Peintures vivantes - Joseph Descamps

Confessions

The feeling of being scrutinised by those eyes makes me stiffen, and it is not long before Vincent notices. "Are you all right?" he asks in my ear, squeezing my hand firmly. I try to banish the pressure by hiding it, answering him with a kiss on his moist lips.

I find immediate comfort between his lips and his hands that hold me in a gentle, warm embrace. All the noises of the party seem to become muffled and distant as I slowly pull away from the kiss. Vincent smiles at me, holding his hand firmly behind my back.

"I'm a little thirsty... do you want to go for a drink?" he offers, and I immediately accept, only wishing to get away from those eyes. We make our way through the people dancing or conversing, finally finding solace when we enter the buffet room.

Here the sounds are more distant and lighter, offering relief to my ears.

As Vincent elegantly pours some wine into my shiny glass, a rather short boy playfully taps his shoulder. "VinVin?! I didn't think you were coming to the party!" exclaims the boy, who, on seeing me, widens his eyes.

"You're Romy, right?" the boy asks me, shaking my hand with a big smile on his face. I nod, returning the smile, not knowing who he is, however.

"Romy, this is Emile. He studies with me." Vincent introduces him to me, sipping his wine. Immediately, the two boys start talking, almost excluding me from the conversation. In a moment of utter boredom, I search with my eyes for an exit from the villa, and after locating it, I lightly tap Vincent's arm, to get his attention. "I'm going to get some air."

After receiving the go-ahead from my boyfriend, I head for the exit, and find myself, to my amazement, above a beautiful balcony full of flowers and plants, the view of which is breathtaking. The large garden below is full of colourful plants and well-pruned hedges.

A cold shiver runs down my spine as I sit on the three balcony steps, resting my still-full glass. I let the silence of the last night of the year envelop me, and inhale the fresh air.

Without warning, the balcony door 'clicks' and opens. Instinctively, I turn around convinced I am standing in front of my sister, or maybe even Annick. Wrong.

Descamps closes the balcony door behind him, and after unbuttoning the collar of his white shirt, sits down next to me without uttering a word. Without any fear I watch him, waiting for some special event.

"What do you want?" I ask him in annoyance, looking back down from the balcony.
"The same thing you want. To get some fresh air and be away from the noise everyone calls a party." He replies in a low voice, without a trace of emotion, lighting a cigarette and dangling it between his fingers.

How can I blame him: after only half an hour in there, I was running out of air and my ears were losing the ability to listen.

"How are you?" he asks me, without warning. I turn to look at him incredulously, and my eyes make the acquaintance of his facial features again. And no, I had not forgotten them, for sure.

"Are you interested?"

"Is it forbidden to ask?"

There we go again. I hate this, it happens every damn time, and neither of us makes any effort to avoid it. "I'm very well." I reply in a defiant tone, hoping for a response from him. But nothing.

We remain a few minutes in silence, sitting side by side. The smoke from his cigarette blurs my vision, and with an annoyed movement, I free myself from the grey cloud.

"So you are engaged to Helene Pichon?" I ask him, hoping to annoy him enough to send him away, to finally be alone. I see him shrug, inhaling the smoke and blowing it out his nostrils.