Last Week of School

Delphine understood the depth of her best friend's remorse, acknowledging that his reaction came from a place of genuine concern.

Despite her anger and pain, she gradually came to the realization that his reaction and the following discussion had transpired due to his worry for her well-being.

She also recognized that, even in the present moment, her best friend continued to make efforts in safeguarding her.

With determination, she wiped away her tears and repeated "I want to go home".

Dorian immediately reassured her, saying "Wait for me right here. I'll go and tell the guys that we are leaving and then I'll take you home."

Delphine, acknowledging his attentiveness, responded with a nod.

In an instinctual gesture, she enveloped herself with a gentle embrace, as if seeking both physical warmth and emotional comfort in the face of the impending situation.

Dorian walked away from the area near the exit where Delphine was and went to say goodbye to the group of classmates and to thank the host.

Less than ten minutes later, the two best friends already found themselves embarked on the journey to return home.

Daniel maneuvered his motorcycle with meticulous care along the road, where scarce illumination barely pierced the darkness.

Among that atmospheric obscurity, Delphine positioned herself closely behind him, finding solace in leaning against his back, her silence serving as a profound testament to the depth of her emotions.

She refrained from uttering even a single word.

Luckily, the resounding noise generated by the motorcycle did not impose an awkward silence that could have otherwise prevailed.

In conjunction with the sound emanating from the motorbike, the enveloping darkness was further accentuated by the chorus of cicadas nestled among the trees.

Delphine's house wasn't far away and Dorian drove quite fast - but always being careful - and those minutes seemed to last an eternity.

As Dorian gradually decelerated, Delphine understood that they were nearing her destination, prompting her to raise her head from where it had rested against his back.

Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, she didn't know what to say besides thanking him for having accompanied her.

Simultaneously, as Dorian brought the motorcycle to a halt, Delphine swiftly removed her helmet, deftly lifting her leg from its resting place on the vehicle's frame.

Dorian, too, dismounted the motorcycle and, without even raising his gaze, securely stowed the helmet Delphine had just removed into the motorcycle trunk.

Delphine observed him, positioned to turn and make her way towards her house, and she decided to express her gratitude.

She dryly said "Thank you for accompanying me."

Almost taken aback by the unexpected gratitude, Dorian responded "You're welcome" his tone tinged with a hint of surprise.

"See you at school then" Delphine concluded, waving and giving a fake smile before she actually started walking away.

"Yes, good night" Dorian replied, his voice carrying a note of farewell, as he ignited the motorcycle's engine once more.

Delphine quickly entered the house, carefully closing the door behind her in an attempt to minimize any noise.

She quietly made her way towards her room, knowing that her parents were surely already asleep.

Passing by the kitchen door, she noticed that the TV was still on, emitting a soft glow.

"You're already back" her mother's voice began, sounding surprised. "I thought you'd return at dawn."

"Yes, I didn't want to be out too late" Delphine replied.

"Is everything okay?" her mother inquired, detecting an unusual tone in her voice.

"Yes, yes, I just have a slight headache. I had a few drinks" she responded, gently touching her own forehead.

Her mother smiled and asked "Would you like me to make something warm for you?"

"No, thanks, Mom. I'm going to sleep" she replied promptly, without hesitation, and headed straight to her room.

The clock said 1:30 in the morning, in fact she had returned home relatively early.

She quickly took off her shoes and dress, without even putting them back in their place but leaving them near a chair in her room.

She went to the bathroom and she swiftly wiped away all the makeup, leaving her face bare.

Her makeup had become a mess, partly due to the tears she shed.

Luckily, that night she hadn't applied heavy makeup, or else her face would have resembled that of a clown.

Without hesitation, she slid into bed, her mind consumed by a jumble of thoughts.

Truth be told, ever since the incident, she didn't even think about the conversation with Ethan.

She was too focused on what happened with her best friend.

Retrieving her cellphone, she started scrolling through the homes of different social media.

She meticulously examined the photos that her classmates had been posting and continued to post, keeping herself occupied in the digital realm.

However, a sudden realization struck her: she had indeed given Ethan her phone number, but without him sending her a message or calling her first, she had no means of reaching out to him.

She diligently searched through the pictures of her classmates, hoping to stumble upon any trace of Ethan's presence.

She even delved into the depths of their followers' lists, fervently scanning for his username.

Yet, there was no trace of Ethan.

He seemed to have left no digital footprint among her classmates' pictures, and his name didn't appear in the list of followers, not even among their mutual acquaintance, the landlord.

"Weird" she muttered softly under her breath, her voice tinged with confusion. "Could it be that he doesn't like social media?"

That sounded like a reasonable possibility.

"A guy so handsome that he can model and doesn't even post a picture? What a loss" she thought, but this time with amused air.

Turning herself onto the bed, she placed her phone on the nightstand.

Exhaustion began to consume her, and in a matter of minutes, she succumbed to sleep's embrace.

Fortunately, the following day there was no school, granting her a good amount of time to think and reflect about what happened.

The next day she had no contact with Dorian, not even a message.

She barely touched her phone and spent the whole day with her parents and planning the next week of school, the last one.

Actually, she devoted less time than usual to studying, considering that by now she had studied from time to time and had nothing new to recover.

"How was the party?" her father inquired, breaking the silence over lunch.

"It was great" she replied tersely, lacking enthusiasm.

Her father didn't notice it and changed topic.

"Are you ready for the last week of school?" he asked, a warm smile gracing his face.

The question was somewhat rhetorical, as it was evident she was prepared.

"Absolutely! I can't wait for the summer break to kick off" she exclaimed with excitement, her anticipation palpable.

"And next year will mark your final year of school. Take your time to contemplate what lies ahead" her father added, his words carrying a touch of wisdom.

"Yes, I'm already giving it some thought" Delphine answered, her voice carrying a glimmer of assurance.

In truth, her situation remained unchanged.

She still found herself undecided, uncertain about her future path.

Nonetheless, she held onto the hope that the summer season would bring a sense of clarity, allowing her to forge a clearer vision of what lay ahead.

And so, the final week of school began.

The routine remained unchanged: getting up early, walking along the country road to the bus station, waiting, arriving at school, attending lessons, breaks, more lessons, and finally heading home.

However, an intangible shift hung in the air.

The atmosphere was charged with waiting as everyone eagerly anticipated the sound of the last bell, symbolizing the end of the academic year.

Throughout that week, Dorian seemed somewhat quieter than usual, though his behavior remained consistent.

The only noticeable change was that their conversations outside of school had become way less frequent.

Delphine recognized that until they addressed the discussion they had at the party, their dynamic would likely remain stagnant.

She decided to confront the situation first.

During one of the breaks, as Dorian made his way towards the outdoor gym to indulge in a smoke, Delphine followed him, as she always did.

However, this time, instead of the usual silence and superficial discussions about classes, exams, and teachers, she mustered the courage to speak up.

"Listen" she began, as Dorian lit his cigarette and took a puff, his gaze fixed on her, anticipating her words.

"I think we should talk about what happened at the party" she added, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability.

"Okay. What's the problem?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know, but I've been feeling like you're more detached since then" she confessed, searching for understanding.

"You're wrong. To me, it seems quite the opposite" Dorian responded, exhaling another plume of smoke.

"So, is everything okay to you?" she questioned, seeking reassurance.

"Yes" he answered confidently, his conviction palpable. "Why wouldn't it be?"

She shrugged and simply replied "Okay" before averting her gaze, observing a group of guys playing basketball right in front of them.

In reality, she was still hurt by his words, even though she had already understood the situation and had already forgiven him that same evening, but it seemed like Dorian didn't want to address the situation.