Do I Have the Right to Be Loved?

Chapter 6 - The Clash

The afternoon had started off better for Thomas and Mattheo, who seemed to have finally regained some semblance of sobriety. They were behaving more calmly, and the history lessons were going smoothly. But things took a different turn when the teacher announced group formations for a project.

The groups were formed alphabetically, and Jeanne had the misfortune of being grouped with Daniel, a boy named Evan whom she had known since elementary school, and Rachelle, a particularly pretentious and arrogant girl. They were assigned the topic of the Algerian War, a subject Jeanne knew well thanks to the stories of her grandfather, who had fought in it. She was excited to share her knowledge but wasn't thrilled about working with Rachelle and Daniel.

When the teacher invited them to join their groups, Jeanne and Evan sat together and began discussing the topic. They shared a few knowing laughs, quietly mocking the situation. Evan was a kind boy, and they had always gotten along well.

Daniel and Rachelle, however, took their time joining them. When they finally sat down across from Jeanne and Evan, Daniel remained silent while Rachelle loudly chewed her gum, scrolling through her phone.

Jeanne and Evan dove into the discussion, creating a detailed plan for their presentation. Jeanne, passionate about the subject, enthusiastically explained the various aspects of the Algerian War. But she could feel the tension rising as Rachelle continued to chew and ignore the work.

Eventually, Jeanne couldn't hold it in any longer. "Excuse me, princess, could you stop chewing like a cow and pay attention to our project for once?"

Rachelle stopped chewing and lowered her phone, glaring at Jeanne with a frosty look. "Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Do you know who my father is?"

Already at the end of her rope, Jeanne responded without hesitation. "I couldn't care less who your father is. How about you try working for a minute, just for a change?"

Rachelle, outraged, stood up, her face taking on a haughty expression. "No wonder your mother killed herself, with a daughter like you."

The shock hit Jeanne like a dagger. She stood up in a flash, tears welling in her eyes, and without thinking, slapped Rachelle with all her strength before storming out of the room.

Jeanne fled the classroom, her vision blurred by tears, her breathing ragged. She ran through the school corridors, not knowing exactly where she was going, only wanting to get as far away from Rachelle and her cruel words as possible. She rushed into the girls' bathroom, locking herself inside a stall before collapsing onto the toilet lid, trembling with anger and pain.

She didn't hear the hurried footsteps that followed her, nor the voices of her friends calling out to her. It was only when she heard the light sound of climbing that she lifted her head, surprised to see Mattheo and Thomas climbing over the stall door to get in. "What are you doing?" she asked between sobs.

"We heard you crying," Mattheo answered calmly, jumping down inside, followed closely by Thomas. They opened the door for Lynne to join them. The three friends found themselves squeezed into the small stall, with Mattheo's arms wrapped around Jeanne.

"What did she say to you, Jeanne?" Lynne asked, crouching down in front of her.

Jeanne sobbed, unable to speak for several seconds. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket before managing to whisper, "She said my mom... my mom killed herself because of me..."

A heavy silence fell in the stall. Mattheo, usually so calm, instantly tensed up, his jaw clenched in anger. Thomas, who had been quiet until then, stood up abruptly. "That little brat... I'm going to make her regret those words."

"No, Thomas, don't do that," Lynne tried to stop him, but he was already out of the stall, his face set with fury.

With a gesture, Mattheo let Lynne take care of Jeanne and went after Thomas. The two boys didn't take long to find Rachelle back in the classroom, surrounded by a few curious students and a teacher trying to understand what had just happened. Without hesitation, Thomas strode across the room in two big steps, grabbing Rachelle by the collar of her shirt and shoving her roughly against the wall.

"You little bitch!" he spat, his eyes blazing. "You have no idea what you just said. We already didn't like you, but now you've crossed the line."

Rachelle, startled and scared, mumbled something unintelligible, but Thomas was too furious to listen. Mattheo, seeing the situation escalating, placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder to pull him back slightly. "That's enough, Thomas," he said in a low but authoritative voice. "We're better than this."

The teacher finally intervened, shocked by the violence of the scene. "What's going on here? Let go of her immediately, Thomas!"

The commotion attracted even more attention, and soon the principal appeared in the room. Seeing the tense situation, he ordered everyone to calm down. "In my office. Now."

Jeanne, who had eventually left the bathroom with Lynne, exchanged glances with Thomas and Mattheo. They waited for her in the hallway, and she walked toward them, her heart heavy. Rachelle, however, followed them with a smug smile, as if she had just won a small victory.

The principal's office felt cold, and the atmosphere was tense. Jeanne felt drained, unable to look anyone in the eye. She had always hated confrontations, and being in such a situation made her feel more vulnerable than ever.

The principal, an older man, looked at each of them sternly. "So, does someone want to explain what happened here?"

Jeanne took a deep breath. She knew she had to speak, but the words wouldn't come. It was finally Ethan, who had followed the group, who spoke up.

"Rachelle said unacceptable things, sir," he began softly. "She insulted Jeanne by cruelly mentioning her mother's suicide. Jeanne reacted, and... things escalated."

The principal frowned upon hearing this. "Is that true, Rachelle?"

Rachelle shrugged dismissively, a smug smile on her lips. "I just told the truth, sir."

Jeanne felt the rage rising again inside her, but before she could respond, Thomas exploded and placed his hand on hers, squeezing it, as if to express all his love and support. "You have no idea what you're saying. Do you think it's funny to throw that at someone?"

The principal raised a hand to calm Thomas. "That's enough, Thomas." He then turned to Jeanne. "Miss, I understand that the situation was difficult, but violence is not the answer. You should have come to me rather than reacting like that."

Jeanne nodded weakly, unable to argue. She knew he was right, but she couldn't help feeling that she had no other choice in the face of Rachelle's cruelty. She tried to calm herself, holding Thomas's hand in return, intertwining their fingers, grateful for his presence.

After a long moment of thought, the principal made his decision. "Jeanne, Thomas, you're suspended for the rest of the week. Rachelle, I want you to write a letter of apology to Jeanne. Your behavior is unacceptable."

Rachelle opened her mouth to protest, but one look from the principal silenced her. Jeanne, on the other hand, felt drained. The punishment seemed small compared to the pain she felt, but she didn't have the strength to protest further.

The four students left the principal's office in silence. Jeanne felt overwhelmed by the emotions that had consumed her throughout the day. Her friends, loyal and protective, stayed close by, ready to help her through this ordeal, but she knew Rachelle's words would haunt her for a long time.

As they walked down the corridors, Thomas placed a comforting hand on Jeanne's shoulder. "We're here... and you know it's all bullshit, what she said."

Jeanne nodded, her eyes shining, grateful for her friends' support. Thomas paused for a moment, then pulled Jeanne into a hug and whispered in her ear, "Don't let this crap get to you... I love you."

Jeanne smiled at him and kissed his cheek.