Chapter One
1479 Words
Chapter One
(Paris and the gallery)
A bright day in the beautiful city of Paris.
The city of love, the bustling streets and beautiful sceneries…
Anais Dupree takes center stage, the way she sees the world, like a snapshot of fleeting moments that almost everyone missed…
She saw everything in a different perspective, she learnt to enjoy every minute life offers because she sees it as a gift
Her sense of purpose and free spiritedness was one of the many reasons why she loved photography, Capturing the unseen the unspoken capturing the things people couldn’t say but felt anyway.
But today was different, she wasn’t behind a lens taking pictures just anywhere, today she was standing in one of Paris’s most elite art galleries
She got an anonymous invite to an exhibition from a fan that loved her photos
As she walked in she recalled what her best friend Annabel had told her “Act like you belong”
She smirked when she thought of how stepping in would feel like “You got this Anais” she said steadying herself
She walked into the art gallery showing her invitation to the bodyguard at the walkway…
She entered the exhibition hall taking a view of the place
Mostly Rich folks making bids for art paintings and taking photos too
“Might as well get started” she said carrying her fujifilm camera out of her bag
She started taking pictures while moving around and embedding the scenery of the place in her mind
“This place , these exhibits so beautiful “
As she continued taking pictures and making some videos, she stops in front of a painting one that stirs up something in her it looked very gloomy and conflicted like one trying to show existentialism
But it had bright colors to it .
“quite the contrast “ she said, this feels hollow in a way kind of forced it’s as if the painter wants to hide sadness with happiness… I mean it’s pretty decent I just don’t really feel it’s original (muttering to herself).
She said all this without realizing “Alexis” was near.
Alexis spoke “calmly” but curious “And I assume you know exactly what this piece is supposed to be, tell me something, how did you assume the artist was sad? Is it because you’re sad ?
Anais turns around only to find a tall, striking young man watching her, it was “Alexis Chalantier” dressed in rather simple clothes rather than the dime and dazzle of a regular billionaire…. He had this aura that felt different , like he was detached from his surroundings.
His expression was unreadable but there was something in his gaze in the way he looked at her
Like he was measuring her reaction…
Anais doesn’t initially realize that he was the artist, she thought he was some Rich critic…
“I’m not sad, I’m just being real, and that’s something I don’t see in this art and with the saying art reflects the artist, this person doesn’t seem all that true to his or herself either…” She spoke with conviction and without fear, she spoke with intelligence.
“Oh Wow” he said, how nice of you to just decide this is how a person is by just looking at a mere painting and you talk like everything you say is final
You talk like some soldier… Should we just agree with you now? Just because that’s your perspective?
Anais stands her ground “Well Monsieur, I didn’t mean it in a bad way the painting itself is impressive and that’s a fact, but it feels like whoever painted it is scared of something and it’s evident in the painting itself”
Alexis (scuffs) “ Ha! Afraid? He said before tightening his jaw….
They go back and forth, she stumbles for words but she stays honest
“ Yes, Like they’re holding back I mean there’s emotion in the strokes, but it’s like they don’t trust themselves to completely let go..
Alexis smirks looking at his painting as she continued talking, then he says “ Interesting Analysis, I wonder what the artist would think of this”
He spoke with no humor
Then it dawned on her
Oh no!
She just casually critiqued Alexis Chalantier’s own painting to his face
The first impressions are already now set
Anais was embarrassed, but she refuses to apologize…
“I do not owe you any apologies”
I was only speaking truthfully ""hmm !” She folded her hands together looking away…
Alexis watched her for a moment then turns away uninterested “Well next time, maybe you should think before you speak especially about things you don’t fully understand”
He looks at her camera “As I see you are not a painter, you’re just a photographer, so don’t think you know everything”
Anais glares at his arrogance, “What a jerk” she said
She walks away from the painting and Alexis…
Something about his reaction lingered in her mind
“Why was he so offended I mean artist have critiques all the time, if he can take one especially an honest one he shouldn’t paint” she said faintly just like she was muttering to herself…
It looked like she struck a chord as she leaves the scene the thoughts still linger…
Anais heads back into the beautiful bustling city of Paris, taking some nature shots on her way to her apartment…
She told herself to shrug off those lingering thoughts of her encounter with Alexis
“Oh c’mon Anais, don’t think about him! He’s just so darn arrogant, You won’t ever see him again so that’s none of your business”
(At least that’s what she thought)
She gets to the house, dropping her bag on the silk sofa… She’s welcomed by the scent of her mothers cooking which immediately pulls her out of her thoughts…
“Hey Mrs Dupree (she said jokingly as she walked into the kitchen to meet her mother) What's for dinner? She said as she hugged her mom from behind…
Anais’s mother “Claire Dupree” a beautiful woman in her mid 40’s with shoulder length blonde hair and warm welcoming eyes that has seen a lot but never lost kindness
Her style is eye-catching, a subtle touch of French elegance, she’s nurturing yet independent, instilling in her daughter Anais the value of self confidence and independence…
She smiles as she feels her daughter’s arms wrapped around her
“ Oh Anais” she said “looks like you had quite a great day today tell me about it ohh and yes I’m making beef bourguigon”
Anais smiled letting her mum go then picking up an apple from the kitchen table
“ It went pretty well mum, I had a memorable time
Although I had an encounter with an arrogant rich brat, I handled it tho so no need to worry “
Mrs Dupree smiled and said “ what do you mean you handled it “ Anais… (she said sternly)
Anais (smirked) Come on mum trust me I didn’t disrespect anyone I handled things like an adult!
Mrs Dupree smiled while removing her cooking pan from fire “You just turned 18 last month and now you’re already handling things like an adult baby? “
They shared a laugh
Fade to
Final scene
The acceptance letter
Anais later notices an envelope on the marble table in their contemporary living room
Her family was doing well for themselves but they were nowhere near being “billionaires”
But they were okay with their lives regardless
The envelope was buried beneath some stack of mails
“Mom, What’s this? She asked picking it up..
Claire Dupree turns a with knowing smile on her lips
“Open it and see”
Anais heart races as she reads the sender's name
“Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts”
It was the prestigious Art school she had dreamed of attending
Her whole demeanor changed, she was so happy and delighted that her fingers started to tremble as she tears it open, Her eyes scanned across the page she isn’t even reading through she’s just looking for that big word and then she finally sees it
“Congratulations”
She laughs gripping the letter tighter
“Mama I got in “
Claire’s smile widens “ yes you did baby”
Anais stares at the letter, this was her dream
This was her goal ever since she started taking pictures, but why did it suddenly feel kind of terrifying.
Her fujifilmstax camera clicks on the table as if capturing a special moment, though no one is taking a picture
Because deep down she knows her Whole life is about to change….
And for the first time she wasn’t sure if she was ready
- Writer
