'Stop there. Do this. Smile. Spread your legs just a little more. Smile, smile like you mean it!'

Working was hectic, there was no other way to put it. It might have seemed easy to someone else, but truth was it wasn't. It was tiring, long, physical, and when you never ate, the weakness was overpowering, draining even at some points. But she enjoyed it, and if she liked it, why would she stop?

Cameras flashing in a bright white room, people's eyes on her, smiling and impressed by how she looked, what couldn't she possibly love? She loved it all and hated it just the same.

'Okay! We got the shots. Go and fetch the other dress.'

Maybe this was what she hated. The dog-like attitude. For all she knew, she was one of the most beautiful woman in the world, and one of the most famous one. She wasn't a dog. No. She was a model. She was famous, they weren't. She wasn't a fucking dog. And he was the last person allowed to address to her as if.

'Can you ask again, and this time not treating me like a someone else, or like I'm the dog you're trying to train' she therefore asked with a dazzling though fake smile

'Needy,' he answered with a roll of his eyes. 'Can you please go put on the other dress… princess?'

She faked a smile at the man, fighting not to glare at him. After all he was the reason she looked like this in her pictures. But the hatred she felt towards him sometimes hit the roof. Where was the respect she needed? Did he think that because she had been modeling for a few years meant she was completely stupid?

She sighed at his remarks and with a wave of the hand, exited the room. She walked through the hallway lighted by neon lights and entered her private room, her eyes immediately falling to the stunning dress she would have the pleasure to slip into. Smiling at its sight and feeling a wave of emotion brushing her heart, she bounced towards the outfit with shimmering eyes and slipped out of the skinny jeans and pink shirt fitting her so well.

At twenty years old, everything fitted her and that, Lightning Farron knew it. Modeling since the age of eight for the notorious brand Burberry, she decided at the age of sixteen and after finishing high-school with regards, to pursue her career and to give her undivided attention. Studies could wait when you had the world at your feet.

Fully undressed, Lightning snatched the matching pair of underwear that had been placed over the dress and quickly hooked the bra and slid into the pink pair of panties, eyes immediately gazing at her own reflection in the three-feet long mirror her dressing-room possessed. Shortly after, she slipped inside the dress and gazed a longer time at her reflection, her hands pressed against her hips.

Pushing her pink-colored hair away from her eyes, she gazed at the blue intense color shimmering from them, her index finger already touching the contour of her strong jaw. Her nose was thin and small, and her lips were full, ready to be kissed. Tall and thin, Lightning considered herself to be one of the most beautiful woman, and she knew that people were thinking the exact same thing.

'Light? We're ready for you,' she heard from behind, glancing over her shoulder to look at her faithful assistant, Sasha.

'Yep, I'm ready! This is getting long, I could use a coffee after this.'

'You sister called,' Sasha said entering the room and closing the door back behind, 'she wants to know if you're still coming to dinner tonight, and Amy wants to see you soon because she wants to get fucking wasted.'

Snorting, Lightning grabbed the papers handed in her direction. Reading the words, she provided a soft and truthful smile before handing it back to the woman. She gazed a few moments inside her hazel-golden-like eyes and pushed a few flicks from her hair to observe her facial features. Sasha was a pretty girl, full of life and her shimmering eyes were always a sight for sore eyes. Her eyebrows were thin and matching the color of her burgundy colored hair attached in a strong pony-tail. Thin nose, thin lips, she was one of the prettiest girl she had ever seen.

The only problem with Sasha had been her height. Only 5'4 tall, she had never been able to model and knowing that the requested size had been 5'8, she had left her dream on the doormat but had decided to assist models in their everyday life. She had chosen Lightning, three years ago and had never let go of her. And for that, Lightning was grateful.

'You there Light?'

'Yes,' she said with a smile, 'let's go!'

Grinning to one another, both Lightning and Sasha exited the room, the sound of the never worn high-heels slamming against the tiles of the floor. She entered the same room again and noticed that the chair she had been previously sat in had been removed. She frowned for a few moments before being pulled towards the middle of the room, the makeup artist already adjusting her blush, her hair and tweaking a few things seemingly disturbing her while she gazed at her main-photographer with the same fake smile.

'Alright love, we're going to take a few photos. Smile, play with your arms and hands. Yeah?'

'Yep!'

Grinning, she waited a few more seconds before being left alone in the middle of room and immediately, she began to pose for the camera. Flashing lights here and there, wind in her hair, she suffered through another hour and a half being photographed in every possible position, her thirst quickly rising up as the heat began to intensify in the room. She held on tight, swallowing what was left of her saliva whilst Gregory Aron was taking the pictures for this month's Burberry commercials, always managing to keep on her perfect white smile.

'Alright that's all for today! You can keep everything you tried on today, compliments of Burberry.'

Nodding, Lightning looked at Sasha already waiting with a glass of water in her hands and sighed with relief as she grabbed the plastic container, gulping the entire content on the glass with her eyes to the ceiling. God it felt good so drink after more than five hours in a room.

'The car is waiting outside, in the back alley. Apparently…People are here.'

'People,' she asked with an arched brow, 'let me guess, Paparazzi's?'

'Yeah. A few dozen.'

Shaking her head with disbelief, the young model with the straight pink-colored hair made her way out of the room and back inside the dressing-room, a bag containing the outfits and underwear of the day waiting for her on the makeup table. She snatched the bag as well as her purse before exiting the room, following Sasha towards the back door of the building where a Black Maserati with tainted windows was waiting, the driver already opening the back-passenger door for her to enter.

She smiled in the driver's direction, a woman of fifty years of age with thick dark hair and green unwashed eyes nodding at her sight and waiting for her to be sat before making any kind of move.

Lightning was surrounded by women as a rule. Never having appreciated the presence of men in her surroundings, she had made it sure that the people she would be able to chose in her day-to-day life would only be consistent of woman. Going from her driver to her housemaid and to her assistant, everyone knowing where she lived were from the female gender and never would she change that.

'So, you know that tomorrow night are the Grammy awards.'

'Oh right! I completely forgot about those,' Lightning replied with a facepalm, 'I don't even have a date! This is shameful.'

'No, it's not. You said it yourself that you didn't want people to pry on your romantic-life anyway so it's great if you go alone.'

'You won't be there,' she asked with widening eyes, staring back at Sasha.

'Of course, I will. You'll be seated next to me and your agent.'

She wildly grinned at the mention of her agent, her heart suddenly racing between her lungs. To say that Lightning Farron had a crush on her agent was putting it mildly. Though not in love with her, she had always felt an attraction she had never been able to explain. Beautiful, Katherine Klark was a thirty-two-year-old woman with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. Slightly taller than herself, she enjoyed the scent of her hair lingering in the air when penetrating inside her office in Beverly Hills giving to the Pacific Ocean or the touch of her hand when their fingers were grazing. Katherine Klark was without a doubt the woman she craved for.

With a gentle squeeze on her naked knee, Lightning was brought back to reality by an amused Sasha who hadn't missed the reddening chest and cheeks, as well as an increased breathing at the thought of Katherine. But, and with elegance, Lightning pushed the subject away with a wave of her manicured hand.

'So tomorrow at…'

'You have to be there at Six for the photos. It's starts at seven and finishes at Eleven.'

'Please tell me there's alcohol there,' Lightning painfully said.

'Yes, there is.'

She sighed with relief and leaned back on the leather seat. Adjusting her red dress, she brought out a cigarette from the purse placed between her legs and under Sasha's frown, lighted the cigarette with the help of her lighter. Pulling her window slightly down, she blew the smoke away in the air and gazed at the pedestrians walking on Colorado Avenue with their loved ones, enjoying the cool weather of the month of January.

For a few moments, Lightning kept on looking at them all whilst taking drags on her cigarette, her thoughts colliding against the temples. She was happy, and the smile plastered on her face proved it. Ever since a little girl, she had wanted to be on the cover of the magazines, she had wanted to be on the buildings and on everyone's mind. She wanted to be called beautiful, smart and perky, she wanted people to notice her smile and the color of her eyes. And twenty years later, she had succeeded.

Now, Lightning was one of the most well-known models in the world and not only America. She was recognized on the streets and asked for selfies and autographs, she was followed by more than fifty-six million people on Instagram and Twitter, she was praised for her beauty…and hated for it as well.

'Can you turn the radio on please,' she asked her driver without tearing her eyes away from the window.

Hate. Some of the worst things people had told her was still trapped in the back of her brain inside a box she had created. It was hard, sometimes. She had mostly managed to get over it, never taking any insults too seriously until one day, she had read the words she had feared. I will find your family. I will find you. You will all die.

A shiver ran down her spine as the Pandora box unlocked in her brain, and sharply, Lightning closed her eyes. Feeling a hand landing on her thigh, she slowly grabbed a hold of it and gently, she intertwined their fingers together. Snapping her eyes back open again, she swallowed her tears and gazed at Sasha, the young woman wearing a worried look on her face she managed to make disappear with only her smile.

'Don't worry,' she said with a nod, 'I was just thinking about something. Where are we going by the way?'

'By the sea, Kate wanted to meet with you there,' Sasha said with a smile, Lightning's reaction not going unnoticed.

'Oh! Great!'

Clapping her hangs together after putting the cigarette off, she beamed. Her smile shone in the entire car, the two other women chuckling to themselves at such a pleased reaction. Yes, Lightning was in love with Kate but only she had never seemed to notice it.

With nothing but her purse around her elbow and her phone at her ear, Lightning exited the Maserati in front of the coffee-bar-restaurant Kate had invited her to meet her. Waiting for the conversation with her sister to be put to an end, and promising her for the fifth time that yes, she would meet her new boyfriend, Lightning had already swept the vicinity with her eagle eyes and hadn't required a long time to spot the blond-haired agent sitting a few tables across from her with a drink already in hand, and a smile on her lips.

Hanging up the phone and shoving it back inside her purse Lightning elegantly walked towards her agent, her heart pounding hard inside her chest who's usually pale color had now turned into a first shade of red only getting stronger as they both locked eyes.

Kate and Lightning had met five years ago. Still in high-school, Lightning had only agreed to a few photoshoots, not wanting to endanger her grades but had at the age of sixteen, agreed to become a full-time model. The first time she had seen Kate, her heart had immediately skipped a beat. She had been attracted to her like bees on honey, and the attraction had grown bigger the second she had turned the age of eighteen. They were friends and confidents, they were there to talk about their problems and to help each other out.

They smiled and when Kate was on her feet to greet her, Lightning caved. Blushing, she plunged inside the arms of her agent, the older woman already chuckling.

'You seem to be going alright,' Kate said pulling away to gaze at Lightning, a hand on each of her shoulders.

'I am! We finished the Burberry shots so that's a relief,' Lightning said as she sat down, legs already crossed. 'How are you Kate? What's going on?'

She had spoken so fast that even she hadn't been able to understand her own words. Taking in a deep breath under Kate's amused gaze, Lightning smiled.

'How are you,' she repeated once more.

'I'm fantastic honey. Take a look at those, and you'll see why.'

Arching a brow as Kate brought out a folder from her purse, her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the pictures that had been taken two days ago for Louis Vuitton, a bright smile already spreading on her face. Sucking the cool air in her lungs, she delicately pushed the pictures apart and felt her smile brightening even more, her eyes shining with a sense of pride and happiness.

The pictures were gorgeous, there was no other way to put it. Highlighting her facial features, the different outfits she had worn for the photoshoot perfectly fitted the curves of her body. Her long thin legs supported by different pair of shoes seemed even longer and thinner, and her breast was surprisingly popping out of the dark-blue dress she had worn. Her smile was dazzling on each of the pictures and her look was steady. Passing the next few pictures, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. There it was, the last picture printed on a fashion Magazine she had given an interview to a week prior, a picture where she was laughing with her hands in her hair.

'This is why I'm fantastic,' Kate said pointing at the cover, 'it's excellent. You're amazing on the picture and the interview you gave is spot-on. Well done Light.'

Giggling to herself, she lifted her gaze up to meet with Kate's and in silence, the two women smiled.

'What can I get you?'

'She'll have a Martini,' Kate interjected without tearing her eyes away from the woman sitting before her eyes, 'don't forget the olive.' Keeping her stare on the pink-headed girl, Kate smiled more. 'And I have something else to tell you about.'

Lightning's brows went a degree higher, observing Kate pulling out a paper from her purse. Handing out her hand to reach out for the paper, a shiver rolled down her spine as their fingers touched, the blush on her cheeks being brought back to life. She ignored the warmth spreading on her face, her attention immediately being brought to the paper, desperately trying to get rid of the tingling sensation between her legs. Idiot, stop it. Clearing her throat, she read.

Dear Miss Farron,

We have the pleasure to inform you that Fangoff has received your video and has accepted your application for the video clip of 'A little too late'. The band is thrilled to be working in your company. Your presence is required on the 30th of January in West-Hollywood…

Lifting her gaze up again, Lightning cocked her head to the side. She had no clue what any of this meant.

'Alright. Do you remember the video we shot a few months ago? When you wanted to be in a video clip?'

'Uh, vaguely yes?'

'Well I took the liberty to send it to a few bands. And this one wants you.'

'Wait…what?'

Kate laughed, and Lightning frowned. Crossing her arms on her chest, she gazed at the waited coming back their way with the Martini on a tray, one single green olive in the alcohol. Placing the glass on the table, the man immediately left the premises but gazed over her shoulder to look at the model he had recognized.

'You're going to be in a video-clip honey, that's what I'm saying,' Kate said as her cool came back, 'you'll be everywhere.'

It hit Lightning in the heart like a punch in her stomach. All the wires in her brain suddenly light on, and the realization of what it meant struck her like a dagger. She would be on television. She would have all eyes on her. She would be even more known thanks to a band she had never heard of and didn't care to hear.

'You're shitting me,' she blurted out, 'you're actually shitting me Kate.'

'I shit you not,' she quipped, 'really not honey.'

Bringing her hands on her mouth to cover her gawk, Lightning's eyes filled with tears. Tears of joy, of excitement, of pleasure she repressed by looking at the blue unclouded sky, the blue color of her eyes brightening with the rays of the sun. Kate only observed, a cigarette now dangling between her fingers. She sipped on her vodka-on-ice with a watchful eye, thrilled by her client's reaction. She was positively beaming.

'I hope you're ready because this isn't the same as modeling,' Kate warned her after a puff, 'you'll have to be physically ready.'

'How the hell am I supposed to do that,' Lightning said in all seriousness, 'I do yoga and Krav Maga but will it be enough?'

'I can always help you shape up,' Kate offered with a smirk, 'I have a few technics that might help you.'

Swallowing, Lightning crossed her legs harder. Letting the words of her agent go around her entire brain as she grabbed the olive in her Martini, she smirked in return. Placing the olive between her teeth and pulling on the plastic stick, she ate in silence as the two women both gazed at each other, lust in their eyes.

Heartbeat increasing, palm starting to sweat, Lightning gazed away as her chest began to burn. What was it with that woman? How was she capable to trigger such a strong reaction on her brain and body? To make her crave for her skin, her touch, her passion? All she knew was that looking inside her eyes was simply enough to make her knees cave, and now that she had added the flirtatious side, Lightning felt her brain exploding.

'You know where I live,' she finally answered, 'maybe after the Grammy's tomorrow?'

'Wonderful idea.'

They clicked their glasses together, and her brain caved.

Standing in front of her sister's door, Lightning could already hear a few voices coming from the garden. Female and male, she knew that more people had been invited to what she had believed to only be a simple dinner and the thought displeased her. She did not mind parties and was known to throw exceptional ones but when she was in control, she was the one deciding who could come or not. And right now, she had no idea who or what to expect behind the door.

Taking in a deep breath, she decided to wait a bit longer before stepping inside the house. Placing a cigarette between her lips, she took a few steps back from the entrance and walked towards the road with a frown, the smoke rising in the air. It wasn't long until her cellphone rang in her purse, her hand already searching for the object under her makeup, cigarettes and keys until finally she found it. Looking at the texts she had received, Lightning decided to ignore them all, simply pressing on her Instagram application. Sixty-five more followers… Wow. Six million likes. Opening wide eyes, she pressed on the photo she had pressed, her agent's smile immediately bringing one to her face.

It really was a cool picture. They had taken it before going their separate ways, the two of them holding a glass and wearing a smile. Sighing, she read a few of the comments as she turned around on her heels, the cigarette landing on the pavement.

Looking at the ground and climbing the few stairs leading her back to the house, Lightning sucked in the air between her lungs and with a hesitant hand, pressed on the doorbell ringing throughout the entire house. She listened at the voice rising in the air, the one of sister louder than anyone else's.

'Light! I'm so happy you're here,' she loudly said as she opened the door.

Chuckling, Lightning received a hug from her sister and pulled out after a few seconds. Intensively looking at Serah, Lightning could see how happy she was. Smiling, her blue eyes were bright and full of life. Her pink colored hair was attached in one single braid falling on her right shoulder, bringing out the lines of her face. She looked absolutely stunning.

'Sorry, I meant to tell you there would be more people than planned…'

'It's fine. As long as no one's ogling me like a piece of meat, I should be okay,' Lightning answered with a wink.

Penetrating inside the reasonable sized house, Lightning smiled at the furniture that hadn't changed. On her left was the same living-room, the same leather couch and a slightly bigger television, a coffee table covered with magazines spread across the glass, a dark-red rug placed beneath it. Pictures and paintings on the walls, she focused her attention on a photograph of them both and smiled at the memory.

Walking on the wooden-ground, she brought out a bottle of red wine from her purse and waved it in her sister's direction as the younger woman turned around.

'Oh thanks! Alright. Let's meet the click.'

'The click?'

'Yep! It's people from University. You'll see, they're lovely,' Serah chirped, her hand wrapping around Lightning's wrist. 'Guys this is my sister, Lightning!'

It took only a step out in the garden for Lightning to feel observed. The conversations around her ended and six pair of eyes were now locked with hers. Two boys and four girls, Lightning first wondered which of the two males had conquered her sister's heart, but as she continued to scan, she stopped breathing. One of the girls was looking at her with a smile, and that smile said everything.

Clearing her throat, she came closer to the click regrouping in one spot and without tearing her eyes away from that one woman, Lightning said 'Hiya, nice to meet you.'

'Nice to meet you too. I'm Skyler. But everyone just calls me Lebreau.'

Her voice was sensual, and her accent an indicator of her whereabouts. New-York, Lightning thought, why am I not surprised. Keeping her focus on Lebreau, she scrutinized her. Wearing nothing but a white t-shirt with the word SUCK IT written in black capital letter and a pair of dark jeans, Lightning's eyes wandered to her eyes to take in the brown color, to her lips to measure the size and finally fell on her breasts. She snickered and turned her gaze on the rest of the click.

'Light, this is Cassie, Julia, Emma, Gadot and…Snow. My boyfriend.'

'Hi,' the blond-haired man said with a small wave of the hand, 'it's lovely to meet you.'

'We'll see about that,' Lightning said back, 'we…will see.'

The gargantuan man called Gadot let out a laugh, Lebreau quickly following in his footsteps. Drawing her attention back on the brunette, Lightning gave her a charming smile and without a word, left the room to find the toilet. On her way to the bathroom, Lightning was unable to hide her smile. How she liked to please people was beyond her control, and when pretty girls were in the slot, her intentions were crystal clear.

It was no surprise to the world that Lightning had a thing for the same gender as her own. Not feeling the need to hide it, her Wikipedia Page had been clear enough to warn everyone who she had once dated, and who she had been seen with. And all of them, had been girls. Women were, in her opinion, the top of the line. Women were kind and beautiful, their skin was soft, and her breasts were a delight to hold whereas men never made her feel any kind of sexual want. She hated the touch of their hands groping on her like a pillow, she hated their smell, she hated their wandering eyes filled with promiscuity. And moreover, never had she been so bored than when she had lost her virginity, men only interested in one thing: getting it in and getting it out.

So, she had at the age of seventeen decided to make her come-out known to the world with her ex-girlfriend, with whom she had shared her life until only six months ago. They had been seen together, followed, photographed and the fact Lightning was a lesbian was simply out in the open for better or for worse because of course, idiots and haters were always waiting for her in the corner, throwing homophobic comments that had only made her laugh.

'Light? You okay?'

Realizing she had been standing for more than five minutes in the bathroom only staring at the void, Lightning unlocked the door and pulled it to the side, observing her sister's concerned gaze.

'Yes, sorry. I spaced-out for a bit. I just want to refresh myself,' she said tapping on her purse, 'but I'm all good now!'

'You don't need to refresh. I think you've made quite an impression on Lebreau, she kept mentioning you.'

'Oh,' Lightning pleasingly asked, 'and what did she say?'

'That you were beautiful and that she hoped to talk to you during the evening. So…make of that what you will,' Serah teased with a wink.

Exiting the bathroom, Lightning closely followed her younger sister down the hallway, glancing at other pictures nailed to the wall before going back to the garden, Lebreau already sauntering in her direction with two glasses of wine, one in each hand. Smirking at her sight, she silently grabbed the red wine but wondered how they had managed to get alcohol so easily. After all this was America, and for all she knew, Serah was only eighteen.

'I'm twenty-three,' Lebreau as if she had read inside her mind, 'and red wine is my favorite.'

'You have good taste,' she said taking a first sip, 'and what do you do?'

'I'm helping your sister out for her studies actually, they like to fix first years with five years.'

'So you're studying business,' Lightning asked taking a seat on a chair. Making sure her dress wouldn't how her thong, she placed the glass on the table and readjusted her outfit.

'I'm a psychology major actually.'

'That must be interesting. Psychologist or psychiatrist,' she asked with her glass back in her palm.

'Psychologist. I'm done in three weeks.'

Looking at Skyler with a smile, she brought her glass to her lips without breaking the eye-contact making her knees quiver. Gasping with pleasure, she brought her packet of cigarettes out of her purse and offered her one in silence, watching her fingers reaching out for the cigarette.

With her cigarette between her lips, Lightning was surprised when a hand holding a lighter came closer to her face, the flame burning before her eyes. She inhaled the smoke and exhaled it through her nose, her thumb landing between her teeth.

'I've got to say I was surprised that Serah was your sister. She doesn't have the same last name, does she?'

'Hm, no. I go with Farron, my father's name. She goes with Duboix, my mother's.'

'French?'

'Canadian', Lightning said, 'Toronto.' She picked up her glass again, gazing at the different people standing near the pool. 'Do you know any of them?'

'Snow yeah. He's my age.'

Opening wide eyes and letting her jaw fall on the ground, Lightning stared at Snow. Scowling in his direction, she cracked her neck and clenched her fists, puffing on her cigarette. The idea of her sister dating someone five years older than her disgusted her, and her protection instinct was suddenly hitting the roof.

'Oh, I probably shouldn't have said that, hm?'

Gazing back at Lebreau with a dark look, Lightning waved a hand in the air. 'No, it's fine. He better be careful, it's all.'

Skyler heartily laughed at the comment, and suddenly, all the anger flew off Lightning's body. She simply listened to the sound with a spark in her eyes, observing how her face changed when a smile was on. Coming here hadn't been a bad idea after all.