𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 - Valerie Belcourt is sent to a small town of southwestern France, where the air was gloomy and as dramatic as her. She finds herself in the high school Voltaire, a school allowing both female and male students to study alongside each oth...
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"Annick. Annick!" Pichon uttered the girl's name, a bench from where they were. Valerie was the first to look after hearing the name, Annick herself was too intrigued in her companion's book. Valerie gave a light tap on Annick's lap, who raised her head at the direction Valerie pointed and got up.
"what'd he want?" Valerie asked through pinched brows and a piqued interest. Annick huffed, knowing her friend would not like the deliverance of the news. "well?"
"Pichon gave the date to Descamps, he'll be the leader now." Annick confessed, pausing to see her friend's reaction. Valerie was speechless, frozen in the bench as Annick's words translated to English and then sunk into Valerie's brain. a angered expression crossed her features, "what!" she spat out, "why?" her french was scrambled in between the fury and confusion over the conflict.
"Pichon said he won't stop picking on Applebaum." Annick explained and Valerie brought a finger to her temple in annoyance. "is Pichon so stupid that he'd actually think Joseph would ever stop? he just gave Joseph the power to torment anyone he wants now!" the brunette exclaimed angrily. "I know! I know!" Annick sighed, elegantly sitting at the seat next to her.
"boys never do anything right." Valerie shook her head, returning to the classic weighting down her lap.
˚ · • . °
the time came where History class began for the second years of Voltaire High. the class sat waiting inpatiently for the day to end, four students felt more nervous than other. Felbec's lap jumped up and down as he ran over his answer a thousand times on his mind, Pichon nervously looked at Descamps, Annick tried to control the slight twitches in her bone structure, and Valerie picked at her nails—debating if she'd yell out the answer before Joseph Descamps could even have the chance to stand up.
"who deserves to be class leader?" Mrs. Giraurd's heels clicked on the floor, building anticipation as her grave voice questioned the students with lingering eyes. a beat after the question Felbec and Descamps raised their hands, it came to everyone's surprise when Belcourt's hand was raised too.
"Mr.Felbec, did you find the date of the Battle of Marathon?" there was a slight inch of a smile on Giraurd's lip as she asked, maybe she found joy in seeing the boy be so invested in his education, maybe it was because she was a sadist who loved to watch students suffer.
Felbec stood up, eyes following his stature as his whiny voice spoke up. "fifth century b.c." Valerie's face breathed out a small laughter at such a redundant answer. "correct," Giraurd nodded, "but would you say twentieth century if I asked about the battle of Verdun?" light scoffs sounded out through the classroom as Felbec sat down completely humiliated.
"Mr.Descamps, can you do better?" Valerie poked her tongue through her cheek, visibly annoyed. she heard Descamps chair slide against the floor and cursed him in her mind. "490 b.c." hands clasped behind his back, Descamps's eyes met Valerie's back from where she sat. she refused to meet his gaze and that made him insane, he wanted to see her defeat. see her understand that he was smarter, better.
"congratulations, Descamps. that's impressive." hummed Giraurd, bringing back the bandaged boy's attention. "can you tell me where you found the date?" skepticism crossed Giraurd's face while a smirk played on Valerie's lips. she now took the opportunity to turn around, she wouldn't miss this for anything. horror flashed across Joseph's face but he masked it over nonchalantly, he shook his head like it was obvious, "in our book."
"really? surprising. the Persian Wars aren't part of the curriculum." Giraurd stared with sarcasm dripping in her voice. "maybe it was another book, I don't remember." Joseph countered.
"already? if you you've already forgotten something that happened today, how will you remember anything to get your diploma?" the strict lady leaned forward. Descamps had no answer at the tip of his tongue anymore, and that made someone absolutely satisfied.
Pichon stood up, loudly bringing the attention of the class at the sudden disruption. "I gave him the date." the boy confessed. both Annick and her companion shared a look of curiosity and surprise, they didn't take Pichon to be so bold.
"I'm listening, Pichon." Giraurd awaited. "490 b.c. is in the manual on Ancient Greece. and I know that because..." Pichon's eyes trailed to the blonde girl at front, who scowled as she shook her head. only Felbec had noticed the interaction, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together and realize that his best friend worked against him. "I read it in the book." Pichon concluded with an awkward shrug.
"why did you give the answer to Descamps?" "I-I wasn't sure I could do it, being a class leader, ma'am" Pichon shook his head.
"there are worse faults than humility. certain students, boy and girls, should remember that." Giraurd lectured before the awaited answer left her lips,
"Pichon, you are our class leader."
˚ · • . °
the end of the school day was promising. Valerie Belcourt would finally stroll around the small town for the first time. hoping to find gemstones along unfamiliar stores she went this time, with a pack of cigarettes weighting down her coat-pocket and her bag slung around her shoulder.
"where are you going, Belcourt?" Joseph Descamps slid himself out of the brick wall he sat atop of. he fell just a few inches from Valerie, who sighed at the bothersome presence.
"none of your business, Descamps." she spat with annoyance, her eyes traveling up to Dupin who gave her a smirk.
"Dupin, leave us." Joseph's eyes never wavered from Valerie's as he warned his friend. Dupin followed his orders like an obedient dog, muttering out something before turning his back and looking over his shoulder to the Belcourt once.
Joseph blew smoke onto her face, making her scrunch up her nose as her attention was brought back to him. "you and your little friend convinced Pichon to turn back on me, didn't you?" the almond haired boy accused and in response Valerie scoffed.
"he did that on his own, if you must know." the girl rolled her eyes. "yes, well, I'm sure you're very happy about Bluebeard's decision." he leaned closer, they could feel each other's breaths on eachother. Valerie looked up at his taller figure with despise.
"I am quite satisfied, I believe the school would collapse with you being anything else but a student. you already act as if you're above everyone else." Valerie leaned closer as well, never backing down on an opportunity to rile up Joseph. he smirked, his eye searched her body up and down. every little detail engraved on his mind, from her sweet perfume to the soft outline of the box in her pocket.
for a considerable second, Valerie thought that Joseph would latch his lips onto hers. the action passed through his mind, clinging onto his brain like a flea while some part of Valerie would eagerly return the kiss.
something was born from the intense staring matches, something far different from the fiery hate, desire.
