“Lo~La~!” The high pitched, singsong voice of my friend pierces through the buzzing of tattoo machines as the bell to the front door rings. I look up from cleaning my station with a grin on my face as Keely tosses her bubblegum pink hair and sheds her coat, revealing an almost-too-short skirt and sweater that dips into a very deep v neck. “Hiii,” She hurries towards me after tossing the coat onto the couch in the waiting area and throws her arms around me. 

She’s a foot shorter than me, and her face always ends up smushed in my tits with her arms wrapped around my waist when she hugs me. “Hey, Keels,” I chuckle as she backs up. She’s as perky as usual with a smile that never quite reaches her eyes. I catch a faint whiff of perfume which leads me to believe she just came from rehearsal at the theater or a date. 

“Lola. Ohmigosh,” She exclaims, looking up at me through heavily mascaraed eyelashes, “It’s like, almost your birthday! How are we celebrating this year?” she asks.

I haven’t put much thought into it. “I dunno,” I say casually with a shrug, “I was thinking something lowkey and chill. Maybe dinner with… Lane and her– their–…his parents or something.” I hesitate on Lanie’s new name gender since they’re not out to anyone but me and Mell yet. I’m closer to Lanie’s parents than my own mother due to the fact that my mother is a crazy person who still introduces me to people as her ‘baby boy’, and refers to me by my dead name.

“Boring,” Keely pouts, slapping me gently on the arm, “We should like, throw you a party! I’m sure Triple B would let us use the VIP section of the bar for the night. All I gotta do is shake my ass a little and pout at Jackke and xe’s like putty in my hands.”

I snort a laugh. “Jackke is in a committed relationship these days, isn’t xe?” I ask, taking off my gloves and taking a seat at my stool. 

Keely hops up onto the tattoo bed. “Aubrey doesn’t mind Jackke seeing other people casually as long as it’s not Clay,” She says dismissively, waving her hand. 

I shake my head. “I can afford to pay for the VIP section, Keely,” I laugh, “You leave those lovebirds alone.”

“So we can have the party?” Keely asks, perking up with a grin. 

I think about it for a moment. Part of me can’t help but feel like this is more for Keely’s benefit than my own but at the same time I haven’t really had the chance to unwind properly recently. I’ve been booked up at the shop which is great for my bank but bad for my social life. “Sure,” I finally say with a shrug, “Why not? I could use some fun.”

“Yay!” Keely claps and swings her legs from the tattoo bed. 

“On one condition,” I say sharply. Keely deflates slightly. “No getting blackout drunk. I like you when you’re sober, but I do not like you when you’re throwing up on my shoes and pissing yourself in public. I know you’ll do what you want to do despite my wishes but if I see that starting, the party is over and either myself or Jackke will be taking you home to your brother.”

Keely puffs out her cheeks. “I haven’t been doing that recently, you know that,” She says quietly and bitterly, “I’ve been keeping it cute.” She twists a lock of her hair with a perfectly manicured nail. 

I sigh. I’d be lying if I told myself playing mother to all my basket case friends wasn’t exhausting and fulfilled me in life. I love Lanie and Keely, but I’m always having to look after them in some way or another. Lanie is an emotional wreck 90% of the time with her anxiety and Keely has been getting out of hand with her rowdiness and partying recently and I end up cleaning up a lot of her messes. It doesn’t allow me to let loose on my own time very often and things are hardly ever about me, just about everyone else. Sometimes I would like to be the center of attention. Luckily if we throw the party at Triple B, Clay and Jackke will be there to keep an eye on Keely in case she gets too wild.

“You have like, any time for a walk-in, by the way?” Keely asks me with a cheeky grin, “I want lips on my ass.”

“I’ll tattoo lips to your ass another time,,” I say bluntly. “I’m just finished up here so I’ll take you home.”

“Fiiiiiine,” Keely says in a long, drawn out sigh.