The group were sitting around the benches, either studying or whispering so as not to disturb those who were studying. The buses were slowly arriving, students streaming into the school, each talking to one another, while the clouds gathered and turned black, and a light wind brushed against their faces. In a couple more minutes, they would have to start writing all of their first exams for the semester.
"How did the studying go?" Piter asked.
"It was alright. I had a lot of work, but I believe I'll sail through today. Those in gram school, however... no comment," George said.
Piter nodded. "You, John?"
"It was alright. Studied mainly math for today, plus a little English and Greek."
Piter looked at Mario and Niko. "Should I ask?"
"You already know the answer, dude," Niko laughed.
"Literally. In addition to that, think about it like this: studying is doubting your potential. I allow my potential to be infinite, whereas you minimize it. That's like spitting on God's face."
The guys giggled. "I doubt God said something like that," George said.
"Sure he did. He told me."
"Your schizophrenia is taking a toll on you, huh?" Piter asked sarcastically.
"Listen to him," Niko said, pointing at Piter, "he's speaking from experience."
Piter turned his left eye on him, kicked him in the leg, and started running away as Niko began chasing him.
"Can you guys keep quiet?" Mia said, staring at her notes.
"What are you writing today?" John asked.
"Well, expect English and Greek, which you also have, and Latin."
"Ahh, nice," he turned to George. "You also have Latin today?"
He nodded. "Unfortunately. Then on the weekend, Latin and Greek, then next week the remaining two."
"Good luck, my comrade."
Mia and Eva closed their books, getting up from their seats.
"Are Emily and Ann coming?" Mia said.
"I think Em said she'll be late. We'll see her next break," George said. "The better question is, what's taking Niko and Piter so long?"
"They're probably feeling each other up," John said, and the boys with Mia burst out laughing while Eva rolled her eyes.
"No, but seriously, let me go check."
George started walking to where they had run off to. He saw Helen picking on a smaller student.
"Hey, what are you doing?" George spoke up, approaching her.
Helen looked up at him. "Oh, I know you, Ann's friend. What do you want?" She gave him an annoyed look.
"Why are you picking on the guy?"
"I'm not picking on him," she stood up completely. "Even if I was, why would it matter to you?"
George started to get irritated. The student looked up at him.
"Oh George, my friend, it's you," he said.
"Bynight?"
"Shut up, will you?"
"WHAT the hell did HE do to you to get angry?"
She sighed and replied, moving her hands and looking around as she spoke. "Nothing crucial, just felt like he disrespected me the other day and wanted to set the record straight." She looked back at him. "That's it. Don't worry, I'll let him go in a moment or two. Go mind your own business, you're good at that."
"I know the guy. I'm sure it was a misunderstanding. He would never disrespect someone on purpose."
"Maybe, but still, I need a dose of entertainment, you know?"
"Beating up others is entertainment?"
"Beating them up is the least bad thing you could see me do. However, it's an easy solution. Got a problem?" She grinned at him.
"I do."
"Ohhh, what a hero," she said sarcastically. "Well, do something."
George remained silent, calculating the best thing to do.
She rolled her eyes. "I'll forget we had this conversation—" Before she could finish, George interrupted her.
"You know the meaning of that word? Thought you never had those."
She smiled. "Why's that?"
"Because you only talked to yourself. At least, that's what people say."
She nodded calmly. "What was your name again?"
He hesitated before answering. "George."
"You and half the country," she shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Listen, I'm feeling generous today. How about a deal?" She got off Bynight's body and approached George.
"What kind of deal?"
"On Wednesday is the last day before Christmas break. I want you to stay after school so we can get this over with."
"In a fight?"
"BINGO," she winked at him. "And don't worry, I'll make sure the entire school sees your demise."
He didn't look afraid, more like irritated by her words. "Don't worry. I am no coward."
She chuckled. "Of course you're not."
She turned around and left. Bynight got up and started hugging George, thanking him over and over. George calmed him with a smile. He requested to know what happened when the bell rang and the students went to attend the morning prayer, where Bynight explained in a low voice to show a little respect to his fellow classmates.
"Thank you for standing up for me," Bynight said, "even if I got you into trouble."
George sighed. "It's okay. I'll figure it out. See you at the end of the day."
He looked confused. "Why not lunch break?"
"I have three exams today. Think of it like five hours of just exams, one more lesson, then home," George explained as they walked away in the giant mass of students sprinting to their classes.
He stood close to his classroom door, waiting for the teacher while his other classmates hung around. He saw John, Niko, Mario, and Ann walking up to him, talking to one another. Then they saw him and approached.
"Sup man, how's it going?" Niko said. "You didn't come back to our place."
He let out a sigh. "Forget it," he rolled his eyes. "Got into a small argument with Helen."
"What did that bitch do again?!" Ann asked angrily.
"She was bullying a guy I knew. She got angry and wants me to fight her in front of the school."
The group was shocked by the situation. They started talking about reporting it to the principal, but even the teachers are afraid of her.
Niko stayed silent, thinking it through. "How about asking Piter what to do?"
He scoffed. "He's afraid of her. I remember once he told me how she beat him so bad he had to put his leg in a plaster cast. I doubt he's gotten any stronger since then."
"You know incidents are common on the roads," John said.
They looked at him and laughed.
"She isn't worth getting your ass in jail," George said.
"She isn't worth anything," Ann said. "Let alone getting locked up."
"Just saying, what you do with this info is up to you."
The teachers came with the exam papers, opened the classroom doors, and the students started writing their exams. Some of the students, mainly those in the back, were looking at it like a game, giggling and whispering while the teachers tried to keep them quiet. Some were killing time, others tried to stay calm and pass. Of the group, the only ones who got out early were Niko and Mario, who went down to the courtyard.
"Will you be coming with us?" Mario asked.
"Where?"
"Mountain hiking. Didn't you see the message George sent in the group chat?"
He shook his head. "No, I didn't. What day did he say?"
He thought for a moment. "I believe somewhere around the first week of Christmas holidays, maybe before the 25th of December."
"I don't know. How about the others? Who will be going?"
"Well, everybody has said yes except me, Piter, Emily, and you."
"You won't be going?"
"I haven't decided yet. We might die, and I'm NOT planning on dying, but there's a high chance I'll go."
He nodded.
"Is it me or does it feel like you've been avoiding us lately?"
He looked confused. "No! Where did that come from?"
"I don't know, bro. It's the fact that… you don't even see our messages lately, and something doesn't feel the same."
"That's it? I have a life too, you know?"
Mario was taken aback by his response. "Never said you didn't, bro, just that… it takes two seconds. You're not that busy, are you?"
Niko stayed silent for a moment. "No, but still, the only one who has been acting up is Emi. Suddenly she made all this story up and we're going along with it? Maybe it's me, but I believe she has suicidal thoughts, and that's why Piter and Ann are backing up what she said. Or she's schizophrenic. Or I don't know what's going on in her brain."
Mario got angrier the more he vented his frustrations. "Suppose you're right. Shouldn't we help her?"
"I didn't say that!"
"What did you say?"
"That she's been acting up!"
"Well, I don't know, dude. Haven't found an opportunity to talk to her. When I do, I'll bring it up even more!"
"Then why are you angry?"
"I am not angry! More like… disappointed."
They both let out a sigh. "No, you're right."
"About what?"
"That I've… 'snubbed' you all recently. I'll try to come with you, but I can't promise anything yet."
"Sure, man. No worries," Mario said in a low, almost defeated voice. "You've said it a lot recently. Not really expecting much," he thought to himself.
John saw them and walked up. They were shocked to see him so early. He explained that he wanted a small break in case anyone got out of class. They sat there and talked about what they worked on and how they believed it was going to end.
Back in the classroom, Piter and Emily were both struggling for different reasons. Emily was trying hard to get the best mark possible, always keeping the consequences on the back of her mind. She read the questions over and over before starting writing. Piter, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to focus; he found himself reading the same exercises again and again.
"For God's sake," he thought, "this is what both my teachers say, but I'm getting even further away from the exit. Maybe I should go for the literacy text; it will be easier."
(For context, in the Greek language exams there are four exercises: 1. Recap of one of the first two texts, 2. Vocabulary and grammar, 3. Literacy text analysis, and 4. An essay.)
He started reading the text and got more confused.
THE SHIP — Georgios Souris (optional read)
The ship is in the tempest; the helmsmen are struck hard,
and the sailors in the waves are buzzing and babbling loud.
One cries out, another weeps, another climbs the mast in panic,
and another swears he'll save the hull with nothing but a pole.
The rudder's lost direction, and the sails are torn to shreds,
and the brave men of the cabin stand there trembling to the bone;
yet the captain pretends he neither sees nor hears a thing,
though the ship is slowly sinking, groaning, gasping for its breath.
Now the water enters slyly, from the bow and from the sides,
and the wave sucks us beneath and strikes us like a fist;
and our leaders at the helm, with their bluster and their airs,
say that "everything is perfect — please don't make a fuss!"
And the ship goes down, then rises; and again it sinks and rises;
and the more it sails, the more it leaks, it tears, it sinks once more;
and within this savage hardship, one man runs and one man shouts,
yet not one of them considers that in the end we'll all be lost.
And the way we're going, the way we're going, one day we'll surely see it:
the wreck of the wild sea will swallow us into the deep.
And the sailors — the poor fellows — and the foremost on the bridge,
will stare at one another, speechless, thoughtless, full of dread.
But the ship of Greece — poor creature, little wretched thing —
always travels just like this: with patches, hopes, and dreams,
with a prow that seeks the heavens, glory, grandeur, shining heights,
but a crew that runs in circles, without order or command.
Piter read it again, trying to find points and meaning in the poem. He felt his stomach twist. The poem made no sense. But then a spark lit up in his brain. "Ah yes," he smiled to himself, "this is a story about sailors wanting to return home after all their hardships and struggles, while their captain is trying to keep them from panicking with lies because he is an incapable leader. Hehe, I'm a genius." He started writing with confidence, feeling a weight leave his shoulders. Poor guy, he misunderstood the entire poem, but let him have that little victory — any lives on his shoulders… otherwise, the story would have ended long ago.
The Greek exam finished with mostly failures… but there might be something good to come of it. Piter requested Emily stay a bit so he could ask the teacher a question.
"Ms, I was curious: what's the point of the poem? I just need to know I have it right."
"Of course. The point of the poem was that our country, at the time this was written, was drowning, and it symbolizes politicians incapable of putting everything in order."
Piter's face turned whiter than an albino, closing and opening his eyes.
"Oh thank God, I thought I messed it up," Emily said, feeling a weight leave her shoulders.
"Well done, Emily. Didn't expect anything less."
Piter started swinging his head between the two. "You got it wrong?" his teachers laughed.
"Where's the correlation?"
"Don't worry, bud. We have other things to worry about," Emily grabbed him, and they left, with left Piter in disbelief.