The dragonfly tattoo artist

7

They met again at the sushi restaurant where they had their first date, at the same table, and Lauren, again, ordered for her.

Even so, even though the situation was similar, Lauren looked almost uncomfortable in that place where everyone was paying attention to her. Camila could notice it because of her low gaze and her arms crossed over her chest, in addition to her leg nervously moving from side to side.

"We can change places if you want."

"I like this place, Camz."

And, unlike the other times when Lauren had called her this way, Camila could really appreciate it.

"I like that you call me that."

"I know" She said with a smile. And it was a real smile, like that of a boy whose mother just told him that his drawing is beautiful "You also like that I touch you when you don't expect it, and my eyes. Also my boobs, but that's another issue..."

Camila immediately blushed and laughed nervously.

Lauren was right. She loved all that about her, and maybe even more.

She liked the way her lips painted with dark lipstick formed beautiful smiles. She liked her words. She liked her sense of humor, and also the way she could make her happy just by looking at her. She liked the way she appreciated the night sky, and the devotion with which she ate all kinds of food.

She liked Lauren Jauregui.

In the middle of her thoughts the waiter from the previous time took the sushi trays to the girls and retired before Lauren could tell him anything.

Camila looked at her, and that's how she realized that Lauren would not have said anything to the poor boy. Not that time.

"Sorry for not answering your texts" She apologized although she didn't have to do it. "Katherine's death has depressed me enough... Actually, I only got out of bed today because I knew it would be you who would get me tattooed, and somehow you always managed to cheer me up."

Camila didn't like to see Lauren like this. She didn't like to see her so broken.

She also didn't like to know that she cheered her up. She didn't want Lauren to need to be cheered up.

"Sorry about Katherine" She murmured with her hand across the table to caress Lauren's, who looked at that gesture in the same way that she had admired her caresses during the night of Alexa's party.

Contrary to that time, Lauren didn't walk away.

"I do too..."

And it was quiet.

"How do you feel, Lauren?" She asked with concern.

She needed to hear the answer. She needed to make sure she was okay... or at least as close to the word "fine" as you can get after you've lost a grandmother, a brother and a niece.

"With you here, I'm wonderful" She replied with a smile, and clearly she wasn't lying, "so don't be surprised if I start visiting you every day. I like feeling wonderfully alive."

Camila simply smiled with a certain shyness and looked down at her united hands, realizing at that magical moment the reason why the painter looked at that gesture with such adoration.

Her hands fit perfectly, and the fact that they did, made her feel wonderful.

"Do you want to talk about something?"

She wanted to hear her talk. She loved it. She might even have heard the weather report coming out of her lips and wouldn't have gotten bored for a single second.