It's funny isn't it, how the ending can feel just like the beginning.

Rosa Diaz's life was utterly dull. Sure, she was a tattoo artist and had had some interesting requests in her working time but that counted for nothing. Within her life, Rosa worked, ate, drank and slept. She had absolutely nothing going for her.

It was a morning like no other when the oh so annoying sound of the woman's alarm rung through the otherwise silent apartment. Rosa rolled over, with a groan, and aimlessly smacked around her bedside table until she eventually was able to shut off the noise.

Sighing, she pushed her self upright and rubbed her permanently rundown eyes. Nothing about the woman screamed bright or happy and if she was honest, she couldn't even look in the mirror without feeling sad. Part of her felt guilty to her younger self for fucking up the future she had always dreamed of. She remembers so vividly the scrapbook she made of her "perfect life". Pages and pages of cut outs from magazines and bullet points in fancy gel pens. Little Rosa was set on a tall, muscular husband with whom she would have two beautiful baby girls, her wedding dress would be covered in lace with a mile long train and her little family would live in a two story house with a back garden for the kids. She was prepared and had her life planned out at every single corner. Twelve year old Diaz was prepped for anything.

Well, almost anything. Unfortunately there wasn't a page in her book that explained what she would do if she realised she was queer. What she was meant to do after her family disowned at her the very thought of her loving another woman. No husband, no kids, no perfect white wedding. Rosa was alone. After all she dreamed of, hoped for, she had failed herself.

Now, she stood, post shower, staring at herself in the semi-fogged mirror. A tear ran down her cheek at the sight of her dull, pale skin, skin that wasn't meant to be pale. Dark circles lined her eyes as if she hadn't slept for weeks. Rosa poked and prodded at her face before wiping her eyes and reaching for her makeup bag. Somethings things were hide-able with a little makeup. Hide-able, not fixable.

-

So far, her morning had gone just like the rest. She'd lathered her face in makeup and threw on her signature black jeans and leather jacket, covering the countless amount of tattoos littering her toned arms. That was one thing about Rosa, she may be worn down and fragile but she wasn't without muscle. Toned arms, legs, abs, she had the whole lot, the one thing she could actually keep on top of. It made her feel slightly better about herself knowing she puts the effort in for own body image.

She stared at the clock on the wall impatiently. Rosa had been stood in this coffee queue for what felt like hours. What was taking so long? She was going to be late for work. And before she could even reach the front to order, someone barged in-front of her and took her place. Rosa let out an annoyed huff before tapping the awfully rude woman on her shoulder, ready to throw a string of abuse at her without hesitation.

But to her dismay, when the woman turned around, she completely lost her train of thought. All logic flew out the window. The woman in question was at least three inches shorter than Rosa and looked up at with rather innocent eyes which had a hint of smugness to them. Crystal blue eyes, Rosa made a mental note of it.

She hadn't seen anything quite like it before. This ignorant woman had thick, perfectly curled auburn locks which fell so satisfyingly just below her collar bone. Her face shone in a radiant glow which normally would have angered Rosa but instead made her want to caress her cheek. Rosa Diaz was thinking about caressing a random woman's cheek. What the fuck was wrong with her.

Her train of thought was cut off when the woman spoke:

"What are you staring at weirdo?" Even her voice was perfect.

"Nothing," Rosa replied bleakly.

"Why'd you tap me?" The red head looked annoyed at the abrupt interruption.

"You, urm, you pushed infront of me."

"And?" This woman really had no interest in anything Rosa has to say and that much was clear.

"It was rude," Rosa sounded shy. For the first time in her life she was almost nervous to be around someone.

"Mkay," The smaller woman stated simply before picking her coffee up and making her way to the door, making sure to shove Rosa out of the way as she did so. Rosa rolled her eyes and stepped forward to place her order.

As she waited, she thought about that woman. She shouldn't have even given it a second thought. This was New York, people were rude all the time. But for some reason, Rosa was intrigued by this particular person. She wanted to know more, see more.

-

"Parker if you knock me with that fucking box one more time, i swear to god!" Rosa snapped at her co-worker who was busy moving deliveries into the back room. It had been four hours since Rosa's odd interaction that morning and she was now leant over her tattoo bed, scrolling through twitter, charger hanging out of her phone.

"You are quite in the way, Ro." Ethan piped up from across the room. She just shot them an annoyed look.

Parker and Ethan got on Rosa's nerves sometimes but they had been her closest friends for years. After Ethan got kicked out of their house for coming out as non-binary and Rosa went through a similar thing, they decided to set up the shop. Both were of artistic talents and decided to dedicate that into a tattoo parlour, which doubled as a flat until they earned enough to get places of their own.

Parker had been one of their first customers and they never quite got rid of him. After his first visit to the parlour, Parker fell in love with the place. Well, more like he fell for Rosa. He immediately got the hots for her but who could blame him? He spent most of his days bringing her coffee and soon learning she didn't drink it so switched to herbal tea and a blueberry muffin. She found it sweet for awhile and decided to give him a chance. It never quite worked out and they pretty much stuck to just boning down when either of them needed it. And it wasn't long before Ethan hired Parker just to get back at Rosa for whatever she had done this time. Probably ate his last mars bar, she enjoyed doing that.

"Shut up," She turned back to her phone in her best efforts to block the both of them out.

"What's wrong with you this morning?" Parker said as her re-entered the room and perched at the end of Rosa's bed.

"Nothing." There was, and Rosa knew it, absolute no way they were going to believe her after that. Her tone was full of irritation and she knew her friends could sense it.

"Oh be quiet! You've been tetchy all morning!" Ethan said kicking his feet up.

"They're right," Parker agreed. "You were even in a mood when that blonde chick asked for an arse tattoo. You love inking the cheeks!"

Rosa picked up the first thing in arms length, a stapler, and lobbed it at his head. He just threw it back but she was quicker than him, dodging his aim completely.

"Come onnnn, tell us!" Ethan whined like a child. "We've got fifteen minutes left on our break."

"A woman pushed in front of me in the café this morning."

"Are you taking the piss?" Parker stared at her. She just shook her head. "You're being a bitch because someone pushed infront of you?"

"Pretty much," Rosa said.

"Sometimes i really do not understand you," Ethan said and walked over to where the two were sitting. "So what was special about her? People push in lines everyday."

"I don't know," Rosa shrugged. "Can't stop thinking about her though."

"Was she fit?"

"Ethan!" Parker wacked their arm.

"What?! Genuine question!"

"Yeah. Kinda." Rosa thought about it. "Yes she was. She was a few inches smaller than me, red hair, bright blue eyes and quite a big nose."

"What and you find big noses attractive now?" Ethan said. Rosa just smirked.

"Ew. Ro! That's gross." Parker grimaced.

"Hey hey hey," she put her hands up in mock surrender. "I said nothing. It's not my fault you've got a dirty mind."

"No judgment here. Everyone has their weird little things." Ethan patted her shoulder. "My brother once had a girlfriend with one eye."

"My cousin's wife has one leg," Rosa stated blankly. They both looked at her.

"Really?.. Wait you have a cousin?" Parker was honestly offended he didn't know about this detail of her life.

"Yeah. Callie. She lives near here actually. She moved over from seattle when she got divorced and then her ex wife chased after her and they got remarried or some shit i don't know."

"Huh. So are you all gay in your family?" She didn't seem to like that comment very much.

"Open your mouth again and i'll cut your tongue off. I mean it, Parks."