Through You

Chapter 15 - Glances and Whispered Words

The much-anticipated history class finally began, and as usual, Jeanne arrived before her classmates. She settled into her usual seat, her gaze lost in the ocean on the horizon. The scent of salt and the sea breeze always calmed her, helping her focus despite her inner turmoil.

As she let herself be captivated by the view, a gentle but firm hand rested on her arm. She flinched slightly and turned to see Ethan, smiling as he said,
"Hey, daydreaming?"
Caught off guard in her thoughts, she smiled shyly,
"Yeah, a little."

Ethan left his hand on her arm longer than necessary, creating a palpable awkwardness. Jeanne hesitated to pull away, not wanting to be rude, but the situation made her uncomfortable. Just then, Daniel entered the room and, in a cold tone, without even looking at either Ethan or Jeanne, said,
"Get your filthy hand off her arm."

Ethan immediately pulled his hand away and stood up, leaning over Daniel,
"What's your problem? You're not gonna tell me what to do!"
Daniel, fists clenched, stood up slowly and locked his dark eyes on Ethan's, unwavering. The tension spiked instantly. Before things could escalate, Jeanne calmly but firmly placed her hand on Daniel's,
"Calm down."

She then turned to Ethan,
"Stop, Ethan, it's not necessary. We should focus on our work."

She realized then that her hand was still on Daniel's, a closeness that didn't go unnoticed by either Ethan or Daniel. After a moment of silence, Jeanne withdrew her hand, feeling awkward, trying to regain her composure. Ethan, still angry, asked sharply,
"Why are you defending this guy, Jeanne?"

Surprised by the harshness of his words, Jeanne looked him straight in the eyes,
"I'll defend whoever I want. And the way you're talking to me isn't doing you any favors!"

Daniel, who had been holding back his anger, relaxed upon hearing Jeanne's sharp response. A smile formed on his lips, amused by the girl's comeback. Ethan, seeing this smile, fumed,
"What, you think this is funny?"
"You're not the center of the world, Ethan."

Daniel tried to control himself, his jaw tightening to keep his anger in check. The tender look Jeanne gave him finally soothed him. He slumped back into his chair, trying to forget the tension that still lingered between them.

Later in the relative calm of the classroom, Daniel couldn't help but glance at Jeanne, who remained remarkably focused despite the dark circles under her eyes. A teasing smile formed on his lips. He leaned slightly toward her, keeping an eye on Ethan to avoid drawing his attention, and murmured in a soft, almost amused voice "It's surprising, but I actually find your tired eyes rather... attractive."

Jeanne, surprised by his comment, furrowed her brows slightly before smiling. She turned her face toward him, locking eyes with his, a hint of challenge flickering in her gaze "If a certain someone hadn't struggled to stay away from me last night, I'd have no trouble staying awake today."

Daniel stifled a laugh, amused by her response. Still playful, he whispered back, slightly provocative "Want to rest on me?"

Jeanne stared at him, squinting, her expression both mocking and determined. Her words, though spoken softly, resonated with firmness "I'd rather die!"

They exchanged a knowing glance and then burst into laughter, discreet yet genuine. The moment of tension passed, and they went back to their work, always aware of the subtle game they were playing.

Just then, the teacher arrived, instantly dissipating the heavy atmosphere. She approached their table with a kind smile and asked,
"So, how's your project coming along?"

Jeanne, regaining her focus, replied enthusiastically,
"We've made a lot of progress. We found tons of interesting documents. Look!"

She handed the papers to the teacher, leaning over Ethan without even noticing, too absorbed in her subject. Her passion for the project always overshadowed everything else. Daniel, on the other hand, was captivated by the way she expressed herself. He couldn't help but admire her silently.