03 - The Cruise on the Channel

Chapter 21

In the morning, I have difficulties to wake up. Stephanie is ready and brings me a coffee that she waits I drink before I can get up. She is a little bit cold. She doesn't overwhelm me with her desire to undress me and she doesn't control that I dress as she wants. Well, do I have my freedom? She observes me. Is she expecting something from me?

We go to class together, and we hold hands as usual. Did I complain too much last night? I just want to breathe sometimes, I just feel defenceless in front of her, much more than before.

We participate in the two courses together, and this time, she focuses on the professor and talks less to her friends. During the history class, I don't see my friends who were in the fight yesterday. But of course, Sandrine and Annick are aware. I couldn't see Stephanie as such a big gossiper. What does she gain to tell all the details of our life?

As we go out, she doesn't mind me too much and talks to her friends. I am walking behind them. When they reach the Agora Square, Stephanie looks at me.

— I want to have lunch with the girls. See you later!

They just go. I am there alone. Imagine that I want to go home, how can I? She has her key and the one for my studio. It first enrages me and then makes me sad. That's the consideration she has for me. I am her toy. She experiments crazy things on me and goes to her friends to make fun of me. Perhaps that's what I am, a test, she wants to see all she can do with a boy, then she will dump me and find her real boyfriend, old and rich. I am just an idiot, for that, I concede, her fucking friends are right.

I have no other solution that to go to the circle. Carole sees me on the way from Montesquieu Square.

— Frederic!

She comes to hug me as a very close friend.

— Tell me, what did you do last night in the agro circle?

— Me? They were the ones who started beating Mop, we defended him.

— Yes, but you did a lot of damages. And then you came back later to break the windows. The agro president is now making a scandal inside. He mostly has it after you.

— There were more than ten of us. Why me? And in addition, they started. And we didn't break the windows.

— You never told me you were Bruce Lee.

— I don't need to say it. It was self-defence. Do you see me? Less than eighty kilos and they were all big fat guys in the hundred.

— You are surprising me more and more, Frederic, you are really different from what I thought at the start of the year. Do you have many other hidden qualities?

— I don't know what you call qualities.

— We'll see. Come on, let's go see what's going on. You must defend yourself.

I enter the circle. I see the agro president talking with Committee members of CESEC. They talk about me. But I am greeted with thunderous applause. Everyone is fed up with the farmer's admonitions, and my entry is a diversion, especially since he is after me.

The farmer sees me, recognizes, and points to me. I approach. Suzy stands between us and comes to ask.

— Did you start a fight yesterday in agro?

— No, I didn't. Someone fucked up Mop. So, he threw a pint in his face and the other one hit him. This is how it started. I intervened when things degenerated for my comrades.

— He demolished several people, we had to send them to the hospital. This guy is crazy!

— Self-defence, I announce.