you make me sick (for being so perfect)

Thirty Eight.

           

"Did it hurt?"

"Yes."

"No, but like," Camila stops Lauren and turns her around, looking at her girlfriend's new tattoo, "how much did it hurt? On a scale of one to ten."

"It started at a five, and then... um, it was a six and a half when he was finishing it." Lauren explains. "But- um, do you like it? I think it's really pretty. I have wanted my dragonfly tattoo for so long."

Camila looks at the intricate patterns on her girlfriend's dragonfly tattoo. "I love it. It's really beautiful and it's making you really happy, so obviously I'm going to love it."

"I think for my next tattoo I will get the number twenty seven in roman numerals." Lauren says. "Maybe on my arm. I haven't decided yet, so I will need to think about it. Thank you for coming with me today, anyway."

"Don't worry about it." Camila smiles. "I told you I'd be here. Plus, Sofi basically pushed me out of the door when I mentioned that you were getting a tattoo. It took her a while, but she said that 'Lamp' would need me."

Lauren smiles. "I would like to see her. Can we go back to your house at some point? I can show her my dragonfly tattoo. And- um, I can show your parents, too. I am excited for everyone to see it. Will you take a picture and send it to the group chat?"

"Of course," Camila nods as they get in the car, and she quickly texts their friends a picture of Lauren's tattoo before setting off. "Did it really hurt, though? Because that's basically the only reason I'd never get a tattoo."

"Well, um... I'm not sure if it hurt more for me, because of sensory differences and all that." Lauren rubs on her leg. "But it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Why? Do you want to get a tattoo one day?"

"Well, I was thinking about getting love only tattooed somewhere. Definitely in the distant future, though." Camila says. "Also maybe a bow on one of my toes. But like I said, possible pain puts me off."

"You should- um, get a piercing. Like, a cartilage one." Lauren says, and Camila frowns. "We should go now! You should get a piercing, because it's not like it's permanent or anything. I think, um- pull over for a second."

Camila does as Lauren says, and frowns when her girlfriend pushes her hair behind her ear. "You should get a helix piercing. I think that'd suit you."

Camila frowns. "I have no idea what that is, Lo."

"Oh, I have a double helix piercing," Lauren says, pointing to the two studs in the top of her left ear. "It's that. But I think you should get just one helix piercing. And it'd be really pretty, and they don't hurt much. Plus, the age limit for ear piercings is sixteen, I got my double helix piercing when I was sixteen. And my nose piercing when I was seventeen, but I don't think you'd like that, because they hurt a lot. Also you need ID, and you don't really look like you're eighteen."

Camila bites down on her bottom lip, and eventually shrugs and thinks fuck it. "Yeah, alright. Let's go to a piercing place. Right now."

Lauren blinks in surprise. "I didn't think you'd really listen to me. But I am glad you're doing it, piercings are really great, I love them. I might get my second lobe piercing while we're there, actually. That way I'll have seven piercings. And you'll have one. Mani has a double helix piercing like me, actually, but hers have rings in rather than studs. And Dinah has her second lobe done, that's what they both got done when they convinced me to get my nose pierced."

"How much does it hurt, though?" Camila asks. "Like, getting my earlobes pierced didn't hurt at all, but then sometimes I think that's just because I don't remember doing it since I was like eight when my mom took me. But cartilage? That's got to hurt more, right?"