Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Grenouilles

HI!!! Happy New Year!💜💜

are you liking my story?

If you have any suggestions, they are welcome!💜💜enjoy the reading💜💜

------------------------------------

"Welcome back." The science teacher greets us in a cheerful voice. He is wearing a long white shirt today, and behind his back, resting in the middle of the desk, is a box. I turn towards Annick. After the confrontation we had, I feel much more connected to her.

"What do you think is inside this box?" the teacher asks.

"The answers to Giroud's test," Dupin replies laughing. The teacher rolls her eyes.

"Well, leaving aside Dupin's stupid answers...today our lesson will be divided into two parts. The first part, mostly theoretical. The second, on the other hand, will involve dissecting frogs." He announces, opening the box and struggling to pull out a glass case with some thirty green frogs inside.

At the mere sight of those creatures, I get goosebumps, and without noticing, I press myself into the back of my chair, backing away with the chair. "Are you OK Romy?" a confused Annick asks me. I nod my head, keeping my eyes wide.

The professor then begins the theoretical lecture on frogs, and I try to take good notes to banish the thought of dissecting a live frog from my mind. "Romy, are you sure you're OK? You look strange," Annick asks me in a whisper. "Silence Miss Sabiani."

I raise my hand sharply, and the professor's gaze shifts from Annick to me. "Yes Miss Seyedoux?"

"Professor. Can I go to the bathroom?" I ask him, holding back my vomit. At his nod, I spring to my feet and at a brisk pace walk out of the classroom. Anxiously walking down the corridor towards the second floor, where the girls' toilets are, I meet Professor Couret. Noticing my tense face, she stops me. "Miss Seyedoux, are you all right?" she asks me, in her gentle, calm voice.

I shake my head.

------------------------------

"Are you feeling better now?" Nurse Bellanger asks me. I get up and sit down. I see with amazement that in front of my bed are Annick and Simone. They both have worried looks on their faces. "Man, you look bad." Simone confides to me, holding her hands crossed. I place a hand on my face, feeling very warm.

"You need to drink Miss Seyedoux. You need to replenish fluids." The nurse tells me, gently handing me a glass filled with water. I drink slowly, observing the room.

After returning the glass to Nurse Bellager, I stand up and immediately feel better.

"You feel fine, don't you Miss?" she asks me, holding a hand on my back. "Yes, thank you very much Miss Bellanger." The nurse smiles at me; she is a beautiful lady.

"You're welcome sweetheart. In case you feel sick again, come back to me."

After thanking her again, I leave the infirmary followed by Simone and Annick. "Annick had a good idea to help you," Simone exclaims, stopping near the entrance steps. I square it confused, then turn to Annick. "I've started a bet with all the kids in the class: the one who steals the science teacher's frogs before lab class will get a private lesson with me." She updates me, smiling.

"But Annick..."

"Don't worry. I couldn't handle a class where you're constantly passing out and throwing up." He confides, laughing. I'll be eternally grateful Annick, I really will. "Thank you."

"However, Michelle, Alain and Henri have been missing for the past two hours since the class ended. I'm afraid they got into trouble trying to steal those damn frogs," snorts Simone.

After a few minutes, Alain rushes towards us, followed by Michelle. "We have the frogs!" they exclaim together, while Alain holds a sack in his hands. "Keep them away from me Alain, please," I beg him, bringing a hand to my mouth. "See that you don't get sick again." Annick laughs.

After not even what a second, all our classmates arrive to observe the frogs. Amidst the various laughs, and jokes, my attention focuses on Joseph, who has quietly remained in the last row of the circle. When our glances meet, I smile at him. But instead of receiving a smile back, he shifts his gaze.

----------------------------------

After the rant of the science teacher whose precious frogs were stolen, the lesson ends half an hour early. Leaving the high school, I walk the route with Annick and Alain. "If you don't mind Annick, I won't do private lessons with you. I'm busy at the farm, and the master only lets me out to come to school." Alain warned her, pulling up the curls that were falling on his forehead.

"No problem Alain. Thanks for stealing the frogs." She thanks him, smiling.

"And thank you Annick, for coming up with this brilliant idea. You saved my life. Thank you," I hug her with one arm as we continue walking.

Arriving at the entrance gate, I say goodbye to Alain and Annick, who take two different routes. Left alone, I turn around looking for Joseph, and there he is, in his usual place; sitting with his legs dangling over the little wall, cigarette in his mouth. "What time tomorrow?" I ask him. He casually smokes in my face, and does not answer me.

As I pick up my bicycle, I hear him whisper something behind my back. "You can say things to my face Joseph."

"I said it made your face laugh a lot when you saw the frogs today." He repeats louder. The usual funny one.

I shrug. "Why are you so afraid of frogs?" he asks me, dropping his cigarette in the usual place. That manhole cover will overflow with cigarettes sooner or later.

"Do I really have to tell you?" I ask him intimidated.

"Yes." He replies dryly.

"When I was little I went on a trip with my family to the lake. I was playing with my brother by the lake shore when a huge toad jumped into my face. What can I say, it was traumatising." I tell him, hoping to make him smile.

On the contrary, he remains serious, watching me carefully. "Let's do it tomorrow at my place at 3pm." He tells me, walking away with his hands in his pockets. Nothing else. Will he be angry? Tomorrow afternoon I hope to find out.