Chapter 1
It's back-to-school day, and I'm officially in my last year of high school!
Astride and I had arranged to meet our girlfriends in front of the school, thirty minutes ahead of time. So, excitedly, I get ready to leave the house.
- Have a good day, kitten," says my father as he finishes his coffee.
- Good day Dad," I reply, placing a kiss on his cheek.
- And don't worry about your mother, she'll be fine. She always does.
- If you say so! I shout from the doorway.
After all, it's been a long time since I bothered with her moods. Three years, in fact...
I leave the house and head for the bus stop.
My phone rings. It's my brother calling.
- Hello?
- Hi, pumpkin! How are you?
- Hi big brother, I'm fine. I miss you so much.
- I miss you too, pumpkin. Are you ready to go back to school?
- Yes, I am! It's just a shame you won't be there...
- Sorry, pumpkin, I couldn't afford to repeat the year again!
We laugh as I get on the bus.
- I know, but it was reassuring to know you were around," I reply more seriously.
- Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. Besides, I'm only two hours away, so I'll be there in case of emergency. You know that, don't you?
- Of course," I whisper.
- I've got to go now, my class is about to start. I just wanted to wish you a good day.
- Thanks John, you too, have a good day, I love you.
I love you too, pumpkin.
I hang up, a little lump in my throat. I miss my brother.
John is two years older than me and we're very close. He left two weeks ago for university, and won't be back until the autumn vacations, to save on his commute so he can work. He's grown up a lot in the last year, and he's become very responsible. That's why, even with my parents' financial support, he wants to start being independent and try not to live off his inheritance. Last week, he told me he'd found a small job in a café-restaurant. I'm very proud of him.
The bus arrives in front of the school, and I see Astride, my best friend, waiting for me. This instantly puts a smile on my face.
- Hi, blondie! I say to her as she looks down at her phone.
- Speak for yourself, cod! she laughs.
We laugh at our outpourings of love.
- You've got to impress someone," I remark, detailing her outfit and the care she's taken with her make-up compared to her usual routine.
- That's for sure! This is our last year, and I hope I don't end up single! You'd better think about it too! she says, putting her arm under mine.
- What are you insinuating?
- Just that it's time you got back in the saddle...
We cross the street to the school entrance at the same time as our girlfriends.
- Hi, girls!
All five of us exclaim simultaneously and laugh. After a few hugs, we study the class roster while the coast is clear, and realize to our disappointment that we're scattered across the three senior classes.
- Obviously, I'm the one who's all alone," complains Noémie.
- Don't worry, your classmates are pretty nice," I say, detailing the list of students in the terminale C class.
- And you've got a nice bunch of Apollons," adds Astride.
The girls immediately start looking at the lists to discuss strategy for the opening of the male hunt, which relaxes Noémie.
Finally, at break time, when we meet up again, she's delighted with her class, and at lunchtime she introduces us to three new people with whom Astride and I hit it off.
We also meet up again at the afternoon break, and I'm surprised to see that Astride, who isn't in my class and is waiting for me at the exit, is accompanied by Vincent, one of the group's newcomers. He's the first to see me.
- Artémis! he calls out, waving me over.
- Which one of you do you think caught his eye? asks Élène.
I laugh at her reflection and join them.
- Where are the girls? Élène asks Astride.
- Already back, we finished an hour ago," explains Astride. Those cowards wouldn't wait.
- It was cool of you to wait for us," I say as we head for the exit.
- Are you girls taking the bus? asks Vincent as we pass through the gates.
- Normally, yes," I say, seeing my father leaning against his car.
- Why is your father here? asks Astride.
- He looks really serious," remarks Élène.
- I hope you're not in trouble," Vincent worries. Send a message later.
He puts a kiss on my cheek and squeezes my hand.
- See you tomorrow! he says as he walks away.
- Well, I've got my answer," whispers Élène.
I kiss my friends and tell them I'll let them know, before rejoining my father.
- Dad, what are you doing here? Is everything okay? I ask worriedly.
- Everything's fine, kitten, but you're not going to like it...
- What are you talking about?
He opens the car door for me.
- Get in, we've got a long way to go. I'll explain on the way.
I settle in, and when he joins me, he hands me a paper bag from the bakery.
- An iced tea and two doughnuts," he says.
- Thanks, Dad.
I can't help but smile at this little attention. I send a message to my friends with a photo of my snack.
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Me: I don't know what he's going to tell me, but he knows how to win me over!
Vinz : Enjoy 😁
Astride : Enjoy your meal! 🤤
Élène : 🤞
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- Where are we going? I ask, pulling out a doughnut as he weaves in and out of traffic.
- Rachel and Nicola's.
- Amazing! Mom finally gave in! I exclaim first.
Then I think.
- But wait, what about school tomorrow? Couldn't it wait until the weekend? I wasn't that close," I remark.
- My kitten, your mother and I have been called on a mission for the Maharaja. Your mother left a few hours ago, after packing your things. I'm flying out later tonight to join her...
- But then, why are we going to Rachel and Nicola's?
- You're going to live with your godmother until we get back.
- What's going on? How could Mom go from : "I forbid you to see them again" to : "you're going to live with them"? Does John know?
- I left him a message...
I adore my godmother, so much so that my mother is jealous, excessively jealous. It's our biggest source of arguments, daily ones at that. That's probably why Dad's in charge of dropping me off. But my problem is that he's telling me that I've left my friends behind, old and new, without knowing that I won't see them again tomorrow. What's more, he's taking me another three hours away from John!
- But why can't I go to Granny's? I could go to the Blackwoods on weekends and vacations!
- We don't know how long the mission will last, but Granny didn't feel like taking you in without knowing if someone would be there for you if she had to be hospitalized again.
The truth is, last time it was a bit of a panic on board when Grandma collapsed in the bath and had to be hospitalized. John and I were able to look after ourselves for three days, but Grandma felt so guilty that the stress slowed down her recovery, and in the end we were on our own for a week.
I completely understand the situation, but my heart hurts all the same, and my tears run silently down my cheeks as I wolf down my snack and watch the scenery go by through the window.
- I'm sorry, kitten. I know it's brutal and this isn't the way you wanted to go back...
- Don't worry, Dad. I know you couldn't help it," I cut him off.
At the same moment, my phone rings and John's happy face appears on the screen.
- Hey, pumpkin, how are you feeling? he asks, without letting me get a word in edgewise.
- Sad and anxious," I confess.
- I can imagine, but I called the twins, and they promised to look after you at school, and Mason will be there as backup for the rest. You won't be alone.
- John! Alex, Baptiste and Mason aren't really like you... I complain, thinking back to the hell they put me through when we were kids.
John laughs.
- They've matured, pumpkin, or I wouldn't have let Dad take you there. Besides, you know they've been waiting a long time for you to come back, so don't forget all the good times...
I spend a good hour chatting with my brother and laughing at his lame jokes before he decides to go to work for a while.
- I'll call you tomorrow, pumpkin. Cheer up, I love you.
- Love you too.
As I hang up, I see another message from Vincent.
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Vinz : Are you all right?
Me : Technically yes, nothing to worry about...
Vinz : But?
Me : My father takes me to live withmy godmother. For an indefinite time...
Vinz : What's involved?
Me : I'm changing high schools and I don't know when I'll be back...
Vinz : Can I call you?
Me : Tonight, when I'm settled in. Right now, I'm in the car with my father.
Vinz : OK. I'll wait for your message.
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I then skip the group conversation with the girls to explain the situation, and Astride ends up calling me, in tears. Then, finally, I let the music lull me to sleep.
Dad wakes me up just as we arrive in an ultra-chic neighborhood where the estates are so huge that, for the most part, all you can see is the gate.
He stops in front of a black gate with gold spikes and the inscription ''Blackwood'' forged on it. He rolls down his window and rings the bell. Moments later, the gate opens in two, giving way to a tree-lined driveway with lights on the ground, lighting up in front of us as we go. It's simply magnificent, and I can't get over my amazement.
At the end of the driveway, a fabulous fountain, also illuminated, takes pride of place, and the path winds around it to make a U-turn. Opposite it, a majestic house that almost resembles a manor house, but very modern.
On the steps leading up to the entrance stand Rachel and Nicola, arm in arm, smiling. Despite the situation, I'm happy to see them in the flesh - it's been far too long. So, without missing a beat, I jump out of the car and rush to meet them.
- It's so good to see you, my goddess! says Aunt Rachel, almost smothering me in her arms.
- Honey, we're going to have to keep the boys on a leash," says Uncle Nic.
- Tell me about it! Aunt Rachel replies, laughing.
- Welcome, Princess," adds Uncle Nic, kissing me on the forehead. Claudius, it's been a long time," continues Uncle Nic, shaking Dad's hand. I hope you had a good trip.
- Nic," says Dad. Indeed, far too long. The road went well, thank you, but I'm not going to hang around, now's not the time to fall behind.
- Of course it is. We'll ask the boys for a hand emptying the car," says Uncle Nic.
At the mention of boys, I tense up in my godmother's arms. I dread seeing them again.
- They can't wait to see you," whispers Aunt Rachel.
I look at her with a grimace.
- Not you, it seems..." she says with a pained look.
- Let's just say my memories with boys aren't very glorious, especially the last few... I explain with a contrite air.
She laughs heartily.
- Believe me, my goddess, they've changed a lot.
After each of us has taken something from the car, we enter the vast mansion. No sooner had we set down our belongings in the hall, than voices rang out behind me.
- Where's our goddess?
- The ugly one, you mean!
- Baptiste," I sighed, recognizing him. And you said he'd changed?
I turn around slowly, under Aunt Rachel's laughter, to review the subjects of my exasperation. But the spectacle that awaits me is anything but what I had imagined. I remain mute and apparently speechless, as I feel Aunt Rachel slowly close my mouth with the tip of her finger.
- Shall we place our bets? Uncle Nic asks weakly from behind me.
Aunt Rachel giggles even more.
- Oh shit! Aunt Rachel, I think we've been invaded by Valhalla! I articulate, without taking my eyes off the muscular divine beauties with sun-kissed skin who stare at me, wide-eyed and motionless.
- Artémis, this is Alex, Baptiste and Mason," says Uncle Nic, placing his hands on my shoulders.
