Should've Stayed Away- Joseph Descamps

fifteen

The brief kiss was proven completely irrational and stupid as the day continued. I spent my lessons avoiding Descamps and the glances he shot back at me, I could feel his stare on me the entire day.

He stood in the courtyard after school like most of the students here, he sat on the cement ledge smoking and laughing with Dupin while Applebaum stood in front of them trying to explain something in frustration. A short distraction was luckily keeping my mind and eyes from wandering over to him. 

"I don't know though, I mean I don't think I'd be a very good girlfriend anyways" Annick said, shocking me out of my Descamps filled daydreams. She had just been telling my in a hushed tone about how she and Pichon were spending more and more time together.

I shrugged, "I mean he definitely likes your personality as well as your looks, you two seem to get along" I replied. She nodded her head slowly and her bright blue eyes stared down at the ground in thought. I let her have her moment alone, reaching into my skirt pocket to pull out a cigarette and my lighter.

Annick finally looked up just as a took my first exhale, letting the smoke waft past her face before she spoke, "What about you? How was Jean Pierre?"

"Don't even get me started", I rolled my eyes, "He pretends to be this intellectual with some kind of 'golden boy' persona. In reality he's just another douche looking to sleep with any girl". I wanted to badly to tell Annick about what Descamps and I had seen, conclusive proof that Simone was involved with Jean Pierre. However, then I would probably have to tell Michelle too and then she'd be upset I'd gone out with him for the afternoon. 

It was a seemingly impossible situation to be in, no matter what I chose to do I'd hurt someone. I decided to ignore it, meaning the only person who understood the intense secrets in my life was now Descamps, much to my dismay of course.

Annick and I bid each other goodbye and I quickly found myself pacing in my empty apartment, Descamps fresh on my mind. Earlier he'd made me agree to meeting with him tonight at his house but then we kissed.

I groaned in frustration at the memory of him so close to me, the thought alone made my neck uncomfortably hot. I was such an idiot for letting it happen and yet the idea of repeating it felt enticing. I glanced outside at the setting sun, if I was going to uphold my end of the deal I was going to have to figure things out quick. 

I took a deep breath for courage and grabbed the home phone attached to my wall, reading the scribbled numbers down and dialing them.

It rang once, twice, before someone picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Descamps asked cooly and I felt panic course through me. My hand twitched in the brief reflex to slam the phone down to end the call.

I took another breath in, "Uh hi Descamps, it's Lydia".

I was met with silence and I felt myself inwardly cringe in the awkwardness.

Descamps cleared his throat quickly, his voice suddenly slightly deeper, "Hey Lydia, miss me already?" he asked cockily and now I really wanted to slam the phone down, not in panic though no, this time in annoyance.

"What where you talking about earlier?" I replied quickly in a quick attempt to end his flirty tone there, after the closet I didn't think I could handle his usual banter. 

He chuckled, "we weren't talking earlier".

I sighed in exasperation and moved to lean against the wall, lazily intertwining my finger with the phone's long cord, "You're such an idiot, when you said wear black and show up at my house?"