Beautiful When You Don't Try (Camren)

Chapter 47

Adrianne narrowed her eyes in worry before she peeked in the box that Lauren had just set down. "They're board games."

"Yes they are." She beamed brightly as both woman began pulling the games out of the box and displaying them on the table.

"How the hell do you display emotions with board games? And don't tell me that that is what I am suppose to be figuring out today. I need you to teach me this lesson, not let me struggle through it on my own."

"But that's my favorite way of teaching." Lauren teased as she received a scowl from her ex.

"I feel sorry for any on your future kids then."

"Nah. They'll be spoiled to no end. Now, back to the games. When you think of board games, what is the first thing that pops into your mind?"

"Childhood."

"Good. Now, what emotions come to you when you think of childhood? Not specifically yours, but just childhood in general?" Lauren asked as she removed the box covers on half a dozen games that covered the workstation.

"Innocence, joy, happiness, begin carefree..."

"Good." She answered again, clearing herself a spot to sit on the table, propping her feet in one of the chairs. She shuffled through one of the game boxes and picked up a game piece. "What is this?"

Adrianne looked at her coldly, not liking being treated like an idiot, but quickly remembered that Lauren had deep and mysterious ways about her. "It's a chess piece. The king to be more specific."

"And what emotions come to you when you think of a king?"

"Why do I feel like I'm in a psychology class?"

"Because you technically are. Art is expression which touches on emotion. Emotions are psychological. You have to understand how people think before you can figure out how they feel. And you need to figure out how they feel so you can get them to feel what you want them to."

The brunette huffed a laugh as she shifted through the other game pieces. "And here I thought photography was just about taking a pretty picture that was in focus."

Lauren roller her eyes at the sarcasm. "Answer the question."

"Okay." She relented and looked at the black plastic piece held in Lauren's fingers. "When I think of a king I get negative vibes mostly...I think: male, tyrant, controlling, forceful, corrupt."

"As a true lesbian would." Lauren joked and even the camera man laughed. She had momentarily forgotten they were there and had to refocus herself. "Okay. What about this one?"

"A queen." Adrianne answered in a lighter tone, already seeing what Lauren meant by figuring out what people would feel by understanding what they thought. "Female, graceful, nurturing, protective."

"Like a true lesbian would." Lauren nodded her head as Adrianne answered in unison with her. "Now you see. You don't like guys and are a mild to moderate feminist so you think negatively of the king, but empower the queen, despite the fact that she is only a piece of plastic. So... your lesson for today is to take pictures to express emotion, not of game pieces, but what they represent based on how they make you feel. Personify the pieces. Can you do that?"

Adrianne grinned, snatching the king and queen from Lauren's hands. "I can do that. I already have ideas actually."

"Good, because I told Camila I would meet her at nine-thirty to pick out a couch and chairs for the living room."

"What's wrong with the ones you have?"

"Nothing." Lauren answered, shaking her head. "She just wants everything to be 'ours' and to match the apartment. We have to do it early this morning because she has two shows today."