The dragonfly tattoo artist

1

Did it really matter that much?

Yeah, it did.

***

"Mila!" Simon greeted her on arrival. He was sitting behind the counter, his arms completely tattooed across his chest "You're on time, as usual."

"Boss" She corresponded quietly as she looked at the clock with pride. Six minutes before "Where is Troy?"

"He asked for the day off. He wanted to surprise your sister for their two-year anniversary..."

"Two years?" She was completely amazed. "I didn't realize it had been so long."

"It is also the time you have as a tattoo artist."

"You're right" She confirmed with a smile.

Of course, she had begun her apprenticeship much earlier, at the age of twelve, but she'd only obtained her license two years ago. That day she had also done her first official tattoo, which was nothing more and nothing less than the face of her older sister on the blonde's arm.

Camila smiled because it had not been easy to get there. It had taken hours of effort, money and many lies to her adoptive mother.

"Will you celebrate in any way?

Camila thought about it before she answered.

"I don't think so" She refused. "It's a day like any other, Simon."

Later she'd realize she was wrong.

***

Camila knew she knew the intimidating girl sitting elegantly in the waiting room.

She knew this not only because Simon had told her that she had requested her as a tattoo artist without even seeing the folios -something that only her clients did-but because those features of a soulless vampire and her delicate movements like those of an angel told her so.

"Her name is Lauren Jauregui and she says she'll only get tattooed by you... I know it's your free time and you should go to lunch, but you can get out when you finish her tattoo and... She's quite influential, Camila. You have to tattoo her. You don't know how much it will help the studio."

"I will" she said. When it came to tattoos, she couldn't say no, much less to her boss and instructor. Besides, she wanted to know who that woman of strange beauty was.

Minutes later, Simon had already politely led that young woman named Lauren Jauregui to her area, who thanked him without looking into his eyes. She seemed too busy appreciating the mural on Camila's wall to concentrate on anything else.

""Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." she read delicately as she took off her sunglasses. She seemed to be tasting every word she read "It's not my favorite book, but I admit the phrase has a certain charm... And Zayn's cartoon is very well done. Congratulations."

Lauren turned to look at her, perhaps to inspect her like the wall mural, and when she saw that peculiar green in her eyes she knew that she had seen her before. The point was, she didn't remember her.

"I want a dragonfly" She said suddenly while rearranging the dark beanie in her head.

<<She wants a dragonfly>> Thought to yourself with concern <<Will she want fire with it? Broken wings? What atrocities is she thinking about to get tattooed? >>>

She got a sense of déjà vu. A moment in her life was repeated, but she didn't know which one.

"Okay" She nodded with some insecurity. She was not good for sinister designs, as she possibly wanted them, but she could try. Of course, the safest thing was for her to fail and lose her job "Anything special?"