An Unexpected Girl

chapter eighteen

Getting her first tattoo on a random Saturday, with a girl that Iris would describe as an acquaintance at best, was really not how Iris thought she would spend her day.

When she had woken up that morning, Iris thought it would just be another boring Saturday of being a recluse and pretending that the world outside of her bedroom didn't exist.

Yet, here Iris was in the passenger seat of Adi's car en route to a tattoo studio.

The ride to the tattoo studio was mostly in silence. Iris spent the time instead anxiously drumming her fingers on her knees, which caused Adi to glance over at her curiously every few seconds.

"Can you stop doing that? You're making me more anxious," Iris finally said, catching Adi look over at her for the fourth time.

Adi laughed, but kept her eyes glued to the road in front of her. Her hands held the steering ring firmly.

"You really don't have to do this. You know that, right? I was just teasing you."

"Are you chickening out?"

Adi laughed once again, shaking her head slightly as she did so. "No, but I'm giving you permission to do so. I'm not really in the business of making people do things they don't want to." Adi glanced over at Iris then, winking briefly, before returning her attention to the road.

Iris rolled her eyes. Of course, Adi would flirt at every opportunity that she could.

"Thanks for the offer, but no thanks."

"You're really fucking stubborn, you know that?"

"Might've been told a couple of times."

The ride was silent again, and even though Adi had stopped glancing at her as she had requested, Iris' anxiety was building in her chest the closer they got to the tattoo studio.

"Did your tattoos hurt?" Iris suddenly asked. It was a dumb question, but she desperately needed something to say. Sitting in silence was going to cause an anxiety-induced implosion within her.

"Yes, some more than others. But it all depends on the placement of your tattoos and all of that...have you decided where you wanna get it?"

"Inner thigh," Iris responded quickly. "That way, nobody has to see it but me. You know, in case I don't like it."

Adi nodded, looking at Iris from the corner of her eyes, biting her lips slightly.

Iris couldn't help but notice the way Adi's hands looked, both placed firmly on the steering wheel. Her nails were short and painted a light orange color with different designs on them.

"I've never gotten an inner thigh tattoo, so I honestly cannot tell you how painful it could be. How good are you with pain?"

Iris distracted herself from looking at Adi, staring ahead of her instead. "I cried like a bitch when I got my nose pierced."

Adi released a breath of air from her mouth, causing a high whistle sound to form. She turned her head once again, looking at Iris, locking eyes with her.

"Iris, you really do not have to do this. I was just teasing by calling you lame and meant nothing by it. You've proven yourself already."

Iris looked at the girl before her for a couple of moments. Her eyes darted slightly to the way Adi kept dragging her teeth over her bottom lips. It was clear to see that she was anxious as well. Probably not as anxious as Iris was feeling, but regardless, it put a warm feeling within her.

The anxiety Iris was feeling seemed to morph, changing into excitement.

"I want to do it," Iris said, a broad smile spreading across her face. "I've always wanted to get a tattoo, but I'm so indecisive that I've never been able to get one. I think this is the best time for me to do it. It's either now or never."