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The Rose
The first time Liza got a tattoo she was fifteen. She had gotten money from her grandmother for her birthday that she was made to promise to spend on new clothes, her grandmother specifically said dresses but Liza had crossed her fingers behind her back.
Liza had sat on her bed with a phone book, writing down all the tattoo shops around Hawkins and the outskirts of the town. She had no clue what she would even get or even if the artists would be willing to tattoo a minor but she was hoping she would find one.
The next day, when her mother had gone out, Liza sat beside the phone with the paper of numbers infront of her. Each phone call went the same: what did she want, how big, where, is she even old enough because she didn't sound it. Each call ended up in disappointed goodbyes and then she was on to the next shop.
"Just ink. This is Elaine speaking." The woman on the other end spoke.
"Hi, Elaine. I was wondering if I could book an appointment?" Liza played with the phone chord as she waited.
"Sure thing, just a few questions. You have a specific artist in mind?" Elaine asked.
"Nope."
"Cool, I'll book you in with me. What are you thinking of getting?"
Liza cringed at this question, this was usually where people caught on that she was inexperienced. She looked around the kitchen, hoping for something to jump out at her. On the dining room table was a bouquet of roses, something her mother had bought her for her birthday.
"A rose."
"Oh, that works out perfectly, I specialize in botanical tattoos. Where are you looking to get it?" Elaine continued on.
"My ribs." Liza answered. It was the one place she could hide from her mother the easiest and she figured it shouldn't hurt that bad right?
"Ouch, is this your first tattoo?" Liza could hear Elaine cringing over the phone.
"Yes."
"You sure you want it on your ribs?" Elaine asked, when Liza didn't change her answer Elaine chuckled. "Alright, well thats a brave place for your first."
Elaine told Liza the time and date along with how much the piece would cost, adding in what she should wear to the appointment and that she should eat first. Liza eagerly agreed, writing it all down before telling the woman she would see her soon.
Liza hopped off the counter and grinned. She had managed to do it and she was buzzing with the excitement. She ran to her room and shoved the paper in her drawer. She counted out the money she had gotten, a hundred bucks and her tattoo would only cost her Eighty meaning she had twenty left over. Maybe she could buy some band shirts with the left over.
