Our fallen souls [EN] (High Enough) : VOLUME 1

6 - Blake & Joséphine

"Are you fucking serious?" I ask Cassie as I stand there slumped over the damn air duct.

She looks at me with her arms crossed.

"Why did you invite that chick, seriously? We hardly know her," I ask.

"Oh, please, Blake, make a fucking effort!"

I sigh and reach into my pocket for a cigarette. I twirl it between my fingers, seeking some semblance of comfort. Then, with an annoyed gesture, I light the fag and take a long puff.

I approach Jared and Shawn, sitting on the edge of the roof.

"What's going on?" asks Shawn, a puzzled look on his face.

"Didn't you see who she invited? The new girl, damn it," I say in an annoyed tone.

Jared smirks, obviously amused by the situation."We don't give a damn. We don't give a damn, it'll be fine," he says with a detached air.

I take a second drag from my cigarette, trying to relax a little despite the tension. The smoke slowly escapes my mouth, forming wisps in the air. I'm trying to convince myself that everything's going to be okay, that all I have to do is not pay attention to this news.

Frankly, I'd tried to keep my distance when we passed each other in the hall. It was funny to see her, all shy and reserved and fragile with her pizza boxes. She's so clumsy, she's got a knack for getting under my skin.

Cassie really can't help keeping Joséphine at bay. And then there's Jared and Shawn, those jerks, who might just fuck everything up tonight. I hope at least that Joséphine is truly naive, that she doesn't have a clue what's going on. Otherwise, we're in deep shit.

*

I start to relax little by little, barely laughing at the crappy jokes Jared can come up with. Hell, I've known him and Shawn for ages, but some of their jokes still make me laugh.

Shawn stops laughing abruptly when the squeak of a ladder is heard, a sign that someone is climbing up.

I turn my head and see Joséphine, accompanied by Peter and Cassie. The guys look like they've just had the shit kicked out of them, their eyes riveted on her like dogs in heat. I involuntarily join in this observation. She's curled her hair and put on a little make-up. Well, she's cute, even more than that – really cute, but let's not push it.

"Let's stay away from her, okay?" I insist.

I know them, I've got this fucking fear that they'll throw themselves at her, that they'll get so obsessed they'll forget that this chick could be a fucking danger if she finds out. If she's as tidy as she looks, she'll spill the beans without a second thought.

"Joséphine how?" snaps Jared suddenly.

Joséphine

Peter hands me a beer, and I grab it, expressing my gratitude. He sits down next to me and, together, we watch Blake's group engaged in low-voiced conversations in their corner. His friends seem more extroverted than he is, I find.

After a few minutes, they join us, Blake sitting in front of me and the others beside him. Taking a sip of my beer to ease the tension, I take a moment to observe my surroundings. A breathtaking sunset greets my gaze. Chairs, improvised light sources made from barrels and empty bottles are scattered everywhere.

"So, what do you think?" asks Peter, apparently trying to break the silence between us.

"It's rather charming, very comfortable," I reply, looking at the camping chairs.