I walked into the tattoo shop where I worked, nervous to start my first day. I pulled my shorts down a little, to make myself look la little more presentable. I heard the bells ring, indicating someone had walked through the door. I plastered a smile on my face and walked to the front desk. I was greeted with a small, slim girl. She had bright purple hair that was wavy and looked like it was reasonably long. She had these lovely chocolate brown eyes, and really dark and thick eyelashes, I was quite envious, if I’m honest. Her eyebrows were thin but dark, bringing out her pale features. She was pretty pale all over, covered in tattoos, much like myself. She had a nose piercing and her tongue pierced, from what I could see.

“Hello, I’m Laura, what would you like from us here today at Full Circle?” she asked with smile, showing her beautifully straight teeth.

I automatically smiled back just as big, her sweet voice and lovely smile instantly made me feel at home. “Hi, Laura. I’m Sara, I’ve actually just recently moved here from the UK and I got a job here before I left.”

“Sara Wilson?” she asked, flicking through notes.

“That’s the one.” I smiled and she smiled too.

“Great! It’s great to meet you, Sara.” She said, putting her hand out for me to shake. I shook it firmly and nodded.

“You too.” I smiled.

“I’ll take you to our boss, Craig.” She said, motioning for me to come over with her and she lead me to a little room, knocked on the door and then opened it before she left me with Craig.

“Hello, may I help you today love?” he asked. He had an English accent, much like myself, I felt even more home after that.

“Hey, I’m Sara. I left the UK recently and got a job here, I’m sure it was you I spoke to?” I smiled.

“Yeah that was me! Great, I’m glad you’re finally here! One of our artists has been off on holiday, so we’ve been kind of short. I’ll show you to your station and everything. You can take in drop in people today, and soon enough people will start making appointments with you, I know it.” he smiled.

“Aw, thank you, that’s sweet of you. It’s lovely to meet you, by the way.” I said and shook his hand.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you too, Sara. Your lunch is at two o’clock. You have an hour to take.” He smiled, showing me where everything was at the station and just generally around the shop.

“Thank you so much, for everything, I really appreciate it.” I smiled. “And thank you for giving me the job!” I grinned even bigger, happy my new life is finally beginning.

I had a couple of people come in for drop in appointments and they both went really fast. People in San Diego are incredibly friendly, and it was nice to just chat the whole time. I was happy with how my first day was going so far. I was just finishing cleaning up before going for my lunch break.

“When’s your lunch, Sara?” Laura asked me as I picked up my bag from the back.

“Just now, yours?” I asked.

“Same! Do you wanna go out to lunch?” she asked and I nodded eagerly.

We decided on a small Mexican restaurant and I was thoroughly happy, I love Mexican food. We were sitting chatting and getting to know each other better when a tall, heavily tattooed man came up to the table.

“Mike!” Laura exclaimed, standing up to give him a hug.

“Hey Laura.” He smiled, his teeth were amazing. He looked down at me and I seen one of the most beautiful pair of eyes I ever have in my entire life. I quickly smiled and went back to my food, I was bloody starving.

“How’s your day off?” Laura asked this ‘Mike’ bloke. “Sara, this is Mike. He works with us.”

I smiled and nodded, putting my hand out to shake his but he swatted away. “I don’t do handshakes.”

He said, standing me up to give me a cuddle. He smelled so good, a mixture of cigarettes and cologne. It was very appealing. “It’s nice to meet you, Sara.” He smiled. “And my day off is great thank you Laura.”

“It’s nice to meet you too Mike. Looking forward to working with you.” I said, smiling at him. He was oh so very attractive, but I also got the feeling he was a massive bad boy. And I can’t be doing with that…

“Oh so you’re British. That’s why I’ve never seen you around before.” He smirked.

“How do you know you haven’t? I could have been here for years, and you just never noticed.” I smiled, sitting down to my food again, as did Laura.

“Oh, I would have remembered a beautiful face like yours.” He smirked. I blushed and looked down, giggling a little bit. Something about the bad boys always got me…

“Mike stop being a perv. She’s new to San Diego, don’t scare her off!” Laura said. We both laughed and Mike shook his head in amusement. “Let us eat, bye Mike.” She said, shooing him away.
I laughed, and we went on with our meals.

I only had a couple of more clients back at the shop before Craig said I could go home. I picked my bag up and walked home, enjoying the San Diego sun very, very much. It was only about four PM and I was walking, on my phone, texting Laura and what not when I bumped into someone and my phone dropped.

“Shit, fuck! I’m so clumsy, I’m sorry.” I said, bending down to pick it up. I stood up to a smirking Mike in front of me.

“Hmm… I say you meant to bump into me.”

I laughed, “Yeah Mike, I made it my priority.”

“I knew it, you love me.” he smirked, following me as I continued walking.

“Yeah, that’s the one, Mike.”

“Look just give me your number, I’d like to get to know you.” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I smiled and nodded, giving him it. He hugged me goodbye before we walked our separate ways and as soon as I got in, I looked on my phone to see one new unread message.

From: Unknown number.
So, dinner tomorrow night?

I laughed, rolling my eyes. Saving the number.

To: Mike.
if you’re lucky!

I sat my phone down on my bed, plugging it into it’s charger before I went for a long bath. It took me about an hour and a half to get home, because I just wanted to walk about and see the city. I also took forever in the bath, mainly because I couldn’t get Mike out of my head and I was just so damn happy. I was so into my thoughts that I never even realised when the bath went cold. I quickly washed my hair before coming out of the bath, letting the water drain out and getting changed into more suitable clothes.

I was just about to order a pizza when my phone rang. It was obviously, Mike.

“Hello?” he said into the phone.

“Mike?” I said. I could almost hear him smirking.

“Pizza at yours, how does it sound?”

“You are such a loser,” I laughed. “Fine, since I’m hungry.”

“Text me the address, beautiful.”

“Okay loser.” I said, hanging up and sending him the address. I had set up my TV early this morning so we could sit on my bed and watch TV, seeing as there’s nothing else in the house at the moment. I laughed at the bareness of my apartment, and usually I wouldn’t let anyone see this, but for some reason, I didn’t care that Mike seen it.

Notes

Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! :)
ps. I actually googled tattoo shops in San Diego :')