Art & Ink //Zauren?

•one

A/n
Feel free to let me know what you think.

Sleep? Pfft. She didn't want that.

Not when her brain was on overdrive and her hands worked tirelessly on the canvas in front of her. What time is it? 2am? 3? She didn't know. Didn't care. She was a night owl anyway. An image kept running through her mind and she needed to get it on the blank canvas before it left.

Paint managed to get all over her hands and just above her brow when she absently wiped her sweat. The tank top she wore clung to her damp skin. Black paint dotted her bare legs and the top of her nearly exposed breast. It helped her to paint half nude. It made her feel light and agile. If someone were watching, It'd definitely be a sight to see.

She was a work of art herself. The woman sported long, dark haired with full lip, defined features, and tempting curves that she used to her advantage. It's no surprise that some women were envious of her. Including her own sister.

She let the wooden brush fall to the tile floor. The dark paint on the bristles splattered but it was nothing she couldn't clean later.

Finally, she was finished.

It was a girl. She looked terrified and confused. Two large hands had a firm grip on the base of her neck. The work was frightening, yet intriguing. Just like the rest of her paintings. It meant nothing to her just like her other paintings. At least that's what she tried to tell herself. She knew who the scared girl was. Lauren just wasn't ready to face the reality of that yet.

The reality was that she had a dark past and she was running from it. Mentally running.

The longer she stared at the painting, the more it angered her. Making her blood boil in the worst way.

Eight hours of work went to waist within seconds. Using all her strength, she put her fist through the canvas, sending it straight to the floor. Green eyes started to water as she began tearing the thick material of the canvas on her hands and knees. The wet paint coated her hands and face in her moment of rage. 

She slept on that cold tile floor that night, not bothering to clean herself off the slightest bit. This happened almost every other night. It was her way of coping. She'd paint what she's was feeling and she'd either destroy or keep it but never look at it again. It was too painful.

The next morning, she was woken up by someone banging on the front door of her apartment. The knocking grew so loud that she couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm coming!" Lauren barked as she stood on her aching feet. A tile floor doesn't make a good bed and the knot in her neck made that obvious.

Of course it was Carlos standing behind the door.

"What is it, Carlos?" Lauren leaned against the door frame with dry paint covering most of her pale skin. Do to her lack of clothes, Carlos diverted his gaze to the ground. She was very comfortable with her body to say the least. Even with dark circles under her eyes and her raven hair in a messy ponytail, he still found her utterly attractive. Carlos stood 6 feet tall, was true to his Mexican heritage with his tan skin, and had ink black hair that reached his shoulders. The man could charm any girl out of her pants without saying a word. But not Lauren. She wasn't easy.

Carlos lived in apartment 802 right across from her.

"I got your mail again, hermosa." The man handed her the envelopes. "Up late painting again?"

His accent never failed to make her smile. Sure, he was sexy but he was only a friend. A really good one that Lauren could confide in when she needed him. That felt good.

"Of course." Lauren shuffled through the envelopes to make sure they were hers.

"I'm next door if you need anything." Carlos said. She gave him a smile and shut the door behind her.

The shower was calling her name. The black paint rinsed off her skin and out of her hair with ease. She was tempted to get herself off one good time before she had to go to work but she barley had the time.

Working at a record store wasn't something that Lauren loved but it got her bills paid. It didn't require much work at all. Stacking vinyls and organizing shelves wasn't very hard. Tina, a spunky blonde with a big personality and bank account to match, works with Lauren. They became good friends when she first got the job.

The front door chimed as Lauren walked into the record store. As usual, the beetles was playing lowly in the background.

"I can't believe my eyes. Lauren is actually here on time?" Tina gasped, faking an appalled face.

"I never thought I'd see the day." Jeff came from the back room carrying a large cardboard box.

They we're being sarcastic.

Lauren rolled her eyes, annoyed. "I overslept."

Jeff, the manager, placed the box down and started to shuffle through the labeled records.

"Same excuse, no improvement. If you weren't so damn cute, I'd fire you." He sneered. Lauren turned him down several times when she first started working there, putting a dent in his ego.

"Fuck off, Jeff." She tossed her hair over one shoulder, shooting him the bird. He smirked.

After placing her things down in the back room and smoking a quick cigarette, she started helping Tina put vinyls on display.

"Hold still." Tina directed Lauren.

She did, giving Tina the opportunity to use her thump to wipe off a dot of black paint that was still behind her ear. Lauren thanked her. Tina was well aware of Lauren's hobby. She constantly praised her about her paintings.

"Paint?" She asked.

"Yeah." Lauren nodded.

"Well, since your birthday is coming up-"

"No." She interjected. It's a known fact that Lauren does celebrate her birthday.

"It's kind of too late to say no."

Lauren sighed. "What did you do, Tina?"

"Well......" she trailed off with a slight blush. "Remember that little gallery I was telling you about? The one that showcases people's art?"

Her heart stopped. "You did not sign me up."

"This Saturday at 8pm. You could make some really good money off of those paintings."

"They aren't for sale, Tina, we've talked about this." Everything she said went in one ear and out the other.

On the inside, Lauren was terrified. She didn't want to showcase her art. They were personal. But it wouldn't hurt to share some of her masterpieces. No, she didn't even want to consider it.

"Ok, but it wouldn't hurt just to show a few of them. It's only for a few hours. Come on, L, I had to beg them to do this just for you."

"So you're going to guilt trip me?"

"Pretty much." Tina gave her a condescending grin. Tina was the only person that could talk Lauren into anything. And this is a perfect example.

"I'll think about it." Lauren returned to the vinyls, stacking them angrily.