Should've Stayed Away- Joseph Descamps

ten

"Lydia I'll walk you home".

Surprise overtook me when I heard those words come from Descamps, he had said it so casually as if he was simply answering a question in class. Maybe it truly was a nonchalant act for him, he stood there a few feet away from me with his hands in his pockets.

My response to my dismay, sounded just as confused as my thoughts, "Uh okay". Talking and being around him felt like I was in this constant cycle of confusion. One second he would be rude and so irritable and then next he'd be gazing at me like he knew everything about me. I thought about what Annick had said earlier, about his little crush on me. 

It simmered inside me as we walked out together, Dupin waving us off like we were going on a cruise or something. Old buildings towered over us while we walked in silence though Dupin broke it as soon as we turned the street corner, to my delight or dismay, I didn't really know.

"For someone so desperate for help you didn't ask a lot of questions", Descamps began, tone impassive as he continued to look forward rather than at me, "Actually you didn't ask any". 

I narrowed my eyes at the side of his head, looking at the small remnants of a smug smile on his face. "Hmm well for someone so desperate  to teach me you were awfully quiet, actually it seemed you were more interested in your bowl of cereal than the activation energy formula" I replied.

He looked over at me for a second, a look in his eyes I couldn't understand before he shook his head. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Everything about him today was just driving me insane, he shows up completely uninvited and tells a complete fib, pretends to read for less than an hour and then declares it's time to leave and now he's walking me home. 

He sighed and spoke again, "I mean how dense are you, asking Dupin of all people for help in Chemistry?" I stared ahead at some of the people walking on the stone street, eyes still narrowed in annoyance. 

"That's a nice way to talk about your one and only friend" I said, a sarcastic bite to my tone. Descamps scoffed and I knew his sharp features were most likely formed in a scowl similar to my own. To anyone passing us we looked like a very very  unhappy couple. 

"I have basic observation skills, unlike you apparently. Chemistry is his second worst subject and anyone with a brain would know that listening to his test scores", Descamps finished insulting me and began reaching for something in the deep pockets of his beige dress pants. 

I averted my eyes from his pants, a slight and unexpected flutter in my stomach I quickly tried to stifle. I cleared my throat and looked back up at the side of his face, his sharp jaw on display, "After all he's done for you? He let you wolf down that cereal but I'm not surprised, you have peculiar  friends". 

"If you want to judge each other's friends let's start with yours" Descamps replied angrily, a cigarette now resting on his bottom lip. His hand came up to cup his face and he stopped walking for a moment. I stopped too, now standing a few feet ahead of him as I turned to face him. 

He glared at me, exhaling a puff of smoke that blew too close to my face. I scrunched my nose and waved it away to his amusement, "Oh great let's do it Descamps, tell me all about my friends since apparently you know everything" I said bitterly and to my dismay a smirk formed on his face. He took a step closer to me, forcing me move my neck further back to look up at him.

"Annick is a shrew who's only tolerated by you and that joke Pichon, Simone's a whore, and Michelle is a self righteous cunt who can't stop sleeping around" he finished with a cocky grin on his face. I scoffed in response and stepped closer, glaring up at him as I did.

I couldn't stand him, his arrogance and his cockiness was enough to make me want to slap him. And here he stood, in front of me and insulting me and my friends, smoking and speaking almost casually as if we were just friends talking about our days. 

"You're a pig you know that? It's a miracle your own mother can stand to be around you" the insult quickly left my mouth and to my dismay Descamps merely laughed, a deep chuckle leaving his chest. 

He grinned and looked down at me, craning his neck to see me, "Did I strike a nerve?"

"And just so you know, you're wrong. Michelle doesn't sleep around" I said, dismissing his last question and turning away to keep walking. He quickly followed almost like a dog in how eager he was to match my strides. He hovered over me as he walked too close to me, the scratchy material from his jacket ever so lightly brushing against my bare arm. 

"Oh really now?" He asked tauntingly though the anger that had once been in his tone was long gone, instead replaced by that annoying playful teasing one he just loved to use. I walked quicker, trying to close the distance to my apartment so I'd be able to get away from him, he matched my strides effortlessly with his longer legs. 

"Yes 'oh really now'," I mocked, "She has been with Laubrac for months now". He took his cigarette out and held it delicately in between his fingers.

Descamps swung around, facing me as we stood by a brick apartment building that was only a block away from mine, a Cheshire cat like grin spread across his face, "Thank you for sharing that dirty little secret with me," He said and I felt my heart drop. He leaned in closer to be and I felt my back press against the bricks, "because I like you oh so much I'll only tell a few people", He leaned in even closer, lips nearly against my ear, "Like her mother, father, brother.." He finished with a whisper.

I quickly moved my head back, it collided with little force with the wall, "Descamps please you can't"I said, attempting not to full on beg him. Panic was evident in my eyes though, the consequences of my careless slip weighing on my shoulders as Descamps stood so close to me, leering down as if he was an animal that had caught it's prey. 

I wasn't close with Michelle, I wasn't even sure she and Laubrac were actually dating. However they definitely were something, Simone had told Annick and I about their nightly rendezvous. I didn't even like Michelle all that much but I knew she'd hate me if she found out I was the reason Descamps was suddenly telling everyone about her secret. A ball of guilt began forming in the pit of my stomach. 

Descamps looked into my eyes with a somewhat hooded gaze, "Tell you what, you do whatever I say and I won't" he propositioned with a flirty tone. My eyebrows furrowed as I stared back at him. The cigarette in his mouth burned brightly, the orange embers illuminating his unfortunately handsome features that were so close to mine, I felt that familiar flutter from before mix in with the guilt in my stomach. To my dismay, the feeling felt much like the stomach flu. 

"Whatever you say? For how long am I expected to go through with this ridiculous idea?" I asked though I was extremely hesitant to agree to such a vague and unreasonable request like that. Descamps was such a prick, the second he had power over me I knew he would no doubt make my life hell. He'd proven multiple times over that that was a certain pass time he loved. 

He smirked and moved a little bit away from me, "A month. If you do everything I say for a month I won't tell" he finished, dropping his unfinished cigarette to the ground and stomping it out.

"You are such a prick" I sighed, pushing myself off of the wall before I started walking again though my feet felt heavier. 

"So you agree?" he asked and he began walking besides me once more, hands returning to his pockets now that they were empty. 

"Fine" I said bitterly and he grinned back at me. To my relief we were outside of my apartment building and I began walking up the stone steps to the front entrance. Descamps stood on the sidewalk, watching my skirt sway slightly with my steps.

He called out my name and I begrudgingly turned around to face the boy who had been making my already complicated life so much more difficult, "Have sweet dreams of me" he called out with his smirk. I gave him a mocking smirk and narrowed my eyes. I was well aware my actions mimicked a young school girl but so did his, we had to have the most immature banter out of everyone in this city. 

"Goodbye Descamps" I replied bitterly as I turned back around and entered the building. The door shut and I sighed in relief before I remembered just how screwed I truly was.