« There is a flower everywhere for anyone who wants to see it » - Matisse

I look up at the building. I clutch my suitcases in my hands, no regrets I'm told. I almost forget about the estate agent who's extolling the virtues of the area, the town and the flat. He'd do anything for me to take the flat anyway, just another cheap charlatan who thinks he's Dolly Lenz. The building is old, with ivy as far as the eye can see, but I have to admit it's charming, even if it must be crawling with insects and spiders in there. I suppress my shivers of disgust and find myself the only person likely to help me in this hostile environment. Well, help is a big word. We climb the stairs to the second-floor flat. I'm alone in my rage at the man who lets me carry my suitcases up at arm's length, even though the 8-hour journey has drained all my energy. What a jerk! Transpirante et énervée, je visite l'appartement repéré sur internet grâce à mes talents de recherche : vive les sites d'agences en ligne.

To my great relief, everything is as it appears on the ad: furnished, spacious for one person if you consider that the person is not The Rock. One bedroom, one bathroom and a living area with an open kitchen. I'm pretty convinced and pleasantly surprised that I wasn't taken in on the goods.

« Will you take it? » the man asks me eagerly.

I sigh and look at him. He's a small man in his forties with a balding head. He may be a metre 20, but the vulture look in his eyes makes you want to run before you're attacked. His face is drawn, a sign that he hasn't slept for days or simply that he's had some surgery that went wrong.

« If you give me just one smile, however forced, I'll probably take it. If you don't, I'll have to send you packing for this waste of time and go to your competitor to buy the same flat. But he'll smile at me, » I reply.

His face goes so pale that I almost want to turn round to check he hasn't spotted a ghost behind me. He stares at me for a long time, probably trying to judge the truth from the falsehood of my words, before stretching his lips into a smile that could scare the Joker himself. It's not too bad, I can only settle for this poor smile that isn't really a smile at all.

« That's better, thank you, » I said, smiling back at him. « I'll take it, but please stop the plastic surgery. »

The bead of sweat on his forehead has disappeared, and he hands me the keys without responding to my joke. Damn, I missed my chance to make my first friend in this town.

The truth is, he had nothing to be afraid of, I've already signed a contract in a hurry without even checking it. I should stop thinking we live in a Care Bears world but it doesn't matter. With a bit of luck, he'll help the next young woman to pack her bags.

***

Moving in didn't take long, with just two suitcases and some furniture already there, I just unpacked everything. I have to admit that the flat still looks empty and lifeless, missing lights, decorations, picture frames and a few cuddly toys. Still, I took the time to have another look around, analysing a few things I'd missed before buying anything.

Patience isn't something I'm good at, so I decided to take a walk around town to explore my new surroundings a bit, but also to find supermarkets, bookshops, decoration shops and, above all, soft toys. It was enough to start a new life worthy of the name but also to provide a minimum for my needs. Because I don't recommend life without toilet paper.

The advantage of the flat is its proximity to the city centre: just a 5-minute walk away, you'll find yourself in the middle of cafés and parks, with the humans who call these places home.

The town is the largest in the surrounding area, which was a factor when it came to choosing accommodation. It's small compared to Paris, but it's still decent, with enough to meet every need, no matter how silly. I'd seen on the internet that the city was quite famous for its unusual places and breathtaking landscapes, activities galore but also its incredible coastline which attracts more and more wealthy people. If it's raining rich people on the city, it's a strange contrast to the students in the centre.

There aren't any reputable universities in the surrounding area, but that doesn't stop students from all over the world coming here. In any case, university isn't for me. A little job will be more than enough for me.

I wander the streets like a tourist, stopping every now and then to look at the beautiful shop windows that make me want to buy everything. I know that the lack of money is not a myth, so my first objective will be to make do with what's necessary and also to find a job.

At least, that's what reasonable Eden keeps telling herself. But the totally irresponsible Eden starts drooling in front of a huge plush toy a metre long that looks roughly like a shark.

My subconscious is telling me not to crack, but my conscious is screaming at me to shut up. Oops.

***

I decided to stop my stroll at a little cafe, my new shark in hand, to perhaps ask for some advice on finding a job in the city. Because jobs are hard to come by, and I don't like running. I'll do anything to earn a bit of money, as long as my nudity is respected.

When I walk in, the smell of coffee is so strong that you'd have to have a hell of a cold to say that they don't sell coffee. A lot of regulars are sitting around, talking to each other in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

I take a seat by a bay window overlooking the street, knowing that the old lady behind the counter has seen me come in. I don't forget to put my shark on the chair opposite for company, which earns me a few amused glances.

The place is very bright, with hundreds of small lights falling from the ceiling. When lit, they must make the place magical. There are shelves full of novels, magazines and newspapers on either side of the café. I clearly think I've just found my new favourite place.

***

I spend an hour wasting my time drinking coffee with Rocky - the shark - and a novel I've borrowed from a shelf. I looked for a French novel but didn't see any. So I settled on an English classic to kill time. It's only when I decide to go to the counter to pay the old lady that I notice a notice looking for an employee. I almost laugh at the woman because the hand-drawn poster looks so much like a drawing given to me by my 4-year-old cousin, but I hold back so as not to offend the old lady.

« You seem interested, little lady. » the woman remarks as I stare at the advert for a moment.

« Yes, I suppose it's to work here? The pencil sketch of the coffee put me on the right track. » I whisper to her in confidence.

« Where do you want it to be? Seeing an old person like me, with no employees, in a café, you have to suspect something. »

« You don't look that old to me, though » I declare. « You know, youth is in the mind. The younger you think you are, the younger you look! »

The old lady bursts out laughing, knowing full well that she looks very old. It takes her a while to recover from her emotions and dry the tears beading in the corners of her eyes. If I kill an old lady for laughing out loud on my first day, I'm not sure I'll ever recover...

« You, » she said in her husky voice, « I like you. Come round tomorrow if you need a job, I'll do an interview just to see what you've got. And without your shark please, it's very cute but if you don't want to be the centre of conversations as soon as you arrive... »

Surprised, I thanked her by paying and left the pretty café, with the hope of a job already found.