Page 8 of Midnight Ink

“Fuck off,” I hiss.

I watch Ian go back to Maddox’s station. It’s real unfortunate that the one person in this shop known for her mayhem and mischief knows about my stupid crush. Not that I told her, but I swear she’s like a fucking secrets magician.

I ignore her and watch him sit down and open a drawer, putting something inside. No one’s allowed in that chair. I wonder what goes through his mind when he sits there. We should hire another artist. A piercer would be a good idea too. Make a dent in our waitlist. I want to bring it up, but not today of all days.

“When’s your next appointment?” I ask him.

“At one. Then I have another at five.”

“That late?”

He shrugs. “I want to keep busy.”

The eighth.

“Do you want to go out and grab something to eat after that?” I ask, already knowing what his face is about to tell me.

“Uh, not today.” He smiles sadly. I figured, but I wanted to ask.

This is the thing about having a crush on Ian. It’s pointless. While I care deeply about this guy, I know there’s no space for me. I made peace with that long ago. Ian will never belong to me.

Ian belongs to a ghost.

MADDOX

BEFORE

“Fuck!” I jump a little as coffee splashes on my pants. “The fuck, Anna?”

She grins wide, a little manic. She’s five feet of pure terror. Lucky I love her. “Sorry.” She snaps her gum, not looking sorry at all.

I wipe the coffee off my jeans then throw my arm over the booth watching her walk to another table. The diner’s nearly dead, though I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s a Thursday morning. I watch my friend come back around with a tray of food, balancing it with one hand and shoving her phone into her apron.

She’s almost done with her shift and then we’re going out tonight. She’s going to let me tattoo her arm. She hasn’t told me what she wants yet, but I’ll try anything. All styles. I want to be the best and I need hours. Good thing I have two very willing best friends to help me out—I need it.

No, what I need is a shop, but I’m years from that dream.

Anna slips out the back only to appear a few moments later, her black ponytail whipping with her quick movements. I know she hates working weekday mornings. Shit tips she says. She beelines to me after dropping off more plates. “You’re going to kill me.”

“What is it?”

“My manager asked me to stay and work a double. I need this, Maddy. At this rate I’m never getting out of my parents’ place.” I want to be mad, but how can I blame her. Anna’s a certain flavor of weird. Her parents don’t approve of . . . well, anything she does, and I know how badly she wants out. Once I get my shop going, I’m taking her with me.

I just need to get more hours in. Maybe I can find a shop around here to apprentice for. Then there are loans. Oh, and the fact that I’m dead broke. “I know, hey. No worries. Another night.”

“Thanks.” She kisses the top of my head. “I still want another tattoo. I just need this paycheck more.” Anna has five right now, but dreams of having more.

“I’ll call you tonight, alright?” I get up out of the booth to walk out of the diner, stopping when I see someone in another booth drawing. I walk backwards, watching him, his head down in a sketch book. “That’s sick.” He jolts, looking up, and a slow smile spreads on my face. Cute. His auburn hair is a mess. Is he all alone? “Your drawing.”

“What—oh.” He smiles, looking down.

It looks fucking sick. The lion is done with such detail. Like a mix between cartoon and lifelike. “Thanks. Just killing time.”

I slide into his booth and watch his brows pull together. “Killing time until?”

“I have to go back home.” He looks down at his drawing and erases something he sees in the picture. “My mother has a new boyfriend. They’re fighting. I walked out a while ago.”

“You live with your mom?” He glares. “No, hey, no judgment. I do too. Just asking.” He looks like he’s in his twenties, but that doesn’t mean much. At twenty, I’m still stuck at home too.