( POV parfait )
"She might be better than her."
The street was almost empty.
She followed me, accompanying me to the front of my house gate.
She maintained a fairly relaxed posture, with her hands crossed behind her back, and occasionally glanced at me with a broad smile.
"Do you have something to tell me?" I asked her.
But she shook her head negatively.
From what I can see, she has remained just as childlike; with time she has just become even more naive.
It's quite easy to understand her and to understand girls in general.
"Here we are," I said, spreading my arms wide and then immediately slipping them into my pockets, waiting for her to leave. But she landed right next to me.
Letting me understand...
Someone was there.
A young girl was bringing some boxes to the entrance. Her hair was tied up haphazardly and her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows.
Deborah .
For a second, no one spoke.
Deborah noticed us last by looking up.
– Ah... Good evening.
His voice was calm.
Raph replied with the same polite smile.
- Good evening.
I stared at the two of them without really understanding why the atmosphere had suddenly become so strange.
Then Raph clung a little tighter to my arm.
– I didn't know you were still helping his mother.
– She needed a helping hand.
Deborah replied simply
– That's kind of you, you've taken a weight off my shoulders.
Raph's smile was perfect, so friendly.
– Not everyone is like you when things get complicated, you have a good heart.
A brief silence followed.
Deborah just smiled back.
They get along quite well.
I cast a casual glance towards the shop.
– Ah.
He probably hadn't understood anything..
Raph continues.
– Tell me, how do you manage to study and have so much free time?
– I never manage to take a break to go for a walk, especially with our work.
She said this while giving me a pointed look.
Deborah remains still.
- I see.
– Yes. We are very close at the moment.
- So much the better.
Every response from Deborah was calm.
She's so... how can I put it... "soft"... She's soft
This seemed to frustrate Raph.
She tried two or three more remarks disguised behind polite smiles, but Deborah never took the bait.
She simply waited.
Patiently.
Until Raph finishes.
Finally, the young woman sighed.
– Okay. I'm going to go.
She slowly released my arm and walked away without breaking eye contact.
- See you soon.
- See you soon.
I called out to him
She walked away and a few minutes later, Raph was no longer in their field of vision.
Only Deborah and I remained in front of the gate.
The silence lasted for a moment.
Deborah was watching the ground, as usual.
– She really doesn't like me.
– No.
My response was immediate.
Deborah let out a small, sad laugh.
– At least she's honest.
I leaned against the wall behind her.
Don't make that face, you don't need to be anxious.
– Easier said than done.
– It was your suggestion, you know it's temporary.
She looked up at him.
– Do you really think so?
- Yes.
– And then what?
– yes yes, everything will go back to normal, you're making too much of a fuss over so little.
Deborah pressed her lips together, but what could I possibly do?
She knew why we were doing this.
She knew the reasons.
She knew that this relationship was just a necessary facade to get ahead.
But seeing her act like that is tiring me out a bit, even if only temporarily…
It's annoying having to reassure her every second.
"I can wait," she said finally.
I smiled at him slightly.
- I know.
– But do it quickly.
– I know that too.
This time, a genuine laugh escaped him.
I shrugged and looked at her for a few seconds.
She shook her head like a doll.
– You have a very annoying way of reassuring people.
– Yet you're smiling.
She lowered her eyes to hide her smile.
Because for her, despite the worry that remained deep in her heart, she felt a little lighter.
Because in the midst of all this absurd situation, one thing had not changed.
He was always there.