Through You

Chapter 8 - Unexpected Visit

Jeanne and Thomas arrived a little before the end of the school day and waited in front of the high school. The minutes ticked by until the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Little by little, the students began to leave their classrooms, some of the more affluent ones casting disdainful glances at Jeanne and Thomas. Thomas, unfazed, returned their looks with a defiant gaze, refusing to be intimidated. His fists clenched, ready to react if necessary. Jeanne knew this and placed a calming hand on his arm to ease his tension.

A few moments later, Mattheo and Lynne emerged from the crowd, their faces lit up with wide smiles. "Did you wait long?" Lynne asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Not too long," Jeanne replied with a smile, but their reunion was interrupted by a hand gently resting on her arm. Surprised, she turned sharply. Thomas did the same, his eyes instantly hardening at the sight of Ethan. Feeling the tension, Ethan quickly let go of Jeanne's arm under Thomas's protective glare and, in a hesitant voice, said, "Can I talk to you for a second... it's about the history project."

Still a little unsettled, Jeanne nodded. "Of course." She shot Thomas a look, silently asking him to join their friends. Then, she listened as Ethan, clearly nervous, explained, "The teacher said we need to make progress on the project; our presentation is next week... can I get your number so we can coordinate?"

She smiled slightly, her voice betraying a hint of kindness. "Yes, of course." After entering her number into Ethan's phone, she asked, her face tensing with concern, "And... the others?"

Ethan tried to reassure her with a timid smile. "The teacher said she won't be in our group anymore. But Daniel..." He trailed off, letting Jeanne infer the rest. Jeanne nodded, visibly relieved, at least in part. "Thanks, Ethan."

As she turned to rejoin Thomas and the others, she spotted Daniel nearby, his dark, unrelenting gaze fixed on her. He seemed to ignore the people around him who were trying to speak with him. Feeling uneasy, Jeanne quickly averted her eyes before joining her friends, who were already waiting for her at the beach.

The hours passed in a joyful atmosphere, filled with laughter and games, everyone enjoying a moment of respite under the soft sun. Jeanne, Mattheo, Lynne, and Thomas teased each other, their voices blending with the sound of the waves in a peaceful harmony. But despite the apparent lightness, a certain weight lingered on Jeanne's shoulders, the memory of Daniel's stare repeatedly coming back to her mind.

After Mattheo and Lynne returned to class, Jeanne and Thomas did some shopping together before parting ways. Jeanne went home alone, enjoying the calm to do a bit of cleaning. The house, still marked by the remnants of past evenings, resonated with the music she had playing in the background.

Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly interrupted by a loud knock at the front door. Assuming it was Thomas, she rushed to open it with a smile, but it quickly faded when she saw Daniel standing in front of her.

"What are you doing here? How did you get my address?" she asked, her tone sharp, almost incredulous.

Daniel stared at her for a moment, his expression impassive. "Hello, first. A bit of politeness wouldn't hurt you..."

Angered by his attitude, she slammed the door in his face. A few seconds later, he knocked again. Annoyed, Jeanne opened it, but this time Daniel was less arrogant.

"Sorry... I just wanted to talk about the project. Ethan's ignoring me, and he doesn't want me to participate..."

Jeanne frowned, suspicious. "How did you know I lived here?"

For a moment, he seemed embarrassed before answering, "I've seen you come in here before... I live nearby."

She stared at him coldly before giving in. "Fine... you want to come in?"

"Why not."

Daniel entered, and after a brief silence, Jeanne invited him to sit. He sat across from her, pulling out some papers from his bag without even looking at her. Jeanne, however, kept her eyes on him.

After a tense silence, she straightened slightly and asked, "Can I know what your problem is with me?"

Daniel, surprised, looked up. His features softened slightly. "I don't have a problem with you."

"Then why have you been staring at me like that since you got here?"

He averted his gaze, visibly uncomfortable. "No... it's not that... I'm just trying to figure people out here, see who's worth hanging out with and who's not."

Jeanne scrutinized him, skeptical. "So, what are we then?"

Daniel hesitated, searching for the right words, before leaning back more comfortably on the couch, regaining some of his haughty attitude. "At first, I thought you were weird. Too... different. But I can't figure you out."

He paused, then, with a sly smile, added, "That blonde guy, is he your boyfriend?"

Jeanne raised her eyebrows, surprised by the question. "Thomas? No... well, not really. We're kind of all together, you know? Thomas, Mattheo, Lynne..."

Her light laugh seemed to ease the tension a bit. At that moment, Jeanne noticed something in Daniel she hadn't seen before: a certain vulnerability behind his tough exterior. He was handsome, in a way she hadn't wanted to acknowledge before. But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the conversation.

Daniel, on the other hand, moved a little closer to her, sitting beside her to show her his notes. Jeanne, initially wary, couldn't help but notice the closeness of their bodies. Daniel's breath gently brushed against her neck, and despite herself, she found she enjoyed the sensation.

She nodded as she followed his explanations, her thoughts becoming slightly muddled. Almost unconsciously, she murmured, "This is really good, everything you've done... I'm impressed."

Daniel, surprised by the compliment, turned his head toward her, his intense gaze locking onto hers. "I'm not as dumb as you think, you know."

Jeanne laughed softly, teasing. "That's yet to be proven."

Their eyes met, a moment suspended, charged with something unexpected. They stayed like that, lost in each other's gaze, as if the rest of the world had disappeared. Jeanne felt her heart race, confused by her own reactions. Finally, embarrassed, she looked away, breaking the fragile connection.

At that moment, the front door burst open, revealing Thomas, Mattheo, and Lynne. Thomas's gaze immediately fell on Daniel, sitting far too close to Jeanne for his liking. Furious, he strode forward and grabbed Daniel by the collar, pulling him to his feet.