Leblouche's diary

14. The pink letter (2)

Today was Valentine's Day, the famous holiday, we had spent a week decorating our workspace with hearts, flowers and garlands. It was a little ugly, but hey...

Surely you think that I was going to declare my love to Mariam, but unfortunately I don't have the balls for that yet, and yet I am encouraged.

"Come on Leblouche! At some point, you have to tell Mariam what you feel anyway..." Antoine said to me.

"I prefer to wait a little, it's not really the right time," I objected.

"Perhaps you could invite her to dinner, she likes Japanese restaurants" Angélique advised me.

"No, I don't have enough money for that," I interrupted.

"Give her flowers, she likes tulips" Domi suggested to me

"Okay, listen, I really appreciate your interest in developing the relationship between Mariam and I. But she's been here for four months," I demanded.

"But Leblouche, we all know that you have interested in her since she arrived, we want to help you you know" said Angélique.

"Yes, and it's Valentine's Day, it's the best time, right?" added Rose.

"Yes but... I don't really want to" I said, discreetly looking at Mariam from my office.

Even though four months have passed since her arrival, I still haven't managed to talk to Mariam, except to say hello. The fact that the girl I had a crush on in the past is in the same workspace gives me a feeling of hesitation, if I said to her: "Hey Mariam, it's me, Leblouche! Do you recognize me? ", she will probably not believe me.

And then of course, what if she loved someone else, and if she is engaged to someone else and if she was even planning to marry someone else! Call me a pessimist, but I wouldn't take the risk of being labeled a homewrecker without knowing it.

"They're not wrong too, I should take my chance too, but I'll find out about his situation before I do anything" I thought all the way back

I returned home, then on the stairs, I met Madame Piqueron who had a basket in her hand. Curious, I asked him what it contained.

"Good evening Mrs. Piqueron, sorry to ask you, but what do you have in this basket?" I asked.

"Well, actually, my husband and I took the initiative to distribute candy apples to all the tenants on Valentine's Day," she explained. "And by the way, take this apple, it's made with "love"" she suggested.

"Thank you, that's kind," I thanked.

I have to admit that the candy apple was good, but it doesn't help me with my problems.

"Finally back, with the day I've had, I'm exhausted mother..." I said, collapsing on my couch.

Not knowing what to do with the evening, I decided to take the diary.

Dear Diary

Our investigation from yesterday continues, well without me, because strangely without knowing it, I caught a bad cold, so it was Laurent who continued the investigation alone. After school, he came to my house to give me the report (and bring me the missing lessons).

*DING DONG!*

"Yes who is it ?" Mom asked as she opened the door.

"Hello Ms. Leblouche, is Thierry there?" asked Laurent wearing a mask.

"Yes he is in his room resting, you did well to bring a mask, he is very contagious"

"Don't worry, I'll be careful."

*Knock Knock!*

"Leblouche, it's me! Can I come in?" say Laurent.

"*KOF! KOF!* Yes, go ahead" I said coughing.

"So how are you? Are you feeling a little better?" Laurent asked me as he sat down on my bed.

"A little, I think that by the day after tomorrow I will be back at school. So, how did the investigation go, do you have any leads? *KOF! KOF!* "

"Well, actually..."

He told me that he had decided to compare the handwriting of the letter with the notebooks of the last suspects. Which was rather ingenious.

He had first started with Marlene.

"Hi Marlene, do you have a moment?" Laurent had asked.

"Yeah do you want something?"

"Could you lend me your history notebook please? It's to check something"

"Go ahead, but give it back quickly, I have to study"

He told me that he took his history notebook and compared the writing in the notebook and the letter, it was not the same.

"Thank you Marlene!"

"It was nothing..."

He had also checked the handwriting of the other girls, only Corine and Mariam had, by coincidence, the same handwriting.

"Oh right? *KOF! KOF!* Only Corine and Mariam!?"

"Yes, but there are some small differences and I was able to find them, in fact she uses a fountain pen while the other writes with the pen that her father gave her: the writings are almost the same just, but I was able to differentiate them" explained Laurent.

"So who is it? *KOF! KOF!* Tell me" I got impatient.

"Well...I have spoke with the girl and, she told me that she doesn't want me to reveal her identity, for fear that you will hate her or reject her, so I hope you respect her decision" he said.

"Ah... But can't you at least give me a hint?"

"Leblouche, I know how perceptive you are, so if I give you a hint, you will instantly know the person"

"I understand..."

What really happened :

"Hey Mariam, is it possible if you could lend me your notebook?" asked Laurent.

"Again!? But Leblouche asked me to see my notebook yesterday" Mariam complained.

"Just to check something quickly"

"Here, I don't know what you two have with my notebook really..."

"Ahah! I was right, it corresponds exactly to that in the letter"

"Letter?! What are you talking about?"

"You didn't write a poem in a pink letter by chance?" said Laurent, suspicious.

"How do you- UM- I mean, I don't know what you're talking about..." Mariam stammered trying to hide the truth.

"Forget the act Mariam, I am well placed to know that you are the poet with the pink letter"

"*Sigh* Well I admit, it was me who wrote the pink letter, you know Laurent since I became friends with Leblouche, I had feelings for him, the poem I wrote describes exactly what I think of him," she admitted.

"I see, do you think he feels the same way?"

"Don't worry, you're his best friend, you're supposed to know that, right?"

"Somehow..."

"In any case, I ask you to keep it a secret please, I really don't want this to ruin our friendship"

"Your secret is safe with me"

"Thanks..."

Laurent, who spoke with one of the girls, did not want to reveal who she is, out of respect for her request. In the end, I will never know the identity of this girl who loves me so much.

25/1/2005

As I finished reading, a smile appeared on my face, little did I know that I was invested in knowing who this girl was, as if I wanted to be sure that the girl I loved, felt the same thing. It gave me the determination to try to open up to Mariam, maybe, for once, my friends are right.