Michel & Josette

Chapter 12: Opinions Matter

Michel was out strolling through Paris, France one day when he ran into Josette. He saw her sitting at the park once again. However, she wasn't feeding the pigeons; she was snacking on a cheese crepe. She looked pretty content and happy to be doing so too.

Michel took in a deep breath and then let it out, approaching her. She looked up at him and immediately raised an eyebrow, looking a bit annoyed.

"Hello, Josette!" Michel greeted her cheerily. "What a nice and lovely day to be seeing you here!"

"What are you doing here, Moses?" Josette questioned him immediately, looking at him suspiciously.

Michel got annoyed quickly. "My name is Michel! Get it right or don't call me anything at all!"

Josette faked perplexity. "Oh? But I thought that was your name, Moth!" she told him.

Michel growled dangerously, but remembered what Faux had told him the other day about how he sounded like a lion or something. Michel shook his head and forced a grin.

"I wasn't even looking for you today, surprisingly!" Michel informs her. "But you were in my thoughts, don't worry!"

"I wasn't even worried to begin with."

Michel's eye twitched with more annoyance.

Josette gave him a sarcastic smirk before taking another bite of her cheese crepe, enjoying it very much. Michel decided to take a seat next to her, very happy to be doing so.

Josette didn't seem to mind, but she acted like he wasn't there. Her eyes seemed distant and she seemed to be in deep contemplation.

Michel got a bit concerned and asked, "Is there something wrong, Josette?"

Josette slowly looked at him. "No. There's nothing wrong, Muhammad," she replied.

"Uh…it's Michel…"

"Sorry, Murdock."

Michel decided to let that one slide, but frowned anyway. "I can tell when there's something wrong, Josette! Come on…you can tell me. We're pals after all, aren't we?" he asked her.

Josette gave him a look, but then sighed, finishing her cheese crepe. "Well…you're right. There is something wrong."

"What's the dreadful matter?" Michel queried.

"Well, some goon yesterday said that I was just a normal, average lady and that nobody would ever date someone like me," Josette mumbled, a sour expression crossing her features. "I usually don't give a squat about what others say about me, but that…really bothered me."

Michel looked utterly appalled.

Someone dared to call his Josette average and normal?! To Michel, she was far from it!

"Where is this incompetent ruffian?!" Michel exclaimed loudly, looking very angry and upset. "I'll show him average!"

Josette looked genuinely surprised and a little happy for reasons that were unknown to her. She felt a smile coming on, but she forced it back, looking away from Michel. "It doesn't matter. He's gone," she informed him.

Michel calmed down a little and looked worried. "Josette, you are NOT average and normal! You are something else entirely!" he told her truthfully with a nod of his head.

"Thanks…" Josette mumbled through a sigh. "But opinions can sometimes hurt, you know?"

"Well, you don't have to listen to the negative opinions!" Michel talked loudly. "Let the negative ones disappear! The only opinions you need to hear are the good ones because you are a good person!"

Josette felt grateful towards his words, smiling a little. "Thanks, Mulciber…" she said.

Michel frowned, the annoyance coming back. "Still can't get my name right, huh?!"

"I'm not getting it right?" Josette decided to play dumb again.

Michel face-palmed.