The journey home took place in a silence that I had no desire to break.
Sitting in the back of the car, I watched the streets go by through the window without really paying attention to the buildings or the passers-by. My mind was still occupied by what had just happened.
What excuse could justify that?
I wanted to arrive home in one piece, go straight up to my room and be able to consider this day over.
If only it were that simple.
François was driving as usual, with that quiet manner he had of never letting on what he was thinking. He hadn't spoken since we'd gotten into the car.
He hadn't asked me how I ended up there, nor why my uniform was in that state.
I'm going to scrub it myself.
It was probably for the best.
I kept my eyes turned outwards, while thinking about what I could answer if he finally decided to ask questions.
I could always say that I had had a problem with other students…, but that would immediately raise other questions.
– pffff
Blow through your teeth.
I could claim that I had simply been fighting, but that explanation would only make things worse.
– aah~
The simplest thing to do, therefore, was to say nothing.
When the car entered the property, I involuntarily felt my shoulders relax. All I had to do was cross the house, climb the stairs, and disappear into my room. With any luck, no one would stop me along the way.
I unfastened my seatbelt as soon as the car had stopped.
– I'm going upstairs.
François turned off the engine, locking the doors.
– Hérèse .
I turned around.
Oh, I'm screwed.
He was looking at me from the front seat with his usual calm and difficult-to-read expression.
– Are you still being bullied at school?
The question caught me off guard enough that I remained silent for several seconds.
I had prepared myself for many things, but not for that one.
– No.
The response was quick, a little abrupt.
I immediately turned my gaze towards the door.
- Everything is fine.
Since the door was still closed
I didn't wait for him to reply before continuing, as if adding a few details could make my lie more believable.
– The students just tend to make a lot of noise, but it's nothing special. I have no problem with them. Besides, I'm not teaching primary school anymore, so I can perfectly well handle this kind of thing on my own.
I talk too much.
However, I stopped when I realized that François still hadn't interrupted me.
He just kept looking at me and finally opened the car door.
I rushed outside and murmured something like that
– I'm going to take a shower.
But his voice stopped me.
– Do you want to resume training?
I turned around slightly.
- why not
I let a short silence pass before adding:
– I have an assignment to finish.
At least it was true, which made the answer much more practical.
I didn't wait any longer and climbed the steps of my staircase with the unpleasant feeling of having momentarily survived.
François didn't call me back.
I quickly went to my room and closed the door behind me.
The silence that greeted me suited me better.
I placed my bag near the desk, took off my jacket and briefly glanced at my watch. It was working normally.
Maëva had simply picked it up after all.
She could have kept it and given it back to me the next day.
Instead, she preferred to chase me like a madwoman right up to the car before hitting me on the back of the head because I had run away.
This girl has really lost her mind, just like all the others in this class.
I ran a hand over my forehead before going to take a shower.
The hot water helped to wash away the fatigue that had accumulated since the beginning of the day.
When I returned to my room, I put on clean clothes and sat down at my desk with my notebooks.
I opened my homework.
I reread the first question.
Then the second one.
After a few minutes, I realized
that I no longer had a private tutor.
– a beautiful freedom
I put down my pen and leaned back in my chair.
I had no desire for François to start monitoring my movements even more closely, nor for him to decide that I could no longer return home alone. And if he intervenes with the school again.
My freedom.
I picked up my pen again.
This time, I managed to complete two exercises before stopping again.
Just two exercises, concentrate.