𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐘 | 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙝 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙨

8: I think I'm too cool to know ya

At one point, I stood in the gym alone, without any of my friends. Only me, and that damn rope.

I tried pulling myself up, but the rope itched and burned every time I made contact with it. I contemplated how I even got to this moment; Michèle and Simone were both gone and talking with Jean-Pierre, and Annick was off to get her water bottle. No one would notice if I didn't climb it. The teacher was too interested in the boys handball game, and I could just lie to the girls.

"Too scared?" Echoed from the benches, and it was like almost like Satan himself climbed from the underworld and talked to me. I had forgotten about Joseph Descamps in my equation, and of course he'd know if I didn't climb the rope.

"Pff, how could I be scared? It's just a rope..." I said, feigning confidence. I couldn't let him get into my head, no matter what he said. "Oh really? Then why are you hesitating, if it's really just a rope? You just have to climb it." He replied, sitting in the comforts of the bench.

It made me feel slightly embarrassed. I could do many things, but was rope climbing is the one thing that was my weakness? I couldn't prove that to him.

"Watch me," I said sternly to Joseph, a sudden surge of determination and adrenaline running through me as I climbed up the rope.

I had to prove him wrong, even if my hands burned against the rough feeling. Before I knew it, I was suddenly 10 meters in the air. It was a bit of a bad situation to also find out that I have a itty bitty phobia of heights. It was even scarier when the rope swung, due to the momentum from my impressive feat.

I felt dizzy, and my eyes searched Joseph's own. He was the only one who could possibly save me from this. I'm sure he'd love to be the rope right now, but I was a bit too focused on something else to think about that.

I was clutching on for dear life, hanging there for a good minute or two before Descamps spoke up. It might also be my frantic expression that made him realize. There was definitely some uncertainty in his face when he asked me; "Are you ever going to climb down, or are you going to hang there like a monkey?"

I gulp, trying not to look down as it made me feel physically sick but at the same time, I couldn't stop myself. "Screw you!" I yell, my voice shaky as I try to slowly inch myself down. At this rate, I'd be even slower than a tortoise.

I felt cold sweat drip down my neck, my hands becoming clammy and disgusting and I felt like I was about to projectile puke.

"If you can climb up, you can climb down." Descamps said, having the audacity to even deadpan it to me. I would've said something snappy back, but I was too preoccupied by the 10 meter drop in front of me. "I can't," I whispered as a reply, but it only left the one-eyed boy in confusion.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I can't! I'm scared of heights, dipshit-" I say, trying to regulate my breathing so I don't actually start hyperventilating just because of a rope. 'I'm fine' runs like a mantra through my head, and I can't even believe I'm asking Joseph Descamps out of all people to help me.

"Joseph..." I murmur, looking down at him from the rope. "Help me,"

He's a bit taken aback, but that moron decides that it's also the perfect time to tease me. "Hm... I mean, the teacher did tell me to stay in the sidelines." He reasons, taking his precious time. I curse him mentally and silently pray to God before looking back at him.

"Joseph Descamps, I'm about to fall down, hit my head and die," I yelled, trying to scare him into helping me. I was really just saying whatever came up in my head, because God knows that I'm running on nothing but adrenaline. "And when I'm dead, I'm going to haunt you,"

"Alright, alright," I hear him mumble, and not long after, he was standing right next to the rope. "What do I need to do?"

"Just hold the rope so it doesn't shake while I climb down," I take a deep inhale, slowly shuffling down. The closer I get to the ground, the better I feel; my nausea dissipates, my breathing goes back to normal. I get to where I'm only 4 meters away from the ground, and I feel like I've just crawled back from Hell and landed in Heaven.

"Nice ass," Joseph says, and all thought of Heaven disappears. I've seemingly forgotten that Satan had sent a real copy of himself on this Earth to haunt me. "Shut up, Descamps."

I jump down and land on my feet, turning around to meet eyes with Joseph. Only this time, he was quite possibly less than 10cm away from me and I could see every detail on his face. The small, invisible freckles across his skin from the sun, the small scar on his chin he got from a scuffle a long time ago...

He tilts his head, raising a brow, seemingly unfazed by our proximity. "Am I not going to get a thank-you?"

I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. "Jeez, do you have to be that demanding?" I mutter, peering up at him. "You're acting like we're in kindergarten again,"

Joseph pursed his lips in annoyance, and I can feel him trailing his eye down to my shirt. Before I can get a word in though, I feel a stinging pain on my forehead. "Ow!"

Did that idiot really flick me on the forehead? "Grow up, Moreau, you're so childish," He muses, smug smirk on his face as he walks away. He's staring at the gym exit, and when I follow his gaze, I see Simone and Michèle, eyes wide with gaping mouths.

---

"What the hell were you doing in there with Descamps?" Michèle asks, after pulling me long enough away. Descamps had gone back to his original spot, and I don't even know what to say to defend myself.

"I was scared of heights, got stuck and he just helped me."

They did not seem convinced by my explanation.

"Helped you?" Simone scoffed, pointing over at him. "Madeline, it's Descamps we're talking about. Don't tell me you actually like him." Simone says, grabbing my hand. I frankly do not like the fact that I was being treated like I was mentally sick in the head.

He was just a boy, what was so wrong? "He was the one that humiliated you and Michèle in front of the whole class. You can't just fall for his sly tricks."

What they said infuriated me slightly. I've known that idiot for my whole life, there's no sly tricks. It's just banter - but I understood what they both meant. They're just looking out for me, like friends do.

"Right, sorry..." I mumble, my eyes trailing back to Joseph on the bench.

He's bad news, and I should keep my distance. I vowed myself to never be friends with him, and now, I've talked to him more than I have the past 5 years. Plus, I've just made friends. I couldn't risk losing them now. There was a whole year ahead of us.

- tiihii

- ty for reading :) I hope y'all keep on tuning in <3