From unknown to unknown- Mixte 1963

Chapter 8- Soaked

"Stop reading as you are walking! " Joseph advised, taking the book from Edith who glared at him. However, he didn't back off and pushed her ahead.

"What's the point of walking together if I can't read, I would have taken my Solex instead, " she sighed, discontent. "I would have been at school faster, and I would have read. " Joseph shook his head from side to side.

"What else do you, do when you don't read? " Joseph asked, curious of the answer. " I work with my mom, or I study. "

Joseph wasn't even surprised. She didn't even look shackled in this boring insipid routine of hers, she seemed pleased. It was weird for him to understand, him who was always so bored by everything happening, unable to find a passion. " Then, what do you do to have fun? "

"Reading is fun. " Edith crossed her arms together in front of her chest, and turned around abruptly, making him stop. "Funnier than bullying classmates, " she smirked, proud of her reply. 

Joseph didn't care if insulting him would make her smile.

It was not as if he wasn't aware of what he was doing. He knew, better than anyone what shame was. Life was just so plain, flowing like a clam river. He just wanted to throw a stone in it and disturb the paste a bit. Just a tiny bit.

Edith snatched the book from his hands and hugged it to her chest. " Try taking it back, I dare you, " she almost growled. She looked like a lioness protecting her cub. He rolled his eyes and advanced. " Just don't read, right now. "

When they arrived at school together, they were gawked at. It seemed to be the first time they were seen together, bickering and arguing as they passed the front gates. They didn't notice, both of them in their little bubble, hidden away from the prying eyes they didn't behold.

During recess, Joseph talked to his friends close to the bench where Edith read. The latter wanted them to go away since they made too much noise. As she was about to shout at them to go where the sun didn't shine, she felt somebody poke her shoulder. It was Michèle. " Could I talk with you, in private? " She added while looking at Descamps, who had come to sit next to her. Edith gave him her book and took Michèle's hand, who directed her to a part of the yard where Simone was.

"Do you need something? " asked Edith, clueless. Simone and Michèle exchanged a look before Simone started talking. " What are you doing, hanging with him? Is he forcing you? " Edith chuckled, thinking about how they were this accurate.

"No, he's not. It's not that hard, to endure his presence, he can even be sympathetic, every few full moons, " she joked but it didn't make either of the two smile. It was probably sudden to others, to see them close. But it wasn't as if this proximity wasn't usual for them. Edith smiled kindly at their concern and took both their hands in hers. " Simone, you are dating Eugène, right? And Michèle, are you seriously telling me you don't have any affection for any guy in this school? " Michèle looked at the floor.

Simone hurriedly spoke, fussing over her words, " Do you have feelings for him? You really shouldn't he's- "

"I don't, " she said. She swallowed before letting go of both their hands. "There are men everywhere in this school, we are bound to interact with them and, Descamps isn't as bad as you would think. " Before they could continue, Edith turned around and walked toward the bench. They were right, he was bad, but not bad to her or for her. She liked their dynamics even though she had complaints. One was the way he kept on looking at her lips, the frail lips she kept on biting as a habit.

When the bell rang that day, Michèle and Simone rushed to Edith before she could join Descamps and Dupin. It was their 3 sessions at Descamps' house, and tomorrow would be the French presentation.

" Come watch the match today, with us, " Michèle said as she gripped her hand, while Simone gripped her other hand, and took away her book. Edith tried to make them let her go, " I can't, I have to go work, the French presentation is tomorrow and- "

"You'll have time after, and they are also probably going to watch it too, come on, " they pressured. Edith didn't feel like it. It was way too loud and she didn't like loud places, why did they think she loved to read honestly?

But they pushed and dragged her away by force, even if they were shorter than her, they were strangely really strong and wouldn't take no for an answer. They sat down with the other girls at school and started clapping along with the other students to welcome the players. Everyone did, except Edith who plastered a tired look on her face and threw her head back.

It was raining, she didn't like to stay outside and sit on the wet seats that would wet her coat. The booing that occurred when Miss Couret entered angered her, making her clap and applaud with all her might. Her eyes easily spotted Descamps who was booing along with every other boy. She looked the other way, disappointed. What was she expecting?

The game continued as Edith looked at the water drops and when finally the half-time arrived, she made a swift escape.

She saw Michèle following behind Annick, but couldn't care less. If the boys were just going to watch the match, she would finish on her own, because tomorrow she couldn't.

She was about to pass the gate when a hand grabbed her. Turning around, she noticed Descamps, who was panting hard. His hair was wet, and his bag was half-opened. She shook his hand off and continued to walk faster. Without her Solex, it would take considerably way more time than usual.

"Hey! Wait! " he called after her and grabbed her by her coat. "You are so maddening. "

 "Why do you always say that?! " she asked, not sure if she wanted the answer.

"Because it's true. Where are you going when we are supposed to work today? " He let go of her coat, and she adjusted herself as he came before her. There was just something about their height difference not being much, enabling her to almost look at him without raising the head that she loved.

"You were watching the match, so-"

"So were you? " He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "False, false, I was forced to watch the match and ran away as soon as I could. "

"Yeah, sure, " he brushed. He grabbed her hand and started sprinting toward his home, their feet crashing into poodles and slapping her long blue dress.

"Why are we running? " she managed to get out, as her pulse quickened. She had never been an athletic one. He turned to face her, smiling like an idiot. " 'Cause it's raining, stupid. "

She squizzed his fingers as much as she could, but he didn't faze.

As they went inside his house, he offered to let her shower in it. "You'll catch a cold if you don't. "

"Whose fault would that be, I had an umbrella, I didn't have to run like that! " she declared as she sat on the floor of the entrance, trying to breathe. He smirked, and she wanted to kick him in the face. Her violent impulses had become so strong after meeting him. He hadn't let go of her hand, and she didn't bring it up.

"Come on, go take a bath, I'll find you some clothes," he insisted. Edith looked at her soaked dress, clogging to her skin, and her hair dripping hair. She agreed, and he helped her up and walked behind her. 

Joseph fisted his hands and turned the other side as she got rid of her coat. It hugged every piece of her, perfectly.   His eyes roamed.