The High School Bad Boy
Chapter 6. Max, is it Va Toi? (Max, Are You Okay)?

CAFE GEORGE V, CHAMPS ELYSEES, PARIS.

Wulan propped up her chin with both of her arms, making the round table in front of her as the pedestal of her elbow. He looked towards the arched building that stood gallantly in the distance there. Thin snow enveloped the leafless trees growing along the way.

The Arc De Triomphe.

The monument of Napoleon Bonaparte's legacy becomes a fresh view of a cold afternoon in Paris.

"Vanilla Cafe au Lait (vanilla milk coffee), for the new English Teacher."

Damien's voice made Wulan gasp. The man came with two cups of coffee.

"Merci (thank you)," Wulan said as she reached for the cup Damien had placed on her.

Damien pulled the chair under the table and sat down in front of Wulan. Smoke his coffee cup while raising both eyebrows thick. "Mmm ... c'est tre's bon (it's delicious)," he said praising the coffee he had just steamed.

"Yeah" Wulan said.

"I wonder where you're from? The thailand? The philippines? Or ...."

"Australia."

"Ah, bon (ohya)?" Damien showed interest in knowing more about Wulan. "How long have you been in Paris?"

"Five years."

"You work or ...."

Wulan smiled wryly. "I followed my husband .. emm .. my ex-husband."

"Owh, sorry," Damien said when he saw Wulan's face turned grim.

"It's okay."

"Emm .. I hope you're at home teaching at Jean-Baptiste Say." Damien tried to divert the conversation.

Wulan. "I have no choice. It is difficult to find a job in Paris. I was lucky to be accepted there. I have no experience as a teacher yet" he said. "By the way, I graduated from the Sorbonne a year ago."

"really?"

Wulan nodded.

"Very nice (very good)," Damien said with his French accented English.

"Wulan," he called.

"Oui (yes)?"

"If you need help, just tell me. I've been a Teacher Instructor for three years at Jean-Baptiste Say. I have memorized the habits of the children there. Almost every day there are students I call into my room to give me guidance."

"Thank you, Damien," said Wulan as she sipped her coffee which was getting cold. He threw back the view on the Arc De Triomphe which now looks beautiful with a spotlight of lights - street lights that refract light on ornaments - ornaments attached to the wall, he said, making a monument of victory that became one of the icons of the city of Paris that looks elegant.

***

Wulan tightened her thick coat to ward off the piercing cold. The wind that hit made his face feel stiff.

Minus two degrees Celsius if estimated temperature.

Wulan sped up her steps through the empty wide pavement. It felt like he quickly reached his apartment and took shelter under a thick blanket in his room with the heating of the room on.

He stopped his steps when he heard there was a commotion in a small alley that was several meters in front of him.

Curious, Wulan stepped slowly closer to the alley and looked inside. He was surprised when he saw two men in black jackets complete with hoodies, beating a teenager who was pressed against the wall of the alley.

"Max!" yells. He was shocked to learn who the beaten teenager was.

The two men stopped the action as soon as they saw Wulan's presence. Then push Max's body to the ground and hit the garbage box.

"Review you!" threaten one of them to Max. They walked past Wulan and passed away.

"Max, 'ca va toi (are you okay)?" wulan asked as she grabbed Max's hand and tried to help him to stand up. Max brushed it off violently.

"Surge!" he shouted while pushing Wulan's body and walking past him.

"Wait!" Wulan pulled Max's arm and forced the young man to stop. "Why did they beat you? Look at your bruised face like this."

"It's none of your business!" hardik Max's.

"Hey, if you have a problem, you can talk to me, Max."

Max grinned as he pulled his arm from Wulan's hand and stared at Wulan cynically.

"Je n'ai pas besoin de ton aide (i don't need your help)," he said as he left Wulan.

Wulan shook her head slowly. He pensively for a moment.

What's wrong with the kid?

***

Max opened the door to his apartment slowly. The room lights went on and, as usual, the father was waiting for him. One empty bottle of alcoholic drink was thrown by the middle-aged man beside his seat.

"You just got home?" The Father chuckled. "Surely you got a lot of money tonight, Max?"

"Je n'ai pas d'argent (i don't have any money)" he replied as he stepped into his room.

"Mais, attends (wait)!" exclaim the Father as he rose from his seat and pulled Max's jacket.

"I don't have any money, Papa. Don't you see me getting battered like this, huh?"

"Did I care? You have to pay your mother's death to me, okay? Where's your purse?" The Father stretched out his palm and moved - moving his fingers inward, gesturing for Max to immediately hand over his wallet.

Max reached into his jacket pocket and took the wallet there, and gave it to his father.

Roughly the middle-aged man snatched the wallet in Max's hand. His face turned red as he looked at the contents of the empty wallet.

Plakkk

One slap landed on his cheek.

"You're pranking me, huh?"

"You see for yourself I have no money."

The father ransacked Max's jacket and trousers with pushy eyes. "You don't play with me, Max!"

Max pushed the father's body slightly staggering due to the influence of alcohol to sit in his chair again. Then hurriedly stepped towards his room. Closing and locking meetings.

"Basic useless child!"

I heard the voice of my father out there. Max sat down sluggishly while leaning his back against the door.

"Fils de pute (the lion)!" maki Max is furious.

***

Wulan was running around the school corridor chasing after Etienne who was walking briskly towards the cafeteria.

"Etienne!" call him to the black guy.

"Hey, Miss .. quoi de neuf (what's wrong)?" etienne asked as she looked at Wulan with her flirtatious eyes.

"You know why Max didn't come in today?"

"Max? Emm .. je sais pas (i don't know)."

Wulan touched Etienne's arm slowly. "Come on, you're his best friend. You must know what happened to him."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I just want to know."

Etienne. "Why do you want to know?"

Wulan. "I wonder what the problem is with him. Hey, yesterday I saw a bruise on his face."

"You don't want to know what's wrong with me, Miss?" Etienne raises - raises her eyebrows teasing Wulan.

"Etienne! No kidding!" exclaimed Wulan annoyed.

Etienne chuckles. "You're beautiful when you're angry, Miss."

Wulan's hand moved to hit Etienne's head. "There's no point in talking to you!" his groan while murmuring left Etienne.

Etienne's laughter was behind her back. Wulan closed her eyes for a moment while shaking her head slowly.

"Miss, would you like to go on a date with me?" Etienne cried out to him from a distance.

Wulan raised her hand without looking at Etienne. Back came the sound of laughter that made Wulan turn his eyes panted.

***

***

***