Looking for you

Chapter 3

Alex

It's been two months since we started the new scholar year and every professor was giving us our grades from the first bimonthly exams. As far as I knew, everyone was scared because of this. Every subject was different and new, somethings were stranger that we thought. And we had no idea of what our grades would be.

It was the fifth hour of the day, I knew my schedule by then and I mentally smiled as I read it again. The word "Biology" had given me a new kind of happiness. After comparing some of my given grades with Kaisha, I went to my place and, to distract myself I restarted my book reading.

After ending three pages the door opened, that was my signal to keep the book away. Raised my sight from the desk and looked at her walking for her desk. She wasn't happy I could tell, I´ve learned how to read her a bit. There were no death glares, but there was not her good mood either.

"I've been grading your tests and your class work to get your average grade. Let me tell you, it's not what I expected" she said. Every classmate stared at her wondering what that could meant.

"Now, this are your grades..."

There was too much silence after those words, and right after it, Professor Wright started to name each of us adding the grade by the end. After she named the first three I started to feel uneasy. All were very similar between them…and it weren´t good. Most of them were very low, almost failed. Anxiousness started to build itself in my throat and I tried to remain calm waiting for my name.

In Mexico, grades can be catalogued by numbers:

5 - failed

6-7= almost failed (work or it would go down)

8- you're alive

9- almost perfect (it´s good enough)

10- highest grade (excellent)

Of course between all those you'd find the .5's and all the other "points", they sometimes help.

This case, the average of the group grades were around 6.

She said Kaisha's name and her grade was just beginning to be good, followed by more ´almost failed´ ones.

After what seemed, to me like ages, Professor Wright said my name. I hold my breath unconsciously not very sure if I had answered my test correctly. Professor Wright stare right at me, as if wondering something.

"Raley, your grade is 9.5"

I felt a small moment of joy and relief, smiling in my mind for my achievement. Right after that I caught the other meaning of that, filling me with sudden suspense. I had the highest grade…right after realizing it all my classmates started complaining with the professor. They thought it was unfair arguing I´d cheated. Realizing I was cause of the conflict I wanted to dig a hole and hid inside, the next second I was upset for their demanding reaction towards her asking for a change of grades or some absurd thing like that. Before I could interject any of the comments Evelyn talked.

"She had the highest grade because she worked for it" she managed to say. All my classmates kept silence, knowing I was no cheater and they couldn.t argue with that.

"She's one of the few who pays attention during class, without mention she answers all of the questions and actually allows me to give my class, for which her conduct is excellent. She delivers every homework and if it's not for the project in which her team didn't cooperate, she would have had a perfect 10. She got only two mistakes in the exam... and if I found out any of you threatens her in any way just for being a good student, I'll make sure that person to answer to the principal"

All death glares vanished right then and I calmed down. I'm not a coward but I wasn't interested in getting myself in unnecessary troubles.

After solving some exercises, I heard the bell rang, the class was over. And I kept my book in the bag knowing I was expecting recess for other reason.

Once a week I stop-by the professors common room after classes, by now I´ve learned that although it’s a common place for professors, very few of them actually use it. At that time only professor Wright was there. We´ve been talking several weeks now. If I was happy with any subject related to science she could talk about, listening her talk about any other thing is delighting.

Evelyn

I was taking my free time at the professors from which was nothing more than a small place of about 3x4m. with a computer and a small shelve with books. Supposedly for the "late-worker" professors, meaning me; it's not all for myself but as long as I’ve been here, I'm the only one who stays late in here, late as in maximum at 4 o'clock. I've seen other teachers earlier but they prefer the cafeteria, much more bigger and open...I don't blame them, it would be nice, still there may be sports activities somedays near the yard, that would also mean noise.

I was ending some notes for tomorrow's class when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in" I said writing the final word at my note book before closing it, looking at the door to see who it was and I smiled when Alexi's head appeared by the door.

"Hey" I greeted her as she closed the door behind her. "Hey"

"I thought all students had left" I said.

"Well, must of them have, but I normally stay late" she answered me.

"So... is there anything I can help you with, a doubt on a subject or something?"

"No, thanks professor..."she pushed frowning a bit before continuing "I was actually wondring if I could be here for a while... "

"Yeah, sure, I don't see why not. Maybe we could entertain each other for a while, right?" she nodded and took a sit.

"How are you feeling with all the subjects and the changes in system, is it hard?" I knew she was one of the ones who worked harder, other colegues talked tome about her grades proving that point, I was just curious to knew her personal thought about it all. She smiled before answering.

"It's not really hard, it jut scares you a little if you spend too much time thinking about it. I believe the best way to take is, precisely, taking it the way it is and after working, you'd be good at it.” She sounded so calm at it, I could notice she was acctualy relaxed. Right there, she offered me a glance of her mind.

"Then, you would say, I don't ask too much of you guys?" I insisted, knowing none of my other students have answered the way she did.

"I don't think so... It's better if everyone would just work for what each wants, it maybe hard from time to time, but it could be seen just like a game.” I nodded wondering now what kind of books were the one she was always reading because her thoughts seemed to be ‘elder’ than her.

"What do you think of it?" She asked, looking at me with curious eyes.

“Has it been a living hell with our group?” I smiled at hervadventued comment and when noticing it she shyly smiled back.

"Me? Well when I studied at that level perhaps I thought in a similar way you do. But if you ask me about teaching I'll confess the first day, and even the entire first week,...” I glacedat her watching all her attention fixed in me “...I was terrified" I sentenced and we both laugh. She stared at me for a second and her smile faded a moment asif realizing something before speaking again.

"So you do smile" she said "Now a friend of mine ows me a debt.” My mouth opened amazed, I wasn't sure what amazed me, the idea of my students saying I didn't smile or she beting I did.

"You bet on it?" I asked and she shyly moved her shoulders while keeping her hands in her pockets.

"Yeah... Some of my friends said you couldn't smile ever smiled, I believe you did so I bet o you" With her arms pressed to her torso she looked thinner. I believe she just blushed.

“Here I was swearing to all my colleagues you were the best student at school and suddenly I know you bet and may be in an addiction” She laughed so hard she couldn't breath, all that while denying with her head. I smiled at her reaction and I couldn't avoid noticing how happy she looked… She's not like every teenager , I like the way she thinks and analyzes things… She's pretty. I’m not sure how I'm thinking and realizing this, but I like her.