Colors Outside the Lines

1

Camila stepped out of the bus' kitchen and made her way toward the other girls were sitting, enthralled with their phones.

She kind of wanted to annoy Dinah so she walked over and without warning dropped her whole body on Dinah's lap.

Dinah scoffed and tried to push Camila off of her, but the girl held on for dear life with her arms wrapped around the girl's neck.

"Yo Mani, tell me where on me do I have a sign that says sit on me."

"Nowhere Di." Normani answered without looking up.

"Exactly, get off me fool." With one final push, Camila fell to the floor and Dinah laughed.

"You're so mean to me." Camila pouted on the floor. "Mani can I sit on your lap?"

"Of course baby. Get your Cuban booty over here "

"At least someone here loves me." Camila mocked, sticking her tongue out Dinah, getting up and plopping on Normani's lap. Said girl immediately wrapped her arm around Camila's waist and pulled her closer, to which Camila happily accepted. She expressed her gratitude to her by enveloping her whole head in her arms and placing kisses on her cheek repeatedly.

Once Camila was sure Normani's cheeks were drenched in her kisses enough, she pulled back and settled comfortably on the girl.

Lauren made her way into the room then, finding a seat near Normani. Camila noted the way her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, allowing the back of her neck to be shown. A faint smile made its way onto her face as she took in the details of the girl's face.

Her eyes began on her widow's peak, then traveled down to her button nose, and then her chin. Since only Lauren's side profile was in view of her sight, she got a glimpse of the back of her neck. More so, half of her tattoo.

Camila's head quirked to the side as she gazed intently at half of the design she was allowed to view. A part of her wanted to tell Lauren to turn around so she see it better, but she decided against it.

That'd just be weird, she thought.

But she did want to ask Lauren something. She'd been thinking about it since she was scrolling through Instagram days ago and saw a punk edit of herself filled with tattoos. Though she'd never have that much on her body, some of the designs did peak her interest. Like, there was one that was a Mickey Mouse ear and there were also pretty cool flower designs. It actually made her think about getting a tattoo. But she was too much of a coward and had way too many questions that needed to be answered before she would even think of set foot in a tattoo parlor.

Which reminds her; Lauren.

"Hey Laur, can I ask you a question?" Camila spoke up.

Without looking up from her phone, Lauren answered, "Sure babe."

"Okay, so I've been think-- Wait. I don't want the girls to make fun of me." She got up and took Lauren's hand, bringing her to the back of the bus where their bunks were situated.

"What's up?" Lauren asked once they were alone.

Camila didn't want to beat around the bush. So to get over her nerves and get it over with, she blurted out. "I want to get a tattoo."

Lauren didn't seem surprised by her outburst. "Oh. That's great Camz, what design?"

"Wait no, I wasn't finished. I want to get a tattoo but I'm scared. And since you're the only one of us who's gotten one, I wanted to ask you some questions."

"Oh." Lauren nodded. "Well, tell me what you're scared of exactly and I'll help ease your apprehension."

Camila sighed. "Well, first, I'm scared of the pain. I mean, a needle is going to be repeatedly pressed into my skin. Then I'm scared that I'll hate it or get sick of it after a couple of days. I mean, it is forever! And I'm scared of it being ugly and me ending up on an article named, "Worst celebrity tattoos." And what if the person who does it is drunk and messes it up? Did I mention it's forever--"