"she's a, she's a lady
and i am just a boy"
or
in which a school of boys open its grounds to thirteen girls, and they have no idea how to act
started: january 4, 2024
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— [twenty-two] the auction is afoot! —
"First up, we have Michèle Magnan! She has brought a dish of—wow! It looks like Michèle has brought a beautiful charcuterie board! Leave it to the butcher's daughter to bring a meaty dinner for you," Mr. Bellanger announced, giving his embarrassed niece an admittedly embarrassing, but encouraging smile. "She also has a bottle of sparkling water, with some tarts for her dessert—which are just as sweet as her!"
Sadie cringed with the rest of the girls on the side as Michèle flushed at her uncle's attempt of talking her up.
He was standing at the front of the small stage behind a little podium, with a little gavel in his hand that nobody was quite sure where he got it, but said nothing as it looked like the one thing that kept him there. The girls had barely gotten to the stage when the dean had started to introduce them for their turns. Michèle, as chosen, was the first to go. The rest of the girls could only pray for her that she gained the strength to carry on.
"Something to know about Michèle is that she is well read and can sew! So for all the boys who constantly get holes in their shirts from all their roughhousing, Miss Magnan is the perfect girl for you!"
"What is he doing?" Simone murmured out of the corner of her mouth, looking at the scene in horror. "Trying to market her for dinner or marriage?"
"This is what happens when you hide in a seminary for years," Molly sighed.
Sadie shook her head. "I'm hoping he's just trying so hard because he's her uncle."
After a painful minute of him talking about Michèle's habits as a child and the girl subtly whacking his arm, he finally asked the important question.
"Okay, so who wants to start the bidding at five francs?"
All of the girls stopped talking as they watched the auction officially commence.
"Do I have any bidders for Michèle?" Mr. Bellanger asked.
It was silent.
Sadie watched awkwardly as a few people in the crowd started to talk to each other, rather than raise their hands. She hoped it was them discussing strategy, rather than being bored.
"Anyone?" he asked again, this time his voice was a little higher.
More silence.
"Why is no one bidding?" Simone whispered to Sadie, to which she couldn't even respond as she was too busy watching in horror.
![—[twenty-two]the auction is afoot!—](https://img.wattpad.com/ca9607ba8d6df64b574767a1e0b01f3c9f4ce240/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f43376e586a4b54306a7a4e496b513d3d2d313431393230313933332e313761666261383834323862393732353235343739353032383034362e676966?s=fit&w=720&h=720)
