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     'Ｗｏａｈ. All of these are make-ups?' Sunshine asked in amusement while spinning around her body to lingered her eyes everywhere inside the shop.
Truthfully, this is the first she stepped inside the makeup store, Bella might be saying the truth, she was like Patrick star, hiding under the rock all those times of her life.

'Close your mouth Babe and yes. Everything here are going to help you change your life.' Bella answered, laughing lowly at how she reacted. She was like a kid in a playhouse. Her eyes couldn't even accommodate the massive space of the room, there are a lot of different stuffs scattered everywhere but, in an organized and intricate manner— like a piece of art in a national museum.

Sales lady and even salesman are also walking back and forth, assisting the customers or just waiting for someone to ask their guidance especially for first comer like her who doesn't have a single idea what and how to use each and every product. Customers were also trying some testers, they're all looking sure of the things they were putting on their faces unlike Sunshine who are like a lost kid at the jungle.

'Come on Babe. Let's look for the basic first.' Bella held her right hand and dragged her across the room with huge transparent glass. Inside, there were a variety of makeups and the fluorescent above the cabinet are lighting it up, giving it an ethereal glow— it's like a precious gem in a cave.

'It looks expensive.' She reluctantly said. Even though that was her first time actually going inside the shop, Sunshine has a feeling that all the products are pricey, something that she can only afford if she work her ass off 24/7 and that's what she had been doing for the past 2 years so, in short— she can't afford even a single piece of it.

'Yeah. It's quite costly, something that will rob off your trust fund but, no worries they also give discount.' Bella replied nonchalantly like it wasn't a big deal if they're going to spend a penny worth their grocery for a month for an object that you will put on your face and likely just remove it later on. Yeah. No big deal.

'Good morning Ma'am. How may I assist you? Are you looking for a foundation?' A girl with blonde hair and beautiful face came greeting them with a pleasing smile on her face. Sunshine looked at the saleslady in awe because the makeup on her face were perfectly put on. It's flawless and like those models in a magazine.

'Actually we wanted to try the compact powder since my friend here doesn't really need such coverage.' Bella chimed in, smiling brightly at the blonde girl while Sunshine still gaping at the saleslady like a lunatic.

'Babe. I said cover your mouth.' Bella whispered besides her. She immediately closed her mouth and adjusted her eyeglass.

'Wow. How did you do that?' She asked out of nowhere. Sunshine doesn't even know the words were already spewing out of her mouth. Bella and the blonde looked at her weirdly like she had grown two heads or something.

'Hmm... Lot of practice? I mostly watched tutorials and makeup videos on Youtube and I think it helps lot. You should try watching too Ma'am especially if you're using make up for the first time.' The gal responded politely. When her eyes raked the posture and the clothes of the saleslady, Sunshine can't help but to feel insecure because of how well the girl carry herself with such class and confident poise.

She made a quick glanced at herself on the cabinet where she can see her reflection, it's just a plain, childlike girl with a messy hair and a big round glasses staring at her. Whatever. Tomorrow, she'll be going to change her style.

'So do you wanna try using it? I'll help you.' Bella asked after a while. Skimming her hands on the testers. Sunshine just pouted her lower lip and nodded her head. Eyes are wandering to her surroundings while searching for something recognizable. Nothing. She felt dizzy all of a sudden.

It's such a difficult challenge, probably a level before you face the boss. She weirdly thought to herself.

'Come over here Babe. Let me try this on you and let's see if it matches with your skin tone.' Sunshine stepped toward Bella and stood beside her. Waiting for her next move.

Her best friend used different products; brushing here and there, tapping something on her face, she was like a canvas being painted on. She just closed her eyes the entire time and wait for Bella to finish staining her face.

Sunshine felt funny, it was like her face suddenly weigh a ton and it started to feel itchy. She wanted to scratch her cheeks but, every time she rose her hands to touched it, Bella reprimanded her by slapping it away. After an excruciating moment, Bella were finally done.

'Open your eyes lady bug. I'm such a pro.' Commented, Bella with her smug voice before she pulled her hair out of its braids and let it cascaded on her back.

Sunshine slowly opened her heavy eyelids. Her best friend and the blonde were staring at her with both a satisfied expression. So what now?

'Here Ma'am. See for yourself.' The sales lady guided her toward the mirror with light bulbs at every side of it, blinding her with its overused of electricity. Sunshine moved her face close to the mirror to have a crystal view.

Is that it? Why is her face looked blurred and dismantled? Sunshine's face almost kissing the mirror by how much she pressed herself onto it.

'Hey hey. Geez. Here, you're not wearing your eyeglass. Maybe we should buy a contact lens too.' Sunshine's mouth formed an 'O' shaped when the realization dawned on her after Bella pulled her away from the poor object she smothered subconsciously.

She put the eyeglass and blink her eyes to adjust her eyesight before looking on the mirror again.

Now, gazing at her is a girl with a gaping mouth, a round like saucer eyes and a face that are unidentifiable. Who's that girl?

Her eyes were bigger and bolder because of a smokey shade of colors on her eyelids, her cheekbone became high and prominent, nose smaller and lips became plumper and fuller.

'Damn girl. This is what I have been looking for. Well, if only you aren't wearing your eyeglass. But, all in all, I rate it 10.' Bella said conceitedly, eyeing her body up and down even though the only changes were on her face.

The blonde girl just gave her a tight-lipped smile and thumbs up— agreeing for what was Bella had said.

Sunshine's chocolate colored eyes glanced again on the mirror once more before furrowing her brows. It's not her. She only wanted to cover her bags not her entire face. Regardless of her displeasure, Sunshine just gave her best friend an appreciative smile.

For an hour or so, they stayed inside the shop, waltzing around like they were just dancing a salsa, well mostly Bella dragging here and there. She can't complain as the gal were so persistent of bringing her to every corner of the room, including those who were supposed to be off-limits for customers.

Sunshine didn't really remember half the time she was inside cause her mind meandered somewhere else.

'Let's eat first cause I'm fucking starving. Then let's buy your contact lens. Where do you wanna go?' Bella asked, they are walking now at the middle of the mall with people lounging around everywhere.

Luckily, Bella was the one that paid most of the products due to her reasons that, if Sunshine don't like using it or decided to stop pretending to be a clown, then Bella can have it. Of course, Sunshine didn't mutter a single word of complaint since it was in her favor. Asides from she doesn't have enough money or allowance, Sunshine also agreed on Bella's statement.

Sooner or later those makeups will just be put away somewhere in her room where the lights don't shine.

'I'm craving for some Japanese foods.' Sunshine replied.

'Hmm. . . Actually me too.' They both padded the crowded center area of the mall toward to who knows where their foot bring them.

Sunshine just mostly followed Bella since she's the one that led them to their destination. She finds it hard to walked in a overpopulated confinement wherein, all her eyes can see were the heads of the shoppers considering she's only 5'4 ft. height— not too small for her age nor tall but, she wanted to grow at least two inches more. Unfortunately, she stopped growing.

'What are those?' Bella suddenly asked. Sunshine looked at her then followed her line of vision.

On the right side of the mall were seems like they conducted an exhibit or something. There are backdrops posted on every corner like a box but, one wall was missing so, people can look into what's inside it.

'Let's check that out.' Before she could even react, Sunshine was already been dragged by her best friend to where the people are crowding. She wanted to protest since whatever it is that was being exhibits doesn't really have a significant in her life. Well, since Bella is a hard-headed gal, Sunshine is a hundred percent sure that Bella won't let her protests.

'Bella. What are we gonna do there?' She asked, walking sluggishly and putting a weigh on her foot just to slow down their pace. Yes, she doesn't want to mutter a single word of objection but, her stomach says otherwise. It's begging for her to be feed as their breakfast from earlier wasn't enough.

'Hush. I think they're having some sales or something.' Bella replied excitedly. She just rolled her eyes and let the girl do whatever the heck it is that will satiate her keenness.

Sunshine bumped and tripped on her own foot a couple of times, she can't even count using her hands how many times she had apologized to someone because they were squeezing between the gaps of the jammed space.

What the hell is happening anyway? Its like Black Friday or something.

When Bella came to a halt, she immediately pried her wrist off to her best friend's tight hold and rotate it to free the sprained muscles.

'Oh.' Sunshine's head perked up when she heard Bella mumbled beside her. Her voice suddenly became disappointed while looking at the front with an uninterested face. Now what the hell is her problem? 

Sunshine tilted her head to the side and roamed it everywhere. Canvases with different paintings are what were being displayed. Every masterpiece is inside a glass frame— a protection from all those grabby hands of bystanders.

Why would the management of the mall conducted an art exhibit?

Bella once again balled her hand on Sunshine's wrist and about to drag her again like a ragged doll but, she stopped. Sunshine keep her foot rooted on her spot. Bella looked over her shoulder and gave her a quizzical expression.

'Let's go babe. It's just an art exhibit.'

She shook her head, unable to find the words to answer her best friend. Why is she not moving anyway? Just earlier she was so against of going and gossiping about what was happening at this side of the mall but now, Sunshine wanted to stay a bit longer especially because, her disgruntled eyes a while ago caught something that pulled her toward it like a string or a magnet was being attached to her.

She subconsciously steps her foot forward. Ignoring the waking voice of Bella— all her eyes can see is the painting inside a glass cage. It's the only painting that seems to really piqued her interest despite the other masterpiece with many onlookers.

The object was placed at the very corner of the back dropped. Lights from inside the glass cage gave out a white fluorescent light that made the painting glistens because of the paints it used to create it. It's an oil painting, Sunshine can tell even though she was no expert when it comes to arts and such.

'Hey. Seriously? When do you start having an interest with these kinds of things?' Sunshine heard her best friend spoke behind her. A hint of confusion in her voice while Sunshine is still fascinated and fixated on the painting that everything around her just suddenly vanished into thin air. Every noise, every watchful eyes, even the musky smell from different body odor just dissolved in her senses.

Sunshine feels sad and alone all of a sudden like she's inside a room— devoid of any lights and the only thing that accompany her is the coldness that is seeping into her skin. Scratching, crawling and biting into every bit inside her body— like she was being buried 6ft. under the ground, being pulled at the deepest part of the ocean, being left alone at the top of Mount Everest or— Well, that was kind exaggerated. But, Sunshine couldn't really seem to describe her feelings at that moment.

It's not like the painting are majestic like the starry night of Van Gogh nor entrancing like Michelangelo's creation on the ceiling of Sistine Chapel. There is nothing special about the painting anyway, it was just a canvas— tainted and surrounded by pure black color but in the middle of the woven clothe was a figure of a man sitting with his knees folded in front of his chest— he was like curled up in a ball while his head was tilted downward and hiding from the lights that surrounding him.

It was like, the man were in the middle of a theater room while the spotlight was solely focused on him.

That was the first time Sunshine had a hard time breathing— with a heavy heart and a tightening chest, her mind just became blank. Why am I feeling like this? What is this? What is happening to me?

Sunshine pressed her left hand against her chest where her heart stopped beating inside her rib cage and squeezed it before she took a sustainable amount of air to fill up her oxygen-deprived lungs. Gradually, she slowly raised the right one and gentle touched and stroked the glass that serves as barricade of the painting.

'Babe. What got into you? Come on. Let's eat now.' Bella once again tried to tug her elbow but, she stays posted on her position.

A shackle were chained on her ankle, preventing her from moving away.

'Babe! Are you listening to me?' Bella asked with an annoyed voice this time.

Sunshine's mind drifted off from her reverie when Bella abruptly turned her entire body around, and she came face to face with her best friend's irritated looked but with an edge of confusion.

'What's wrong?' Bella's voice softened when she saw Sunshine's face.

What?

'Babe. Tell me what's wrong? Why are your eyes teary?' When she heard those words, she automatically blinks her eyes.

It was really watery like she had been holding back a tear.

'N-nothing. S-something just got into my e-eyes.' Sunshine hesitantly replied. Even herself doesn't know what was got into her. Why she was acting like that? Really, what was got into her?

Her best friend sigh and removed her hands on either sides of Sunshine's shoulders. 'Come on. I don't know what is happening here but, my stomach is really wrecking inside.' Sunshine adjusted her eyeglass and gave Bella a tight-lipped smile.

She tried to push at the very back of her mind the strange thing that happened to her just a while ago.

Maybe because she was just hungry that's why she acted like some weirdo. It's not like, that was the first time she saw a painting or anything.

'Let's go?' She asked.

Bella just nodded her head. Sunshine took a deep breath first and controlled herself for not to spinning around her body and take a quick glance of the painting again.

When she walked past the crowded place and back to where they were supposed to be headed, her footsteps were heavy, heart torn between staying where she was before— in front of the strange painting and just stared at it until the mall closes or just ignore the nagging and discomforting feeling inside her.

That was nothing right? I'm just acting weird on impulse right? Sunshine keep asking herself but, a little voice inside her head has a totally different opinion. A questions are lurking around that wanted to come out and find the answer.

What is that painting? Why did it affect me so much? What were those feelings earlier?

She shook her head to clear it from unwanted thoughts and just followed Bella's withdrawing back. Sunshine felt her best friend's hand on her wrist that made her looked up at her. She just only then noticed that she was way too behind.

'Sorry.' She apologized and brought her eyeglass back on the bridge of her nose using her free hand. Bella is still has a questioning eyes but choose to ignore her strange behavior.

'I don't know where the Japanese restaurant here but, since we're both starving. Let's just eat at the first diner we spotted okay?' Sunshine just nodded her head while looking down on her shoes.

Yeah, it was just nothing. She thought to herself.

But, that thought itself became immaterial when she raised her head and her eyes collided with a pair of moss green one.

Just like earlier while she was standing in front of the painting. Her body became paralyze, unable to move even a single muscle. Breathe became labored, her throat suddenly tightened and closed up, and her chocolate colored one held captive by those pair of forest green.

The owner of the hypnotizing eyes were standing 15 meters across from where she was standing. A tall man whose face was concealed from a gray hoodie he was wearing but, Sunshine can tell, his eyes were directed to her.

Do you know the feeling when suddenly everything stops moving or like, every image that your eyes can see became just a passing blur? It's like the only thing that was moving is you and that person that you don't know but, makes your world stop revolving.

Yeah, it might be sounds cliché but that's exactly what Sunshine feels at that moment.

10 seconds. It took 10 seconds before her vision get blocked by the extremely bothered face of her best friend. The pair of green eyes disappear. Sunshine doesn't really get mad that easily but that time, she wanted to shout Bella for blocking her view and breaking the staring matched she got into with that strange pair of eyes.

'Babe? Seriously what is happening to you? Are you sick? Hungry? Do you want to go home now? Did someone molest you? Answer me!' Bella blurted out with a high pitch voice, earning some spectator from the surrounding people.

She just stared at her best friend and tried to open her mouth to talk but no words came out of it. Sunshine swallowed the lumped in her throat and finally managed to speak in a quiet voice. 'W-what do you m-mean?' She stuttered.

Bella sighed exasperatedly but worriedly before answering her questions that she least expected to hear.

'You're crying.'

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Thank your for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please comment your thoughts or opinion about it and don't forget to vote. Stay safe and love lots <3 !