Ouch. All that and now my boyfriend is taking over.

At A Glance Author anonymous Artist Sheila Studio Can't remember Location Birmingham, UK

I've been interested in piercing for quite a while now, prompted by the sight of quite a few pierced and visible navels over the last couple of summers. My eyes were opened, however, when I discovered BME, I am now particularly interested in the idea of nipple and genital piercing. I like the idea of invisibility - of being different underneath whilst to the outside world being completely normal and straight.

I've been trying to get my boyfriend interested, but his reaction has always been negative. When we've seen an example of a piercing on the TV or in the papers, I've expressed admiration and shown interest, however he has always grimaced and said it was not for him. I would like him to get pierced, perhaps a PA, but I think he's a long way from that. So, I decided to lead by example. A female friend raised the topic at a night out and said she was thinking about getting her navel done. I grabbed the opportunity and we agreed to a joint experience, she would get a navel, I would get a nipple pierced.

I called the local shop a few times and discussed the procedure. They seemed to know what they were doing and their answers to questions matched the best practice described in BME.

The day dawned and my friend did not show! However, I decided to go for it - nothing ventured, nothing gained. I finished my morning assignments and left work for an extended lunch hour. At the shop, I was met by Sheila. She showed me the various types of jewellery. I had decided on a barbell and debated for a while between stainless steel and titanium. It was decided when Sheila checked the stock and told me I would have to wait a couple of days if I wanted titanium. Today was going to be the day, so Stainless it was.

We had the usual conversations about aftercare and the forms were signed. I had selected a small, discrete barbell in stainless steel. She kept all her jewellery in sterilising fluid and used tweezers to pick up the appropriate size for me to examine. Then we were ready. Off with my shirt. It felt strange to have a stranger examining my nipple, poking and prodding. We agreed a placement and she marked it with a pen. Then came a freezing spray which she said would kill all the feelings. So far, so good. Then it got serious - the forceps. Wow, it hurt like hell. What happened to the freezing spray? I looked down to see my nipple flattened between the jaws of a pair of forceps held tight with elastic bands. The actual piercing was nothing, the best part of the experience was when she released the forceps and I looked down at the needle piercing my chest. Sheila then brought out the barbell and slipped it in. No problems, all over. A couple of spots of blood but nothing to write home about.

Back on with the work shirt and back to the office, knowing that there was now had a secret difference between me and all my straight colleagues. I have to say, this was one of the aspects I enjoyed the most.

Aftercare was easy. I never had any problems. For the first couple of days I gave it a quick rinse with saline and a cotton bud. I wore a plaster to prevent any blood staining my shirt, but there was never any problem. After a week, just my normal shower routine. It always rotated easily and I could move it backwards and forwards.

After the first coupe of days, it calmed down and looked as if it belonged there. Left to my own devices, I was going to get the other one done and maybe think of graduating to something more serious in the genital area.

But the big problem was my boyfriend - how would he react. In the end, he absolutely loved it. At first, he looked disgusted when he saw it and expressed contempt - how could I even have considered doing something like this to my body, did I realise what could go wrong, normal people just did not do this kind of thing. He would not touch it and refused to even look at it. He freaked when our chests touched at night.

But then he clamed down and realised the fun that we could have with it, different ornamentation and hanging things from it. The tongue sensation when he licked it eventually won him over

However, now he has taken over my piercing future. He wants me to get the other nipple done and to expand the size. His wish is to have a chain permanently fastened across my chest that we can play with - whoa, this is getting too far away from the discreet little secret that I envisaged. He also wants to investigate genital piercing opportunities and has been haunting BME - I can hardly get on the PC these days.

So far I'm holding out - perhaps one day we'll move forward, but only if he agrees to get some metal as well. That will be a test of his commitment.

Meantime, I enjoy my little special distinction under my shirt.