Bad Girl In Disguise (SAMPLE) I ✔

A N G E L

"This is a terrible idea."

Lucas has said that at least 10 times while we were driving into town. I ignore him.

We soon arrive at a tattoo parlour. I hop off my bike before turning to a nervous-looking Lucas.

"You don't have to come in," I say. But even as I did, Lucas shakes his head and takes determined steps toward where I am standing at the entrance.

"I am not letting you go in alone," he says. I scoff and roll my eyes before coming in with Lucas on my heels.

I don't know yet what tattoo I want. I wanted a bird, I just don't know which. And eagle or hawk is too cliche. An owl is just weird.

Oh, I know. A fiery phoenix.

The inside is quite dark. The room is lit only with dim lights. The brightest ones show some people sitting on the chairs with a tattoo artist bending over them.

I walk to the table in the corner. The guy sitting there doesn't say anything and instead just hands me a book of tattoo designs.

I glance at Lucas. He is looking around the room at the heavily-tattoed artists. One of them has a tattoo of a gigantic skull on his bald head.

"Are you going to get one too?" I ask. He shrugs but skims through the tattoo designs with me. I fight a grin.

I soon find the design I want and let Lucas look through the rest of the book.

"I think I want this one," he finally says. It looks a lot like the one I picked. But it has sharper edges and jagged lines. It looks rough. Wild.

"Okay. Got your ID with you?" Lucas is ready. He takes out his own fake ID and we are lead to a chair.

The girl that is my tattoo artist looks severe. Bright red highlights run through her pitch black hair. Piercings on almost every inch of her face. Her eerie blue eyes draw attention.

"Hey there. Which one do you want?" she asked. Her voice is quite deep. I point at the phoenix and she nods.

I catch a glimpse of her tattoo. Unlike the others, she only has one tattoo. It's a rose with a name underneath it. Cole. But the name is crossed out in red.

"Who's Cole?" I ask. She shrugs, but her body tenses. She tugs her sleeve to cover it.

"My ex from hell," she says nonchalantly. I can still hear a hint of hurt in her voice though.

"Damn. You are a very unlucky girl," I say. I pull up my own sleeve and point at the area where I want the tattoo. She nods.

"I wanted to remove it," she continues. I quirk an eyebrow. But her eyes won't meet mine and instead focuses on a patch of skin on my arm.

"Then why didn't you?" I ask, confused. She shrugged, trying to shake off any feelings she is hiding inside her.

"Because if the feelings are still there, how could I remove it?" she says quietly. I didn't ask anything else after that.

:

My arm still stings from the tattoo needle. The black phoenix with hints of red and orange looks stunning. Lucas is beside me, trying his best not to touch his own arm. He flinches every now and then.

We get on our bikes and he silently drives with me to my house. I think we're both lost in thought.

I always thought it is stupid to get a tattoo with your boyfriend's name. You have no guarantee things will work out. They can leave you so easily and scar your heart. But whatever you do, the tattoo will be there to remind you of your lost love.