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Max is pretty sure she’s about to get murdered. This, she thinks, would be better than the coming lawsuit that she’s sure her neighbor is going to threaten her with. In all honesty, it’s not her fault her incredibly hot neighbor likes to suntan naked on her roof balcony. Max resignedly glances at the photos scattering her floor and walls. Almost all of them are her neighbor in various stages of undress. ‘Fuck.’ She thinks, ‘I’m so screwed.’
Though Max loved her Polaroid camera, she was eternally grateful for the small little Nikon camera that had an incredible zoom feature and high quality lens. When she received it on her birthday a couple years ago, she had been thrilled but incredibly confused. Though her parents insisted they bought it for her, she wondered how they knew how much she wanted a camera with a zoom feature. She simply shrugged and felt incredibly thankful that she could take much better pictures of her neighbor.
Max had only spoken to her neighbor on a few occasions, but had most definitely developed a crush on the high-strung heiress, Victoria Chase. The girl is the picturesque incarnation of poise and incredibly photogenic. All of those things simply adding on to her impulsive need to take pictures of the other girl.
The nude sun tanning thing was new though. Typically, in years past, Victoria wore a skimpy bikini. When Max saw the blonde walk out onto her roof balcony in her usual white robe last week, she thought little of it. Mostly she was wondering which bikini the blonde was going to wear as her first tan of the summer. Max mostly watched in confusion as the blonde seemed to take a few extra minutes to work up the nerve to shed her robe. When she did, Max fell into a state of shock.
Dazed, Max managed to take a couple photos before ducking back down and laying back on her bed. She felt a little dirty taking photos of the new development, so she put them in a drawer in her desk. The next day, the blonde seemed a bit more resolute and disrobed with a bit of a flourish. Max managed to catch a photo of the falling robe and snapped a few more before ducking down again.
For two weeks, Victoria tanned nude and Max would get slightly bolder with each day. What started as simply taking a picture or two turned into ten and twenty. Today, Max had grown slightly too bold. When Victoria didn’t come out to tan at noon like she usually did, Max grew curious. She had seen Victoria’s parents leave earlier in the day, giving a quick wave goodbye to their daughter. She saw no reason for Victoria to change her routine. Shrugging, Max retreated to her laptop and kept half an eye on her neighbor’s house.
Four hours later, Max had almost completely forgotten about Victoria’s no-show until she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Victoria had emerged from her room onto the balcony swaying along to an unheard beat. Max sat up, transfixed on the scene. Grabbing her camera, she caught a few shots of Victoria disrobing and sitting on her lawn chair. The photos were completely useless because of the glare of the sun on her window. The blonde had her back to Max and was still nodding along to the beat. Frustrated, Max slowly opened her window and the faint sounds of rap music filtered in.
She had never opened her window to take these pictures before, but the glare of the evening sun was much worse than the noon sun. Max watched with rapt attention as Victoria laid back and began to put sunblock on her legs. Her little Nikon made quiet snaps as she continued to take photos of the girl. Max felt surreal with the development. Never before did she have the guts to open the window before; the click of the camera a constant worry in the back of her mind. Now though, she felt fearless.
Victoria paused with her hands on her thighs, head slightly cocked as if listening to the music. As Max continued taking photos, she started to notice a change in the other girl’s ministrations. Whereas before, Victoria evenly and assuredly applied sunblock, now she was simply trailing her fingers over her legs, putting on more of a show than actually using sunblock. Her hands trailed from shapely legs up to her toned torso as she languidly lay back on her tanning chair.
Max could have sworn to herself that she had never taken such amazing quality photos in her life. She watched in a trance as soft, feminine hands ghosted over pert breasts. ‘Is this real life? No fucking way…’ Max almost forgets about her camera as she stares at the show in front of her. Victoria’s music has long since ended; the one song seemingly the only one queued to play. Max’s click of the camera slowly tapers off and eventually lowered. She cannot seem to believe the sight of her neighbor groping herself like that.
The brunette sucked in a sharp breath as one of the other girls hands started to venture down from fondling her breasts. The blonde shifted, slightly spreading her legs—
CRASH!
Max fucking dropped her camera and Victoria Chase was sitting straight up, staring right at her through designer shades.
And now, she is lying on her bed, mourning both her impending doom and her camera. A soft knock on her front door startles her, she knows her parents are out of town for the weekend and sincerely doubts Chloe has decided to stop by. This was her end, she supposes. Victoria already has a lawsuit written up and is giving it to her. Morosely, Max opens the door to reveal an impeccably dressed Victoria holding Max’s Nikon.
“Max,” She says lowly, “if you wanted a picture, all you needed to do was ask.” Victoria cocks a brow and hands the brunette the slightly cracked camera.
Max simply stares at her, blush rising to her cheeks, incredibly dumbfounded. Victoria rolls her eyes, brushes past her and steps further into the house.
Turning the smaller girl around and shutting the door, Victoria asks: “Since I know you probably have more, show me where you keep them.”
Still in a state of shock, Max swallows nervously and mutters, “This way,” leading the taller girl up to her room.
‘Have I entered the twilight zone? There is no way in hell this is happening right now. I’m home alone with my hot neighbor who doesn’t seem like she’s about to shove a lawsuit down my throat. I think Chloe might have given me a second hand high.’
Still zoned out, Max starts as they have already made it up the stairs and stand in front of the half open door to her room. Untangling hands, Max simply pushed her door open fully and steps aside as Victoria inspects the scattered photos. The photos of her vary from collecting the mail to getting out of a car. The newer photos of her nude exposé still sit on her desk and in the open drawer. She watches nervously from the entry as Victoria casually thumbs through them.
“You have a good eye.” Victoria’s voice rings out in the silence. She places the camera on the desk and thumbs through a different pile of photos.
“Uh, thank you?” Max squeaks out. It sounds more like a question. She is so fucking confused right now. Victoria turns to her, gives her a once over and cocks her brow again. ‘Damn it, I’m still in my goddamn pajamas.’ She fiddles the end of her shirt nervously as Victoria languidly stalks over to her.
“Why haven’t you turned in any of these pictures for our class?” Victoria asks.
“Why the fuck aren’t you threatening to sue me or something!?” Max exclaims in a huff. She quickly averts her eyes and waits for the backlash.
All is silent for a moment until Victoria gently states, “You really don’t get it, do you?”
Max pauses and tries to connect the apparently obvious dots to no avail, “No?”
Victoria sighs softly and lifts Max’s chin up. After reestablishing eye contact, Victoria drops the bomb: “Max. I’ve known you’ve been watching me ever since you got the Nikon. I’ve know because, one, you’re entirely unsubtle, and two, I’m the one who convinced your parents to take the claim for the camera that I bought you.”
“Are you serious?” Max blurts. She hastily resumes when she sees Victoria’s slight frown, “I mean, that was the best gift I had ever gotten and you didn’t tell me it was you? And why did you let me take those pictures? I’m so damn confused right now…”
Victoria slightly looks away. ‘She almost looks shy,’ Max thinks.
“Really Max, would you have accepted the camera if I had given it to you myself? We had hardly spoken more than a few passing sentences to each other and, well; I’m not the nicest person. It wasn’t until you almost got suspended for tearing Nathan a new one while defending me that I could even think you felt anything kind towards me. I wanted to thank you but instead I insulted you. The camera was supposed to be my apology but I blew it.”
Victoria sighs and moves over to Max’s bed. After receiving a slight nod, she gingerly sits on the edge. Max slowly moves closer and stands in front of the taller blonde, only a few inches taller now that the other girl sat down. Max’s mind whirring, she asks, “Victoria… why didn’t you just talk to me? I mean, we obviously seem to be talking right now. And you haven’t hurled any insults,” at the twitch of Victoria’s eyebrow she adds, “yet. And what the hell was that just now? Was that… for me?”
Victoria huffs angrily, “I swear you can be such a stupid hipster.”
“What’s that supposed to-” Max is cut off as Victoria quickly stands and brings their lips together. It’s a little sloppy, but Max soon realizes what is happening and kisses the other girl back.
What a weird fucking day.