all."
"Okay sure bring that up again!"
"It's the truth man and you know it."
"That is true my friend, but I have a feeling that is going to change soon."
"Oh no Em not another feeling of yours." I groan
"Yes a feeling now go get dressed so you can go to work before you're late."
"Dude I'm my own boss!"
"Just go Rosie" Emmett says turning back to his own breakfast omelet.
"Ugh don't call me Rosie." I say getting up to go get dressed.
In the guest room I throw on my jeans from the night before and brush my teeth with the spare tooth brush I keep here for this specific reason. You see this happens a lot in my life. I almost always end up spending the night at Emmett's house when I drink with him. You think I would know better but I just can't seem to keep myself from trying to out drink my step-brother.
"I really don't want to go to work today." I groan before looking around the bedroom for my shoes, "EMMETT where the fuck are my shoes?"
"Check under the bed! They always end up there." Emmett yells from the kitchen.
"Found them!"
Once I've put myself together enough to drive home I make my way downstairs and out the door shouting a goodbye to Emmett.
Outside sitting in Emmett's driveway is my baby, my jet black Ford Mustang with white racing strips. I had Emmett tweak the engine when I first got it and now it is my pride and joy. It's the kind of car that just screams look at me, which is just the way I like it.
Sliding into the driver's seat and starting my engine I smile as my baby purrs to me, "That's right mama loves you baby, now let's go home."
As I drive towards my apartment I let my mind wander towards the same thing it always does...my life.
My life is quite unusual compared to most of the people in Lovelock, Nevada. When I was little my mom died in a car accident in Carson, California where I was born. They told me she died instantly in the crash. After that my dad went on a series of bad dates before finally decided to try online dating. For a few years after that nothing happened, but when I was in about the seventh grade my dad met Emmett's mom and they hit it off. I'm not going to go through their whole relationship, it progressed nicely to the point where they decided to get married the Summer before Emmett and I entered high school. Once my dad and step-mom were married they decided to live in Lovelock because they felt Carson was too dangerous for Emmett and I. I tried to explain to them that Emmett was the size of a brick house and could defend himself nicely and that I can kick ass and take names like no other but they didn't fall for it, so that's when I got my first real change of scenery.
With the scenery change came a change within me. I started to notice that I didn't just find guys attractive I also found girls just as attractive. Then I started to see the whole punk rock scene as interesting with all the tattoos and piercings on display for public viewing. That is ultimately what helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life. I saw all these kids showing off marvelous art work on their bodies and they weren't afraid to show who they were.
When I finished high school I got a loan and used all of my savings to start my tattoo parlor with just me and my mentor doing all the work. Now I have the most successful tattoo shop in Lovelock and I have a reputation for getting what I want.
My shop is located on Main Street between Emmett's auto shop; Dare Devils 'R Us, and one of the local dive bars. In my opinion I couldn't have done better for a tattoo shop location. My Location allows me to get all different kinds of people in my chair.
Pulling my car into the garage behind my shop and then heading up the back staircase to my studio apartment I'm thinking that today is going to be like any other day so I might as well dress comfortably.
Dressed in a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, a red halter top, and a pair of rainbow converse I dance around my apartment straightening up a little before heading down to open the shop for business.
That's my favorite part of the morning routine, opening my shop[ just because I know it's mine. When I flip the closed sign to open I feel a great sense of accomplishment then reality hits and I remember that I need to find another piercer.
"Shit I really don't want to have to train someone for this job. I hope I can find someone already trained." I say as I quickly set up both of my chairs before sitting behind the reception desk and begin to read one of the many tattoo magazines scattered around.
Hearing the bell above the door ring I look up to see Sam walking in sluggishly.
"Hey Sam how was your night?"
"Epic man! The concert was so worth the headache this morning."
"So, you're going to work extra hard today to make up for leaving early right?" I say smiling.
"Can do boss." Sam says as he busies himself in setting up his chair.
Sam is my right hand man. He moved here with his wife to be closer to her parents as they are preparing to have a kid together. He is a big Cherokee Indian from the Paiute Tribe in southern Nevada. When his wife Emily started to miss the support of her family who live in Lovelock Sam handed in his resignation and came to me looking for a job and let me tell you I was happy to give him one because he is a dam good tattoo artist.
As I continue to read my magazine I hear the sounds of Scotty Doesn't Know from Eurotrip coming from Sam's chair and realize that his phone is ringing.
"Hello" Sam says smiling at the laughing coming from me
"Yes Em I can pick up cheese on my way home...No I'm sure it's not a problem...Your parents would love that...I love you too...Bye"
"How's Emily, Sam?" I ask after he hangs up the phone.
"Wonderful actually she's two week pregnant and already glowing."
"Oh my God Sam congrats man!"
"Thanks I'm hoping that we don't make our kid too normal." Sam says with a small shudder for effect.
"I think that's next to impossible with the amount of tattoos and piercings between you and Emily."
"Meh, you're probably right."
"Now less talk about your private life and more work. You have a customer coming in at 11:30 for that custom dragon tattoo."
"Gotcha boss." Sam says with a salute and a chuckle as he gets back to work.
The next time I hear the bell above the door ring it's just Quil and Embry my other two tattoo artists. They are twins that I found tagging the side of a building on a trip to Las Vegas. I told them both that they could either come work for me or they could go to jail. Obviously they came to work for me and in my opinion they made the better choice.
"Hey guys what's up?"
"Same old same old." Embry says flopping down on the sofa getting out his sketch pad.
'Ditto." Quil says as he relaxes in his chair with his hands laced behind his head.
"Oh come on Quil you know you have a hot date tomorrow" Embry kindly mentions to the rest of us goading Quil into a fight.
"Yay for Quil! Who is she?" I ask setting my magazine down.
""Well I met her the other day in the frozen food section of the grocery store and her name is Max" Quil says with a sheepish smile on his face and a quick flip of the finger to Embry.
"Hey man there is no need to hate I was trying to help." Embry says faking hurt.
"HELPING? How is dragging my personal life to work helping? Dude I tell you things as my brother and then you tell other people. How can I trust you?"
"Dude chillax. I wanted to get Roses' opinion on this Max chick. You know she has great taste."
"Stop right there. You know when you bring the boss' sex life into the conversation that you have crossed a line." I say setting down my magazine to pick up my sketch pad.
Begrudgingly the boys eventually start to work still bickering as I tune them out while i sketch.
After that little tiff the rest of the day is pretty dead. We get a couple of walk-ins, a custom design, and a piercing, but mostly we were a dead zone with just us laughing a joking around. The same old same old is right.
"Boys we're closing early let's head out." I shout as I put things away sending off a round of whoops and hollers.
11