Falling Up

8. Training

A/N: I don't normally add images to chapters but the image for this chapter is what I imagine Riley's tattoo to look like, only extending down her entire arm.

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"Are you serious?" squealed Riley in excitement.

"I assume you've already thought about what you want to get?" Jason asked as they pulled into the parking lot of the local tattoo parlor.

Riley quickly shuffled in her backpack, pulling out her notepad which had a couple of photos of designs she liked. "Oh my god, I like this one," she practically screamed with excitement.

Jason turned off the engine and grabbed the design she liked, furrowing his eyebrows in concern. "Are you sure you want one this large?," he said, analysing the design she had picked.

It was a full arm tattoo that started at the top of the shoulder. It curved elegantly around the arm with intricate details of leaves and a mixture of different flowers all in multiple shades of green, purples, oranges and pinks finishing near the tip of the wrist.

"I'm sure," she beamed.

"You'll need to pay me back though. You can pay it off in installments once you have enough money from your job," said Jason as they got out of the car and headed for the entrance.

"Of course, of course," said Riley, reaching out to hug on Jasons arm as they walked together. "Thank you so much."

She could see Jason's small smile beam back down at her. He liked it when she was happy and it showed.

They opened the door to the tattoo parlor, a faint smell of cleaning products and sterile air filled the room and they continued to walk up to the counter where a guy was sitting, flipping through a magazine. When he noticed them walk in his head popped up with a smile on his face.

"You must be Jason," he said as he stepped out from behind the counter. "I'm Trey, we talked on the phone."

Trey had long black hair tied back in a ponytail and a slim physique with most of his body covered in tattoos, as expected of someone who worked as a tattoo artist. He had an aura of being a cool and laid back type of person.

"Thanks for fitting us in so soon," replied Jason as he shook the guys hand. "This here is Riley."

"Hey Riley, you look excited," said Trey noticing the beaming smile still radiating across Riley's face. "First tattoo?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Do you have the designs?" he asked, mirroring her excitement.

Riley put out her hand and passed over the piece of paper. Trey pulled it up to his face, studying it and running his hand over the drawing clearly trying to figure out how he was going to do it. He looked down at the sheet of paper and back up at Riley a few times, scoping out the design.

"It'll look good on you," he said before heading back behind the counter, picking up a pencil. He started marking up another sheet of paper, replicating the photo. "Which arm are you thinking of?"

"My left," said Riley. It made the most sense to her. Her left arm was the worst in terms of the cuts littering down them. "Ummm, do you think you'll be able to..." she said, trailing off. She wasn't quite sure how to broach the subject or whether the tattoo would even work on such a scared up arm.

Trey looked up from the sheet, examining Riley's arm. "Not to worry, we can cover them," he said with a smile. "Let's head into the back." Trey grabbed both sheets of paper and took them into the back room with Jason and Riley following closely behind.