Chapiter 1

Sitting on her bed in the lotus position, her mobile phone on her bare legs, a glass of wine half full. The brunette with sky-blue eyes was scrutinizing the smallest details of the images taken during her days on the Malibu beach. Behind the glass of her glasses, straddling her little nose at the perfect cement factory, she was sparkling with joy, the absence of movement; which nevertheless said a lot about the pictures, the pictures she loved to take as much as she loved to admire.

Knowing that just seeing an image could speak to people, had the power to tell a story, especially since it could send you a message that was as subliminal as it was visible - this is what Sunshine saw as she judged her work for herself. 

But no deleted photos, all archived because: "to move forward you have to see what is holding you back". It was this, her way of seeing mistakes that cost her bad comments. But these same mistakes were pulling her up. 

In her recently acquired twenties, photography had always been second nature to the brunette; during family meals, parties, or just for fun - her camera was always in her hands. Like those famous figurines whose objects could not be removed from their hands. 

God only knows how many times she thanked him because her mother had given her this camera when she was nine years old. It was obvious that Sun' was from Australia, born and raised in a libertine way, she quickly learned how to manage money. Her mother worked as a coroner in the capital. After giving birth to her only daughter, her husband died of an overdose of cough syrup - this was the story her daughter was sadly told. 

In primary school, the brunette was a role model until the first year of high school, when she began private lessons. Her mother used to say: -It's so that she can be free, so I'll do everything I can to make my daughter never feel like she's in a box. Those years were overwhelmed by repeated hangovers. She had a lot of sex, but the most amazing thing was that she always confided in her genitor. 

The vibrations of her smartphone made her come out of her dazzle for these images which became almost narcissistic, since she was the author of all this. 

A message accompanied the recent vibrations, which said: - It's raining. As soon as she read it, Sunshine finished her drink in one go. As she was already in her underwear, she had no trouble putting on jeans and a T-shirt to get out of her room - which was not tidy enough either. 

A pair of sandals and contact lenses took the place of glasses and that was it. The young woman walked along the steps of the third level to the entrance hall, all in a magnificent sprint.  Barely out of breath, she had been soaked by the beauty of the moment, the rain was so heavy that everyone was running around desperately looking for a place to shelter. 

A tiny grin appeared on the young woman's round face. With her camera in her hand, her smartphone in the back pocket of the

    jeans, her bus pass in her jeans' right pocket and finally her earpods in her ears. He's ready to capture! Not wild pokémons, in this case if they were pictures in the rain. Something never seen before! - she thought. 

Born to survive from Zomboy launched, she started by walking under the storm growing with each step she took. The music made her lose the existence of time. Sunshine usually used to take a set of images that fell into two categories: the first was an empty nature or urban environment, with no human presence in the foreground, and the second presented one or more strangers in the foreground in very natural positions - since she took the pictures by surprise, it could only be natural.

Walking at full speed - at least as fast as her little legs could offer her, the almost empty pavements of the Malibu rus, Sunshine felt as alive as she was deceived. Standing in front of a crossroads, she took her lens and placed it in front of her eye, and captured more than a dozen photos... Thanks to the cars that were speeding along and then - in this case - splashing around in front of passers-by.

  Sunshine had taken some wonderful pictures.

After that, she took the bus to the beach. Standing in front of the open window of the vehicle; the camera lens pointing outwards ready to capture at the slightest gesture just like a sniper ready to fire.

Small children jumped into large puddles, a couple walked under an umbrella, others under bus shelters... Then an effect of movement given by the bus, which gave depth to the photos taken. 

Sunshine's life was beautiful thanks to her photos, since she had become popular on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter, her photos were more and more admired. All an artist could dream of was to have admirers for her work. And that was all the more reason to live her passion to the fullest. 

By the time he got off the bus, the rain had lost its force. The young woman had a growing hen's flesh behind the wet - or even deceived - fabrics covering her small body of one meter sixty nine . - Because of the breeze that the place offered.

    The sand, which used to be fine and dry, no longer had that warm aspect but was rather wet, almost muddy. As the dark sky gradually cleared, the last drops exploded on contact with the cold sea water.

The smell of the dampness tickled her nostrils, vaguely reminding him of many holidays at her cousins' beach and or in the mountains, they always came out anyway it rained hail. Wet clothes, muddy feet and the smell of dampness had to mark her childhood. 

Against a backdrop of pleasant memories, there again, she drew her weapon and did what she was good at.

Some time later, far from the beach. The young woman was covered with a multitude of blankets, sitting on the sofa in the heart of Honey's - a Café. 

A hot chocolate in her hand, which she savoured slowly, as they did in the advertisements. Opposite her was a young blonde woman in the same age group as Sunshine. 

— What do you think?

— I pre-- 

Cut off in her élan by the blonde who was going back and forth inside the empty Café with her hands on her hips.

— Yes, I was the one who warned about the weather, and it's obvious that you were exploring the city with your camera. But still, didn't you think to cover yourself up!? Look at you, do you really think it's normal !? she says, the blood boiling inside her. 

But for her part, Sunshine was taking her chocolate in the greatest of calms before it became lukewarm.

— I've known you for two years now and the device for which you risked having serious health problems is the one I gave you for your birthday. Are you going to make me regret it?

No answer from her hot chocolate interlocutor.

— I'M TALKING TO YOU SUN !! she shouted. With her eyes fixed on the photographer, frightened by the change in tone of the woman who was lecturing her, she understood that she had acted wrong.

But as Sunshine Grace was filled with an enormous amount of ego, with a substitute of pride, then a hint of Australian blood, there was a mixture of extreme pride. 

— This is my life after all, what do I care? she said, rolling the pupils into her eyeballs.

— Always your childish reflections. replied the blonde before sitting down on a high chair.

From then on the blonde struck a chord with the young woman, all her life she had always been treated like an adult, had also acted like one. But every time she was reminded that she was not of the mental age she claimed to be, it made her suffer terribly. That night, the brunette with azure eyes opened her mouth to let out a modest sigh beforehand, then :

— Listen Alice, just because you're just two years older than me, you don't have five cafes in California, you don't have to lecture me all the time. It's like, Miss is mature but the others are not. I liked the one who took me in her arms when I was cold, I still annoyed her, but she always wanted to spend the night with me. Where does the one who no longer greets me in the morning come from? The one who doesn't come to my room in the middle of the night? The one who doesn't call me in the middle of the day to ask me just how I am? She paused briefly before adding, don't say you're busy, because you've always been busy.

Within the two women, the feeling of distance was felt. But the one who suffered more could only be the younger one. Even though she had difficulty riding him, Sunshine was very fond of Alice and everyone knew it. In front of a deathly silence, the older one sat down next to the younger one. 

Deep inside the blonde, she felt really touched by the so little moving speech of the proud young woman - who was more or less Sunshine, who almost never spoke about her feelings and her feelings for anyone who was unknown even to the one who had been sharing her life since the brunette walked the California soil. 

— Let's go home. You need a shower and my explanations, on the way I'll prepare my dissertation, my ladie. 

Alice wasn't going to explain herself.

Knowing that even in these situations she was able to get a little smile out of her, made her very happy. While the rain was coming down, Alice was driving across town in a sublime black Mercedes, alongside Sunshine who had been sulking since they left. Desperately trying to calm the tension that reigned supreme in the vehicle, she brought out the heavy weapon... Taking an interest in the brunette.

— What's up? What's the outcome of your exhibition this weekend? 

The questioned woman put herself in a comfortable position to start her arrogant speech. Because yes, talking about her was an important subject.

— It's going to happen in L.A., but it's over there. I had been given the theme "Hollywood", which is why I spent last week in the offices of the biggest studios. I've done enough portraits, especially of groups. Some overviews, some relationships that will be revealed. Um... A bit of everything - I'll say. The two hundred and ten photos were sent yesterday for printing. I'll come by to see the decorator and the place of the vernissage this Thursday.

There was a brief discussion between the two young women, shortly after a long silence that extended into the living room. The brunette went into the shower, while the blonde started cooking in a warm environment. On leaving the bathroom Sun dressed in a large sweater that stopped right in the middle of her depilated thighs. 

Almost inhumanly slow, she sat down on the long wooden stool in the kitchen in front of the pots and pans on the stove, the phone in hand, the young woman spent her time on her favourite social network: Twitter. Now that Alice had been replaced in the shower, Sunshine got up from her stool, leaned against the balcony wall so that her buttocks were positioned provocatively, as she had only a pair of immaculate blue pants. The naughty one.

The living room was in total darkness, no light. Not even that of the girls' telephone screens. While the brunette was thinking about her photos, the blonde had slumped down on the kitchen floor, back against the refrigerator - she was pouring out an alcoholic red liquid wondering how she had got there. At what point had she been caught up in an infernal whirlwind of madness with someone younger than her and especially with a girl. Something unthinkable. Even though it had taken a long time, her father accepted the relationship, and so did she.

Since she was very young, Alice had learned to fend for herself, when her mother's death came two days after the blondie's fifth birthday. It only took her father six months to get back on track. This sudden relationship in no way disturbed the young woman's childhood mind, only the distance that had been created between her and her father. The poor man cried every night as he watched her daughter believing she was asleep. As a result, she was forced to confide in herself. 

Despite all this, good upbringing soon became a habit in her life. Such an upright life that was just waiting to be turned upside down. After she went to university in New York - her hometown. One day she was coming home from class and a constant face was staring at her on the ground floor of her building. 

Days went by and their crusades became commonplace. One day, when the blonde was coming out late from her management classes, the soft, warm lips of a brunette with blue eyes warmed her outside in a December covered with a layer of immaculate white snow. Impossibly, the elder let it happen, without even knowing such a tiny detail of the girl's life, except that she looked younger.

Even after spending nights in Alice's car, nobody knew anything about each other. After that, the young blonde decided to invite this mysterious stranger who kept sending her to seventh heaven. 

Still sitting in her corner, the blonde shed tears as she thought about their past - when there was no work. After such a moving moment, she went to her room and laid her sad-heavy body on a bed. Shortly afterwards, Sunshine erupted into the dark room. Finding the body of the woman who lived with her had never been easier. On all fours above Alice - she was standing. As if by reflex, the blonde put her hands around the brunette's neck and then their lips met. 

A tasty, melancholy and intense mixture reaped from this kiss, the caresses of the younger one were so sweet. The latter left her elder's lips to sow a line of kisses up to her navel, after removing her sweater. The kisses, as sweet as they were, filled the young blonde's body with many shivers.

Kissing her with her fingertips lifted Sun's face from her body, so that with her hands she could embrace her elder. Instead of going further.

Outside the rain was pouring down, the blonde - with her head resting on the brunette's chest. The younger one hugged the older one. In their entire relationship - complicated as it was, Alice had never been in such a weak position, she had been taught to rely on herself, to hide and shed tears. Above all, she had learned from experience not to be weak in front of Sunshine.

 This time she was in the arms of the one who had taken her heart. What could she do in such a tight situation? As her eyelids grew heavier, she was dozing pleasantly, without complaining about anything. As amazing as the situation was, the young women both had a smile on their faces - softened by the moment.

*****

With heavy eyelids, like her whole body, Sunshine stood up. Even removing the blonde on top of her. At four o'clock in the morning the sun hadn't fully risen, but she -si. On the bedside table sat a half-finished packet of cigarettes, she pulled out a tobacco stick and slowly slipped it into her mouth, leaving the place where she had slept. Dragging her steps, she still reached the kitchen where the lighter was waiting patiently on the worktop. Then she burned the end of the stick before inhaling very hard and exhaling to spit the smoke out of her mouth. This has been Sunshine's morning cycle since she was eighteen years old.

— Always early. Said a familiar, masculine voice from the living room.

The brunette searched and found the voice of the eyes: a specimen of the evil type, in her pants with a bowl of cereal in hand, sitting in the sofa. 

— Where were you?  

It wasn't to be her wet blanket, she just liked to be in control of her loved ones. To find out when to walk away before paying the price for sadness.

— Things to do...

— What time did you get home?

— I'd say thirty minutes ago at the most. He says without looking away from the TV.

There was no reaction from the girl, she had resolved to smoke quietly until the young man decided to break the silence that had settled between them.

— When I came, you looked so peaceful and at peace. I almost, I say almost felt too much in this house.

No word escaped the speaker's attention.

But that said, seeing you standing there smoking your cigarette to avoid any sentimental discussions about your feelings shows how much you have this fear, this fear of opening up so as not to be vulnerable. He paused to take another spoonful of cereal, I always thought that the one among us who protected herself the most was Alice but with hindsight it is clear that we know nothing about your feelings. You hide them by showing us your affection and when it affects you, you move away so you don't get too attached. But you did get attached, but between her and me I don't know who stole your heart. The latter breathed a long sigh before continuing, but who am I to tell you all this? I'm just a simple photographer, as mademoiselle is so used to saying.

The words were heavy, full of meaning and reeking of truth that no longer hid behind a neutral mask. In spite of all the efforts made by the young woman, her work was reduced to ashes by this heap of words assembled in a staggering order. She crossed the living room to find herself on the balcony while the sun offered its first rays, a ball full of anguish and regret had formed in the belly of the brunette. 

To put up with all this, she took a deep breath and then spit out all the smoke through her nose, because she couldn't shed any tears. She had never been taught to cry in front of the people who had stolen her heart.