Ink [h.s.]

Chapter One

The cold winter air flung my hair around as I walked down the street. The sun was no where to be seen, kinda like my common sense. The last time I was in this part of town I was arrested for breaking house parole. That was five months ago. Now I'm out of jail and apparently just as stupid as I was before.

"Ben, I'm here!" I yelled while walking into the old music store.

"I'm in the back, Iris." He yelled from the storage room.

"Did you remember the ink for our.." I started to ask him if he brought the extra tattoo ink so we could finnish his and my tattoos we where working on but I stopped when I saw a tall boy standing next to him.

He had curly brown hair and his light green eyes had a red tent to them, they probably had a blunt or two before I got here.

"Um.." Ben paused while climbing off the ladder with a box full of old records. "I did bring the ink and Harry here, he's actually a tattoo artist. Like a professional."

I glanced at Harry and I noticed his tight black jeans had a tear at the knee, you could tell that he didn't buy them that way. He wore old looking brown leather boots and a plaid long sleeve shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. I could only see a few tattoos on Harry, like the swallows on his chest sticking out of his shirt, a few small ones on his wrist and some larger ones on his forearm. He definitely doesn't look like the average tattoo artist. None that I've seen anyway.

"Hi Harry." I nod and wave slightly.

"Hi." he nods. We stand there looking at each other for a moment and the tension in the room begins to multiplying by the second. As if Ben read my mind he started talking, making the situation less intense.

"Anyway, Iris I-" he stopped talking when the door chimed. "I'll be right back." he said and walked out of the storage room.

I stood there in silence. I'm not really shy I just don't usually like people and people usually don't like me. Harry didn't speak ether, we both just stood there waiting for Ben which took longer than expected. Why is Harry even here? Who is he anyway? Ben and I hang out a lot, We have the same friends and we spend the majority of everyday together so why don't I know Harry?

Ben walked back into the room in a hurry and started grabbing his jacket and keys. "That was Luke, he thinks the cops have a few leads on some plants back at my place, I've gotta go move'em before I'm fucked. Iris, I need you to close the store for me tonight." He instructed.

"Yeah, okay." I nod.

"Harry." Ben said and Harry's head snapped in his direction. "Stay here with her, we don't know what all the cops know but if they come here get both of your asses out, understand?" He asked giving Harry no time to respond. "Watch her." He yelled while walking to the back exit.

"But I need to-" before Harry could complain Ben was gone.

I hope I see Ben again but when you live around (and with) dealers you learn how one day every thing can be fine and the next your best friends dead or in jail. Luckily, the odds are in Ben's favor. He's slick and he's been through this a million times... Regardless, It still worries me.

Harry was still facing the back door as if staring at it would bring Ben back, but that's not going to work. I know from experience.

I walked over to the table that had some of our tattoo equipment scattered across it and sat down. One of my least favorite things in the world is talking to new people,

"So Harry, how good are you at tattooing?"

but no matter how much i hate it, the sooner I talk to him the soon he's no longer new.