Her Tattoo

Gray

I don't know what I was thinking when I moved from Florida to New York. I'd never been there, but I reckoned it'd be easy to make a living as an artist there. Turns out New York has lots of artists, one on every street corner, and it's hard to earn a buck.
I was staying in a cheap hotel with a lousy view of the apartment building next door, but I was quickly running out of money.

I thought back to the last time I saw my parents, mom was standing on the front steps, crying and hugging me and telling me to be safe, she loves me, and dad was leaning against the porch rail, with a cigar stuffed between his lips, his eyes glossy with held-back emotions.
"I'll do good mom, I promise. I'm going to get a job as an art teacher and one day, I'll be in museums and you'll hear it in the news and you'll be able to say "honey, look, it's Gray, all up in the news." And I'll work hard, mom. I promise." She wiped her eyes and told me to go on and get out before she started crying again.

Now I stood, on the thin balcony, sleek black cellphone pressed to my ear, waiting for the elevator-type music to dwindle out and be replaced with the principal of the high school down the street.
"Hello?" Came a thin, throaty voice.
"Hi, this is Gray Styles, I'm calling about the Fine Arts position?"
"Hello Mr.Styles, I can arrange a meeting for Friday if you can answer a few questions first." Friday. That was in two days. Perfect, now if I can just score the job, I'm good to go.
"Yes, of course, that'd be wonderful." I smiled, even though she couldn't see it.
"Great. So how long have you been an artist?"
"I've been interested in art from a very young age, and I attended art-orientated magnet schools my entire life, and I went to a fine arts academic college, which I recently graduated."
"Brilliant, a young, fresh new artist. I love young minds teaching young minds. Are you settled down, financially stable? This doesn't effect the question, it's just something we think of when negotiating your pay."
"I have recently moved to New York and I'm still looking for a place, other than a hotel. I am currently unemployed, and I was being funded by my parents until now, so I am not very stable."I said, truthfully.
"Mhm, yes. Okay. Mr.Styles we can meet tomorrow, actually, if that's okay with you."
"Oh, yes, wonderful. Thank you so much."
I heard the other end beep, and I slid my phone into my back pocket with a sigh.
I walked back into the hotel room, pulling off my white T-shirt and throwing it to the floor. Walking to the bathroom, I shimmied out of my jeans and turned on the shower. As I waited for it to warm up, I pulled off my boxers and socks, and stepped in. It felt refreshing, the warm water massaging my back, sliding down my ink-stain looking tattoo, down my legs and to the tub floor. I cleansed myself, and got out, going straight to bed, eager for tomorrow.

The meeting was at 2 in the afternoon, and I showed up ten minutes early. I wore a white T-shirt  and blue jeans, and I felt pretty confident. The principal, a Mrs.Kro, showed up just as the clock chimed 2.
"Hello Mr.Styles."
"Good afternoon, Mrs.Kro. A pleasure to finally meet you in person."
"It's a fine pleasure to meet you too. Sit, sit, please, make yourself comfortable. I'd like to discuss just two things with you, Mr.Styles, are you ready?"
"I am ready, Mrs.Kro, thank you."
"I'd like you to understand that we have very ambitious children here, Mr.Styles. They are very eager to work proffesionally, in a calm and realistic environment. They seek not only encouragement and guidance, but discipline and critique. Do you think you can manage that?"
"Yes, absolutely."
" Then you have the job."
"Thank you so much."
"I also would like to talk to you about a place to stay. My sister has a large apartment not far from here, and she's renting out an en suite bed and bath, with kitchen access and dinner every night. Rent is half of your salary, which I will deposit straight into her bank account, if you take the offer, the other half, 450 a month, goes straight to you."
"Seriously? You're willing to do that? She's willing to do that?"
"Yes sir. But, She does have a young girl, of about 15, who's going to be in your class, and you have to promise not to give her extra tutelage after school hours or assist her on her homework off of school grounds. Is that understood?"
"Yes  Ma'am, when I do start?"
"Monday. You can use the following days until then to move in with my sister. Here is her contact Information."