Nikkie

Nikkie is 22 years old, with a sunny Japanese smile... and a sense of humor darker than the ink she uses to tattoo. Raised among luxury and fine crystal, she chose to get her hands dirty in her own studio, where every line she draws holds a little piece of someone else's history.

That afternoon, a new girl came in, a little nervous, asking about her first tattoo. Nikkie looked at her out of the corner of her eye, with that disarming mix of confidence and tenderness, and said, "If it hurts, it's because it's going to look nice." They smiled.

She tried not to stare at his lips too long. Nikkie, as always, pretended not to notice... even though inside, her heart was beating like a burning needle. Maybe this time... it was different.