ode to life | cameron dallas

Chapter 25

The last four years was the time period in Ariel's life when she truly discovered who she was. Meeting with Cameron in Beverly Hills led her to notice that she had depended her entire happiness on somebody else's. The thought was frightening and caused her to think rationally. She accepted the fact that she had to cut all connections to Cameron, no matter how difficult or painful.

Around that same time of realization, her medical school required a three year unpaid internship at a hospital of their choice, in order for all the students to graduate the spring of 2027. The school encouraged their students to not only seclude themselves to Denver alone, but to travel and expand their doctoral experience.

Jesse chose a hospital in New Mexico, considering that his family resided there. Ariel chose a whole different country, and decided on Canada. The famous Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.

The two decided to discontinue their relationship solely because of the different routes they chose for their internship. Though the internship was temporary, Ariel still felt the need to stay single at the time, to focus on herself and her goals.

Within the three years of staying at Toronto, she still needed to find a job to pay off her tuition and rent in Denver. It didn't take long for a famous locally owned tattoo parlor to instantly hire Ariel after seeing her marvelous work.

However, in 2022, the owner of the parlor was sent to a hospice after reaching stage four in pancreatic cancer. Before he passed, he gave Ariel the whole tattoo shop to own all to herself. He told her that talent that miraculous was meant to be in charge.

So it was year 2025, and Ariel had owned her very own tattoo parlor in the heart of Toronto. Also, it was her final year of internship which meant that in just two more years, she would graduate from Medical school and finally become the Children's doctor she aspired to be. She was tackling one dream, while finishing another.

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Toronto, July 2025

"I don't want somebody else, I want fuckin' Ariel!" The large, bulky middle aged woman demanded at one of the employees of the shop. "She's given every tattoo on my body for the past two years and I trust the woman." There were about three other people getting tatted at the parlor by different employees, and four more waiting for their turn.

"I'm sorry ma'am, Ariel's on lunch break. But many of our employees, including myself, have been properly trained for years."

"Did I ask you if you or any of the other employees were trained? Listen lady, I don't give a flying fu--"

Suddenly the doors of the parlor swung open. Ariel entered the shop with a wide smile and lunch on one hand.

Everyone in the shop were all familiar with Ariel. They greeted her with waves and smiles as she returned them all gracefully. Ariel was well known and liked in Toronto. Her famous skills and reputation spread her respect and street cred widely.

"Linda!" Ariel exclaimed approaching the bulky woman. She was her favorite customer, always requesting the most creative tattoos that had the deepest meanings attached. Plus, she was a very generous tipper. The employee Linda was speaking to quickly scurried off to help the next customer.

"Ariel!" Linda beamed. Her voice was deep and man-like as she opened her arms for a bear hug.

"We're finally finishing up your back?"

Linda nodded her head, and with a wide smile she added, "I was just telling your worker over there how I refuse to trust any other human who is not Ariel Vi to ink me."