Poison Ink by Christopher Golden Page A

bullet.”
    “I couldn’t let you guys down.”
    “What about your parents?”
    Sammi shrugged. “I’m with you. We’ll just have to make sure they never see it. It’s in an intimate location. I won’t be flashing it around.”
    “Except to Cute Adam,” Letty said, leaning back in her chair as though offering herself up. “Oh baby, I’ve got something to show you. Take a real close look. Closer. Closer. Cloooo-ser.”
    Katsuko snorted a little when she laughed and then covered her mouth in embarrassment, as if the sound had come from there.
    “Oh, please,” Sammi protested, grinning. “I only just met him. He hasn’t been promoted to tattoo inspector yet.”
    T.Q. and Caryn joined them, sliding into seats on either side of Sammi.
    “So, did you show them yet?” T.Q. asked.
    Sammi rolled her eyes. “I’m not yanking my pants down in the middle of the cafeteria.”
    “What’s stopping you?” Letty asked.
    Caryn nudged her. “Come on. Let’s see.”
    Sammi hesitated, but thought this might be perfect. Any nervousness, any blushing, they’d just chalk up to embarrassment. The table was in the corner anyway. She stood up quickly and refused to draw attention to herself by glancing around.
    “Is anyone watching?” she asked in a whisper.
    “No, you’re good,” T.Q. said.
    The other girls’ attention was riveted on her hands as she slipped her fingers into the waist of her jeans. No way would she unbutton or unzip them. Instead, she sucked in her belly and just tugged them down in the front, far enough to let them see the top half of the tattoo.
    “Good for you, girl,” she heard Caryn say.
    Letty gave a low wolf whistle and a silent golf clap. But Katsuko’s smile fell and she frowned deeply, staring at the tattoo.
    “It’s different,” she said.
    Oh shit, Sammi thought. Her skin prickled with warmth and her heart raced.
    “What do you mean? It’s the same design,” she said.
    Now all of them were looking more closely. She wanted to pull her jeans up and sit down but had to prove herself.
    Caryn shook her head. “No, she’s right. The hole in the center is smaller and the waves dip more at the top.”
    Sammi glanced around self-consciously. Some people were staring, and she made a show of reacting to being observed, covering her tattoo and returning to her seat.
    “It’s not a big deal,” she said. “It’s the same design. You can’t expect him to do it exactly alike every time, like a machine or something.”
    T.Q. had a crestfallen expression on her face. Sammi couldn’t look at her.
    “Ours are all the same,” Katsuko said, pushing her curtain of black hair away from her eyes. “Identical. Did you really go back to Dante?”
    Here it is, Sammi thought. Cards on the table. How could she lie outright, to their faces? If they suspected a lie, all they had to do was have Letty drop by Dante’s and ask.
    “Not exactly,” she began. “But what difference does it—”
    “It’s not real,” Letty said sharply. Her mouth had turned into a thin line of anger and her eyes narrowed.
    The others all seemed confused.
    “Define ‘real,’ Katsuko said.
    Letty sniffed in disgust. “She won’t show it to us again, or you could see for yourself. I didn’t even notice until you said it wasn’t the same, but Sammi just had this done yesterday? Where’s the swelling? Where’s the redness? Mine’s still healing, still going down, but hers looks fine. It’s gotta be henna, or airbrushed. In a week or two, it’ll be gone.”
    On Saturday night, they’d been hurt and disappointed. Now Katsuko and Caryn only shook their heads and glared at her, mouths twisted in disgust and anger.
    “Sammi?” T.Q. asked, gentle as ever. “Tell them they’re wrong.”
    That moment was the worst; T.Q. still believing in her, still hoping. Sammi could only hang her head.
    Letty stood first, the legs of her chair squeaking on the linoleum as she slid back, rose, and picked up her tray. One by one, the