IT'S THE LAST WEEK BEFORE WINTER BREAK, and the landscape is covered with a thick blanket of snow, giving the atmosphere both a magical and melancholic feel. Aimée arrives at school, her heart heavy yet pulsing with nervous anticipation. A dark red wool hat covers her red hair, while a knitted scarf wraps around her neck, protecting her from the biting cold.
Her kiss with Joseph leaves her feeling both exhilarated and anxious. It's her first kiss, a moment she has imagined countless times in her mind, but never with such intensity or mix of emotions.
As she approaches the school entrance, she scans the familiar faces, hoping to catch a glimpse of Joseph.
When she finally sees him, his silhouette outlined against the building's wall, he leans against a column, a cigarette between his fingers. His dark eye is lost in contemplation of the gently falling snow around him.
She takes a deep breath, hesitating to move forward. Her steps eventually carry her toward him, but to her great surprise, Joseph ignores her. He continues smoking, staring into the distance as if he hasn't even noticed her.
Disappointment washes over Aimée, and her heart tightens. How can he ignore her after what they shared ?
Other students crowd around them, some laughing, others rushing to their classes. Aimée suddenly feels out of place, as if she's caught in a fog while everyone else continues their routine. She forces herself to walk away, diverting her gaze from Joseph. Maybe he acted on a whim, or the moment they shared isn't as important to him as it is to her.
Finally, she joins Michèle and Simone, sitting on a bench in the entrance hall. They exchange laughter and jokes, but Aimée can't shake off the feeling of being on the outside. Michèle, noticing her troubled expression, stops mid-sentence. "Hey, Aimée, are you okay ? You seem somewhere else."
"Yeah, I'm fine... I think." She feels foolish for letting a boy hurt her, but the pain is too real.
The bell rings, signaling the end of the break. She feels her heart race as she heads toward class. She tries not to look at Joseph during the lesson, but her thoughts inevitably drift to him. Each time she sees him, her mind becomes foggy, and this time, it's her who struggles to follow the lessons. The teachers' words seem to fade into a haze of confusion.
She recalls the taste of his lips, the sweetness of their kiss, and it disturbs her even more. The sensation of his mouth against hers is etched in her memory, and each time she closes her eyes, it's as if the world stops. "Focus, Aimée," she murmurs to herself, trying to chase away her thoughts.
