We live and we learn ?!

Yet I needed all my self-control to turn and smile normally at her. I did not want to worry her with a sudden rush of joy.

"That's what Fanny says! She has almost become addicted to you since she saw you."

I did not give her time to think by adding: "I am looking for a missing person."

"Really? Missing for how long?"

"For almost two months."

"A family member?"

"No, I have no family."

"That's sad." Her voice was gentle and pleasant. I suddenly felt melancholy and helpless, and I found myself wanting to comfort her. "When did this happen? Your family?"

"I vaguely remember my father. My mother - not at all." My voice sounded distant and Alma's expression darkened as if the information affected her. I assumed that she was feeling empathy. Most people express the opposite.

"Why?"

"What is it?" I asked, suddenly confused because I did not understand what was hidden behind this.

"Why is it, when I look at you, I have this feeling of déjà vu? Why?"

I hardened myself, tensing all my muscles to lock them in place, and then I inhaled a deep breath. How should I respond to such a question?

"When was that?"

I held my breath after asking the question.

"For about three weeks."

"Does it often happen to you?" I said, trying to learn more.

"No, it's the first time." She wanted to correct my mistaken assumption and the shadow of a smile was perceptible at the corners of her animated lips. "The only time I think," she went on.

This did not fit with the scenario I was creating in my head!

"That's why you did not stay with your friends? You wanted to talk to me to understand, right?" I insisted, my curiosity too obvious in my voice.

I had to admit, I was now captivated.

"I felt drawn like a magnet." Her half-smile became even more embarrassed - this choice of comparison seemed to amuse her. I smiled too without any real joy, just trying to relax her. Her smile was infectious and made me want to smile back at her as if we shared a secret.

"Attracted?" I asked, scrolling through my head each of her different looks that I was aware of, and wondering which was the most appealing.

"Hmm."

She smiled again.

I began to work out all the possibilities that could occur between two people that are attracted to each other, and I imagined a new scenario.

"And this pushed you towards me in order to study this attraction?" I argued.

Making assumptions seemed to work better with her than asking questions. It had worked again. She shook her head, and suddenly she had an odd expression.

"No," she said. My assumption had irritated her. I smiled again. Her voice was harder. "I just wanted to."

I could not guess the reason for her sudden annoyance. So I gave up. All this made no sense. She was not like the others. Her intoxicating scent was perhaps not the only unusual thing. She wanted to be accountable!

"I think it escapes me. I don't understand," I admitted, although I hated admitting defeated.

She sighed and looked at me, diving into my eyes much longer than the majority of normal people were able. "At first, nearly three weeks ago, I had a dream. I dreamed of water, a river, I think. It was all around me. It covered me and almost drowned me. Seaweed was mingled with my hair. And fingers were trying to pull it off. They were long and thin and pale." She was whispering, and looking down at my hands hidden in the pockets of my jacket. "I was cold... so cold! Then I sank. I didn't know where I was when I reopened my eyes. I found myself on the stage of a theater," she explained slowly, in a tone more and more overwhelmed with every word. "My dream was... It was dark, I watched from afar as a snapshot was placed on a table - I did not understand how I could see in the dark, but this picture drew me and I could not resist approaching it and wanting to touch it, to take it. I was happy when I discovered that it was a photo, but the photo vibrated between my fingers and the face which had been obscured, faced me and I saw it clearly. I felt like I had been reborn after a long sleep. But when I woke up, I realized I could not remember who he was..." The little wrinkle between her eyes deepened. Her hands were rubbing each another in one continuous movement, hypnotic, endlessly.

"Now what?" I whispered.

I could not prevent myself from speaking aloud what I thought and hoped as well to learn more about her. Maybe that was wrong? This time, however, I had the impression of being closer to the truth - she seemed lost!

"Now? Big deal!" she said, dismissing the subject.

I forced my gaze on her eyes. Suddenly I had the feeling of entering her soul for the first time. She was determined and wanted to give the impression that she did not suffer! But I felt her sentence, as if it was mine! While I realized this, the mystery of the person hidden behind this sharp mind began to reveal itself a little bit.

"You have trouble and are not very forthcoming," I said. I shrugged my shoulders casually, to conceal the intensity of my curiosity.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" she laughed without joy, "Life is never as beautiful and fair as in your dreams!"

I would have liked to have laughed with her, however, my joy, like hers, had faded. I knew something about the injustice of life. "I've heard that somewhere before."

She looked at me and seemed lost again. Her eyes fled mine, and then came back and stared at me the next second. "No need to complain, let's continue our investigation. We live and we learn," she said.

However, I did not want not to let the conversation end either. This little line between her eyebrows, just a mark that betrayed her pain, disturbed me. I wanted to smooth her forehead with the tips of my fingers. But, of course, I could not touch her. It was not... good manners.

"Go on, you were saying?" I expressed myself quietly, reflecting on this new hypothesis.

"Yes! You are also looking for someone, right?"