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Margarita sat up on her bed, phone in hand, glancing at her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. The fresh tattoo on her ribcage, a delicate star along the curve of her side, was still red and tender. She lifted her shirt slightly, revealing the new ink beneath, admiring the way it looked against her skin. The star felt like her little secret, hidden away unless she wanted to show it.
She positioned her phone at the perfect angle, capturing just enough of the tattoo and the curve of her waist to tease its design without showing too much. The lighting was soft, her tan skin glowing against the fresh ink. After scrolling through filters, she picked one that accentuated the stars' deep black lines, and hit post.
Her notifications exploded almost immediately—likes, comments, fire emojis. But there was one reaction she was waiting for. Rafe. She tapped open Instagram, refreshing her feed, but there was nothing from him yet. She felt a pang of annoyance in her chest, trying to brush it off.
She threw her phone onto the bed, lying back against the pillows. The stinging sensation from the tattoo was still there, grounding her. She ran her fingers lightly over the bandaged area, smiling to herself. It was her own silent rebellion, a decision made entirely for herself.
As she lay there, her phone buzzed beside her. She glanced at it—Rafe's name flashed across the screen. She picked it up, feeling her heart race just a little.
"I knew I picked well, looks good." the message read, followed by a smirking emoji.
She rolled her eyes, typing back quickly, "You haven't even seen it."
Three dots appeared instantly as he typed. "Don't need to. I know it looks good. Gonna show me in person?"
She hesitated for a second, her fingers hovering over the screen. She quickly typed, "Maybe." Then tossed the phone aside again.
Margarita's heart skipped a beat at the familiar pattern of knocks on her bedroom door. She recognized it instantly—Rafe. She walked over, hesitating for just a moment before opening the door.
Rafe stood there, his usual confident smirk playing on his lips, but his blue eyes widened slightly as they landed on her ribcage. "Damn," he said, stepping inside, his gaze locked on the star inked on her skin. "You weren't kidding. That's beautiful."
"Thanks," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant while her cheeks heated up. "Just something I wanted to do for myself."
"Looks like you achieved that," he said, leaning against her dresser, arms crossed, his posture relaxed but his attention intense. "Do you want to show it off a little more?" He raised an eyebrow, and she couldn't help but smile at his playful tone.
