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The blazing sun tanned the grass and paving stones and the groups of friends that sat in different parts of the school courtyard. The air smelled of summer. There was no perfect way to describe it but everything about the smell made you know the sun was out and the streets would be heaving with tourists. The atmosphere was calm, the sound of cars and scooters and pompiers were heard from outside of the school walls.

It was about halfway through lunch, and Juliette Dubois  was sat at a picnic table with her friends, who were either flicking through magazines, reading, or gossiping. There was absolutely nothing abnormal about the group of girls or their activities. Juliette herself was looking over notes from her dance teacher from their session that morning.

"Come on, Julie," her friend Sophie said, whipping the piece of paper out from underneath her friend's eyes. "You can't seriously be doing something focused on one of the first nice lunchtimes of the year," Juliette laughed and tried to grab the paper back.

"It's important!" Sophie rolled her eyes in an affectionate contempt, holding the sheet behind her back.

"And so is gossiping and discussing what we are going to do now that the sun has finally made an appearance!" Juliette smiled, her grin laced with mock exasperation.

"If you give it back, I will promise to not even look at it for the rest of lunch..."
"Ok, deal," she smiled, thrusting it back her way. Juliette took a hold of the papers, sliding them back into her backpack, zipping it up and focusing on her friends. The group was in the middle of a light-hearted discussion, punctuated by laughter and the clinking of plastic water bottles. Sophie, ever the gossip enthusiast, began to talk animatedly 

"Did you hear about the new student who just joined my chemistry class? He's from a tiny place near Strasbourg, and rumor has it, he's applied for Love Island! He is seriously charming... Can you imagine?" Juliette chuckled, shaking her head. 

"No way."

Léa, who was sprawled out on the grass, sighed dreamily. 

"Speaking of charm, I can't wait for the summer festival. It's going to be amazing. They say they're bringing in a few big-name bands." As the conversation drifted somewhat aimlessly from festival plans to various summer activities, as well as more exciting plans, Juliette's gaze wandered around the courtyard. Her school wasn't exactly big, and she knew most of the people she could see - most of which she had known since her arrival at the school in CP1. After a few moments of observing the people around her, her eyes settled themselves on Matthieu, who was laughing with his friends near the edge of the courtyard, his golden hair catching the sunlight in a way that made it seem almost glow. The effortless way he interacted with his friends, his easy laughter - it all struck Juliette in a way that she couldn't really explain. She had liked him for near enough six years, ever since Eloise had showed her a picture of all of the boys in their year at her 12th birthday party and asked who she had a crush on. She'd picked him and that was it. Eloise clocked onto her gaze, followed it and her eyes were also met with Matthieu.

"Do you ever stop thinking about him?" teased Eloise, breaking into Juliette's reverie. She had always been perceptive. Juliette smiled with a mix of resignation and something that she couldn't quite place. 

"Oh, Matthieu? I mean, I think about him, sure. But it's not like anything's going to happen. I'm just... happy being on my own for now. I don't think I even want it to." Eloise raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. 

"Happy being on your own, huh? You sure about that? I mean, you do spend an awful lot of time admiring him from afar."

Juliette sighed, shifting slightly in her seat as she glanced back at Matthieu, who was now tossing a small rubber ball between his friends, the laughter and banter continuing unabated. 

"I guess I just don't want to complicate things. It's easier this way."

Sophie leaned in, her curiosity piqued. 

"What's easier? Daydreaming about Matthieu or actually talking to him?" Juliette's cheeks flushed slightly. 

"Talking to him, obviously. I know we've known each other for ages, technically, but I don't know. It's like...he's this perfect image in my head, and if I actually got to know him properly, he might not be what I imagined." Sophie snorted, shaking her head. 

"Girl, that's just avoiding the risk. Besides, you never know until you try. I mean, look at me and Jacques. I was convinced he was a total idiot until we actually started talking."

"You and Jacques broke up four times," Eloise interjected. "I'm not sure you saying that is going to make her feel any happier about this situation..."

"Nevermind then," Sophie responded, her voice tinted with mock sharpness. "But, Julie, you should still try. Now or never."

"Exactly," Léa chimed in, sitting up from the grass with a grin. "Plus, the summer festival is coming up, right? It's the perfect chance to, I don't know, maybe actually talk to him. You can't just keep watching from the sidelines." Juliette laughed, a bit embarrassed but also grateful for her friends' support. 

"Okay, okay. I get it. You guys are relentless." Eloise winked. 

"That's what friends are for. You can't just sit here and let the summer pass you by." As if on cue, Matthieu glanced across the courtyard, his gaze briefly meeting Juliette's before he turned back to his friends. Her heart felt strange, as if it too was trying to embarrass her, and she quickly looked away, pretending to be intensely interested in the conversation at the table. Sophie noticed Juliette's reaction and nudged her playfully. 

"See? Even Matthieu's looking your way. It's a sign!" Juliette rolled her eyes, trying her hardest to suppress a shy smile. 

"Alright, alright. Maybe I'll try to talk to him. But no promises that I'll be smooth or anything. Or  that it will even go anywhere."

"That's the spirit!"  Sophie said, raising her water bottle in a mock toast. "To new experiences and far less daydreaming!" They all clinked their bottles together in agreement, their laughter filling the air as the afternoon sun continued to cast its warm glow over the courtyard. Juliette felt a flutter of excitement mixed with pure terror and nervousness at the thought of possibly speaking to Matthieu. For the first time in a while, she felt like summer might hold more surprises than she had anticipated. As the bell rang, to signal the end of lunch, Juliette and her friends gathered their things and headed towards their next classes. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Matthieu. 

She might have told her friends that she'd try, but she was in no hurry.

Juliette was perfectly fine by herself.

Toute seule.