Heavenly Eyes, Joseph Descamps.

chapter 4: Old fashioned

THANKFULLY, my father didn't find out about last day's infortunes; or I thought so. But today I wanted a peaceful day. I wore a shorter and definitely edgier blue dress, above my knees, so if yesterday's episode happened again, at least my clothes wouldn't turn see through.
When we got closer to the school, he stopped the car a few steps away from the gates and looked at me unfriendly. "Don't think I don't know what happened in your class yesterday. We will talk later." I swallowed, starting to feel an enormous nervousness consume me. He signaled for me to get out of the car, and it didn't take long for him to accelerate to his work as soon as I was out.

I noticed Michele and Simone walking towards the gates, with the same boy from the fifth grade that I saw yesterday in front of them, he looked incredible put together, even though he had a worried look on his face. I noticed that some boys from my year were looking at him impressed, and I wondered what he had done.
My plans weren't to be friends with the girls, as they seemed like they would bring some trouble, but I wanted to know how Michele was doing after yesterday. "Michele?" I called her, unsure. "Yes?" She responded, surprised that I had approached her. I couldn't help but notice Simone's mesmerized gaze on me, but I tried to ignore it. "I would like to know if you're better after yesterday?" She nodded at me, smiling "I'm better. First I thought about leaving school," She signaled for us to continue walking together while she answered me "but at least Descamps got what he deserved." I heard her whispered, and I looked confused at her "What happened with Descamps?" I asked, a little bit worried but also surprised. He didn't got away like always?
But they didn't had time to answer me, as I felt everyone's eyes staring at me, or rather, something behind me. Confused, I turned around, being shocked by Descamps walking in the courtyard, but he had a different look. One of his eyes was covered in a white cotton bandage, and his gaze was blank.
He didn't had that annoying smirk, or an egocentric look, he looked lifeless. "Shit." I heard Michele mumble. I was even more confused.

The morning gifted us with a lesson by Mrs. Giraud in the first period, unfortunately. We were all quiet, even too much, the room was uncomfortable and it was as if there wasn't enough air for all of us in it. The silence was so much that louder breathing could be heard. It was as if we were at a funeral for Descamps's eye.
Unable to hold back, I ended up chuckling at my own thought, regretting it as soon as I felt Descamps blank stare at me. His cold gaze made me feel intimate, and I quickly turned forward, scared of him. But I could still feel his eyes on me from time to time.
"Who can give me the dates of the Battle of the Marne?" Mrs. Giraud's question caught my attention. I liked history, it was my favorite subject, and I could consider myself very knowledgeable about it. I had already read several historical books from my father's library, but my favorites were about Ancient Greece. As I stared at the window, there wasn't a single movement in the streets.
I noticed my desk wobble a little as Annick practically shook her hand in the air, hoping that Mrs. Giraud would call her "Miss Sabiani, are you going to jump on the desk for me to see you? Don't you think you already draw enough attention?" I rolled my eyes annoyed, she was completely unnecessary. How could she be so arrogant about us girls wanting a good education, when she herself is a woman.
Unfortunately, Annick answered it incompletely, being corrected by Mrs. Giraud and again repressed "Don't raise your hand if you only know half the answer. And please tie your hair back, this isn't a party." "Old fashioned" I whispered, maybe too loudly, because I caught the teachers attention. "Perdon me, Mrs. Baudelaire. We didn't hear your mumbling." I sighed, trying to remain calm, and just shook my head "Nothing Mrs. Giraud, I'm sorry for disturbing-" I couldn't finish, as my cheeks were brutally held by the older woman's rough hands. 'Can she do this?' I thought totally irritated with furrowed eyebrows. "What is this in your eyes? Are you wearing makeup?" She said the last word in slow motion, as if it was the most disgusting thing in the world. "Do you and your friend Miss Sabiani think you are at a party? Do you want boys to look at you?" I could feel the eyes of all my classmates on me, but unlike usual, they were also shocked by the teacher's aggressive attitude. "I know your mother didn't had enough time to teach you manners. Do you know what happens to girls like you?" Her words hurt me a lot. How could she talk about my mother like that, without any empathy. Fortunately, my classmates didn't know about my mother's terrible death, not even Annick, who looked at me confused.
"Go to the bathroom and clean yourself immediately. This is a school, my God!" She ordered me, letting go of my face. Who she thought she was to treat me like that? After yesterday, nothing could make me feel more humiliated, and even though her words hurt me, I just stood up, and walked out of class, making sure to slam the door on my way out.
"Anyways, we'll pick up about the Battle of the Marn tomorrow. Let's move on to naming our class leader." I heard the viper's voice slowly distant, as I headed to the teachers' bathroom.

While Annick and I walked to the courtyard, someone bumped into me, making my book 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' by Agatha Christie fall to the ground. I bent down to pick him up, and the boy did the same, making our hands touch. Akwardly he chuckled, looking at the book. Just then I took some time to analyzed his face, getting mesmerized. I was sure he was in fifth grade, as he already had a much more mature face than the other boys my age.
"I love this book! Have you finished it yet?" He asked me curiously, starting a conversation. Then I noticed that Annick had sat down on one of the benches, leaving me completely alone and nervous in front of the much taller boy. It took me a while to answer him and he looked at me confused "Ah, this is probably my fourth time reading it. I've been obsessed since I started!" He laughed agreeing.
"Well I have to go. but it was good chatting with you." He started, handing me my book "I'm Andre Hilbert by the way." He continued to stand there looking at me awkwardly, waiting for me to answer him "Genevieve" I replied smiling as I held out my hand for him to shake it, which he soon did. Then he started to follow his way, leaving me standing there with blushed cheeks, trying to assimilate what had just happened.

I was telling Annick how dreamy the boy I bumped into, Andre Hilbert, was, and she just laughed at my delusion'. "You can't like him" She said out of nowhere making me confuse "Why not?" "He's a friend of Jean Pierre, Michele's older brother, you can't imagine what he did to Descamps yesterday."
After that statement, she started filling me in on yesterday's events after I left school.
I discovered that the fifth-grade boy from yesterday really was Michele's older brother. The way he defended his little sister, and me in the process, was really gentlemanly.
Jean Pierre invaded our classroom and punched Descamps, breaking his glasses and causing a shard of glass to fall into his eye, blinding him. That surprised me, and in a flash of seconds, all the hate I felt for the boy were replaced by pity. He had indeed received a punishment for making mean pranks, but losing an eye was really serious and permanent, and for a moment I felt empathy for him. I didn't need to be his friend, but I was conscious enough to feel bad for him, even though he was a total asshole. Maybe that would make him more humble.

"Do you want to be the class leader?" Annick randomly changed the subject, leaving me confused "I don't know, why?" "I know the answer, but Mrs. Giraud hates girls." I agreed with what she said. "I think you should give it to Pichon, maybe. He is the most tolerable among the boys in our class." Annick just murmured in agreement, she didn't seem very happy, and I understood, unfortunately she wouldn't take credit for her intelligence.

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hilbert is jean pierre's friend who helps him with simone in episode 7, get used to him because he will appear more  😶😶

i'll probably post a new chapter later so this way the fic develops more faster

please like and comment if you can too!! 💫💫