A Photographer's Viewpoint

A Normal Day

L U C I E L

Casper sighed in defeat and threw the remainder of her cards across the table. She slumped against the couch and stared at the ceiling with a blank look on her face. Her arms were placed on her knees that were brought up to her chest, hands dangling limply.

Meanwhile, Isabella was beaming and had a victorious smile decorating her lips. Unable to contain her excitement, she hummed a tune with occasionally letting out a laugh the more she looked at Casper.

It's a habit I've picked up on. Whenever she's in a jolly mood she tends to humm a tune. It sounded soothing, almost like a lullaby.

"Isabella, how the hell are you so good at cards?" Casper asks with genuine curiousity, her eyes still fixated on the ceiling with a frown.

"Luck" Isabella replied with a smile, gathering all the cards together and putting them back in its tiny confinement.

I couldn't help but admire her.

The innocent smile she couldn't contain, her lips curling upward revealing pearly white teeth. The corners of her eyes crinkling as she laughed at Casper's remarks, tears aligned her eyelids that would trickle down her cheeks with a blink. Her head rested in her palms and her arms on the table.

I was mesmerized as I found myself unable to stop my lips from curling up as well and finding the situation funny.

"Are you sure you never played cards before?" Casper questions, finally sitting up straight as she looked at Isabella with disbelief.

"I have, I just never found interest in it." Isabella told her with a smug look.

Casper gaze met mine with a look of betrayal, "So this was why you insisted on not playing with! You asshole!", she blared with a pointed finger and stood up straight, towering over me and Isabella that were seated crossed legs on the mat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" I said, feigning innocence and averting her heated look. At this point it looked as if steam was coming out of her ears as she pressed her lips in a thin line, stopping herself from spitting out a number of cusses. Of course, she wanted to keep up her composure in front of Isabella but was barely holding it. I only watched her with amusement as she stomped off to the kitchen while grumbling something incoherent under her breath.

My eyes fell on Isabella once more when Casper disappeared from my vision. She was fiddling with the tiny box and pinching the corners of it.

Feeling my gaze on her, Isabella turned around with a raised brow.

"What?"

"Nothing." I state, scooting closer to her and laying my head on her shoulder. The smell of her shampoo and perfume mixed well together with the scent of her bodywash. The different scents were delicate invading my nostrils.

"Casper seems a bit upset." She sighs and rested her head on mine.

"She's a sore loser, get used to it." I inform her, flashbacks of Casper throwing tantrums when not wanting to accept the fact that she lost coming to mind. Be it a bet or like now, a simple game of cards. Her pride just wouldn't allow it, not that it was annoying but was very entertaining instead.

"M'kay, I'll take your word for it."

The rest of the day was spent idly chatting and enjoying another few games of cards. Casper occasionally lost and would try to restrain herself from cussing, it worked but with each game it looked more like she was holding in a fart in public. I continued finding her expression amusing and would tease her about it, waiting for her to finally break out. She was competitive and I believe Isabella must've been too. She looked serious and was fully concentrated. Every now and then she'd look at Casper, observing her with eyes of a predator. It was funny but I held back laughing as the room was filled with tension. Finally, Isabella threw her last card on the stack and let out a laugh with her head thrown back. Casper's eyes widened as she mindlessly threw her cards on the floor.