BETWEEN US

A Seat by the Window

Chapter Four

Solène’s POV

By lunch, I had already decided that final year was going to be exhausting.

Our French literature teacher had somehow managed to give us three assignments on the first day, and Élodie had spent the entire morning complaining about it.

“I swear she has something against us.”

“She has something against students,” Chloé corrected.

“Same thing.”

I laughed as we walked toward the cafeteria.

We found a table near the windows and sat down with our lunches.

“So,” Chloé said, looking between us, “what do you think of the new student?”

I looked at her.

“Raphaël?”

Élodie raised an eyebrow.

“You remembered his name.”

“Because our teacher introduced him this morning.”

“Sure.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t think anything.”

Chloé smiled.

“He seems quiet.”

“Very quiet,” Élodie added. “And did you see his watch?”

I looked at her.

“No.”

“Exactly. You weren’t paying attention.”

“I was listening to the lesson.”

“You’re boring.”

“I know.”

We laughed.

A few minutes later, I noticed Raphaël sitting at a table across the cafeteria. He was alone, looking through something on his phone.

I looked away almost immediately.

“He’s sitting alone,” Chloé said.

“So?”

“Nothing. I just noticed.”

Élodie shrugged.

“Maybe he likes being alone.”

I nodded.

That seemed reasonable enough.

After lunch, we returned to class for our next lesson.

I was taking notes when someone stopped beside my desk.

“Excuse me.”

I looked up.

Raphaël.

He held a sheet of paper in one hand.

“Do you know where the science building is?”

I pointed toward the hallway.

“Down there, then take the stairs on the left.”

He glanced in the direction I pointed.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

He gave a small nod and walked away.

I turned back to my notebook.

That was our first actual conversation.

It lasted about ten seconds.

And honestly, I didn’t think much of it.

There was still an entire school year ahead of us.

Plenty of time to meet people.

Plenty of time for things to change.

For now, though, Raphaël Laurent was simply the new student who happened to sit by the window.