Needles

"Oh it's so good to get out of the house." I told Ezra and Baldo when they fetched me.
We were in the car going to Connecticut where I shall be staying overnight.
"What have you been doing this past week?" Ezra asked.
"Cleaning. You can't believe how much I've cleaned this week alone." I said tiredly.
Then we slid into easy conversation.
"So what are your plans today?" I asked them.
"Oh. Nothing. Why? You want to go somewhere?" Ezra asked. Baldo was being his typical quiet self.
"Yeah. Actually I do. Do you know where JC had his piercings done?"
"You want to get pierced?"
"Yeah, I do. Been itching for it for some time now."
"Where?"
"Belly, ears and nose."
"Nose?!" she asked scandalized.
"I did tell mom. She said okay." But I didn't tell her it was a hazy okay.
"I think Kidong knows where it is. But Ching, the nose?" She said and called Kidong up on her cell.
"Okay. I won't then. I was having second thoughts about it too... Hehe."
"I was thinking of getting a piercing too." Baldo commented.
"Great!" I said enthusiasthically, "You could accompany me."
Then when we got to Groton, I greeted Tita Glo, Ezra'z mother, and catched up with the happenings since I was gone.
Later, after a couple of hours, Kidong arrived.
"Heard you wanna get pierced." He said as a form of greeting.
"Yeah." I smiled.
He laughed. "Okay. I'll just change my clothes."
"Okay."
So I went down the basement to wait for him, where I saw Chad and JC playing videogames.
"Sexy, you're here." They said surprised.
I just rolled my eyes at their petname for me. "Yup, just waiting for Kidz to change."
"Why? Where you going?"
"Hey, JC" I said "I'm getting pierced at shop where you got yours."
"Oh yeah?", he said "I'm coming with you guys. I wanna see if I could get a tattoo."
Then Kidong came out of his room all ready.
"Wait. I'm coming too." said Chad "Wait for me. I'll get dressed."
"Wha..." I asked surprise. "Why didn't you ready yourself when you knew you where coming?"
"I'll be quick." he said running.
I just gave a sigh. And went out.
"Richard?" Tita Glo said. "It takes him a long time to get dress. Like a girl."
"I know." I said.
So when everybody was ready, we loaded ourselves in two cars. Three of us in Ezra's car. Chad's in JC's car.
After ten minutes, we were in the shop. It was better than I expected actually. There were three guys in there. One was a tattoo artsist , the other do the piercing and the other one keep shop.
"Hi." The shop keeper said to JC, being an acquaintance of his, "what can I do for you today?"
"She wants to get her belly pierced." He throwing a thumb towards my general direction.
"Sure. I'll call you when we're done eating."
"Where's Kevin?" JC was asking about the tattoo artist.
"He's upstairs."
"I'll go up then."
While waiting, the four of us browsed the tattoo's on the walls and books.
"Are you sure about this Ching?" Ezra asked again.
"Yup. Don't worry." I said.
Later we were called.
"What can I help you with?" The piercer asked me.
"I want my belly pierced. And an Industrial piercing in both ears." Placing my index and middle finger on my back and front cartillage.
"Industrial is two piercings." He reminded and gave me a clipboard and a form. "And I need an ID."
"I know. How much each piercing?" I asked filling the waiver.
"We have a promo for this month. All piercing are at thirty dollars. And I can do all five piercing today or you can came back for the rest."
"Don't I get a discount since I get second piercing in one sitting?" I asked.
"I'm sorry but since we have a promo it's already discounted."
"Okay." Handing him the waiver and my driver's liscence.
"Okay." He said and xeroxed my driver's liscence. "So what'll be?"
"Belly and both industrial." I said decisively.
"That's five. All today?" he asked surprised.
"Yeah. Why? You can't do all of it today?" I asked thoughtfully.
"No. I can. But are you sure? This is a 14 gauge needle. Most people would come back for the other piercing on the ear."
"Yes, I 'm sure. I want it all at once."
He started talking to the shop keeper.
"Okay, I'll give you a little more discount. All of it for a hundred twenty."
"Okay. Thanks." And got the cash from my money clip and gave him the exact amount.
"Okay come with me. And only one could come with you."
Snickering inside and knowing Ezra's disposition on piercing I asked her to be my companion.
Following the piercer, I could hear Chad shouting, "Don't worry sexy, I'll care fo you later."
"No thank you!" I answered back.
The room was like your typical house clinic except for the huge septum ring hanging on the wall.
The piercer asked me to sit on the bed with a leather matress. Ezra was speaking to me in Tagalog asking me if I was nervous. Then she gave a visible shudder when she saw the needles. Well, it was effing huge for someone who's only piercing they know was the one they got when they were but an infant.
The piercer took out the five needles from their disposable container but before that he put on a surgical gloves and asked me if I was allergic to latex. Which I answered a negative. Then he got a can of petroleum jelly and dip the pointy edge of the needled in it. Then got five cotton buds and dip it into the jelly too. And laid it in his operating table. Then after that he took out five corks.
After doing all the mandatory procedure he asked me what I want to get first.
I asked him which would hurt most. He asked me what other piercing do I have. I answered "tongue". He said the belly would hurt less, like my tongue. He saw my raised brow and said that probably wasn't a good experience and laughed. In that case I want to have my ears pricked first. He answered it's cool by him and went to the radio and turned on the music.
It was Korn. And judging from the songs it was their album Issue.
Then he said he should probablity do the belly first because it's easier.
Hmmm. Why asked me in the first place. But I gave my consent.
He asked me to stand up and bunch my shirt under my bra and put my arms down by my side.
Then he started to clean my navel, which I already cleaned, and I involuntary cringed. He said I can't do that when I being pierced. I told him I won't. Then he took out his pen and made an mark on my belly, which he had a hard time at which point JC asked if I had an outie.
I don't have an outie. I had one I won't be getting this.
Then the guy asked me to show it to my gang except for Kidong, who were all watching me from inside the door. Even I don't want to,I have to show them my belly.
"Wow, now you're hot!" JC said.
I gave an annoyed huff.
Turning back to the piercer he pinch the top of my belly button and clip a forcep on and asked me to lie down the bed.
Then he leaned over me and said to relax.
I was relaxed. So relax in fact that I was singing Korn.
Then he said that he'll go on three. I nodded and spread my hands on the matress.
One. Two. Three.
And when I breathed out the needle went in and Ezra and Chad gave an ouch from across the room.
The insult of the steel entering the body wasn't that bad.
"And now comes the hard part." The piercer said. "Putting the barbel in."
Which was true. Switching the needle with the barbel gave me more discomfort than the actual piercing. After the barbel was in, he screwed on the ball and asked me to stand up.
Then he cleaned the blood off. And told me to show it to the my friends again.
"Now you're officially hot!" JC said.
"We'll sleep together tonight so I could take care of you." Richard said.
I just bared my teeth at them.
And the guy asked me if I was comfortable, which I said I was.
Then he let me sit on a revolving stool, and asked me if I had a clip for my hair. I took my ribbon from my bag and twirled my hair into a bun and ribboned it. Then he got again his pen and marked it and asked me if I want to see it or should I just trust his judgement. I said I trust him. So he got the needle and a cork and bunched his shoulders. And when he was about to prick me he complained that my hair is killing him. So my left hand I swipe my unbound hair back from my ear. Then he counted to three and drove it in near my forward helix.
It fucking hurts.
Then he asked me if he should do the other one right away. I said yes. And he counted to three again and drove the same needle again, which hurts more because the entire lenght of the needle would have to pass through the first hole.
But I didn't cringe, yelp, gasp or tensed. I stayed passive. So passive in fact that Ezra complained about my lack of emotion. JC said maybe it didn't hurt that much.
"Because you can't see it. " The piercer infromed JC, they being on the other side of my pierced ear, "Trust me man it hurts. I'm amazed she wants to get all of it done after each other. She's has the most peircing I have done in one sitting." He explained while getting the surgical steel that will be replacing the needle currently residing on my cartillage.After he put the scaffolding, he turned to my right ear which my friends have a perfect view.
"Want to make out after this Laurice?" The pig asked, while the piercer readied the next batch of needles.
Not looking at him, I indifferently answered. "I'm not that desperate Jessie. And if you were the only man left in this planet, I'll turn lesbian."
"Ouch" The piercing said laughing and asked me to keep my hair back again. "Ready? On three?"
"Just surprise me." I answered.
He still counted to three and pushed the needle home. Can't take it anymore after seeing the real action Ezra left the room but came back a while later after back hole was done.
"Ouch Laurice, you're virgin ear!" JC moaned.
"Tang ina mo." I bit off.
Having three piercing on my lobe alone I know he was just being lewd.
"I don't know what she just said. But I could tell she's pissed." The piercer laughed.
"She cursed." Ezra explained laughing too.
"Man, don't mess with someone who has a fucking needle sticking out of her head." The guy humorously advised.
With that lovely advised I gave him a fat tip.