Three Is A Crowd

Chapter 54: Poison In Our Veins

Lauren

It all still feel like a dream. Surreal. Unreal. Is it the alcohol? The wind whipping against my body does a good job in sobering me up as I aimlessly drive Harley, with Camila still clinging to me like a koala -- which, I am not averse to.

Did Camila really do that? Stand up against her mother, made me feel that I was important to her, left her own party -- left Prawn crackers -- and chose to be with me? Well, not with me with me, but like we physically left her house together, and now I feel like I've been thrown in a David Lynch movie -- like a mix of Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive, but make it a fluffy musical. Does that even make sense? Fuck, am I too drunk to even be thinking?

I slow down when I feel Camila tugging my jacket. She points to our right, and I see More Than Tat, a tattoo parlor that I haven't been to yet. Stopping Harley, I turn to look at her, a little confused.

"Let's get a tattoo, Lo!"

"What?" Yep, we're totally in an absurd surrealist film right now.

"Matching tattoos!" Camila giggles. She clambers down Harley, takes off her helmet, and bounces on her feet like a kid who's been told she'll be getting a bajillion scoops of ice cream. "But I'm not bringing my wallet, so maybe loan me for now?" She frowns, as she bites her lower lip in an anxious manner.

I look at the door behind her, it says Closed already, but the lights are still on, and I see two guys inside.

"Why don't we wait until tomorrow, Camz? We can go to my artist."

She scrunches up her nose (so fucking cute I could eat her up) and scoffs. "You said I should be more spontaneous, Lauren. What are you afraid of? Let's do it now!"

I couldn't help but smile. I have never imagined there will come a time that Camila will be the one telling me to be more spontaneous, like bitch when did I become such a boring grandma? The way she's looking at me right now, with her eyebrow quirked as if daring me, and her lips turned into a fucking smirk, it kind of feels like we have swapped personalities. Jesus. Who is she?

I shake my head, chuckling as I remove my helmet and turn off the engine. She claps excitedly before offering her hand for me to take, like a freaking gentleman assisting a dainty Victorian woman. I am melting, but I will never tell her that. Fuck.

We walk towards More Than Tat, neon signs all over the facade. I knocked.

A good-looking, tattooed guy with a buzz cut cracks the door open, a blare of loud rock music blasting out -- which makes Camila wince beside me.

The guy gruffly says, "We're closed."

"Wait," I put my hand against the door, just before he's able to close it, "I'll pay double your rate... just for a tiny cutesy tattoo?"

The guy is silent for a few seconds, okay, so he's considering it. Just a little push.

"C'mon, man... It's my girl's birthday...are we gonna break her heart today?"

Camila lets out a little gasp, but I didn't look at her as I'm focused on winning this negotiation with the guy. So I crank up the Jauregui charm, as much as I'm able to without cringing, but it seems that all he wants is The Cabello Appeal.

The guy shamelessly leers at Camila, who seems to be regretting wearing that outfit at that moment, the way she's shifting uncomfortably and looking self-conscious as she tries to fiddle at her clothing, probably wishing her entire stomach isn't exposed right now.

He licks his lips as he stares her up and down, and for a quick second I had a strong urge to sucker punch his fuckboy face straight to the infinite void, but he's like really buff-looking, so instead, I sling my arm across Camila's shoulders, and pull her towards me. That means stay away from my girl if that's not clear enough.