03. Chapter Three
REFLECTIONS AND RECKONINGS

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Ding.

      Everyone has these lines they won't cross. But then you cross them. And suddenly you posses the very dangerous information that you can break the rules and the world won't instantly come to an end. You have taken a big, black bold line and you've made it a little bit gray. And now, every time you cross it again, it just gets grayer and grayer until one day you look around and think, There was a line there once, I think.

Right now, the world seemed insanely gray for Jean Pierre.

Michele is his family ─ his little sister; he had to. Vivienne knew Jean Pierre had every fucking right to do something to Descamps; he was fueled by the need to defend his sister's honour. There was no secret what Vivienne Satre thought of Joseph Descamps. He was a pest, a pain in the neck ─ he had this sense of egoism about him, which would radiate off of him, plaguing everyone around him. Descamps had always been a thorn in her side, a constant source of irritation with his arrogant demeanor and penchant for being a dick. Vivenne couldn't point ONE good thing about him (maybe his mousy coloured hair, but that was not the point) even if she tried. So why in the world was she thinking how the Joseph Descamps was doing?

     Despite her best efforts to push aside the events of the day, she had been thinking about Michele and Jean Pierre. And Joseph. Would they be okay? Would he be okay? Truth to be told, she didn't know why she cared how Descamps was. Actually, she didn't. But then, she would see the dried blood under her fingernails, that she desperately tried to clean in the school bathroom ─ and failed. It reminded Vivienne that that was his blood and immediately a sense of guilt dawned upon her.  Vivienne, help me.  Seeing him like that, begging her to help him...

Ding.

    "Do you really think they will move us," Annick is the first one to remind her that class had finished. "They can't do that, right Vivienne? I mean, for some people it's this or nothing." Annick looked at her as if pleading for her to say something other than what she deeply dreaded.

  The brunette girl took a deep breath in attempt to calm herself down, her grip thightening on the brownish bag that hung from her right shoulder. "I don't know. They'll probably blame it on Michele."

   Annick deep down knew Vivienne was right, but a part of her clung onto the hope that it might not be true. No matter how hard France tried to act revolutionary and ahead of other countries, the society within it was still flawed. The situation will be potrayed like this: Michele (the girl) was provoking Joseph (the male) and he responded. In their eyes girls are the cause of all problems. What bullshit.

   On their way downstairs, they met Miss Couret who was still visibly shaken. She tried to cover it but both girls could see right through her. "Miss Couret," Annick was the first one to speak. "Excuse us."

The english teacher turned to them, her eyes almost pitying the two of them. "Ah, Miss Sabiani and Miss Satre, right?"

  "Do we have to leave?"

"You'll be going to an all─girls school nearby," Miss Couret sighed. "It's in La Rochelle."

    "What? La Rochelle," Vivienne sneered. "But they have the worst school program in the province. Their average last year was worse than La Martiniere. Annick and I are good students, this isn't fair to us... To the rest of the girls."

Annick's eyes were now threathening to cry. "If my mother could afford to send me to Notre Dame, I'd be there. It's this school or no school at all." She paused. "Vivienne and I have been on top of our class. They get to graduate, but we don't?"

     Annick was spot on. Miss Couret knew they were right. And so did the teacher beside her. Yet they both decided to stay silent. The girls took that as a cue to leave.

"Both of them are pretty", the male teacher next to Miss Couret spoke, smirking, "They don't even have to worry."

      The girls hadn't heard him, thankfully. Otherwise Vivienne Satre would wreak havoc. Right now, her thoughts were occupied with what Annick had said, If my mother could afford.  Annick was struggling and yet she had managed to be on top of class. Vivienne admired her for it ─  yes, the Satre girl had been on top of class as well, but she had privileges. Tutors, extended classes and even if they do expel the girls she always could afford a back up school. It was not the same for Annick. The two had been inseperable since the first class and Vivienne had no intention of moving schools and making new friends. Annick was just fine.

The next class they headed to was biology. "You think they will expel Jean Pierre? I heard he has a hearing tomorrow," the blonde spoke.

     "I mean, I hope they don't. He did what he had to do, Descamps deserved it," Vivienne spoke, but her voice wavered on the last part. She hoped Annick hadn't noticed. "And Jean Pierre is the top student, that has to count for something."

"Well, it didn't count for us," Annick joked, making the brunette smile. "Shit, we're going to be late for biology."

     The girls hurried to class. They were learning something about photosynthesis and that might be the first time Vivienne Satre hadn't been listening in class. Her mind was still going back to fight that happened today. The atmosphere in the classroom was tense, with whispers circulating about Jean Pierre's impending hearing and the potential consequences for all involved. Vivienne found herself unable to focus. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the events of the day, her eyes scanning the dried blood underneath her nails.

Annick, sensing her friend's distress, leaned in and whispered, "Viv, are you okay? Actually, clearly you're not, since you're not paying attention. And the teacher asked about carbon dioxide," She paused. "I know you know the answer."

    Vivienne nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. I was just thinking about whether they'll move us or not."

The class surprisingly passed quickly. Annick actually made Vivienne pay attention to what Mr. Herman was talking about. Biology had always been one of her favourite classes. The girls took their things and made their way outside — and Vivienne was happy this day was over. She couldn't wait to go home.

    "Girls, girls, wait!" Miss Couret was running after the two girls, catching her breath. "I just wanted to tell you that girls had been allowed to stay."

Annick and Vivienne couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Miss Couret's mouth. Overwhelmed with relief and disbelief, Annick and Vivienne exchanged wide-eyed glances before turning their attention back to Miss Couret.

    "Are you serious?" Annick exclaimed, her voice tinged with a mixture of shock and joy.

Miss Couret nodded, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Yes, girls. After discussing the situation with the school administration, they've decided to allow to let the girls stay."

    Annick and Vivienne couldn't contain their excitement. They exchanged a tight hug, their laughter echoing in the empty hallway. "Thank you, Miss Couret," Vivienne said, her voice filled with gratitude.

One more day Voltaire High.

✶ Author's Note...

─ hi guys !! finally a NEW chapter. even tho it's a filler chapter i'm glad i started writing again. next chapter will be spicy 👀👀👀

  ─ descamps aka mr. eyepatch will be back next chapter hehehe

─ also i wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been telling me to continue this book and i got so many nice comments. i love yall <33

─ please comment & vote and tell me what do u think of the chapter

─ also what do u think of vivienne's character so far??

angie, xoxo.