marked.

Work of Art

I knew where this was going for Sam. After spending eight hours in school, I met up with her at the bus stop. She dug in her worn, leather jacket pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. She started flipping dollar bills when I interrupted her.

"How big do you want this thing?" I asked with my arm raised. From what I knew, Sam Parker was a slacker who liked to hang around the streets. She smoked cigarettes like a pack of gum, and I would catch her sip a little brand of the light-headed drinks. I didn't want to ask where she got all the money from, but I guess my expression did the trick anyway.

"Girl, relax. My tattoo's not gonna be that big." She started. "Uncle Felix gave me the stack for whatever I wanted."

"Who's uncle Felix?" I asked cautiously. Me and Sam only just began this friendship, so she was still a book waiting to be read.

She only rolled her eyes. "My guardian. Got no parents, and the only one in close proximity to take care of me was my uncle. He's a drunk business man-type. Don't care about much unless he's sober. Other than that, he's partying with some hoe down the street of Beverly Hills."

In all honesty, I wasn't sure I wanted to get any deeper with the subject. I was no longer interested about Sam's money at that point, cause I already knew the story. He gave her the big was so she would leave him alone. All that money could hold her up for about a month, and she'll be fine when he's drunk. When he's under the influence and heavily intoxicated, stay away from the house and use the cash to buy you a bed and breakfast. I already knew how the story goes and how it might end if she didn't listen. Let's just say I had friends back in New York...

So I steered away from the subject. "What kind of tattoo do you want?" I asked. "And I what placement?"

Sam rubbed her whole forearm. "I want the saying 'WITH ALL MY HEART' right here in big, fat, cursive lettering. Maybe add a rose next to the heart part."

I bit my lip. Again, I knew where this was going. But the only difference is that I AGREED with this plan. I forced an evil smile. I immediately thought of her. "I know the perfect person to do it for you." Before she could respond, I grabbed her wrist and dragged her about four blocks down on Main Street.

***

"Getting another tattoo?" Argent asked with eyebrows raised high.

I chuckled quietly. "I'm still recovering from the one I got yesterday." I shook my head. "This is for my friend Sam." Just as I gave Argent a quick hug, her eyes immediately darted towards Parker. I glanced over and saw that Sam just stood there, a little spooked. She was just as pale I was, originally. But now her skin tone matches Casper the Friendly Ghost.

"She's a tattoo virgin, isn't she?" Argent asked with a sly smile.

I looked over at Sam again and smiled. "She'll be fine. I'm right here, if anything." Immediately right after, I sat Samantha down on the nearest chair with an armrest. I explained to Argent what she wanted and she immediately started setting up her workspace; sanitizing everything, replacing old paints with new ones.

While Argent began stenciling the tattoo, she woke me of my temporary gaze. "Hey, kiddo?"

Just as she spoke, my head jerked in her direction. "Yeah, A?"

"Why don't you get the sketchbook and start making me some new pieces as I get your friend started here? We've been getting some new customers, and they like what they see in the portfolios. Wanna do me the favor?" She asked with a puppy dog face. Of course, I was never going to deny the asking of new artwork, for I felt proud of displaying them in Argent's shop. I quickly grabbed the metallic grey sketchbook on A's desk, a pencil, and dragged a chair next to Sam. Before I started working on a new piece, I caught Argent smiling a proud smirk at me and Sam leaning her head over to watch. And te story began...

As I worked on a burning rose, Sam finally spoke. "You draw, Shay?"

I laughed a little. Today was the first time I laughed since Quinn died. Since his heart stopped at the hospital. "You still alive, Parker? I'm shocked."

Sam rolled her eyes playfully. "Look, I get it that you got a lot of tats, but this shit hurts like hell. Got that? H. E. L. L. Hell."

I glanced at her. "Funny. But yeah, I doodle sometimes." Just as I said that, Argent let out an artificial cough. I looked at her with a confused look. "What? Something caught your wind?"

"Honey," Argent said while shading in the cursive lettering. "You do more than  just draw some stick figures. You create art. An emotion. A human being on a piece of paper. And all I ask is for you to go to town and find your own inspiration." Her eyes widened in awe and she stopped for a small break in between letters. She looked at me and gestured toward the drawing book. "Let's see what you go there so far."

I did as directed and held up the book. From looking at it overall, you saw the leaves and petalsof the rose sort of turning to ash and melting away, with little specks of ash floating in the distance. You can still view the stenciled half of the rose, for I have not yet finished the whole drawing. Argent smiled. 

"Are you gonna tell me that's not art?"

Sam pointed at the drawing. "When that's finished, we're coming back tomorrow and placing somewhere on here," she decided as she gestured towards her body. I blushed a little at the thought. Maybe I was making a work or art. Just for myself. By myself...