fin de siècle ; mixte 1963

chapter 15 ; we were jet-set Bonnie and Clyde

"Dupin," said Herman, lurking above Joseph and Jean's desk. "Three."

Gisele heard her brother groan, knowing that he was barely keeping himself from cussing. She would've smirked at that, if she wasn't so stressed herself; Biology surely was a pain in the ass.

"Miss Dupin," continued the teacher, walking up to where Gisele and Annick were sitting. "Also three. It runs in the family, doesn't it?"

She took the paper without a word, pursing her lips. Herman's sarcastic comments did not make her feel better at all, and as much as she didn't care about her grades, she wanted to pass at least. And when it came to Biology, it was getting harder and harder with every exam.

"Miss Sabiani, twelve," he finished, as Gisele looked at her friend in awe. Annick was not one to gloat about her victories, but she could see the small smile on her lips; Gisele was truly proud of her.

"This is not a circus," exclaimed Herman, silencing the class clapping for Annick. What a bore, that guy. "As a reminder, I don't grade too harshly. You're just dimwits."

Gisele couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. There were many kinds of teachers in this school. Some, like Miss Couret, were made for the job; some, like Douillard, hated that they also had to teach the girls. And then there was Herman, who hated everyone and their mother for no specific reason.

"Tomorrow, we'll all be dissecting frogs," he announced, and at that moment, Gisele heard a wave of whispers going through the class. She felt a big smile appearing on her face; she was aware that she probably looked like a clown, but the idea made her giddy.

She turned to the back of the class, catching her brother's eyes. He was smirking and with just that she knew he had the same thought in mind, the same memory; the two of them, aged twelve, during one of their stays at the orphanage. There was a pond nearby, one that was filled to the brim with frogs. Gisele could still remember the older boys picking up the dead ones and then dissecting them on the grass, with a promise that if the twins stay there a little longer, they  will get a chance to do so themselves.

They never stayed; they were taken back after a week. But the childlike curiosity of the siblings never went away, just like their fascination with dissecting dead frogs. Which was a little strange, to be fair, but they just couldn't help it.

Seeing these frogs alive and jumping around wasn't as nice though, Gisele concluded, looking at the animals in the water glass. When those older boys did it, they really made sure their victim was already dead; they've never killed them on purpose.

It was just then when Gisele noticed Annick's uneasy expression. The girl looked like she was about to puke just at the thought of coming near the frogs.

"What is it?" she asked her friend.

"There is no fucking way I'm gonna do that," said Annick, scrunching her face with disgust. "There is no fucking way I'm even gonna touch these things. They're gross."

Gisele let out a chuckle, despite feeling a little sorry for her friend. She could imagine what she felt like, so she threw an arm around Annick's soulder and brought her close.

"I will do all the dirty work," she promised. "You just sit there and look pretty, sweetheart."

Sabiani couldn't keep her grave expression, chuckling at Gisele's words. Dupin wasn't kidding, though; she really didn't mind cutting up those frogs by herself. Not at all.

***

"What the fuck is he looking for with Annick?" mumbled Gisele, between her fingers a cigarette and her Biology paper. She was going through her mistakes with Joseph, who got a seven; it wasn't much more, but for her, it was good enough. She was watching as her brother was talking to Annick out of the blue, which was a surprise; he rarely ever came up to the girl when Gisele wasn't nearby.