𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃, joseph descamps

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🏵️ ꒱ ━ ☐ In September 1963, Voltaire High, previously an all-boys school, becomes coeducational and welcomes girls for the first time. It is there that Aimée, a quiet student with striking red hair, meets Joseph, a troublemaker whose unpredictable behavior both fascinates and exasperates her.

He isn't sure what annoys him most about her. Maybe it's her fiery hair, her radiant smile, or the way she attracts attention without even trying. He despises her perfect teeth and skinny wrists, her passion for reading that makes her so different from the others, and especially the way she eats slowly in the cafeteria before retreating to the restroom. The more he thinks about it, everything about her repulses him, yet he is also intrigued by what he doesn't understand.

On her side, she can't stand the smell of cigarettes that clings to him whenever he walks into class, nor his obnoxious attitude. She hates the way he looks at her, how he always seems to get what he wants, and, most of all, his smug little smile that drives her mad.

But beneath this animosity, Aimée is hiding her own struggles, desperately trying to meet expectations while battling her eating disorders. Through their confrontations, Joseph, in some way, helps her feel more at ease in her own body.

They will learn that sometimes, you have to walk through darkness to embrace the light.