Inked Heart

Squid Ink

Joanne sat on the curb outside her office building.

After working weeks and weeks on a design that was supposed to lead to her big break, her boss and the panel that chose if her design and idea would push through to the commercial level decided on another designer's idea.

On top of that, her boyfriend of 3 years broke up with her through a video chat. She called him to see if their dinner plans were still going thru and he broke it off right then and there.

The sad thing was that both the project and the break up were from the same reason: "You're playing it too safe. You're too scared to do anything, let alone take a risk." He added the fact that he didn't think she was in love with him and that she was just settling with him because he was the safe candidate to stay with. The only difference with her (now ex) boyfriend and work, was that she still had a job.

So there she sat, tears slowly running down her face as she clunk her heels together.

Her phone went off again, only to show that her mom had sent another text message.

Nak? Mangan ka. Bassit problema dayta. Haan ka nga madanagan. (Anak? Kumain ka na. Ang liit ng problema lang yan. Wag kang magalala.)

Joanne quickly responded, "Wen. Manganakton, Ma." (O po. Kakain ako mamaya, Ma.)

She got up from her spot, finally looking at the time on her phone to see that it was almost time for the rest of her colleagues to be getting off of work. She didn't want to seem like she was that hurt from the rejection, so she grabbed her stuff and headed back to the boarding house she was staying in.

Almost everyone was using a taxi and at 5 pm, moving a mile on the mrt, Joanne had a better chance at walking home. Moving from Zambales to Manila a few months ago, she still wasn't used to big city public transportation. But this also meant that she could get lost easily, which is exactly what happened as she passed an alleyway that didn't look familiar at all.

Red and green lights flickered from the end, which should've been a sign to keep going, but she couldn't help but go towards the light. At the end of the alleyway was a tattoo shop.

Squid Ink

She thought it was a witty name for a tattoo shop, but a really bad location. Then again, not everyone really wants to publicize that they're getting a tattoo. Where she's from and how she was raised, getting a tattoo meant that you were a hooligan.

Joanne thought about walking back to the main road until a thought entered her mind. Masyado akong safe? Tignan natin. And she stormed into the tattoo parlor.

It was clouded with smoke from a smoke machine with hardcore rock music coming from the left side. The sound of a needle piercing skin vibrated across the walls and she timidly walked towards the noise.

A man in a white t-shirt and a cigarette tucked behind his ear sat on a chair next to a girl laying down with her arm out. She was biting on a cloth and her eyes were shut tight. He put the needle down and wiped the blood off the inked spot before putting on a gel and wrapping it in cling wrap. The girl opened her eyes and smiled as she rolled her sleeves down.

"Thanks, Gio," patting him on the back before heading towards the front of the store.

He nodded, not even looking her in the eye, and started to clean up the station. Joanne stood there silently, watching Gio, that she didn't even realize that he finally took notice of her and stared at her back.

"Miss?"

Joanne shook her head, snapping back to reality and stood up straight. "I want a tattoo..."