Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Fête à la maison de Pichon - First Part

As we head to Pichon's house for the surprise party, I nervously continue to fix my dress and hair. I'm confused and I know why, but I try not to think about it. "Romy, stop it, what's wrong? You'll ruin the hairstyle we did so carefully,' Simone scolds me.

Annick looks at me gently, she already knows why I'm nervous, no need to tell her. She removes her hand from my hair and smiles: 'You're not going into the lion's den, calm down'. He tries to calm me down by continuing to stare at me with his icy eyes.

"Applebaun! Felbec!" squeaks Simone, and we both look ahead to see most of our classmates standing close together behind two large trees growing near the door of Pichon's house.

"Shut up Simone! Pichon is here, he mustn't hear us," growled Felbec, with his usual know-it-all air. Behind him, there was almost everyone: Applebaun, coarsely adjusting his glasses, Yves Lamazière and Ahmed, whispering among themselves and giggling, and Vergoux and Dupin, leaning limply against the wall of Pichon's house.

At the end of the long queue of guys, there's him. Descamps: cigarette to his lips, rogue's smile, right hand tucked into the pocket of his beige trousers, blindfold clumsily arranged in his hair, as always dishevelled and with dark blond highlights. He wears a yellow jacket: ironic.

As soon as he sees me, the cigarette hangs from his lips. Inside, I feel a mix of sensations, but surely the predominant one is pride.

We approach, and I don't even give Descamps a glance, who stays behind with Vergoux and Dupin.

"There he is..." whispers Felbec, pointing to the veranda door. Sharpening my eyesight, I see a blissful Pichon, seated on the desk in his father's office, pouring a hearty dose of hard liquor into a glass. I cover my mouth so as not to laugh too loudly.

Felbec, as soon as Pichon settles comfortably in his chair, jumps out of the bush and throws open the shutter door, startling Pichon, who is immediately alarmed. "How did you know my parents are not there?" he asks agitatedly, seeing an unexpected group of people enter his house.

"A dance friend of your sister's snitched!" amused Lamaziere replies to him, entering the house second, followed by Annick, Simone, Dupin and Vergoux. As soon as Ahmed enters the house, he greets him a little too vehemently, and Henri slips backwards with his chair, not before Descamps grabs his full glass.

I walk in, passing Descamps who is laughing like a madman. "At least I saved the glass!" he greets him, drinking the super alcohol in one go. Applebaun approaches and helps Pichon to his feet.

"Damn Henri, you have a giant house." I tell him, after he walks over to greet Annick and me. He smiles at her, who smiles back. "Hey stop you! Don't touch my father's booze I beg you!" he runs off, in the direction of Dupin and Descamps, already intent on serving themselves drinks.

"I'm a bit sorry. I hope he doesn't get into trouble." Says Annick.

"Let's have fun for now!" replies Simone, disappearing into the crowd. Within minutes, Pichon's house is bathed in loud music, voices, laughter and group dancing.

"Girls...help yourselves." Vergoux tells us, offering us two full glasses. Annick refuses, and for a few moments, I hesitate. To hell with it. I grab the glass and drink the whole shot glass in one go, in front of Vergoux and Annick's dumbfounded gaze. "Damn, I'll be back for round two." Vergoux laughs, walking away.

Annick and I remain at the edge of the large room, where everyone is dancing wildly to the loud music, chatting to each other. "Are you ok Romy?" she asks me, raising her voice to be heard. I nod slightly. She smiles at me. "It's just that life is a mess. We're growing up and I feel like I've messed up too much these past few months. And I hate feeling this way," I reply, moving closer to her ear.