Do I Have the Right to Be Loved?

Chapter 5 - A Tough Morning

The sun barely brushed the horizon when a pale beam of light slipped through the window of Jeanne's room, slowly pulling her from her restless sleep. Around her, the chaos of the previous night lay sprawled out in the form of bodies slumped on the floor, blankets in disarray, and a few empty bottles scattered here and there. The silence was almost soothing after the laughter and shouts that had echoed the night before, but the heaviness in the air betrayed the crushing fatigue that weighed on them all.

Jeanne blinked, her eyelids heavy, still numb from the lack of sleep. The blurry memory of the night's events began to form in her mind: a refreshing night swim, an improvised bonfire on the beach, and conversations that stretched under the starry sky, with the hypnotic sound of waves in the background. She could still feel the salty dampness of the ocean on her skin and the bitter taste of beer on her tongue. A shiver ran through her as she dragged herself out from under her blankets, trying to gather some energy.

"Up, guys," she murmured in a raspy voice, gently shaking Thomas, who was sleeping at her feet. He groaned in response, burying his face in the pillow before slowly sitting up, eyes barely open, his hair a mess.

"I'm dead," he moaned, rubbing his face, still groggy. "Why did we do that again?"

"Because it was fun at the time," replied Mattheo, emerging from a pile of blankets with a tired smile. He stood up awkwardly, trying to find his balance. "Now we're paying the price."

Jeanne gave a faint smile, her eyes half-closed, sharing her friend's cynical humor. They might have had a great time last night, but the prospect of a long day of classes offered little respite. They reluctantly prepared themselves, gathering their scattered belongings, and left Jeanne's house in silence, their feet dragging on the ground like lost souls.

The walk back to school was filled with the weight of exhaustion. The first class of the day quickly became an insurmountable challenge. Thomas and Mattheo, still under the effects of the beer and lack of sleep, were acting over-the-top, laughing at everything, unable to take anything seriously. Jeanne, meanwhile, struggled to keep her eyes open, hoping the morning would pass quickly.

Their bursts of laughter eventually caught the attention of the teacher, an older woman known for her strictness. Her piercing gaze swept the room, stopping on them for a moment, visibly exasperated by their behavior.

"Jeanne, could you take your friends outside so they can calm down?" she asked in a tone that allowed no objection. "They're unbearable this morning."

Jeanne, red with embarrassment, nodded. "Sorry about them, ma'am." She grabbed Thomas and Mattheo by the shoulders, gently pushing them out of the room. Once outside, she made them sit on a small wall under a tree.

"Seriously, guys, you're impossible this morning," she sighed, massaging her aching temples.

Thomas flashed a guilty smile. "Sorry... we probably should've gone easy on the beers."

"Probably?" Jeanne replied, rolling her eyes. "Wait here, I'll get you some water."

She headed toward the vending machines, but on the way, she ran into Daniel. The new guy at school, already notorious for his aloof attitude, was walking slowly, as nonchalant as ever. They came face to face in the hallway, and Jeanne immediately felt her irritation rising. Daniel stared at her, his dark eyes sparkling with a kind of silent challenge. He didn't move, didn't say a word, just stood there looking at her with a smug smile.

Jeanne clenched her fists. She had no patience for that kind of arrogance. Her expression said it all: she had neither the time nor the desire to play this little game.

"Move," she muttered, giving him a slight shove with her shoulder to pass. The contact was brief but enough for him to take notice. Without another word, she continued on her way, trying to shake off the anger burning in her chest.

She returned to Thomas and Mattheo with two bottles of water, hoping it would help them regain their senses. "Here, drink this," she said, handing them the bottles.

As soon as they had them in hand, they started tossing them back and forth, bursting into laughter like two children. Jeanne watched them for a moment, torn between amusement and despair.

"You're unbearable," she sighed, shaking her head. After a few minutes of trying to calm them down, she finally managed to get them back into class.

The rest of the lesson passed relatively quietly, although the teacher shot them several dark looks. At the end, she scolded them harshly.

"You came to class in a terrible state, and you're acting like kids," she said. "I'm letting it go this time, but don't expect me to be so lenient next time."

Jeanne, Thomas, and Mattheo mumbled sincere apologies before leaving the room, aware that they had pushed their luck a bit too far.

During the lunch break, as was their habit, they headed for the beach. The sun was now high in the sky, and the pleasant warmth made them forget, if only for a moment, the fatigue and the scolding. Sitting on the sand, facing the ocean, they savored the calm, enjoying the brief respite before returning to class, where homework and rumors awaited them once again.