Closure

Olivia was standing outside the apartment door, thirty minutes early. Pacing back and forth, not quiet sure why she was nervous. Today she wore a light blue tank top, Samie's ripped tights that she had yet to return, black flats, her still drying, damp hair in up in a black bandanna since according to Lexus Blue bandanna were a no. She had her tote bag scrap hanging across her.

"You're out awfully early" Zola said walking out her apartment door

"Yeah" Olivia replied lamely

"I was going to pick up some breakfast and come back, but since you're, here you can come with me" Zola smiled then walked towards the parking lot. Olivia followed behind. Getting in Zola's car and driving to the nearest krispy Kreme

"This is breakfast?" Olivia questioned as she held the assorted dozen doughnuts on her lap.

"Uh, yes." Zola chuckled pulling in to a plaza "Here we are" She announced gesturing to the sign that said InkShop

"How long have you had your shop here?" Olivia asked

"nine months"

"Hows business going for you?"

"Pretty good actually. Almost surprised, I just moved here after I opened up" she explained unlocking the InkShop doors and flicking on light switches. The decor was most red, white, and black, with a 50's retro look/feel to the place. The red and white titles were a nice contras to the black leather chairs and metal stations. The walls were bright red on top but boarded with white at the bottom.

"Nice shop" Olivia complimented genuinely impressed

"Alright, so before they get here-"

"Who gets here?"

"My other employees"

"Are they all tattoo artist?"

"Of course, besides Aaron. He's the receptionist. Well, he likes to be called a Secretary"

"OK then"

"So this is my station" Zola walked to the farthest back station "And there's my office if you need me" she pointed to a door close by "Over there is were we make stencils"

"What is in the metal case?" Olivia asked

"Everything necessary to tattoo" Zola took out her bundle of keys until locking one of the drawers. She sat down on a wheeled stool "Pull up a chair" She ordered Olivia did so "This is how you set up a station properly..."

"Did I do this right?" Olivia looked up from the station she attempted to set up three times with failure. The first time she didn't even put on gloves. Second try consisted of knocking over nearly everything, third time was when she choose the wrong needles.

"No, almost this time though" Zola stood behind Olivia monitoring her new apprentice in training.

"What did I miss?"

"You didn't wrap up the green soap and you forgot the coloring machine. You put two lining ones up" Zola noted. Olivia sighed, slouching in her wheeled stool "Don't get discouraged, it's just your first hour on the job. You still needa learn how to tear down a station too"

"ZOLAAA! I have arrived" announced a loud high pitch masculine voice with a southern drawl to it. What followed that voice was something Olivia had not prepared herself for. Sashaying towards them, a tall dark and...beautiful androgynous creature came in a pair of sparkling red six inch heels "Oh, hello" He waved at Olivia

"Aaron this is Oli, the apprentice in training"

"Uh Zolie, I told you I want to be called Aro now" Aaron whined then pouted.

"Fine Aro, it's probably going to be something different by next week"

"Probably" Aaron agreed, shrugging "Well, it's always nice to have another lady around here" He regarded Olivia. If staring up to Zola wasn't already a challenge, Aaron was another. The guy was a tower "Donuts!" he squealed at the sight of the box then picked up a jelly filled donut.

"How many appointments do we have today?" Zola asked her 'secretary'

"Well, el el el lul," Aaron singed sauntering over to the front desk and setting a book on the counter flipping through it with one hand and holding jelly filled delight in the other between his French manicured nails "Ah, today is busy! Marco has two, Polo has one"

"Marco and Polo?"

"They're bothers, not their real names of course. Marcus and Paul" Zola explained

"Sircie has one, Ty isn't coming in today and you have three" Aaron finished.

"Wow, that's the most business we've ever had" Zola said

"Here comes Sircie" Aaron warned looking through the shop window, then sitting behind the desk. "Mornin' Sircie" he greeted as a woman walked through the door triggering the bell. She had pale blond hair that almost blend in with her pale white skin. It was a nice contrast to her colorful tattoos. She wore big sunglasses and big floppy hat. She had barely returned Aaron's greeting with half wave that could possibly be misinterpreted as a disregarding gesture. Her heels clicked loudly against the tile floor and went straight to her station unlocking her metal case drawers

"Sircie," Zola called, the artist glanced over, raising a brow. "Come meet Oli, the newest part of our crew" Olivia would've sworn she saw Sircie roll her eyes behind her shades. Sircie took off her hat. She might as well have sighed and groaned the entire moment she walked over. Her expression was just as bad.

"So you hired another tattoo artist? This won't effect my paycheck will it?"

"No, and no. Oli here is my apprentice in training" Zola smiled

"Hello" Olivia greeted, Sircie removed her sunglasses. Her iris' were a pale pink color. Aaron was the type of person you don't see everyday. Sircie was the kind of person you never see. Olivia reaction was probably obvious and expected.

"No they're not contacts. I'm albino" she shrugged then walked back and tended to her station. Olivia looked over to Zola for advice

"Try setting up again" Zola encouraged.

"Good morning people" a man addressed coming in through a back door holding a motorcycle helmet.

"Marcus! I told you not come through that back door anymore. You keep leaving it opened or unlocked

"Told him so" A guy almost identical to Marcus said coming in the front door. He upward nodded recognizing Aaron who smiled and looked back down to her appointment book "'Sup Aro"

"Nuthin" Aaron's voice became higher, if that was even possible.

"You told me nothing!" Marcus denied setting his helmet on top of his case

"Did too, jerk"

"Na-uh, bitch"

"Boys, it's to early in the fucking morning to be bickering!" Sircie growled

"Oh I'm sorry. You're probably hungover like every other morning, eh Sirce?" Marcus scoffed in a condescending manner.

"Look, this isn't the way to behave in front of a consumer. It's not professional. We're all.." Paul started to speak then paused and glared at Sircie "Professionals here. Marcus?" Paul turned to his brother. Marcus. didn't reply, he just grumbled as he unlocked his drawers

"She started it" Marcus muttered, Paul rolled his eyes then gave Olivia a sympathetic smiled. Obviously mistaking her for a consumer

"Is it normally like this?" Olivia whispered to Zola not to be over heard by the others

"Yes, I'm afraid sometimes"

"Wow" was all she say

"You set up everything correctly this time"

"I did? I did! Finally." Olivia asking and answering her own question.

"Do me a favor. Introduce yourself to Marco and Polo" Olivia furrowed her brow at the request. After the scene that just transpired in front of her these weren't the most approachable people consider a brawl nearly broke out just because someone forgot to lock a door. "Go on" Zola pushed Olivia rolly stool sending skidding noisily across the tile. She got up and decided to visit Paul first. He seemed a bit nicer than his brother.

"Hello" Olivia lamely attempted conversation

"Hello to you" Paul half smiled and lowered his eyes.

"Polo, right?" Olivia checked

"That's me" he grinned

"I'm Oli, the new apprentice" Olivia offered a hand, Paul shook it.

"Oh really? So this is your first day and you had to see that. Sorry" He apologized still holding Olivia's hand in a not so handshake position anymore. He took his other hand placed it on her arm. Olivia's eyes glanced over to front desk were Aaron was watching but when he and Olivia made eye contact he looked back down to his book.

"Yeah, um..." Olivia eyes met Sircie's pink who was also curiously watching, unlike Aaron, she didn't look away but Olivia did "It's alright" she shrugged avoiding eye contact with Paul who was going in to negative cool points every second he had his hands on her

"Brother," Marcus slapped Paul on the back " I see we're making friends here"

"We're? I was making a friend"

"I'm just introducing myself" Olivia interrupted "I'm the new apprentice.." there wasn't anything else for her to say. She wasn't going to offer her hand to Marcus, there was no knowing what he'd do" so she walked away back to Zola

"Sorry if this isn't what you'd expected on your first day" Zola apologized

"Doesn't matter"

"Yes it does. Maybe we can try again tomorrow it might be better"

Without protest, Olivia headed back home. Zola offered to take her but she refused and just called Stina to pick her up.

One hell of a first day as a tattoo apprentice.

~x*X*x~
Author's Note

Just showing the dynamics of the shop and such. Dont worry this story will NOT loose sight of it being about Ronnie & Oli's relationship.

chapter 11 is almost done!

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^{Sincerely yours,} _{Blacklisted Me.}