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"i cant. valerie, seriously-."
"you will be fine."
"no.. you go first."
"oh my- fine."
i laid down sideways on the table in the freezers, and took a deep breathe. currently, victoria and i were getting our tattoos. we both agreed that the word 'always' was what we wanted, it was simple and applied to our friendship. when we were younger, we promised each other, even if we stop being friends, we won't stop talking to each other.. completely. that way we'll always be with each other. so i was getting mine on my side, easier to hide it from my mom and.. probably maddy. and vic was getting hers on her wrist, surprisingly, since if her mom saw it she would be grounded for a lifetime, what it's her choice.
i watched ashtray walked closer, gloves on and a tattoo gun in one of his hands. the second he placed one of his hands on my waist, the 'brave' act i had, dropped. "okay- wait."
he rolled his eyes, but took the tattoo gun back, and stood there waiting. i turned to victoria, "promise me you'll do it."
she bit her lip, before rolling her eyes with a sigh. "i promise."
i nodded, and took another deep breathe, before giving ashtray a thumbs up, as a sign he could start.
"ight.. lemme know if you want me to stop." he said, before bringing the tattoo gun to my side.
"okay." i mumbled, biting my lip as hard as i could, with my eyes tightly shut.
once i felt it go in my skin, i relaxed a little, relieved it didn't hurt as bad i thought it would. "okay.. it's not that bad." i said, more letting victoria know.
"bullshit, look at how hard your gripping the table." victoria said, making me roll my eyes.
"okay, but it's not that bad." i repeated, and she just responded with a "mhm."
i laid there in silence, not wanting to mess ashtray up. every once in awhile he would pause and ask if i was alright, and id respond with a quick "yeah." and he'd start again. and finally, he finished. "ight, you're done."
i sat up, stretched, and then looked at it through the mirror ashtray held. "it's good.. i guess." i spoke sarcastically, making ashtray roll his eyes. "nah, i did that shit good." he chuckled, and then victoria sat down, laying her wrist down.
he looked at her for permission to start, and she took a deep breathe before giving him a nod. "alright, don't move or it'll be yo fault i fucked up."
i leaned against the wall watching ashtray start, the sound of victoria's deep breathe and the tattoo gun feeling the room. once he pressed it into her skin, she winced, and he flinched. "don't fucking do that!" he shook his head, and she quickly replied with, "it hurts?!" while i laughed behind them.
eventually though, she relaxed and he finished about thirty to forty-five minutes later.
victoria turned her arm, looking at her wrist, and nodded with a smile. "thanks." and ashtray nodded, already putting his tattoo things away.
i pulled out the fifty dollars from my back pocket, and held it between my fingers in front of ashtray, but she shook his head. "nah, it's alright." but after making him do tattoos for almost two hours, no way was i not giving him money. "shut up, here." i tired handing it to him again, but he wouldn't take it for nothing.
i rolled my eyes, "fine." and walked over to the table he always sat behind, picking up my phone, and slipped the fifty dollars under his phone that laid next to mine.
somehow, even while watching me, he didn't notice. so i smiled to myself, and started to head for the freezer door. "thank you, ashtray.. bye!" i gave him a wave, and opened the door for victoria, letting her walk out first after she said bye to ashtray.
"yeah, bye." he said, and with that i walked out.
———
we walked into victoria's house, her tattooed arm held behind her back. as we walked through the living room, trying to miss her mom and was just about to run up the stairs, her mom called out to us. "hey! victoria?!"
victoria turned to me, giving me a look of fear and panic, before taking a dee breathe and slowing stepping down the stairs with me following behind her. "yeah, mom?"
"is valerie with you?" her mom yelled from whatever room she was in.
"yep!" victoria yelled back, and then we heard footsteps, making victoria turn to me again. i knew if her mom saw it, i would automatically take the blame for it, even if victoria tried saying something else.
"hey, did y'all have fun?" her mom smiled at us, now standing directly in front of us. before we left, we had lied and said we were meeting some of our 'cheer friends' at the park.
"yeah." i answered first, knowing victoria would tell on us just by talking.
"that's good, what did y'all do?" she asked, looking at victoria.
"just hung out." victoria nodded, and i let out a breathe of relief.
vic's mom stood for a moment, before nodding. "okay." and gave victoria and i, a side hug before walking off to where she was before.
"jesus fucking christ! how am i supposed to hide this from her.. forever?!" vic whisper shouted.
"just say it's fake!" i whispered back.
"yeah, cause that will totally work.. you saw how she looked at me?! she knows." she shook her head, and i knew she was just panicking.
"no she doesn't, you're fine, vic." i patted her back, and my phone buzzed.
ashtray :) ashtray you're not slick i'm giving you your money back at school
i chuckled, before sending him a text back, and then walking in victoria's room after her.
AUTHORS NOTES: sorry y'all i've been kinda busy, and going through some things mentally. also i start school monday 🙄 it's online, but still. anywayyyyy i'll try to update more, if i have ideas
