The dragonfly tattoo artist

16

The second month Camila met Lauren's parents.

It wasn't something planned or expected. Actually, it was like those things that only happen by fate.

The start of the day wasn't pink. Camila hadn't finished breakfast when her family started arguing, something she sincerely hated.

"You can't go live with that idiot, Ally!" Dinah exclaimed in frustration at receiving the news from her older sister. She was the only one in the entire family who didn't fully accept that relationship, and that was also why Ally still couldn't bring herself to introduce him to the family.

"I don't need your permission, Dinah."

"Fuck, Ally! Troy and you broke up because of him!"

"It wasn't his fault. It was mine. It was me who was in a relationship."

"But you can't go with him!"

Camila immediately got into that argument. She hated fights, and much more if they happened so early in the morning.

"Don't you think it's too soon, Ally? You haven't been together even a year."

"I know, but I want to. I'm in love with Jamie, and I'm pretty sure about this."

"You spent two years with Troy and you never thought of anything like that!" Dinah despaired. Her hatred of Jamie was almost tangible.

"That's enough!" Normani stopped her furiously. Over time she had accepted her sister's new relationship, as the smile she used to wear all the time on her face was all she needed. "Jamie is not Troy. I know you loved him very much, we all loved him and we still do, but if Ally's not happy with him you can't force her."

"Fuck you, Mani."

Milika struck a blow at the table. Everyone was silent, for they knew it was not safe to upset her while being angry.

"Are you really sure you want to go with Jamie?" Milika asked her daughter.

"Very sure" Ally answered without hesitation.

"Then go. I can't stop you."

***

Lauren didn't go to draw Camila that day. She wrote her several messages to check on her condition, but she didn't answer any of them.

Still, in the midst of all the tattoos she did that day, she didn't have time to worry too much and get paranoid.

The painter arrived at the store when Camila finished packing her things. Her wrist hurt, her back too, but when Lauren came to hug her and kissed her, perhaps too effusively, none of that mattered.

When Lauren moved apart, Camila noticed her nervous, restless. It was strange to see her like this, because her movements always overflowed with grace and security.

"Did you smoke something before coming, Lauren?" Camila asked gently "You don't look well."

"Fuck, no. I didn't smoke anything, Camz."

Frustration accompanied her words.

"Are you okay, Lauren?" She asked as she sought to hold her hands to reassure her.

It was to the contact that Lauren leapt back, a grimace of pain accompanying her. Camila had touched her wrist by mistake.

The wound that the painter had made when she finished painting Sky would've closed some time ago, but she insisted on keeping it open.

Lauren always promised to ask for help, but she never kept up. Camila became angry, advised her, begged and offered her support, but Lauren seemed to ignore her words.