Aj squeezed my hand.
"You sure you wanna do this?"
I smiled at him.
"Absolutely."
Then, my mom burst through the door...
Late as usual.
"I'm here! Did I miss it?"
I laughed at her.
"Mom, if it had already happened, do you think I'd still be here?"
She looked around.
The tattoo parlor was kind of...scary. There was screamo blasting on the radio. There were pictures of the different tattoos that one could get...some cutesy, like flowers and bunnies, some hard, like barbed wire and flames, and some explicit and disgusting, like...well...
You get the POINT.
But I didn't want any of those.
Then a tall, skinny lady with a bandana and tight pair of black jeans, a tight black Marilyn Manson t-shirt, and tall black combat boots came out from behind the curtain that acted as a door to the other room.
"Hey, shorty, you're up."
I stood, and (because AJ would not let go of my hand) he stood up too.
I think, while he always says he wasn't scared at all, he was kinda freaked out by the place.
I walked into the room with Mom and AJ following closely.
I sat in the chair and pulled the right sleeve of my navy blue shirt, revealing my forearm and ever-fading scars on my wrist.
That was then.
This was now.
And I had changed...
Certainly for the better.
The woman came over and sat on the stool next to my chair. She nodded to me and popped her bubblegum.
"How old are ya, kid?"
"16."
She nodded to my mom.
"You her mom?"
My mom smiled at me and nodded.
"Yes. And she has my ful permission.
The lady scoffed.
"That doesn't happen very often."
"Can we get on with this?" AJ blurted.
I giggled.
"Somebody's a little freaked out."
"No, I'm not!"
"Yes you are," I snickered.
"Okay. Let's get on with this." The lady picked up the needle.
"Alright..."
I braced myself for the stinging on my forearm.
"What are we getting here, kid?"
I leaned over and whispered in the lady's ear.
She smiled...not a creepy, scary smile...but a sweet, almost caring-looking smile...
But I think that was scarier than a creepy smile.
She rubbed my arm with some stuff and turned on her needle.
I grabbed AJ's hand. His eyes were closed, as if he didn't want to watch...
She put the needle to my skin, and it stung. But. I wasn't going to scream, because that would show pain and fear.
And I wasn't scared.
Not at all.
I watched as my tattoo was taking shape on my arm.
I looked over at my mother, who was wincing, almost like it hurt more for her than it hurt for me.
After a few minutes, the lady stopped.
"Well, kid...there ya have it."
I looked down at my stinging arm, and it was actually a little red around the edges.
But it was perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
It was just what I waned.
I ran my finger along the words now permanently etched into my arm.
My mom leaned to look at it. Her hand went up to her mouth.
"Do you like it?" I ask nervously.
She nodded, tears in her eyes.
AJ looked over.
"That looks really good!"
I grinned.
I fingered my forearm again, feeling the tears well up in my eyes.
The words, swirly, cursive, and colored black, read:
"Love You Forever, Daddy"
Well, that's all folks. I'd like to thank everyone who suppoted me and supported Lea, too. Special thanks to Half Angel Half Evil, dimmingsoul, CasieOl, and Julie Chandler. Please review. Thank you all for everything.
For one last time...
-Emma :,)