At Midnight

Chapter 10

Ashton was fidgeting with his fingers nervously as he jiggled his legs while sitting at the edge of the hydraulic chair. He was glancing around the room at the walls filled with random drafts and drawings. But mostly, his attention was focused on the weird machinery and equipment that was going to be used to permanently ink his skin. 

We were in the tattoo shop that he had begged me to take him to. It was a small little shop at the far end of the street and business wasn't doing so well considering the fact that it was a weekday. It had a bright fluorescent sign at the window. The place was lightly dimmed and there were seats and couches pushed against the wall for costumers to wait and decide on the design in the main room. There were a few other rooms that held a hydraulic tattoo chair in each one of them too.

" You sure about this?" I asked, arms folded. He nodded his head and kept looking around the room for any signs of the tattoo artist. " You know, you've had come up with a lot of stupid ideas but this is the worst yet." I laughed. I couldn't help myself – he looked like a lost little boy looking for his mother in a crowded shopping mall.

Before he could think of any witty comebacks, the tattoo artist came. He was a gigantic man with a beard that hid his neck and elaborate tattoos covering every inch of his skin. Ashton physically tensed up at the sight of him. " Hey Bill!" I greeted with a smile. Bill looked more like a monster truck driver than a tattoo artist with his unruly hair and bandana.

" Welcome back Mia. You're not getting one this time?" He grinned warmly.

" No, just accompanying a friend. It's his first time." I whispered teasingly.

" All right then. Hold on, let me get my assistant." He excused himself and exited the room.

Ashton sat up and looked at me questioningly. " He did my dove." I shrugged nonchalantly. He nodded his head in acknowledgement. " You sure about this? Your mum doesn't even know what you're going to do." I asked him again, making sure that he wouldn't regret his decision later on.

" Okay! Let's get on with it!" Bill's voice filled the room as he entered. Following him in was a tall boy with dark brown hair and mysterious green eyes and he had a tattoo sleeve on his left arm. " Javier, help me get the design. It's beside that young lady sitting on the couch o'er there." Bill instructed while he checked the equipment and sterilized them.

Javier walked over and I handed him the design Ashton took ages to pick earlier. "Your boyfriend?" He asked. His voice was husky and there was a slight accent. Maybe Latin.

" No. Just a friend." I shook my head.

" Good." He flashed me a million dollar smile before heading back to assist Bill.

I eyed Javier suspiciously. He was intriguing and there was something about him that was different, different from anyone I had ever met in my entire eighteen years of existing. And he was really cute. That accent could melt any girl's heart.

I watched cautiously from my seat as Bill and Javier poked needles into Ashton's back. He didn't seem as nervous as he did when we were waiting for Bill. In fact, he seemed relaxed. Meanwhile, I was having a difficult time tearing my eyes away from Ashton's bare back. I finally managed to look away after a good five minutes and eventually I got bored so I left the room, hoping I'd find something interesting in the main room. 

The main room was empty and the speakers didn't seem to work as well as they did before. The song being played was muffled and I could barely make out the lyrics. I walked around the room and scanned through some of the designs of tattoos that were plastered all over the walls.

" Find anything you like?" I was startled and almost thought that my heart would've stopped working then and there. I turned around and saw Javier standing in the middle of the room with a sheepish smile on his face.