x
"Painting is nothing other than an idea of incorporeal things".
Nicolas Poussin
____________________________________________________________________
9 h 00 -
With my ears ringing and headaches I get up from the sofa to splash some water on my face. Refreshing! I love this feeling of not getting much sleep, feeling like I could fall over at any moment of the day. Everything is so hard when you're exhausted, whether it's having to walk, get up, get ready, make yourself something to eat, go to work, even chat or meet people. A struggle against fatigue to live. No: to survive.
I don't consider myself part of this society system anymore. Fuck the system. I'm not a hothead or a delinquent. No, no, I just admire them, those who completely defy the barriers of our laws, living and exposing their dark sides. Them and the way they stand their ground, because deep down, they're the smart ones, the ones who understand the meaning of freedom. They look like crows, going out at night to roam the streets, doing the 400 tricks. But you know, that makes them majestic and intriguing, and nobody wants to go near them, out of fear. They're also the only birds that humans don't cage. They can be frightening, with their cries that can be heard from miles away, heralding, according to myth, bad news and curses. Yet they are entitled to complete freedom. Take a closer look at their jet-black feathers, which reflect light more brightly than other flamboyant birds. Their completely blackened eyes are captivating. Not to mention their intelligence, capable of remembering faces, paths, smells and sounds in order to get what they want.
I head for the shower, where I spend long minutes under the scalding water. I then slip on a pair of black jeans, a white T-shirt and apply a line of liner and a little mascara. I grab my leather jacket and head for the front door. The sound of my boots echoes on the wooden floor. I stomp out, slamming the door to put the neighbors in a bad mood. Hoping, why not, to wake up the one downstairs.
I go down the stairs just as a call rings out. I bury my hand in the bottom of my bag, looking for my phone. You know those "girl" bags, don't you? I had to turn the whole thing upside down before I could grab it.
I walk through the front door, my eyes darting to the screen to see who's calling at this hour, but I don't have the time, finding my nose in a torso. A sweaty one...
- Good morning, early bird I see.
Oh, no, no, no, this guy is everywhere in my path. The phone slips out of my hand and falls to the ground. I hastily pick it up, without bothering to look up or even say hello. I nonchalantly dodge him with a determined step, leaving him behind me, wobbling.
Arriving at the subway level, I take the opportunity to enter the "Morning Stars" café.
- Hi Leon. I say as I reach the cash register
- Hi! Would you like a triple espresso on the spot?
- To go, for today
- Oh, do you have an important appointment? he asks, raising an eyebrow.
- I just need a little boost, I've had a hard night and I've got to go see someone
- A hard night huh.... Okay, well, don't hesitate to come back any time, I'm not overbooked right now, as you can see. He looked at the empty cafe and a glimmer of sadness passed through him.
- Oh well, I'll add a chocolate madeleine. Have a nice day. He adds before I leave
- You too.
I take the madeleine and my cup of boiling coffee before heading for the metro. Leon is really the cliché of the nice guy, blond chestnut with little curls, light brown eyes, rather thin lips with well-aligned, white teeth. In short, a cutie. I used to live right above his cafe before I moved into the current building. We ran into each other every morning and evening. Suffice to say, he hadn't seen me under the best of auspices. I still take my pick-me-up at his place almost every day, at least when I leave the house. It's close to my place, it's quick as there aren't many people around and when I drink there, it's quiet. I don't want to hear strangers chirping first thing in the morning, it would make me want to slit someone's throat.
After several minutes on the metro, I get out and make my way through the destroyed concrete streets. It's a minefield of cracks, dogshits, vomits, dead animals and homeless people. I branch off into a tiny alley and pull out a piece of rusty sheet metal, giving way to a corridor that's far too dusty. I walk up to the only door at the end and knock three quick knocks.
- Password
- The hunter killed the rabbit. I answer without hesitation, rolling my eyes.
The door opened and I entered a huge room bathed in light streaming through the large industrial-style arched windows at least 3 meters high.
- Xiona! I've missed you. Shouts the high-pitched voice of the curly blonde who runs to me and tries to throw herself into my arms. I narrowly dodge her.
- Cassie... A pleasure, but don't jump on me when you're covered in paint!
- Oh, you're going to tell me you're paying attention to your appearance now? Come on, we've got no time to lose!
She pulls me to the center of the room, and I take off my jacket and my T-shirt, before removing everything else, finding myself naked in front of her. I climb onto the cold stone block in the middle of the room and sit down. I can feel the cold of the marble scraping the fine skin of my buttocks. It's just the first few minutes, I know the marble will soon warm up.
- Okay beautiful! She sits down in front of her canvas and starts painting, overexcited.
- How's your new place? You still haven't invited me!
- It's big and nice
- Are you talking about a guy or the flat? She start laughing, while after what she'd just said, a certain neighbor came to mind.
- Don't talk to me about neighbors! I've got an insufferable one on the third floor. I grumbled, moving my arms above my head in exasperation.
- Stop fidgeting or I'll shove my paintbrush up your chubby little ass. Listen, we've got a few hours together and it's been two months since we've seen each other, so you're going to tell me all about what's been going on lately.
- But, I...
- Shhhhh, no buts. She cuts me off with a frown, her fists poised against her hips like a little warrior.
Cassie is the daughter of my mother's best friend, and we grew up together. We're yin and yang, she's purity and innocence. I swear I hate people like that, dressed in pastel colors with their hair neatly combed and never greasy, but she's like a little sister.
She owns this space, immaculately furnished but splattered with paint. She always dreamed of becoming an artist, she wanted to be a singer, then a dancer, then a writer, then a pianist, but she finally found her calling when she first saw my paintings. At least they served a purpose to someone.
I try to help her, usually twice a month, posing for her, as she is planning to exhibit her paintings in 6 months' time at one of the city's biggest exhibitions in which a wide range of artists will be on hand to win the hearts of visitors and juries alike. With that, she can win the right to a new exhibition in an exceptional venue 2 years later on the international stage. This is a crucial moment in her career. That's why I'm here. I pose naked for her paintings, but she also does sculpture. She's due to finish a sculpture of my face this month. I don't know exactly what she wants from me, and I don't see the point of having me as a model, I don't have anything special, but if I can help her in any way, I do. Her second sculpture is the most ambitious, from what she tells me, a cherry on top of a cake but she doesn't want to talk to me about it yet. She apparently has ideas about sculpting me with a man, but I've already given her my negative opinion on that.
- So, this unbearable neighbor? She asks me with a wry smile as she continues to spread the paint on the canvas.
I start to tell her about the evening at the Yae bar when I met this dark and totally intoxicating person, the moment when I came back to my apartment completely drunk. She gave me a hard time for coming home alone at night. I tell her in detail about the moment we shared on the terrace and how I found the neighbor in my apartment just after I collapsed. Something about him gets on my nerves, maybe the way he acts, maybe his face, his look, or is this the sound of his voice? I still don't know.
- Are you kidding? Thank God he was there! Imagine if you'd fallen straight onto the corner of the table and bled to death! I'd never have recovered from the sadness you know... He doesn't look that horrible, on the contrary, I think you add negativity everywhere as soon as someone starts to get close to you. How about letting yourself go for once? Besides, if you can manage to sneak and take a photo of him, I could see if he could become your sidekick for my great art, HEHEHE. She laughed in a machiavellian tone.
- Cass, I already said no. When I say no, do I take back my words? NEVER
- Oh, come on! I'm sure I'll win the grand prize if you accept! At least think about it, okay? She begs me with her angelic pout. If it's because of the nudity, i can find another way !
- Okay. I huffed in exasperation.
After posing around chatting, particularly about her crazy love life, my body feels numb and I get dressed before taking a break in the small outdoor garden. I take the wrapped madeleine that Leon gave me and place it on the table. I notice Cassie squinting at the cake, nicely wrapped in transparent film with little purple stars on the packaging.
- Where does it come from? And since when do you carry cakes in your bag instead of mini-bottles of alcohol? She hastens to ask me, her mouth open, her gaze going from the madeleine to my face.
- It was offered to me by the manager of a café where I often go. I replied, looking at my phone, which showed a missed call from my mom. I'll call her back later.
- Free, ugh? Why? Do you have a loyalty card, or was it just cause you're pretty?
- Don't bullshit me, I just go there frequently. He must have seen my hungover little eyes and felt sorry for me.
- Yeah... probably, probably. She repeated, sticking her tongue out at me.
After another cup of coffee, she invited me to take a look at her work. I have to admit I'd never hang it in my home, there are far too many saturated colors, but it's beautifully executed. I really hope that her exhibition goes off without a hitch. It would be a shame if, after more than a year's hard work, she wasn't rewarded. So, yes, I'll certainly think about her sculpture proposal, but definitely not with my neighbor. That's a definite no!57Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwi3zE1TJxZ
