3. Leona
1190 Words
Scornful, espresso–black eyes, infamous Latin cheekbones, thick eyebrows that, right now, are frowning in an unpleasant smirk… His face is partly obscured by his cap, but I know exactly what he looks like. Because even if it’s been six years since I saw him up close, I had to put up with his presence in my life from 0 to 18 years old.
Manon Nico.
Our neighbour.
My worst enemy.
Moreover, his smirk tells me that he’s just as delighted as I am about this meeting. That’s to say not at all.
“That’s my cart,” I said bluntly.
“Hello to you too, Leona.”
The way he stresses my first name irritates me. But I’m not going to stoop to admit my lack of politeness.
“I would like my cart back, Manon,” I said, placing a hand on the object in question, being careful to stay as far as possible from the one holding it.
Never back down, that’s my mantra whenever I’m in his presence.
“I can’t help you, Leona, I don’t know where it is.”
“Oh yes, since you’re pushing it, Manon.”
One of his eyebrows lifts and his eyes flash.
“Are you sure, Leona?”
My eyes finally leave him to land on the contents of the cart: fruit juice, crisps, bananas, beers, deodorant… for men,… shaving foam?
Shit!
“So Leona, is this your cart?” he asks.
I don’t want to look at him. I know exactly how smug he must be. Instead, I stupidly stare at his groceries. Boring, if you ask me. Lasagne and frozen pizza? Especially when you know that his mother, Rita Nico, Italian by origin, is one of the best cooks I know. In my opinion, she has finally understood the true nature of her offspring and refuses to cook him food anymore. Like me, Manon left Locron after graduating from high school. God only knows what he’s doing here this weekend, and I’m definitely not going to ask him the question. However, an idea comes to mind, and it’s not entirely meaningless when I think of his treacherous nature.
“Who says that you didn’t steal my cart and add some products to try to deceive me?”
He watches me for a second and… bursts out laughing.
His laughter is deep and very unpleasant, and the fact that he openly laughs at me is very, very irritating.
“Ah, Leo! You really don’t like to be wrong.”
“I don’t know, that doesn’t happen to me often.”
Although at this point, I begin to doubt myself. The fact that he uses my nickname is infuriating.
“Don’t you think that one is yours?” he asks, pointing to another cart a little further away.
Indeed, it looks a lot like mine, with a few more things… I approach and I feel that Manon is right behind me, which annoys me all the more. Can’t he just go and continue shopping as if all this hadn’t happened and disappear from my life forever?
“I see that your incontinence problems are still not resolved,” he said, grabbing a purple package that I don’t remember taking.
Besides, the contents of the cart are both familiar and different. I snatch the package from his hands and see with horror that these are adult diapers.
“This is…”
I’m cut off by my mother who comes out of nowhere.
“Manon Nico! But what a pleasant surprise!”
The constipated and mocking expression disappears from Manon’s face; he shows a big smile before turning to her.
“Michelle!”
They exchange a kiss and this two–bit charmer can’t help but add:
“If Leona hadn’t been right next to me, I could have confused you with her! You’re look splendid! Like two sisters! Have you changed your hairstyle?”
My mother lets herself be fooled by his basic Latin spiel, but I know what it means: that I look old! Moreover, the small satisfied smile he displays confirms it to me.
“Oh! You’re adorable, Manon! But you’re exaggerating,” my mother jokes, patting his arm.
Manon winks at her and she blushes slightly. It’s pathetic. I roll my eyes, completely distressed, but I don’t have time to dwell on this feeling because she adds:
“Did your mother tell you about Leona’s little party that we’re organizing this evening? You should come!”
Before he has time to open his mouth, I rush:
“Manon was telling me that he already had something planned tonight!”
He gives me a small smile which means: Oh yes? Did I say that? And I realize at this moment my error. While he might have kindly declined the invitation – because really, he has no reason to accept, we hate each other – he’ll now take great pleasure in doing the opposite.
“I think I can arrange to come. Thanks for the invitation, Michelle. Do I have to bring something?”
“Don’t upset all your plans for me, Manon. I suspect if you’re only here for the weekend, there are a bunch of people you must want to see.”
I put a smirk on my face that I hope will sound sympathetic from my mother’s point of view.
“To be honest, I have nothing to do in particular tonight,” he replies, mimicking my face.
His eyes are fixed on me and I think I can see some amusement in them, but the impression is fleeting.
“I’m not sure I have anything more important to do than celebrate the return to Locron of my favourite neighbour.”
“Well, that’s perfect! See you tonight then, Manon! Come on, Leona, we have to finish the shopping, I have a few more things for Grandma Violette to get,” said Mom.
Manon leans towards me and, for a moment, I wonder what he plans to do. I freeze. He’s not going to kiss me! But no, his mouth comes close to my ear; and a few seconds later, his deep voice echoes:
“Don’t forget to change diapers before the party.”
I still have Grandma Violette’s diaper pack in my hands. Normally, I would have thrown it in his face, but you have to believe that my reflexes are bad today.
“Asshole.”
“I know,” he replies, winking at me before walking away.
A little later, I realize that Manon didn’t seem surprised at the news of my return to Locron; he even seemed to know about it before we met.
“Mom, did you tell Manon that I was coming back to stay here?”
She gives me a sidelong glance and says:
“No, I guess it was Rita. She knows, of course.”
Given that everyone in the village knows each other and that there’s not even ten meters between our house and Nico’s, this isn’t surprising. Especially since they and my parents have an excellent relationship… much to my annoyance.
- Writer
