room.
âHey. I know it feels like itâs been forever, huh?â
Denise threw on a wife-beater. âYeah, but itâs understandable. Itâs late in the semester and all.â
âTell me about it.â Lena looked at Deniseâs tribal tattoo. âYou know I was thinking about getting a tattoo. What do you think?â
âFor real? I know a person if you want to,â Denise said. âDid you ask Brandon?â
âI donât have to ask Brandonâs permission to do anything,â Lena said as she sat on her bed.
âYeah, okay,â Denise replied sarcastically as she answered the familiar knock at their door.
âWhatâs up, man? Damn! Hey, Lena-licious.â Cooley smiled and stepped past Denise as she attempted to flirt with Lena.
âHi, Cooley.â Lena smiled back. She was used to Cooleyâs flirting. It was flattering.
Carmen walked in the room behind Cooley. âYo, whatâs up, people? I got an A on my Econ paper, so letâs celebrate. So where are we going tonight?â
âWell,â Denise said, picking a shirt out of her closet, âLena here wants a tattoo.â
âReally?â Cooley grinned. âYoâ man gonâ be okay with that?â
âWhy do you all keep thinking that I answer to Brandon? I am my own woman.â
âThatâs right, girl.â Carmen gave her a high-five.
âSo whatâs up then? We going to get inked?â Cooley asked.
âDatâs on Lena.â Denise smiled.
Her dimples caused Lena to blush.
Lena smiled. âLetâs do it.â
The tattoo shop was more like a hangout spot; more people were there just to kick it than actually get tattoos. Lena felt herself getting nervous as she looked through the tattoos on the walls.
âSo, what do you want to get?â Denise asked.
âI donât know, something small, maybe a heart. How bad did yours hurt?â
âThey didnât. I have a high tolerance for pain.â
âI am scared as shit.â
Denise looked into Lenaâs eyes. âDonât worry, Iâll hold your hand.â
Denise and Lena gazed at each other. Denise felt her heart beating fast. She knew she had fallen for Lena on day one.
âYoâ, you getting tatted or not?â Cooley said, breaking their moment. âDee, you gonna get something?â
âI was thinking about getting the Ankh on this arm or maybe a cross,â Denise said, patting her left bicep.
Carmen joined them. âOh no, donât get a cross, but the Ankh would be hot. I am getting my Cancer zodiac sign on my back.â
âCancer power!â Lena squealed. âIâm one too. Maybe I will get my zodiac sign too.â
âWell, how about we all get our zodiac signs?â Carmen said.
âI donât want that punk-ass shit on me,â Cooley said.
âWhy? Whatâs your zodiac sign?â Lena asked Cooley.
âMe and my bruh are sexy Scorpios. You know what they say about Scorpio and Cancer.â
âNo. What do they say?â Lena questioned.
Cooley laughed. âLena, I donât tell, I show.â
âMaybe I should get Brandonâs name. I think he wouââ
âHell no. You bet not!â Cooley said. âDonât put no niggaâs name on you. Girl, please. Thatâs like the number one rule. Do you think he would get your name on him?â
âI donâtââ
âHell no, he wonât. Why? Because you arenât his wife or his baby mama. You are still replaceable.â
âOK, on that note I think I am going to get my Ankh and I am going to go first.â Denise sat down in the chair.
Lena watched in amazement while Denise got the large tattoo, which covered up a nice part of her biceps.
Denise didnât flinch. She got her grandmotherâs name going across the arms of the Ankh.
Denise noticed the look on Lenaâs face.
âSee, I told