THE DAY THAT FOLLOW are marked by a strange calm at school. Joseph's absence is palpable, though his actions and their consequences continue to weigh heavily on all the students. Aimée navigates between fragile relief and a persistent sense of guilt. She struggles to concentrate in class, often lost in her thoughts.
A gray morning stretches over the high school as Aimée steps into the courtyard, her stomach empty and her mind troubled. She instinctively searches for Michèle and Simone among the crowd of students rushing to their classrooms. The weight of the past week presses down on her shoulders, her thoughts teetering between relief at no longer seeing Joseph and anxiety for Jean-Pierre's future.
She finally spots Michèle near their usual bench, sitting with a worried expression. Simone is beside her, visibly trying to comfort her. Aimée approaches them quickly, her breath visible in the cool morning air.
"Michèle, it's been a week since he's been gone, and today the only thing they will see is your brother," the brunette says softly to reassure her.
Michèle looks up, a mix of gratitude and nervousness in her gaze. "Do you think so ?" she asks in a trembling voice.
"Yes. Your brother with his good manners, his hair always neatly combed, his good grades... The other one with his swollen eye, they've already forgotten him."
Suddenly, silence falls over the courtyard, accompanied by a distinctive noise. All the students freeze simultaneously, their eyes instinctively turning in one direction. It's him. Joseph is back.
He emerges from the mass of students with a confident stride, but something has changed. His face wears a cold, distant expression, so different from the arrogance he used to flaunt. A thick bandage now adorns his face, covering his left eye.
Aimée feels a wave of unease wash over her. He glances briefly in their direction, his gaze sliding over them like a sharp blade, before continuing on toward his friends waiting further away.
Michèle swallows hard, her hands gripping the bench. "He's back," she murmurs, her voice almost choked.
In the afternoon, they sit with Mrs. Giraud to start a new chapter. Mrs. Giraud suddenly breaks the silence, asking, "Who can give me the exact date of the Battle of the Marne ?"
Felbec, Aimée, and Annick quickly raise their hands, ready to respond. Without any real suspense, Mrs. Giraud chooses the only boy who has raised his hand, illustrating once again the discriminatory dynamic that seems to reign in this class. She continues by asking him about the forces present during this decisive battle.
