Tattoos & Scars [1] | Jasper Hale

-05-

Alice Cullen didn't dare to return back to the salon and Joanna felt something lift of her shoulders.

  She counted the days that passed and today marked twenty days since she last saw the certain Cullen. Of course, it felt odd at first to not see her, but now she could feel herself smiling more. Her job was getting greater as the minutes, hours, and weeks passed. Her savings for college grew. She found herself choosing a new tattoo to be embedded on her neck, a small crown that belonged to a queen. It represented herself and she would get it soon.

But now, she found herself staring into the eyes of someone she didn't recognize in the town of Forks. On the list, her name was placed as Isabella Swan. Brown met gray. Two awkward girls met each other. "I'm Joanna," she said airily, shaking the teenager's hand.

Bella granted her with a smirk, shaking her hand back. "Bella. I suppose you already know that." Chuckling at her, Joanna escorted her to her station that was already upset. Beforehand, when Bella entered the building, she knew the female wasn't the type to always wanted to get dolled up. The teenager didn't even know what she was doing or what color to choose! Joanna recommended a more neutral color and so when she showed her the mocha-colored bottle, Bella instantly agreeed.

  "You know," Joanna began as she filed her nails, her eyes only trained on her job. "I don't think I've seen you around here, Bella." There's a break of silence between them before Bella speaks up.

  "Oh, I'm mostly seen with my boyfriend and his family. I don't usually go to this part of Forks, you know?" Lifting her head up, stopping her actions along the way, Joanna offers her a small nod. "I-I'm really more of a reserved person."

  "Guess I met my twin," Joanna joked, agreeing with her. Being reserved was a big factor if Joanna Hodgson. She was known for being blunt with people she didn't really know and she despised herself for letting a lot of things out to the blonde she met awhile ago. Everyone and their mothers knew how much pain she kept hidden, from her father's passing to her biological family's haunting deaths. It pained her. So, she kept a lot of things to herself; marking herself reserved.

  Small talk continued between them as Joanna finished her job. Her nails were beautiful, shining under the lights above them. Joanna smiled at the reflection that the mochoa-colored nails gave off. Bella watched her, amazed by her talent and as she pulled her hand to herself, her cheeks glowed a pink color. It was stunning. "Thank you," she whispered.

  The work she does barely takes thirty minutes, a true talent she holds.

  Suddenly, Bella asked her something that made her subtle joy drop. "I'm not sure if you're comfortable with asking, but do you know Alice Cullen?" Her lips fell downward into a frown and immediately, Bella knew her answer. "I-I'm sorry about her bugging you so much."

  "How do you know her?" Joanna asked.

  "Her brother, Edward, uh, he's my boyfriend." Bella could feel her cheeks burn with a blush before she continued. "I've known her for a few months now and she's really nice. But, with her bugging you so much and stuff, I know how that feels. In this case..." She trailed off and let a sigh escape her lips. "I know it got really annoying. She just - she just always gets these feelings about things and sometimes, she takes it too far."

Joanna started to put away her materials, "Don't apologize for her doings, Bella." She looks at a bottle for a moment, trying to let her bubbling annoyance go away. Not annoyance towards Bella, but her whole situation with the Cullens. "It's over with. I'm not sure what that tiny woman had in plan, but I pray that it's over." Bella didn't respond back and it made Joanna eager to look over. When she did, she noticed how fidgety the teenager became.