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I am quietly installed in my office. This is my own place, in this family home. Far from the adventures of my children, I appreciate being able to breathe calmly from time to time. There, I decompress and take the time to think, to drown myself in my thoughts, in my memories.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKUFLL78fQ
Suddenly there is a knock at the door. I quickly slip the photo I had been looking at for several minutes into the pocket of my blouse, and pretend to be concentrating on a file. I barely have time to say, “Come in” when the door opens to reveal my daughter. At seventeen and a half years old, she has behaved like a real tornado since the start of her adolescence, four years earlier. However, in her face framed by long brown hair, childhood can still be seen.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJyIaoaFoM
— Mom, I need to talk to you about something super important ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y2LmGVUP6
I suppress a smile. With Orlane, everything is always mega important ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsixfZvlLgJ
— Ok I hear you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUIhRRyQMU
— With Alexandra, we would like to get a tattoo ! She says, excited, as if it’s the best news of the year.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZICJaCWhp0
— A tattoo ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3T2yJsIQy
She nods energetically.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgobS7J2Sc
— While you are still a minor ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPDAwgUoxU
— Soon to be an adult.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLrxFPzSlC
— Yes, so seventeen years and counting.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAiwup0n8E
— If you say so. So, is it yes ? I need parental consent to do this.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnI1IksSjw
— No way ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F0ZkcOmLE
As I expected, my daughter's face turns an angry red, while her light eyes darken.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhBkgQOO3u
— You never let me do anything cool ! She shouts, slamming the door behind her.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJJfnUdpME
Another of these great classics is to avoid any discussion by taking long strides. I hear him scream.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsz3hOehqz
— She always forbids me from everything ! She’s never there for us ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRGovl6mDs
— You exaggerate ! Mom is always there whenever we need her, tries to calm my son down in a paternalistic tone.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMRxtAGQ5E
Calm, thoughtful and very mature in nature for a young man of sixteen, my son has a character that is the polar opposite of that of his sister.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHObg4JbKaX
— She’s not a cool mother ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynvOsnq4ye
I decide to join them in the kitchen.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BJIecvH4t
— If being fashionable means letting you drink alcohol, do drugs, let you date anyone, or allow you to get tattoos, then no, I'm not cool...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWL7CWYwjN
— But why don’t you want to ? After all, it’s just a little drawing on the skin, adds my daughter with a pout.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlm4E2v0BgM
My God, how tenacious she is… Like me ultimately.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsFbt28GpT
— Orlane, the day you want to get a tattoo for a good reason, I will accept, but not to be like your friends.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvfT2tli45
My son looks at us, imperturbable.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrTi9tDkLP
— You definitely have a tattoo ! She accuses me, angrily.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNuUIpI7yz
I look down, weighing the pros and cons, and end up telling them : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0B2FRPQaz
— Follow me to the living room, both of you. I need to talk to you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WZxpvcIFR
Without a word, they accompany me, and each sit in one of the large armchairs, facing mine.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRiysBOEbv
— You are both old enough now for me to tell you a story. And please don't interrupt me. The story I am about to tell you is personal to me, but it is important that you know it, because it has made us who we are.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoOIUHUNpW
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It all started on September 26, 1991 : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yerMuH28x
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Autumn has not yet arrived although the leaves of the trees are starting to turn red under the less intense rays of the sun.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dXhQSBvMK
I detail my reflection while doing my hair in front of the mirror. I don't think I'm pretty, although many people tell me otherwise. I'm not very tall, I don't have the figure of a top model, in fact, I find myself rather ordinary. Not to mention this damn hair that refuses to stay styled the way I want it ! Giving up trying to tame them, I abandon my hairbrush and go down the stairs of the house. I'm so happy to be in high school where I'm now one of the big guys. Sixteen is the age where my real life begins, the age where my parents finally treat me like an adult and no longer like an immature child. The age when all dreams are achievable and desires possible.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgmaCUC8Hw
My mind escapes for a moment to fly towards Chad, my boyfriend of several months. Chad is young, handsome, athletic and intelligent when he manages to stay focused long enough on his homework instead of thinking about sports, which is hard for him. He's not very tall, but built like a sportsman : all muscles. I like his black hair in a crew cut, and his hazel eyes. We have known each other since childhood. I had been secretly in love with him for years. In high school, I was known for being the type of serious girl, always top of the class, which did not attract boys, much to my despair. Chad is the most popular boy in school, so there was no chance he would be interested in me until a teacher asked me to help him with math. When he finally asked me to go out with him, I couldn't believe it anymore.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0ZvML2B8i
For six months, Chad and I have been in perfect love...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36vHRcXnqi
Okay, we only exchanged chaste kisses, we don't go out much, instead spending our time watching movies at his house. I also admit that contrary to what I had always imagined, I don't feel this passion that romance novels boast about, perhaps this is due to the fact that we have few things in common. When Chad kisses me, I have the horrible feeling of kissing my best friend but I’m sure that with time, our story will become more intense, passionate and that this feeling will disappear. After all, he’s the one I always wanted so everything will work out in the end.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXlFlRw4Fe
Letting out a romantic sigh, I enter the kitchen. Almost my entire family is gathered there : Ashley and John, my parents as well as Nina, my younger sister. The only thing missing is Nicolas, my big brother who recently left for New York University and who only comes home for the holidays.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZa7Yb6vOr9
— My little Megan… The more I see you, the less you look like my baby, my mother laments, staring at me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCzneKE7oq
She isn’t very tall, she has a face with soft features that charms most people she meets. I get her brown hair and blue eyes from her. She always expresses herself calmly, but with conviction.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ur7Tmp0IU
I act as if his rantings don't matter to me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMu9vR0BWh
— Mom, I’ll always be your daughter. And then, you have Nina as a baby…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3aoBFu3Qa
My sister makes a face. At thirteen, she sees herself more as a teenager than as the youngest member of the family.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5ceXFdiX3
— Are you still planning to go to Chad’s party tonight ? How many will you be ? Asks my father before swallowing his coffee.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ948vjWFdXC
— Yes I’m going. There will be about fifty of us.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4pbBOqtmJ
My father coughs and chokes.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEjpFk5VeQ
— That much ? Ask my mother in turn.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8p5orRc1fd
I nod yes.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRjo18yvpB
— There will be the whole class as well as Chad's friends, that's a lot of people, he's very popular at school.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVeLRYqbZ2
— That’s true, my father agrees with a touch of pride.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLl9ZzVJmd
Even though he tends to be overprotective, I love my father very much. I find him a handsome man for his age. At forty, his dark brown hair begins to take on gray shades at the temples and expression lines slowly creep into his angular face, further marking his smile and his frown.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukHycH7Ir4
My father works in construction, his specialty is facade maintenance. He judges each house by the quality of its exterior paint ! My mother is a secretary in a real estate agency, which doesn't excite her, but she has fixed hours, which suits her perfectly. We are a middle class American family. We live in a residential neighborhood in the small town of Millisky, Pennsylvania, where almost everyone knows each other, if only by sight. The town has around five thousand souls. We have a hospital, shops, restaurants, cinemas, and even a large shopping center, so we never get bored. In addition, our town is surrounded by a beautiful forest which allows for long walks, we also have a lake about five kilometers to the south. To the west, a hill overlooks the city, it is the chic district where all the local bourgeois have built their beautiful homes, which most often only serve as second homes. To the north, a highway takes us to Pittsburgh, the nearest major city, a two hour drive, and to the east, Philadelphia is a three hour drive.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupkRFTYj9H
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A little later that day, I'm in the main hallway of the school. It is a large white building, some classrooms have faded walls, originally cream-colored, and the same goes for places of frequent passage. The central corridor has on each side of its walls, two rows of gray lockers stacked on top of each other. I take some books from mine when, turning around, I see a boy of average height, with brown hair and light eyes, walk past me. He looks at me furtively. When I meet his gaze, I feel like I'm falling from a ten- story building. It's a strange thing I've never felt before and it only lasts a few seconds. Coming to my senses, I tell myself that I must be going crazy.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylMLjlskWQ
— Not bad, admires Amy, my best friend, who followed my gaze.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofqXCxfMkD
— New student ? I'm asking perfunctorily as I'm sure I've never seen it before.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhwZtyKDTU
— I’ll find out, says my friend, narrowing her eyes with interest.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscQM4YLWhd
— In any case, he’s very cute, I can’t help but point out.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7W9Tjutsd4
— You're the one who says that, even though you're dating the hottest boy in school ! She exclaims, shocked.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY96AOp1DzX
I smile, remembering that Chad never wanted to go out with her. He preferred me. It's so rare for a boy to reject her that I know she harbors a little resentment towards me. She has never told me openly but sometimes, like this moment, she throws a little barb at me. Without being mean, it gets heavy some days. However, she has been my friend for so long that I don't see myself falling out with her over such a small matter.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFu7Vx0f6he
Later that day, in history class, I am fascinated by the documentary that the professor shows us concerning the liberation of Europe during the Second World War. This is not the first report I have seen on the subject but each time, I am caught up in the violence, the abomination of this conflict. When the images of the concentration camps appear on the screen, I look away. This is too hard for me, so I concentrate on a completely different theme. Since the start of the course, I have had the strange sensation of feeling observed. As I turn to scan the class, I see the new student sitting two rows behind me, his eyes fixed on me. When he realizes that I have noticed him, he returns his gaze to the screen. I imitate him but after a few seconds, I turn around again.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArwrmUQK5k
Grid ! I thought, giving a hint of a smile as he refocused on the documentary. For long minutes, I no longer dared to move. It's stupid but this boy intimidates me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQX8QPh9jr
When the film ends, I turn in my seat to follow the teacher as he walks around the class summarizing what we just saw. The newcomer is still staring at me. His look is indecipherable.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmEnSJTPTa
— Imagine these families separated during endless years of war, imagine their suffering. If you had been in their place, would you have chosen resignation in the face of the invader or would you have opted for resistance ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEN17NyJMz
I raise my hand, certain of my answer.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx8TWSXw6e
— Yes Megan.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvkLUWo229
— I would have chosen resistance. Faced with injustice, I think I would have been incapable of looking at the situation without taking part in the fight.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkdO5n1Jpv
— Good. Someone else's opinion ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFnx6vggLm
Many raise their hands including the new one.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbPSL5eHsk
— And you, what do you think ? Asks the teacher, addressing him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehZzHiW1uo
— I believe that with hindsight, it is easy to give your opinion, but at that time, people who engaged in the resistance ran enormous risks, not only for themselves but also for those close to them. All this must be taken into consideration.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh2kKfB6QS
— Perfect, Jessy ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9e2LQvnJmC
Jessy… 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqGMKSMnUo
I have a hard time taking my eyes off him even though his name resonates within me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIs0aTOpgf
— For the next class, you will write me a presentation on this subject, continues the professor.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdxXQsmSbp
The bell announcing the end of classes rings, the new guy immediately picks up his things and leaves, bowing his head. It makes me feel like I'm running away from the whole world.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Zr0EmSYL7
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I head to the bathroom to put some gloss on my lips and find my friends Amy and Pearl there.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6z5O6PtNj
— So, Meg, where are you with Chad ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSh8t2OanYJ
My cheeks immediately turn red.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswG8RJStwF
— There is nothing to say.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey4Z7c9BJh
— Don’t tell us you haven’t done it yet, Amy insists.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmgJPHINDJ
— Well no… Well, I mean, do you feel ready ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJY0T7cHxE
Amy shrugs. I know she hasn't been a virgin for some time.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobImktvKxr
— There’s no reason, Pearl assures. You're with the boy you've always wanted, so why not go all the way ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkffo9RfW9
These words make me think more than they should. I've been dreaming about Chad for years, so why do I feel this stuck ? Why don't my feelings push me to open up completely ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo5SgjmJpj
I feel lost and I know perfectly well that it's not my friends I could confide in. They would immediately judge me, thinking I'm crazy for asking myself a thousand questions when I'm dating a great guy.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EfrgyDrjv
If only Nick were here, I thought with regret.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXpjbz41eF
My brother would be able to advise me perfectly. It's crazy how much I miss him. Looking forward to the next vacation so he can come back to see us.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xrfmhZmh0
— By the way, have you seen the new one ? Pearl continues, arranging her brown hair in front of the mirror. He is too beautiful ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRKlzvaZQ1
It’s true that he is beautiful ! A finely sculpted body without being skinny and a face with fine features that I find refined, piercing green eyes lined with long eyelashes, slightly messy light brown hair... I also memorized the little chain with at the end a cross that dangles from his left ear giving him a little rebellious side that I find sexy.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdokHoGe4tQ
— I learned a few things about him...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFxL1peaea
This simple sentence from Amy focuses all my attention.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcEl4u8OOR
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A few hours later, at the end of classes, I found my father in the high school parking lot. This day is important to me. I pass my driving license. I am confident, because for several weeks, Chad has been teaching me everything there is to know and, according to him, I am ready.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZQKG2bLA7
— Megan, we need to talk, my father begins.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRuhrI5I7G
Already knowing that I am going to be treated to a moral lesson, I hold back a sigh.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuLYusc7H0
— It’s about that party at Chad’s. You know I trust you, but... knowing you with him until late...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyzfgeIP2S
When I don't answer, he continues : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6zBvsYWSk
— Will you be… serious this evening ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMXW3ysd1z
— Dad, I'm still a virgin and I don't plan on that changing tonight.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLvrOuS2Fl
— Thank God, he breathes with relief after grimacing.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF7ozYg7ga
Shortly after, we return home, me with my license in my pocket and my father with the certainty that I am still innocent.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z9I41sQj8
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In the evening, I found Chad at his house. He lives in a large, modern and chic house, close to the city center. Their villa includes three bedrooms with an independent bathroom, a games room, an office, a fully equipped kitchen and a gigantic living room which, that evening, easily accommodated fifty guests. Outside, in a garden, in which my entire house could fit, is a heated swimming pool. As the girlfriend of the owner of the house, I make a grand entrance. I'm wearing a pretty black silk dress, perfectly fitted, which suits me perfectly. I turn heads as I pass, especially Chad who only has eyes for me. The party is in full swing, the whole class has gathered there.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6rWiTkF67
I'm chatting with Amy in the corner of the room, when I spot the new student, Jessy, standing a little further away. He observes me while chatting with Stanley, a friend of my brother. He stares at me and gives me a small smile to which I can't help but respond.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzejTezQnu
Why am I blushing ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIR9OaRYvqQ
— This guy is so hot. I'm going to go and get to know each other, Amy said to me, scrutinizing Jessy.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtPvaBSd81
Without knowing why, my heart sinks.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAyUbG8ieZ
— Amy…, my reaction is stupid. You look very pretty with this dress.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIom5WpSkJ
She smiles. I see her approach Jessy, Stanley quickly walks away while Amy launches into a tirade, pointing out several people in the room. She must inform him of the gossip that is circulating. I can't help the pang of jealousy that creeps into me when I see her place a hand on Jessy's arm. At this moment, he looks up at me, his expression is indecipherable. I have to look elsewhere... But I can't do it.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2en3wf3Bz
— Are you okay, Meg ? You're having fun ? Chad appears in front of me and places his hands on my hips.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GmStrhdrI
Finally I take my eyes off Amy and the new guy. I have to think about something other than his green eyes which make me feel like they are penetrating my soul.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1d6pyXJi7
I place my lips on my boyfriend's in a brief kiss.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEXLBMlSRX
— Where were you ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0KtMiCyZe
— I was walking around the house. Haven't you noticed that some people look like they've been drunk ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlN6VbEF3l
— Yes, I met Matt earlier, he reeked of alcohol.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6iQRGFU5R
— Great, Chad breathes, annoyed. If my parents find out about this, I'm dead.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOiDEipLL9
I glance in Jessy and Amy’s direction. He has disappeared while she returns to us, blowing : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePvxXLeUs1
— This guy is weird ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTCr0MnLjc
— What happened with Jessy ? I said, trying to contain my relief.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrB9eRTOSIY
— I don’t know, I was talking to him and, suddenly, he went out to get some fresh air. Who invited him anyway ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8BG6N1ZIF
— It's me. We had a class together, I told him it would be the best way to meet people.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc5HIOZsbI
How nice Chad is ! That's why I love him, my heart reminds me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9D35jY9R1p
— I’m going to try to find out who brought the alcohol, he continues.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTJoJT6IPM
— I am coming with you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPDaqltgcR
We leave Amy in the living room and head towards the kitchen. A group of American football players, of which Chad is the quarterback, are seated there.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8FHoF6XTI
— Damn, you guys are annoying ! I warned you though : no alcohol.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMOPQcwHJ7
My boyfriend raises his voice.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTeHBfTupj
— Relax, Chad, it's just beers.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUbCrtB97z
— Beers or not, if my parents find out I'll be in big trouble, get rid of it ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqYX8YGBwc
The five young people take their bottles while complaining and drop one which spills down the front of my dress.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiTmcaXydH
— It’s clever ! Chad exclaims as I gape.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTwLdW3sLB
I grab a roll of paper towels and try to wipe the alcohol off, to no avail.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8s8BFCi2Iq
— Come with me, my boyfriend said, taking me by the hand. I don't mean to be offensive, but you stink of alcohol. We're going to have problems with your parents if you leave like that again.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3aoAbEs8B
— I know, it’s because of your stupid friends ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQrGJ72fo2
— I'm sorry. I have an idea. Go take a shower, and in the meantime, I'll wash and dry your dress and off you go, neither seen nor known ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17IbnZPjrA
Having little choice, I accept.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGWbPzBd2G
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Several minutes later, which seemed like an eternity, I found Chad in his room. I am in my bathrobe and my boyfriend is holding my clean dress in his hands when there is a knock at the door. Neither of us has time to make a move that Amy and Pearl are already initiating. They stand in the doorway, look at us and mutter an apology before closing the door, giggling.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCy8e5vScgE
— Great, they’re going to think anything now, I mutter angrily.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC4CKAsF62
— But no, they are your friends. You just need to explain the situation to them when we get down.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E9Z52B9oR
I'm not convinced, but Chad is right, they are my friends, they will definitely believe me. And then, I have nothing to reproach myself for.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgHHKaIU6I
Clearly, this evening is far from being the evening I dreamed of ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7q4ZGU7lFy
When we join the guests on the ground floor, I immediately feel that they are staring at me with eloquent little smiles. I'm going to pour myself a glass of non alcoholic punch when Amy and Pearl come to talk to me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKyFyiqa3x
— So, Meg, how was it ? Is Chad as good a shot as he seems ? Amy asks me, with a spark of curiosity in her eyes.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GOp3fw9WF
— What are you talking about ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrAdbtMOL8
— Of you and Chad half naked in his room ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvqefCjn8p
— That’s not at all what you think ! Nothing happened ! Some idiots had spilled beer on me. I had to take a shower while Chad cleaned my dress and he was dressed in case you didn't notice ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSOJ3626ak
It annoys me to have to justify myself as if I had committed a crime.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaHFfg4fm3
— But of course ! Pearl replies, giggling with Amy before walking away towards other students in our class.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbEYlbXClU
This story is crazy, and the worst part is that no one wants to believe me, not even my best friends, at least the ones I thought were real friends. The looks that I already found embarrassing became even more insistent, and shame invaded me. It’s a shame to feel this ! Sensing my discomfort, Chad comes to join me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGfHFx1EWU
— I'm going back.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm52hjxEm3
— But no, stay, you're not going to let these idiots ruin your evening ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1h9enYn9f
He hugs me tightly to reassure me, but604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1NYUkzhbx
I gently push him away. There are already enough comments as it is, there is no point in adding more.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rlR0FrTRW
— No, I'm going back. See you tomorrow ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyBKegJTL3
Disappointed, he acquiesces. I kiss him on the tips of his lips as we usually do.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZ1JtuR2OJ
— You don’t want me to take you home ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYiwnE4TUz
— I need to walk...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhaxmjRR50
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdv6XFewXh
It feels good to be alone and to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the cool night. The moon just makes a crescent in the sky. Looking up, I admire the stars which, far from everything, don't care about the gossip that runs on Earth. Tears burn my eyes, I feel more alone than ever on this Earth which is definitely not running smoothly.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZI0lqIqdP
— Did you need to get some fresh air ? A soft voice nearby asks, bringing me out of my reverie.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iSgug06Jq
Jessy is by my side, looking up to the sky.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkofg08ERTG
— Yes. Exactly. You too ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW56SDXTokr
This is the first time I've seen him up close. Immediately, my heart races. A small diamond shines in his ear, replacing the cross he wore during the day. Two locks frame his forehead, falling in front of his eyes when he lowers his head. I know I shouldn't stare at him like that, but I can't help it. I feel like an insect attracted by a light that hypnotizes it. He looks at me, gives me a smile. Why do I feel so intimidated around him ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZzoI1hERx
A breath of wind rises, making me shiver. Jessy takes off his black leather jacket and hands it to me, I put it on and thank him. Does he notice my trouble ? I don't know, but from his piercing gaze, I suspect he's enjoying the situation.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQCWPJvVZq
— Yes, I needed to get some fresh air too, I don’t really like crowds. I saw you leaving, I thought maybe you’d like some company ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6naqGrIkB
— If you want, I shrug casually while being happy that he noticed me. Jessy, is that right ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ064VDWrZRK
He nods with a smile.
— I'm Meg...
— Megan, I know.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJQ4x5ecwP
I look at him, surprised.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmVhze8Aqj
— Good. What else do you know about me ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN0wv7ysXm
— Let’s see… You’re the best student in class, and you’re dating the star player of the football team.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfYDGFui3A
— You're good ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt2D2uj0Tk
— I guess you must have heard something about me too ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVbVXpqPeG
— Not much, actually. I just know that you are seventeen, that you have just arrived in Millisky and that you are repeating your school year.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBis2CYyFr
— Everything is true. It's not that serious ? What upsets you..., he adds to my astonishment.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUQggTKoG2
— No, there are much worse things in life. It's nothing, just nonsense.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8e4PcduBb
— If it’s so harmless, then why did you leave your boyfriend’s party ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nBWc7OmL7
— Maybe because, this evening, I saw the true faces of my so called friends. My confidence in them melted like snow in the sun.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNLr9vJJtz
Jessy sighs as she looks up again to look at the starry sky.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTVOBrwx4o
— I know this feeling of disappointment well.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGUNrjBavr
— Did this happen to you too ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZa0wGOm8d
He seems surprised that I am interested in him and turns to me, burying his hands in the pockets of his pants.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61BVDfLZxJ
— To be betrayed, disappointed ? Oh yes ! Although I don't understand why your friends would turn their backs on you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMW6eQnT0Q
— Haven't you heard the gossip spread by Amy and Pearl ? They told everyone that I slept with Chad. Even though I told them that this is not the case, they did not believe me, and worse, they preferred to continue to denigrate me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9vx29CvY2
As I tell him this, I search his eyes to check if he is sincere or if he is making fun of me like the others.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnNuH2dGNS
— I have learned to no longer listen, and even less believe, what people say out of pure malice or jealousy. I am convinced that you are telling the truth.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBEiwrB3kT
— You seem very sure of yourself for someone who doesn’t know me ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcQlcMTifW
He locks his gaze on mine before responding : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoe0CquqAN
— I see in you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPmmnoyVaI
This response leaves me speechless and upsets me more than it should. Faced with him, with his words, I feel lost. Fortunately, we arrived on my street and I just want to be alone to try to analyze what I feel.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDfXqlACOt
— Thank you, I said, handing him back his jacket. And thank you for taking me home.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hQr8bxbCh
— At your service, he says, turning left while I continue straight.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeriM4ds1C
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk9jcWf1wg
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWB8r29rgX
The following days, nothing erases this attraction which pushes me towards Jessy. This makes me feel so guilty that I try to focus on my relationship with Chad, without really succeeding. As for Jessy, I feel like he's been running away from me since the other night. He looks away as soon as I look at him and doesn't speak to me anymore. I don't know what I did wrong for him to ignore me like that, but it pains me a lot. Perhaps he also ended up believing the nonsense that was circulated about my relationship ? If that were the case, I would be extremely hurt.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRJxYgE6sO
It was during history class that the teacher gave me the opportunity to get closer to him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglVeAXJTQY
— I asked each of you to write a presentation on the last lesson.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA819f9bFHh
At these words, several students point to their copy on their table.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExxYN3PwVw
— Jessy, can you pick them up ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yuTnWCJBR
This one executes. When he reaches my height, his gaze finally anchors on mine. I feel like seconds are becoming minutes. At this very moment, I realize how much I've missed Jessy these past few days. His hand brushes against mine as I hand him my paper, making me want to grab it and never let go.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtwP7AT82W
As if reading my thoughts, Jessy narrows his eyes slightly and purses his lips. Then he turns away towards the next table, breaking the spell that united us as the professor continues speaking : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5nnGbEN5b
— To find out what you have learned from this course, I have prepared a written quiz for you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU948btqmNa
Immediately, boos are heard.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJ1unGXruB
— Yes, I know, I'm not nice. While you answer the questionnaire, I will go through your presentations and form teams of two. For next week, you will have to refine your different points of view, compare them, in order to share them in front of the whole class.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfPmQkMWiD
Although I am a good student, I don't particularly enjoy being on the board in front of everyone else and am already worried about who I will have to work with. As long as it's neither with Amy nor with604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxtgTMi9uh
Pearl. I haven't spoken to them since the party at Chad's.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOdAgcSnui
They tried to come see me on Monday but I totally ignored them. Even if I find myself alone most of the time, Chad does not share all of my classes, I prefer that to being poorly accompanied.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKrjDtRJ92
For long minutes, I put these thoughts aside to concentrate on the questioning.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq4Uh2bWWm
When I finish, I raise my head and look behind me, towards Jessy who finishes a few seconds after me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7KqUYJlR4
The teacher notices us because he tells us : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWOb3Ll8c6
— Alright. Megan and Jessy, you'll be teaming up next week. You can go.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbaVYU2R4T
At the same time, we get up and put our homework on the teacher's desk before leaving the classroom.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1iYdIVmqm
I thought we were going to be able to discuss this project but already Jessy is quickly moving away.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnkO7U3nZw
— Jessy, wait ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2dGjus6wn
He slows down, but doesn't stop.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD6i5MBNzg
— We need to discuss how we are going to approach this presentation.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWQNIt1Ovu
His shoulders relax and he exhales.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFRQA5zXj6
— I don't like working with others. So I suggest you do your part on your own, I will do the same and we will meet again before the next class to compare our points of view.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0QMi9hDzt
— Thank you for your proposal but I refuse. There's no way I'm going to get a bad grade because you're antisocial.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDATjVIlFt
— I'm not…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn0z4mrXA6
Before he finishes his sentence, I raise an eyebrow which interrupts him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfXcbqbuwv
— Okay, maybe I am a little, he admits with a little smile. Alright, you win Megan.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaewdsg0whJ
Feeling like I need to take advantage of my advantage before he changes his mind, I quickly scribble my address on a piece of paper and hand it to him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5944qBcpUw
— Come to my place at the end of classes, we will be quiet to study.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU8D5VN7xZ
— Thanks for the address but we could just as easily meet up after school and go to your house together.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLjua5Qev4
Why didn't I think of that ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWEO3uiV08
I refrain from slapping myself.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSImVAlNeTh
Embarrassed by my stupidity, I smile shyly. Jessy leans towards me, slips my address into his pocket and adds mischievously : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAphqoJFxW
— I'm keeping it anyway. You never know, you might get lost along the way.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHqwdTEHpx
I don't understand why just looking at him, talking to him, puts me in this state. I feel my cheeks on fire and I am certain that when I open my mouth, nothing but nonsense comes out.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqxymK8blx
But what is happening to me ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MZbiBDhup
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvfN70TAx9
During the next class, I feel Chad's gaze, sitting at the desk next to mine, weighing on me suspiciously. I do my best to appear comfortable and innocent until he hands me a paper.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBBeWJzVoF
What's going on with Jessy ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIh3K8KfnJ
Astonished, I wrote : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNl2pKTqSV
What ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGolUA4hB0m
Chad's response was quick : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQe4aPFwGZ
Amy told me you two seem close and that I should be worried. It's the case ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBLlVC1vFr
Anger replaces disbelief. What the hell is his problem ? Is she not tired of taking care of my life, of making up stories for me ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1gpXM48Ro
No, not at all. We just have a presentation to make together. 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIYCtpi9Dh
A smile lights up Chad's features. I managed to reassure him, yet I fear I may not have been completely honest with him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYlvvth32R
As I look at his profile, I have to recognize that my boyfriend no longer inspires in me the feelings that inspired me just a few months ago. I feel myself detaching myself from Chad, I come to wonder if I was only in love with him one day or if I have always confused love and friendship. Slipping my hands through my hair, I breathe deeply. The only thing I know for sure is that I am lost in my emotions.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpTb6AasZv
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdZsyyS36L
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZEOnAouGI
At the end of class, Jessy comes to join me, backpack on his shoulder and a book in hand.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OPbuMnxRl
— I love this book. I must have read it about ten times since last year, he tells me. I thought you might like to read it ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4MTGPX6sv
While walking the streets, I quickly skim a few pages.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRSbrj36Mo
— Do you mind if I save it to read tonight ? I'll give it back to you tomorrow.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4GWYWk27q
— On the contrary. It’s so rare that I meet people who like to read something other than comics.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnEW6kHlTE
— I understand you. Comics are Chad's favorite reading.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagMhAfk161
— I'm not surprised, Chad seems more of an athlete than a cerebral one.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3isESWrDf
I am left speechless.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdrTSbP5DN
— Are you always this frank ? Can't help but ask him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4Jjx2kGEz
He shrugs his shoulders while responding : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5edBxbIpXC
— Very often. I hurt you ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBkRMyXRHu
I thought for a few seconds before answering him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyILST2Zw9
— No. I must admit that it is the truth.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKrEPD4leM
His smile widens, making me melt a little more.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppEwIeHjz1
Arriving home, we sit in the living room and chat about the homework we have handed in. We both think we'll get good grades. My mother comes home from work and walks into the living room, surprising us. I suddenly feel uncomfortable being with a boy other than Chad under my parents' roof. I jump up, followed by my guest.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2k6d8eWfgz
— Hey, Ch…, it’s not Chad, she smiled.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphIXUsFqOF
— Mom, this is Jessy.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENMtj83w1X
They greet each other.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzghpmqvmB
— We have a presentation to give to the whole class about the Second World War.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFdOcftBvQ
With a nod, Jessy confirms my words. Since my mother arrived, he hasn't said a word, and seems intimidated. This adds as evidence : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqTPEkMVMY
— Jessy, are you staying to eat with us this evening ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLnesoyA0U
He shrugs his shoulders.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP19qpgrsp0
— I don't want to bother you…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5ozsSSQxS
— Don't worry, I still cook too much since Nick left for college.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lI0d1QTLA
— Nicolas is my older brother…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHAZYbVOLg
— It would be a pleasure to have you with us. My husband is tired of being surrounded by girls.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2fq1TMFya
— Okay then, Jessy said, smiling. Thanks ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTX4s2RRSQG
A little later, he met my father, then Nina. When it was time to sit down at the table, without anyone telling her, Jessy naturally took a seat next to me. I control myself so as not to let my disorder appear in front of those close to me. I feel myself vibrate every time his arm brushes mine. From time to time, Jessy looks at me sideways and gives a little amused smile, and I immediately blush ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7mhT0isKu
The meal passes in a good atmosphere until Nina, as usual, says out loud what she is thinking : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQCNtFybIQ
— You're not bad, Jessy, but I prefer Chad. It is awesome ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX5gsjY9vr
— Nina ! We don't say that kind of thing ! Reprimands my mother.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmepzWk8Ne
— For what ? I tell the truth.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO9bBp8XEq
— Chad is nice, Jessy responds politely.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtU7wUX0dm
— And he’s strong ! Nina continues, making me want to throw myself over the table and strangle her.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsFDQxMuKg
— It’s true, Chad is a great athlete, adds my father. He also taught Megan how to drive. Considering the number of guests at his party the other night, he's also very popular. He has everything going for him, this boy, says my father, whom I would like to strangle at the same time as my sister.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUu2LUUQ9R
— It’s true that he’s really lucky, Jessy whispers, looking at me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmxVC5NA5G
I stare at him, not knowing how to react. I have a sudden and insane desire to throw myself into his arms to kiss him, this idea scares me as much as his words made me happy. Also, I'm left speechless, which makes him smile more.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlvCyqeC8U
At the end of the meal, Jessy helps me clear the table, then asks me where the bathroom is. I tell him. My mother then approaches me and gives me a little smile.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI7PzVKl0z
— This boy is very nice, she comments quietly so that only I can hear. And very cute at that.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriY66hflAe
I glance at him sideways, smiling.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyu6E2Hitc
"I suppose you know what you're doing ? "604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyykyZHLwcu
— Not really.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzVXKtQSsE
— Meg, you’re sixteen. You didn't make a lifelong commitment to Chad. You are all young, you have the right to be carefree. I was, at your age, and I didn't know your father until much later, when I decided to settle down.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIDytsioUQ
— You know very well that I am too serious to let myself be guided by my emotions without having first thought for hours.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡru5bigGVZh
— Yes, I know, my mother sighs. And at first glance, I would say that Jessy seems to be just like you.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJqaifTKsU
— You think that…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsyjo1ObzM
I want to ask her if she thinks Jessy is interested in me, but I leave it hanging when I see him coming back to us.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPQEzqOg9C
— Thank you very much for inviting me to your table. It's getting late, I'm going to go home.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYQJIuoePe
— Wait, I'm going to walk with you for a while.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3Qv6GW9qy
Jessy nods before going to grab his jacket hanging on a hook in the entryway.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQFteRVF6W
— Thanks again ! Have a good evening everyone, he says as he leaves.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXrNNhwrtx
— Megan ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFCXNjQixK
I turn to my mother who is standing in the hallway, at the entrance to the kitchen.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHw9diKy0g
— I am sure of it ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgby8uzq45
I give him a big smile.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UitJOoTi9
— She is sure of what ? Asks Jessy who heard everything from the porch.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZePHIQ6qtF
— Oh, you're welcome, just something I asked him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsstEBWbKwg
Fortunately, he doesn't insist.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwZB8QIEb8
We walk down the sidewalk in silence.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PlhMSZ1HJ
My neighborhood is a quiet place, where all the houses604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5e3ZRUL51
look alike with their little white fence surrounding the garden. Only the colors of the houses vary from one to another, sometimes white with blue shutters, sometimes brown with red shutters. Our family home is cream with green shutters. My father makes a point of maintaining it well, repainting it as soon as the paint shows signs of age, and mowing the lawn regularly. This corner of the city is not known for being the richest, but at least its inhabitants ensure that nothing can damage it. I love this quiet little town which seems to live as if in a cocoon where nothing serious ever happens and where the smallest event, like the arrival of Jessy, is experienced as big news. This thought pulls me out of my reverie and, turning back to my companion, I decide to question him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJhi03SnZN
— Did you move here alone ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tdTB1NRX2
This seems incongruous to me since he is only seventeen, but I never see him with anyone, not even in town.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZo9o11Y7m
— No, I live with my mother.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiByT6Xb8o
— And your father ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrMYfoYyNn
— My father died when I was a kid.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQagmhWTSrg
— Sorry.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4wwHFa3ym
— It's nothing. My mother remarried and I have a little brother, Jason, who is now seven.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtZVdvG30Z
— So your father in law and your brother live with you ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vP9zo0DJK
Jessy grimace. 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqObzLQLhw
— No, they stayed in Allentown.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgsowhP5FH
— For what ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSE08sqtsL1
Jessy gives me a big smile while answering : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAAx3vzGT6
— Joker ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm6hlccGPK
Preferring not to insist, I move on to other questions : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjksxetP3o
— Why did you leave Allentown ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoG3KTOlK5
— Re joker ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElBcfW3TUU
— OK. I always see you alone... but you must have friends ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyg6A1WivB0
— You know, I just arrived and I don’t know anyone yet, except you. In Allentown, I had friends, or so I thought, but..., he interrupts himself, purses his lips, shaking his head : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq2ONhi8VT
— I don't want to talk about it... Let's just say, sometimes you think you know people and you're wrong.
— Like me the other night...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVvZokR24U
Looking serious, he nods.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoY3efbSSU
— So you’re from Allentown ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwSA7kCbcG
— Yes, I lived in a small neighborhood where everyone had known each other forever, a bit like this one. (He looks around.) Except that in town, we couldn't see the stars as well.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiUszQWGSU
I follow his gaze, staring at the sky illuminated by hundreds of sparkling points that no cloud hides. I feel very small and fragile in the face of this immensity. It's strange to find myself next to this boy to whom I feel close and who, at the same time, intimidates me so much.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6TMrgTjcI
— Your family loves Chad very much, he said suddenly, breaking this magical moment. How long have you been together ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtg7NYdGUY
I sit on the low wall bordering a house for sale.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeuELOgMnB
— My father was a big athlete in high school and I think he recognizes himself in Chad. My mother finds him cute and nice, and my sister is in love with him, I think ! (I smile.) He and I have known each other for a very long time, since kindergarten in fact…604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmghlczOvF
— And you’ve always loved him, Jessy adds, sitting down next to me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIhZKDwpCw
I blush and lower my head.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok278KNXfK
— It’s complicated… But let’s talk about you instead. Did you leave a girlfriend in Allentown ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKplySpbDu
Jessy turns to me and raises his eyebrows, visibly surprised. I stare at him, both impatient and dreading his answer.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUD0duJNmc
— Your question is strange...
— Why ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgoma3oUUC
— Because you're dating the perfect guy according to everyone around you, so I wonder what your questioning is hiding.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFLmU4J9zV
— It wasn’t you who told me that you shouldn’t necessarily listen to what others say ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpOqVcLTic
— Touché, he smiled. Let's say I had a girlfriend.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaKFFb1X81
— You still have ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocKkzIytMd
— Well no, we split up...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1Lcq87uV0
I don't give him time to finish his sentence as my lips are already on his. Immediately, he kisses me back.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg1joScoA4
His lips are soft and warm on mine, I feel him slide a hand to my waist, pulling me closer to him until, as suddenly as it began, he pushes me back forcefully before standing up abruptly. jump, visibly annoyed.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7BVXwvhXJ
— That’s not true ! Why did you do it ? He writes to himself while standing in front of me, hands on hips waiting for a response.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluBMfdkVND
— I don’t know, I said as sincerely as possible. Since I met you, I have felt lost. I don't know why but I feel like I've known you forever and this feeling totally upsets me. I was hoping you felt the same way I did.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HNgdrnW1o
Far from calming down, Jessy walks away from me, walking as quickly as he can. I get up and run after him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBDIFQHxzq
— Jessy, wait ! What is happening ? Please don't tell me that kiss was that bad ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXzjJTd2IR
He doesn't stop though. I grab him by one arm, forcing him to stop his way.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fyswMvDkt
He glares at me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZfPMcFz2K
— I'm sorry if... I shouldn't have kissed you, but I honestly thought you wanted to too.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3GYHweZLD
— It is, he whispers, staring at me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAH1k4j5nE
— So where is the problem ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CYWx0qPo5
— I can not do that.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcabclkuGg
— But why ? I know that compared to Chad it's a bad thing but...604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOrHGDJFoQ
— It has nothing to do with him. The problem is me. I'm not made for love, he gets angry again. I gave too much, now that is forbidden to me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwMAqnJ5tK
He frees himself from my hand before continuing on his way. Staying there, I say to him : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRA7u8PsBO
— I don't understand ! You can't pretend to want to kiss me and then run away like that a second later. It's not me who made you suffer so why should I pay for what others made you endure ? I'm not your ex ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeoiHI5xv5
Abruptly, he stops his running, turns around before coming back towards me. His features are distorted by anger but I also read a form of pain there.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCUR4YoikU
— No, you are not the one who changed my life and I in no way wish to become the one who changes yours in the same way ! My life is ruined Meg, I'm already at the end. I'm going to die, he adds when he sees that I don't understand his words.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfBKC1KITq
— Wh... What ? I stammer, in shock.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wOSVuQbsU
He gets closer. His face is only a few centimeters from mine.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJGA2kM4eM
— Meg, I'm HIV positive. I have the AIDS virus, he admits quietly so that no one else can hear him, although the street is deserted. So stay away from me, believe me it's better ! 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJQLwAj9HS
He leaves as quickly as possible. Soon night envelops it completely. For a long moment, I stay there, dismayed, unable to make the slightest gesture, no longer knowing what to think. His words seem to spin in my head like a wild merry go round that no one can stop. I don't know how long I stand on that sidewalk looking in his direction long after he's gone.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71OXBhjMHM
604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUwgb2Ag2b
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When I get home, I try not to let anything show and lock myself in the kitchen. I thought I would be safe, but as soon as I closed the door, my mother opened it and stuck her head in.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KCi16GPb2
— Are you okay, Meg ? You're very pale, aren't you sick ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALppXI96ty
— Everything is fine. I miss Nicolas, I would like to talk to him.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTONdiz2S9V
Understanding the message, my mother nods and closes the door behind her. Immediately, I grab the phone and dial my brother’s number. Luckily he answers after two rings.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd742I2d0Zy
— Hello ? he says, happily.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I5MRhW7N5
— Nick, it’s me.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxxPfbkYG9
I'm having a hard time keeping the tremors in my voice at bay.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFEixm9Igg
— Meg, what’s going on ? He worries.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzwxMIm7Cv
The day I met Jessy, I told my brother that same evening. He seemed happy that a boy other than Chad was messing with me. For some reason, Nick always grimaced at my relationship with Chad. 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl96B19opCD
— Jessy came to the house for dinner this evening... 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrH3TjfVgt
— Oh, he sighs, he threw you away.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJxGQ6JmD0
I think about the way I kissed him and feel myself blushing again. If I had known how he was going to push me away, I would never have let myself be carried away by my desire.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOB7gsLV5m
— Yes, but that’s not the worst, I sob. Jessy admitted to me that she was sick.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ONpdNUmSQ
Realizing the horror of the situation, I fall to the ground. I am not afraid of AIDS, I know that I risk nothing. But I am terrified for Jessy, for his future which is likely to be short. My brother doesn't speak, he gives me time to calm down. When my sobs dry up, I continue : 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6A8ZGzbPv
— Jessy is HIV positive, I blurt out in one breath.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gENRXSh2A
A gasp of surprise escapes my brother.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgv3ouTRIR
— Okay, he breathes, making me understand that he’s thinking about the situation. What are you going to do ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2mX38S13u
— I don't know. Nick, I need to know your opinion.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qW8dbMSL4
— I admit that I didn't expect that at all. Do you see yourself turning your back on him ? 604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HoXCudqYZ
— I wouldn't be able to.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0XZkWbUum
— Meg, I know this probably isn't the kind of relationship you imagined, but based on what you've told me so far about this guy, I think right now he especially needs support and friendship. Don’t reject him because he doesn’t match your ideal.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwhkWUfm66
— Exactly, he corresponds to my ideal and the fact that he is ill changes nothing. If I am devastated it is because AIDS is an incurable disease. I don't want him to die, Nick, I'm crying again.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97TlrEOG5h
I am aware that I have only known him for a short time but, without being able to explain it, he has already marked my existence.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH789tvCqD
— Come on, little sister, don’t cry. For now, Jessy is alive and, even if he keeps you at a distance, I'm sure he would be happy to have you in his life. Try to make him smile while he's here. He must need to think about something other than this crap.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Yi1bMdsch
— You're right. Nick, what I confided to you must absolutely remain between us. No one should know.604Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFEMVvlqzK
— Finally you know me ! Come on now tell me how he dumped you ! He laughs as I bite my lip in shame.
and then Add to home screen.