Chicken Skin – Chapter I

Christine was rocking and rolling over in her bed. She couldn’t get to sleep. So many thoughts were ringing the door bell of her brain that night. One thought that had left her mind immediately giving its place to another one, it seemed that this unremitting succession would never stop and that she was to spend a genuine sleepless night.

It was the exams time at the university, and she had to admit to herself that it wasn’t letting her be so quiet. Maybe especially as was beginning the time of the oral examinations that was always closing the end of term exams and that was making her totally nervous.

She had reviewed somehow, while completing an internship in a company of a neighbor city.

She just refused to open up her books and her notes when the exams had already started and had at her whole disposal the time laid between two summons. This could mean one or two days.

She was making the most of it by having walks and by trying to maintain with the young head of the company where she just finished her internship, a love affair that had begun meanwhile.

She was actually wondering if Antoine was taking it seriously or if this affair of them was only a matter of sexual desire for him.

Christine’s nature was mostly shy and reserved. She couldn’t imagine asking directly the question to Antoine just to be in the picture once and for all.

Also, she could find bunches of alibis to come and visit him when he was at his office and she managed to go on working for the company one day from time to time, which actually was one day a week.

Though Antoine when she came wasn’t always there: he often had appointments outdoors. Then Christine had to bear the disappointment of only finding his secretary who was observing her with amused eyes.

Christine finally could get to sleep.

When the alarm clock rang at 7 a.m., she woke up all right, but the strength of getting up was missing. She just hazed in bed for a while before putting one of her feet on the ground.

She had no paper scheduled that day, therefore she had decided that she would spend the day at Antoine’s office where she always was entrusted with some task whenever she came another day than her usual day.

She was hoping she would be able to see Antoine alone, and that he would get closer to her just as he often did when he was there and when they were by themselves.