Painting Virgin Skin

I felt the machine buzz to life in my hand and I smiled. This was one of the best feelings in the world to me. This is when I felt completely at peace. Of course, I knew that giving Ruby new ink would relax me. It always does. I felt so confident with my constant customer and best friend. I really needed this. I couldn't stop stressing over my business; I am too young for gray hairs. I bite my lip as I press the needle to her skin, something Rubz makes fun of me for. She always jokes that I concentrate too hard on my work. We both know that’s what makes my tats art, because I never fool around when it comes to ink. That's what gets me so many regulars. I stayed in the zone as Rubz gushed happily about married life. As I finished the tattoo she went silent and stared like she always does. It was her wedding date, with a cape and her and James' names intertwined in its cloth. That was my gift for their first anniversary, the Clarks.

While I was placing the machine back in its case, I looked in direction of the kitchen. There sat Dixie with her bare feet dangling off the counter top in the Clarks’ home. Each toe carefully painted her favorite shade of pink. She was tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder as she curled her perfect lips into a smile. Her eyes were glued on James. He was in the middle of telling one of his I-am-such-a-cowboy stories. One that involves horses and crops I am sure. For the hundredth time I wondered how Rubz and James worked out when they were so different.

I looked at Rubz whose eyes were now trained on her husband as he animated the actions of his tale. Her face was radiating happiness. I smiled at the sight; it gave me such a deep feeling of contentment to see Ruby happy. I remember her at her worst times, so I was grateful that I could see her best too. Of course another thought popped into my head, I wondered if I will ever have that. I look at Dixie again then shake my head and chuckle as she twisted her facial features into a look of disgust. Rubz looked at me then with a small smile. I knew what she was thinking, when will I make my move? I wish I could explain things to her in a way she would understand. See here is the thing about Rubz, when it comes to taking chances on love, there is no excuse not to, end of story. So, me living and working out of two other states isn't a complication to her. They were just some facts of life that could easily be worked around.

As much as I had a thing for that bubblegum girl, I couldn't put her in a situation where she would have a mostly absent boyfriend. IF she had feelings for me in return that is, which I don’t know either. Dixie isn’t easy to read like Ruby, she is too girly and junk for me to get into her head. Besides one remark about a tattoo, she isn’t into any of this stuff. She could care less about rock, hates chucks, won’t get any piercings, and thinking cheer leading is the greatest sport. I mean she has gotten herself a job as a coach of the cheer squad here in Hicksville, U.S.A. I watched her legs swing back and forth as she leaned in to listen more closely to James' story. We are just worlds apart and I don’t see anything closing that gap.

"Hey Cowboy," I shout at James, "your turn."