Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Début des vacances

"How did the exam go for you?" Henri asks us after joining us outside the classroom. Annick, as usual, bursts into Shakespearean drama, starting to complain about all the things she didn't manage to do or didn't finish in time.

"Romy?" Henri asks me boredly, his eyes half-closed and annoyed by the dramas of the girl he has loved for four years now. I smile at him amused, and after watching Annick walk away to throw a tear- filled handkerchief into a basket, I turn my attention back to my friend.

"As a first exam, I still had to figure out how best to prepare myself. But I think it went pretty well." I answer him politely, as Annick comes back between us, pulling up with her nose.

"If I get below 25, I refuse the vote." She exclaims. Henri and I, arms crossed, look at her doubtfully. "I don't think that's such a smart thing to do..." whispers Henri.

Annick glares at him, and seeks comfort in my arms. "Would you like to go to the bar?" I ask them both, hoping to relieve the tension.

Arriving at the bar, my eyes, like every day since it happened, fall heavy on that table. Weeks have passed, and I still vividly remember that look, that meeting after years. Those feelings, the beating of my heart.

I chase those thoughts away, cursing myself for allowing them to sneak into my mind. After all, I am engaged to a guy I really deserve. All three of us sit at our usual corner table, near the large window overlooking the university's inner park, and order coffees and orange juice.

Henri takes the initiative, anxiously seeking our gaze while Annick is still lost in the green colours of the garden outside the window. 'Now let's think no more about the exam,' he proposes in a hopeful tone of voice.

His question about the New Year's Eve party interrupts the tense atmosphere. Our glances cross, sensing Henri's excitement mixed with agitation. I shrug and sip my coffee, still hot. Before I can answer him, Henri is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of his sister, who suddenly and forcefully embraces him.

"Henri!" Pichon looks stunned with surprise as he turns and smiles at his sister, rising from his chair to hug her in turn. I remain staring at them in silence, tense at the thought that along with Helene, there might also be...

"Why are you here?" is Henri's question, rather confused, adding to my agitation. Helene, having untied herself from her embrace with her brother, pulls away slightly and fixes her black hair.

"I came to see Joseph..." she whispers to her brother, hoping I don't hear her. To her misfortune, Helene meets my gaze, and instinctively, I glower at her, remaining silent. Helene tries to hide her upset behind a mask of calm, but I can sense her unease in her eyes.

Henri, noticing my murderous look, swallows loudly and tries to dispel the tension with a nervous laugh. "Are you all coming to the party?" asks Helene enthusiastically.

Annick seems to ignore her, still immersed in her thoughts about the exam. "Sure!" replies Henri, after giving my friend a gentle nudge. "Are you coming with me Annick?" he asks hopefully.

"Did you have doubts?" she answers him, and gives Henri a reassuring smile as their eyes meet. "What about you Romy? Will you be at the party?" asks Helene, fiddling with the ring she wears on her finger, tense.

"Yes, I will be there. Vincent will accompany me."
"Vincent?" she asks me, apparently confused. I smile at her with a slight satisfaction in my body. "My fiancé." I clarify, keeping the smile on my lips.

"Oh, perfect! I'm really happy. See you at the party then. Happy Christmas holidays!" she greets us, then walks lightly back to her table. My eyes follow her, and involuntarily settle on the figure of Descamps, absorbed in reading a newspaper with his legs crossed.