Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Les préparatifs de la fête

there's very little time left until the end!enjoy your reading💜💜

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We didn't speak for months...

Every day, every damn day in high school, during classes, I felt his presence and the impossibility of being able to make up for my mistakes. I was so stupid, but at the same time I felt anger towards him. There is no point in remarking on the fact that he opened up to me...I did that too for that matter!

Our last confrontation made me realise many things, but also doubt many others. We went from sharing New Year's Eve together, and the first weeks of the year as two people strongly in love, to becoming enemies and strangers again, as if nothing had ever happened.

For months, during classes, he looked away and ignored me with almost disarming ease. I periodically keep dreaming about him, and deep down, I am afraid I still love him. Because I really did love him. I loved Joseph though, not Descamps. Now Joseph is gone, leaving me alone with the rude and overbearing old rogue that Descamps is.

Every time he avoids my gaze and I see him do the usual crap again, I feel inside that I have lost him, and it all opens a chasm in my heart. Was it all a mistake, or was it something real?

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"Miss Seyedoux, 19. Congratulations, the best in this test." The Latin teacher compliments, handing me the verification sheet. It is intact, just a small red pen mark above a badly conjugated verb. I smile slightly, satisfied with my continued progress.

Annick gives me a proud look, and pats me lightly on the shoulder. Once the lesson is over, I get up and sort out my stuff from the folder. Simone comes prancing in bubbling with joy and hugs me from behind. "Geek!" she tells me laughing. "You can say that again!" replies Annick to her. I smile at both of them, and look at Annick, clearly already ready to leave.

"Don't be too envious. You can't always be top of the class Annick." I tease her and pinch my shoulder.

"Girls, come closer..." Simone orders us, and we approach suspiciously.

"Today, the boys decided to have a surprise party at Pichon's house...after classes are over..." she whispers, just before Henri's unexpected arrival.

We straighten up pretending nothing happened, and Annick lets out a laugh.

"Why are you laughing Annick?" he asks her. Henri is clearly in love with Annick from the moment he laid eyes on her. It shows, and Annick knows it. But I fear she doesn't reciprocate the feeling at all.

"Oh, nothing." He feigns nothing, raising his heavenly eyes to the sky. Henri shrugs, and gives me a proud, pleased look. "Congratulations Romy, you're becoming a geek like..." and surreptitiously points with his finger at Annick. She pinches his hip. "Don't challenge me guys. The best don't always win." He says triumphantly.

Suddenly, Henri is pushed towards me, and I hear some rather familiar laughter behind him. As he settles down and apologises to me, I meet Descamps' gaze. 'Give me a whistle when you've matured a bit,' I hiss at him. His smile dies between his lips, and to both of us the memory of the last conflict we had is rekindled.

Leaving the classroom, Henri walks past us and waves goodbye with a big smile on his face, and I'm left alone with Simone and Annick. "So girls? You're there aren't you...?" he asks us, stepping between us and taking us by the arm. We nod at the same time.

"Will the whole class be there?" asks Annick, fixing her yellow headband on her blonde hair. "Yes, everyone, everyone." Simone replies enthusiastically. I suddenly freeze, and they take a few steps forward before stopping to look at me.

"Everyone? Even Descamps?" I ask slightly flustered. Simone approaches me and puts a hand behind my back, pushing me. "Come on Romy, you need to get over this! It's been months. There will be lots of guys at the party, even from Jean Pierre's class. Maybe you know some interesting guys,' she tells me, trying to cheer me up.

We walk back, and go out into the courtyard. "Jean Pierre is coming too then." Annick affirms, quite convinced of her observation. Simone hesitates, and her face crumples into a grimace. "No, not him."

"Why?" asks Annick confused. Simone starts fiddling with her fingers, nervous. "Well like say...he and I aren't together anymore."

"What?" say Annick and I in chorus, mouths wide open.

"I broke up with him about a week ago."

"And why would that be Simone?" asks Annick, grabbing her bike from the rack.

"Or I mean. We're going to a party girls! Happy thoughts, we need to have fun." Squeaks Simone, and after I grab my bike too, we head to Henri's house.

"Can we go through my house first?" I ask.

"I want to change. I hate this dress."

Simone lights up. "Do you have any make-up? I'd love to wear make-up!"

I nod.

Arriving at my house, we set up the bikes and after saying goodbye to my parents and telling them about the party at Pichon's house, we go up to my room. "Man, what a nice room you have Romy. I don't have that much space for me at my aunt's house." Simone compliments.

I go to the bathroom, collect all the make-up I own (I also steal some from Marion) and go back to my room. While I decide what dress to wear for the party, Annick improvises as a professional make-up artist, and beautifies Simone's face with blush, powder and lipstick. "What do you think I should wear?" I ask them both, poking my head into the wardrobe, looking for something decent.

"Your complexion goes well with yellow. You could wear a yellow dress, in my opinion." Simone replies to me, keeping her eyes closed as Annick applies her glitter eyeshadow. I instantly freeze, and think back to that dedication Joseph...Descamps wrote me for Christmas. Yellow looks good on you.

I banish that memory from my mind, and confidently grab the only yellow dress inside my wardrobe. I lean it against my chest, and do a little parade. "Simone's right, yellow really does suit you."

I smile at her, and put the dress on quickly, while Annick finishes Simone's make-up. "I don't even recognise myself! Thanks Ann," chirps Simone, getting up from her chair and hugging Annick. I watch them from the opposite side of the room, putting on my shoes.

"Romy sit down." Annick orders me.

"No thanks, I don't wear make-up." I reply, but as soon as she glares at me, I sit down in silence.

"I'll fix your hair!" says Simone, in excitement.

After forty whole minutes of hair and make-up, I finally look at myself in the mirror and remain silent. For the first time, I can see myself as beautiful. I smile and thank her. "You're so hot Romy! Who knows how many suitors you'll have at the party! Let's go, I don't want to be late."

As Annick and Simone leave my room, I pause to ajar the door and smile.