Destroying My Own World

Mykel was lying on the tattoo bed as Helen inked his right shoulder where he wanted the compass tattoo to be. He was playing with his phone and realized by the time that it was already morning, and he had been in bed for six hours straight.

"It's morning already?" Helen asked as she wiped the ink off.

"Yes, it's five in the morning," Mykel answered as he read the news articles about the situation around the world.

"Holy shit, I'm not even tired thanks to your special power. I guess I can keep on doing this forever if I have that special power," Helen said as she was almost done with the tattoo. "I don't even need sleep and can continue my day once this is over," Helen added.

"Do you want it? I can try and give it to you," Mykel asked as he looked at Helen with a serious expression.

"No thanks. I just want to be a normal human being," Helen answered as she scoffed. "By the way, what do you mean by that? Are you capable of giving humans special power? Are you God?" Helen asked jokingly as she chuckled.

"Maybe," Mykel answered.

Helen brushed it off and didn't want to think about it since she was almost done. She didn't want to waste a second of being bothered while she was working. She was someone who wasn't easily surprised by anything, and she had the same personality as Mykel's which was why she was his best friend.

"It's done," Helen said as she stretched her arms and looked at her masterpiece.

Mykel looked at his shoulder through the mirror, and he had never been dissatisfied with her work. It looked perfect on his shoulder and it even looked better than in the paper she drew.

"Do you like it?" Helen asked as she lit her cigarette.

"Have I ever regretted your artwork? This is better than I thought," Mykel answered as he kept staring at the tattoo, and it fit perfectly with the other tattoo he had on his back and right arm which made it look like it was one big tattoo. "You really put everything on it. You blend it in with the other tattoos," Mykel added.

"Of course. Who do you think I am? An amateur tattoo artist?" Helen scoffed as she puffed the smoke. "That would be five thousand bucks," Helen said as she lay down on the bed.

Mykel gave an extra five thousand to Helen, and she didn't decline it since she was low on cash thanks to fewer people having money and fewer people who were still alive.

"Are you going to leave now? I can make you a coffee if you want," Helen asked as she pointed her thumb at the door behind her.

"Sure. I have nowhere to go," Mykel answered as he grabbed his shirt.

"Don't put your shirt on yet. Let it dry for a moment," Helen said as she walked to the back room to make coffee for both of them. "Damn, it's so hot. I need to fix my aircon," Helen removed her shirt and only wore a bra as she entered the room.

They both were enjoying their coffee and when they were talking about life, suddenly someone came into the shop. They looked at Elena who was standing in front of the door, and they were all shocked when they saw each other. Elena looked at both of them shirtless, and she didn't know what to do.

"Like brother like a sister, huh? Just come on in, and don't stand there," Helen said.

"Am I bothering you two?" Elena asked with her eyebrows raised.

"This?" Helen asked as she pointed at her sweaty body and only wore a bra. "We didn't have sex, this place is just hot and your brother here just made a tattoo so he's not wearing his shirt to let it dry," Helen continued.

"You add another one?" Elena asked as she walked in and looked at Mykel. "Can I see it?" Elena added as she sat down next to Helen.

Helen glanced at Elena and Mykel back and forth, and she already knew that they were both in an awkward situation. She couldn't help but smile and chuckle as she watched Mykel show off the tattoo on his shoulder.

"That looks really nice..." Elena said.

Helen was enjoying the awkwardness, but she had to be the icebreaker.

"So, are you perhaps here to make a tattoo as well?" Helen asked Elena with her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, but I don't know what to have since I can't draw. I'm here to ask your opinion on what kind of tattoo I should get," Elena answered as she nodded her head.

"Do you like Mykel's new tattoo?" Helen asked and tilted her head at Mykel.

"Yeah, that's really cool. Especially with how it blends in with the other tattoos he has," Elena answered as she looked at the compass.

"Then do you want to have a matching tattoo like him? I honestly think it looks cool as well, and I can add extra backgrounds to make it unique even if it's the same tattoo," Helen suggested and took a sip of her coffee.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Yeah, I would love that, but that's if Mykel is okay with it," Elena answered as she nodded her head.

"Go ahead, you can use it. It would be nice if we have the same tattoo," Mykel said with a smile. "Well then, I'm going now. I need to take a shower," Mykel stood up after he drank all his coffee.

"Remember to cover the tattoo, at least for three days," Helen pointed out as she looked at Mykel.

"I know," Mykel smirked and scoffed. "Anyway, Helen. You're welcome to come and visit us, you know? If you need anything, just ask me and I'll provide everything you need," Mykel said and looked at Helen.

"With the current situation? I would rather not get involved because I just want to live a normal life. Thanks for the offer, but you didn't need my help back then, and I'm not going to ask you any now," Helen answered as she shook her head. "Just come and say hi whenever you have the time," Helen smiled at Mykel.

"Will do, but I think Elena will visit you more than me from now on," Mykel smiled back at Helen. "I'll see you later then, bye," Mykel continued.

"Bye, handsome," Helen jokingly said and it was enough to make Mykel chuckle before he left the shop.

Elena was surprised that Mykel was so laid-back when she was with Helen. She wanted the same thing between her and Mykel, but she still didn't have the guts to have a normal conversation with Mykel.

"Let's go to my office, let's do some drawing," Helen said as she emptied her glass.

Elena silently watched Helen draw the same compass but with a different background. It looked nice and she wondered if she could draw like Helen, but she couldn't ask since Helen looked so focused on the drawing.

"You can talk comfortably with me, no need to be so respectful and silently watch me draw," Helen said.

"Can I ask for your advice, Helen?" Elena asked.

"Sure! What can I do for you, beautiful?" Helen asked back as she kept drawing.

"I did something wrong, but I like it," Elena said as she rested her head on her arms that were crossed on the table. "I don't know if I should be doing that again or not," Elena continued.

Helen already knew what Elena was talking about, but she pretended like she didn't know. She didn't want to tell Elena about what she knew from Mykel and let Elena tell herself about the problem.

"Is there a reason why you shouldn't do it again?" Helen asked.

"There isn't, or at least that's what I think," Elena answered and then saw a bottle of gin on the shelf. "Should I do it again then? But the feeling of guilt is quite painful," Elena pointed out and kept staring at the gin.

"Just take it if you want to drink," Helen chuckled since she realized Elena was staring at it. "Also, guilt is something that only happens in your consciousness. As long as it doesn't harm others, why bother thinking of the guilt since guilt only harms yourself?" Helen asked as she heard Elena grab the gin.

"You think so?" Elena asked as she opened the sealed bottle of gin. "I also think that it doesn't harm anyone," Elena said as she walked out of the office and grabbed Mykel's glass.

"Then remove the feeling of that guilt if you think it's fine. There will always be people who will judge you, but why bother listening to what other people think? It's your life, so live the way you want your life to be as long as it doesn't harm the people that are close to you since it's what matter the most," Helen answered.

Elena felt comfortable talking with Helen as if she had an older sister that would support her no matter what. She then understood why Mykel was so laid-back when he was with Helen, and she felt the same thing.

"You remind me of Mykel when I first met him. You both have a lot in common, and I feel like I'm talking with Mykel from the past," Helen said as she chuckled.

"Really? Can you tell me about him since I don't know much about his past before I came here," Elena asked.

"Sure. We have all the time to talk," Helen looked at Elena and smiled gently at her.