I heard familiar voices approaching me, but the words of a stranger and Fanny complaints had me frustrated at the moment. I saw Vera quickly, but Alma was not with her, so I went looking for her. The expressions on Alex Krupp's face drew my attention and I finally located Alma who was in the courtyard with him. He was unhappy because Fanny had spoken to him in the evening about me. He was currently analyzing the answers to his questions when he broached the subject. He wanted to know why Alma had spent time with me. How had she found me so attractive to the point of going off with a stranger? Apparently, he was completely disoriented, that boy.
Of course he would eventually find Alma interesting!
I did not like the way he was looking at her. But she did not seem too interested. She replied "I do not know why Fanny talked to you yesterday about Estrange." Or something like that. She did not seem to care. It had been little more than an ordinary conversation.
"That's his name, huh? His real name?"
"Stop it Alex! Enough." she interrupted him and turned away, heading for the door.
Waiting for Vera, surely.
He followed her, continuing his express his doubts, comforted with the idea that Alma could be so indifferent to her exchange with me, reassured because Fanny would forget. This bothered me much more than it should have. I returned to the car and raised my window. I had to concentrate very hard to stop thinking about Alex. I cheated and sometimes yielded to the temptation to spy on them.
I do not spy!
I prepared myself. I wanted to know exactly when she would be at the parking lot. I did not want her to surprise me. As the students poured out of the court, I emerged from my car, uncertain. Did I want her to see me here? I hoped she would come and talk to me? What was I doing? I did not move. I tried to convince myself to go and hide in the car and I was fully aware that my attitude was wrong.
She approached, accompanied by Alex and Vera near my Morgan Anthracite - an Eva GT, still a prototype, equipped with a six-cylinder twin-turbo BMW engine. Alex's eyes widened at the sight of the car, which was not on the market and almost unknown to the common man. It was very attractive and very efficient. He took one last glance and went up to his Mini, started the engine and turned up the stereo. He opened the passenger side door and motioned to both girls to get in.
What should I do?
Show myself, tell her that I wished to take her where she wanted? Or was I going to remain hidden behind my tinted car windows? It was so disconcerting to see how my world seemed so empty without her. My whole life was focused on this girl and not solely on me as before. It was rather easy to explain however. After forty years of routine any change becomes a major event.
She was still far from Alex's car and I heard the words of that noisy boy. I leaned against the steering wheel. It was incomprehensible that a simple girl could keep my attention for so long - she was exhilarating. Alex started the car, his eyes focused on the road and his hands clutched the steering wheel. He looked back at her again and stopped. Vera was already getting in the Mini, and they waited for Alma.
She seemed anxious. I needed only one second to imagine what it could be, and one more to realize that she was more pensive than last time. I could see how she took the inconvenience seriously. The Mini was not far away, but she had not yet noticed me. I wondered what she would do when she did. Blush and walk away? That was my first guess. Perhaps she would talk to me. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with hope. She went to the Mini with caution. She did not look up, and that frustrated me.
Maybe I should go talk to her? No, that was a bad idea. But then suddenly, she saw me!
Instead of getting into the car of Alex, she stopped and looked at Vera through the car window, then turned back and walked towards me. It made me smile. I felt the Alex's eyes trying to break through the opacity of my windshield, searching my face and I imagined what that reminded him of. I was amused to watch Alma approaching my car. Given the way her friends were staring, she must have seemed insane to them. She stiffened halfway, with downcast eyes and a strange expression. Complicity? Emotion? Once again, my curiosity became embarrassing. It was like I just had to know what she thought - as if it were the only thing in the world that mattered.
I'll go and talk to her!
She stopped and seemed to think for a moment.
Was she wondering how I could afford this car?
I hesitated, torn. She stopped on my right, undecided. I raised my hand slowly, and then pressed a button which opened the passenger side door. She advanced, more confident, then stooped to look inside.
"Hi, you! Want to get in?" I proposed to her.
She sat down without taking her eyes off me. She seemed perhaps nervous, but her gesture was a yes.
"Hi, you," she replied in a tiny voice while biting her lips. "I thought it must be your car."
"Seriously?"
She inspected the car with a raised eyebrow.
"Hmm, it's like you, strange. I would guess it is English. Am I wrong? "
Insightful!
"No, you're right. It's a..."
"It looks like a Morgan."
I swallowed hard and nodded, surprised that she was interested in cars.
"Are you passionate about cars? Or by the fact that it's out of the ordinary, rather?
"Rather, yes!" Her admission made her blush.
I had never seen anyone blushing like that! Vera and Alex were arguing.
"I think your friends blame me for kidnapping you."
"They will recover," she said, apparently indifferent to the reaction of her comrades."
"Unless I keep you!" I was not sure if I was trying to be as honest as possible with her or if I just wanted to tease her. The feelings were so close to me, I could not bring order to my thoughts.
She swallowed loudly. Her expression made me laugh. I was waiting for her to speak. It took a while.
"What are you doing here?"
"Let's just say..." I hesitated between lying and telling the truth. "I have something for you and..." I opened the glove box and removed a package wrapped in craft paper on which there was an address and name. I handed it to her.
Damn! What compelled me to give her a gift like this?
I had just realized that in my enthusiasm, I did not pay attention to details which were important! She would know now that I knew her address. There was no doubt about it. For me, it would remain a huge mistake! Perhaps by reading between the lines she would understand later the significance of my actions. I did not want to lie.
She did not flinch and looked at me, questioning, as if I had not finished my sentence.
"You know," she said after a long time, "I have no idea what it is."
I was relieved and I smiled.
"I'm not surprised. You haven't opened it yet."
It was becoming impossible to ignore the verbal attacks of Alex, which distracted me and insulted me, and forced me to eye him with contempt, hoping he would see me and keep quiet!
"Oh!"
"It seems to worry you," I said - the package was still unopened in her hands.
She looked at it carefully. This would normally be funny but she had all the reasons in the world to be worried.
"No…" She was a pitiful liar, unable to restrain the tremor in her voice. "I'm surprised," she added, "Why?"
"I'll tell you! I'm giving up."
Since I would be leaving soon, I kept my smile in place, but not without effort. It was difficult to be at once honest and casual.
"What?" she said, puzzled.