Burlesque

SIX

They leave today, I wake up after their plane would have left. Andy would have left back to America, back to his girlfriend. Back to his life and I'll still be here. Doing the same thing every day.

A few months pass, I had taken up a daytime job as well. Now I am a burlesque dancer by night and a tattoo artist by day. And surprise surprise, I haven't heard a word from Andy. CC I have, we text each other every now and then. It's December now, cold in London. So I wake up, feeling frozen. Somehow I had rolled out of my duvet and since I was sleeping in nothing but my underwear and a bralet my skin is chilled. I run into the bathroom and heat up in the shower before I step out, wrapping myself in my robe before making a coffee and getting ready for my day. For the tattoo gig I dress in all black, leather pants, bralet and leather jacket. For makeup I keep it the same as always, nude toned Browns and rusty red eyes with blood red lipstick and mad contouring. This job suits me well and the pay isn't too bad either. Today my first client is a guy who wants an extremely detailed image of his girlfriend as an angel on his bicep. Do I think it's a good choice? Not exactly. Do I think it's a sweet gesture? Definitely. Do I think it'll take long? All day. It'll take all day. He wants it done in one shot, by one artist. That's what I love about this job, there is so much creativity and bad decisions it's hilarious. I begin drawing up a sketch for him, the sketch in itself takes me an hour so I tell him to go have a coffee or something and come back later. He does and blessed be his soul, brings me back a latte. Thankfully he is satisfied with the design I drew up so I don't have to do another one and we get started. Halfway through the day and halfway through the tattoo Rosie, my fellow tattoo artist here and newly acquired friend calls to me from the back room
"Rain!"
She addresses me by my middle name, I'm thinking of just being addressed by that in all situations. It's easier than November.
"Yeah Rose?"
I call back to her.
"You've got a call on your cell, a few missed ones too. Someone is desperate to contact you. It hasn't stopped ringing for five minutes."
I nod
"Alright, bring it here and put it on speaker for me. The rest of you shut the hell up."
The whole parlour laughs but do as I ask. I answer
"Rain here- speak to me."
There's a pause but a deep voice comes through the line
"November?"
I lift the tattoo gun from my clients skin
"Andy?"
I can hear a grin in his voice
"Yeah."
I go back to work while saying
"You sure took your time calling asshole."
"I know. But I think I know how I can make it up to you. What's that noise in the back ground though?"
I shrug
"I'm at work, tattoo guns."
"You're a tattoo artist now. Nice."
I agree
"Indeed. Now, how do you think you will so easily make it up to me?"
He sounds smug
"How would you like to come stay with me in LA for a bit."
I pause my tattooing again. Before cautiously replying
"Why?"
He chuckles
"Because we miss you silly. And Juliet really wants to meet you. Plus I'm keeping my promise."
That line takes me back to that night, back to a promise I casted aside so easily under the impression he would too. But here he is keeping it. I sigh
"Andy, it's not that simple. I can't just up and leave. I've got to save money, take time off work, buy plane tickets and  accomodation-"
"November," he cuts me off with a chuckle "just tell me yes or no and I'll make it happen. Do you want to or not?"
I can't help but smile
"Andy... Of course I want to."
I can hear the grin in his voice
"Great, your plane ticket will be coming in the mail any day now. Be packed by the twenty second of this month. Talk again soon, bye Angel."
I roll my eyes
"Bye Biersack."

"Aren't you lucky."
I look up at my client, his huge tat is almost done now.
I smile
"Yeah, I guess I am."
He indicates to my phone
"That your boyfriend?"
That pulls at my heart somehow, I ignore that and laugh it off
"No no. Just a friend."
He winks
"So you're single."
I narrow my eyes at him with a knowing smile. I know he's joking around with me. We laugh together and I begin focusing again. Soon after I'm done with the tattoo and locking up the store with Rosie who is babbling excitedly about that call. She knows everything about me and Andy, she also has this absurd idea that we belong together and we both have feelings for each other but I don't get any of it. I need to stop thinking about it though and focus on getting home and having a shower and getting to my night job on time. Thankfully, I do get there on time and perform without issues. Little did I realise that I would be receiving the plane ticket the next day and be leaving three days later.