Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 159(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
1
ANNIKA
“Are you on the way to Hellbound Studio?” Rachel asked, her voice playing through my Jeep’s speaker.
My ride was adorable…and also the last present I got from my mom and dad. So even though most of my friends had gotten new cars for our high school graduation, I hadn’t been the slightest bit envious. I planned to drive this baby until the wheels fell off.
“I am,” I confirmed with a wide grin that she couldn’t see.
“I’m so bummed that I couldn’t be there with you for this. Although it’s probably for the best because I doubt I would’ve been able to walk out of the tattoo parlor without any ink of my own, and we both know how that would’ve gone down with my parents.”
I laughed, picturing the hissy fit her mom would have pitched at the sight of a tattoo on her daughter’s unblemished skin. Something she wouldn’t have been able to hide during their annual trip to the Bahamas, which was where she was this week. “Forget heading off to college in a couple of weeks. You would have been locked in your room for the next year.”
She snorted. “Let’s be real. It would be at least two years.”
“Probably,” I agreed. “Remind me not to go swimming at your house if your parents are around. She might decide I’m a bad influence and not let us hang out together anymore.”
“Like I would ever let that happen. I might not put my foot down with my parents very often, but if they went after my bestie, you best believe they’d have a fight on their hands.”
I knew she meant every word of her vow, and hearing how much I meant to her made me sniffle. “Cut it out, or I’m going to be crying before they even start the tattoo.”
“Maybe there will be a hot guy to hold your hand during the whole thing since I’m not there to do it,” she teased.
I rolled my eyes. “Not gonna happen. This isn’t one of the romcoms we love to watch on our movie nights.”
“But it could be.”
My best friend was much more optimistic than I was. Losing my parents a couple of years ago made me see the world differently. I wasn’t as carefree as I used to be.
“I’m almost there,” I told her as I turned onto the road where the tattoo parlor was located.
“Then I guess I’ll let you go.” Her laughter drifted through the line. “Which is probably for the best because my mom will come looking for me any minute. We’re going snorkeling today.”
“Sounds as though you’re going to have lots of fun. Tell your mom and dad I said hello.”
“Will do.” Knowing my bestie how I did, I wasn’t surprised when she added, “The water here is awesome, but I hope you have way more fun than me. With a sexy tattoo artist who pops your cherry so you don’t have to worry about being the only virgin on campus.”
“You're ridiculous.” I turned into the parking lot, shaking my head.
“And that’s why you love me,” she quipped.
“Only because I didn’t know better when we became best friends,” I teased, pulling into a parking spot. “Good luck finding a hottie who’ll help you out with the same potential problem I’ll have when I get to college since you’ve never slept with anyone either.”
“I wish,” she muttered. “But we both know my mom would literally throw herself between any interesting guy and me to make sure nothing happens.”
“For real.”
We shared a laugh over the mental image of her mom shoving between Rachel and some random man on the beach before hanging up. Then I hopped out of my Jeep.
I was nervous as I walked into Hellbound Studio, but that didn’t stop me from going inside. I’d wanted a tattoo for two years, but since I only turned eighteen last month, I hadn’t been able to get one until then. My birthday was so close to my parents’ anniversary, so I decided just to wait and have it done today since that would bring extra meaning to the tattoo.
My nerves combined with the summer heat, making my palms sweaty as I crossed the parking lot. I rubbed them against my shorts before taking a deep breath. Then I yanked the door open and strode inside, trying to look more confident than I felt when the guy behind the counter looked up and flashed me a grin.
He didn’t look much older than me, but he had several tattoos on his left arm, so he fit with the place. “Hey, how can I help you?”
“I have an appointment with Onyx.”
He tapped on the keyboard, then asked, “Annika Lee?”
I nodded. “Yup.”
“And this is your first tattoo?”
Another nod. “Yeah.”
He scanned this information. “Looks like you already filled out all the paperwork online, so I just need to see your driver’s license.”