Riley:
When I was eighteen I made a huge mistake. Part of that error was a friendship tattoo that would link him and me together. That tattoo is a symbol of the worst wrong I made. Just simply looking at it is a reminder of what not to let ever happ...
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Riley
"One minute." The cameraman shouts to the room. The woman in front of me is sitting in a white leather chair exactly like mine. Our legs are facing each other. Her legs are shorter because she is around 5'2" whereas mine are longer at 5'8". Journalists are not trustworthy. At least I know if she tries prying with the wrong questions she is within kicking distance.
The woman before me is crossing her legs and fixing her posture to look good for the camera. Her ruby red lips and dress scream 'Look at me' as well as her six-inch black heels. Her black hair was perfectly flat ironed. The makeup team must be amazing because her face is flawless.
"Welcome to The Talk of Today I'm your host Sharon Tate. With me today we have the famous tattoo artist known for her friendship tattoos, Riley Harris. Let's begin." She turns her head from the camera and directs her attention to me.
"Ms. Harris, can you tell us why friendship tattoos mean so much to you?" The host of the morning show asks me.
A memory of beautiful gray eyes capturing mine. It was almost as if I had no will of my own my eyes bound to his. With no chance of me being able to look away. My gaze, my mind, and my body were all focused on him as if there was nothing else.
I swallow and try to keep the look on my face professional. The lights in this room are so bright and on me that it's difficult to even see that I can only make out her in front of me. The lights are making me sweat so much my clothes are sticking to me. Unlike the host, my outfit isn't impressive.
I'm wearing a pair of leather mini-shorts with black fishnets. My top is an off-the-shoulder gray sweatshirt with holes in it in random places. Combat boots with glow-in-the-dark puppy bandaids stand out on my feet. I love these bandaids Jonah's daughter put them on. I will never take them off.
My light blue and lavender hair cascaded down my back in waves. I'm wearing makeup it changes the way my face looks. I still probably look vampire-pale under these lights.
"When I was a teenager I got a tattoo with someone who I thought was a friend. Turns out they weren't. I use my tattoo as a reminder of the type of person, to never let in my life again. I believe out there are best friends who wouldn't hurt each other. The friendships I happen to encounter in my job help me heal from my own past trauma." I take a breath and give a heartfelt smile. A flash of gray eyes comes in and out of my focus. Why does talking about him never get any easier?
"The people I get to meet showed me that true friendship is possible. To the point where I was able to trust another. I was awarded with a true friendship of my own. These people made me a believer. That's why they mean so much to me. The people I meet are proof of loving lifelong friendships. The kind that are bonded souls. Those are the people I tattoo." I maintain eye contact with the host. I have a passion for my work and I love what I do. I just hope it is all being conveyed through this interview.
