I knocked softly on the door, then opened it to the secretary's office and entered somewhat bewildered. Immediately, because of the open windows a cross draft developed in the room, stirring up the stale June air.
- Shut it, because it'll blow me out! - said the secretary sitting at the desk, then she looked up from her papers.
- Um - I smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear, confusedly spoke up. -My tutor sent me, he said that... - I whispered because for some reason the school office is where a person involuntarily speaks softly. The secretary took my word for it and she nodded.
- I know, Hannah. The director will receive you within minutes, until then take a seat next to the others - she nodded aside and I followed the movement with my gaze, and noticed that we were not ourselves. Three students were already sitting in the row of chairs. One of them my classmate, Lorant, who was in shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt, hunching over, hands down between his knees. Beside him, Bernadette, one of our classmates sat from twelve D. I met her casually on the occasion, she does some kind of sport, if I know correctly, water polo. She must be some kind of ball player, because she already hit me during dodgeball, after which my head was buzzing for almost two weeks.
She's a strong girl anyway. She looked up at my arrival and silently took note that I was here too. Next to her, a thin, blond-haired tenth-grade boy, Zsombor, was sitting on the chair.
I knew him by sight and because he won some Lego builder national competition this school year, which is why in many articles he was mentioned together with our school. I walked up to them and greeted them confusedly, then sat down in the only available seat.
- Hannah, you here too? - smiled Lorant, as if running into each other in the director's office would be such a happy moment on the last day of the school year, with our grade certificate in hand.
- Apparently - I hissed reluctantly.
- Do you know why we're here? - Zsombor asked me. You could see that he was frightened by the situation, presumably he has never been invited to the principal's office.
- I have no idea - I shook my head honestly.
- My tutor said to come here after we got our certificates. - I told him what happened a few minutes ago.
- It happened to me too - muttered Bernadett, fanning her face with her certificate.
- Me too - agreed Lorant.
- Me too - Zsombor whispered. - Did we do something wrong? – he asked thoughtfully as all three of us thought about it and we shook our heads in unison. When it comes to trouble, from our school anyone, really anyone could have been considered, but the four of us definitely didn't do anything. None of us could give a rational answer, of why we were here. We sat in silence in the waiting room in front of the director's office, where the sultry June air was trapped.
Through the window, the voices began to fade, the other students left around the school, permanently for this academic year. It was just the four of us in the building, completely shocked, everyone else already on their summer vacation.
Zsombor took his phone out of his pocket, but Bernadette nudged him in the side and nodded towards the sign on the wall.
We all followed the movement with our eyes and read the inscription. “No netting!!! You sit quietly and wait, trusting that that I won't fire you! Director Kocsis". And the graphics of a smartphone, crossed out with a red line. A thought-provoking board. And without a doubt effective, because we didn't even think to take out our phones, Zsombor slipped it back into his pocket and looked at the warning sign with a hint of death on his face. The secretary stood up and she went to the water dispenser by the wall, took out a plastic bottle from the bottom and filled it by pressing the button. In the silence, each sip was deafening, while the four of us just watched the process bored, because it was by far the most interesting thing happening in the waiting room. We didn't know anything except that we can't go yet. I glanced at the clock on the wall, within half a minute for the sixtieth time. The second hand was ticking annoyingly around, my hair stuck to the back of my neck with sweat, the secretary loudly sipped the water, Bernadette's certificate repetitively moved as she fanned herself with it in her hand.
We heard distant laughter from outside. Someone was already happy about the summer holiday. Unlike us, who couldn't be freed.
It seemed like forever before the door finally opened and the director stepped out.
- Come on in - he pointed behind him, into his office. –Zsombi, are you okay? You look pale - he looked at the tenth-grader, immediately noticing that all the blood drained out from Zsombor's face.
- I'm fine - he muttered sheepishly as the headmaster wrapped his hands around his shoulder and invited him in.
Behind him, Bernadette and Lorant entered the office, and I closed the row. The principal closed the door behind me and the four of us stopped in front of his desk, thinking, "so now what?".
Director Kocsis sat down behind his desk on a chair and clasped his hands under his chin with a broad smile and he scanned us.
- I guess you're all wondering why you're here - he began, enjoying the fact that we were standing before him.
- I really do - Zsombor nodded wildly. Me, Bernadette and Lorant also nodded uncertainly, waiting for Kocsis to continue.
- I have great news! - he began solemnly.
- We finally succeeded this year. - he clenched his fists and unsuccessfully tried to punch in the air, thus expressing his joy.
- I don't understand. What succeeded? - Turned around Lorand questioningly.
- I'll initiate you right away - enthused the director, and he made four piles of paper, which he placed next to each other, placed on his desk, presumably to hand out to us.
– The organizers of the National Schools Competition, NASC for short, sent a notification that our school was selected for the program. We've been trying for eight years in vain, and now we finally did it! It's finally the chance to be champions! - he explained, almost with tears in his eyes. We would've liked to share Kocsis' joy, but we all stared at him with frowns. We had no idea what he was talking about.
- National what? - Bernadette asked, being the first to switch.
– The National Schools Competition! - enthused the director. – Everyone knows it!
- Nobody knows it. - she said immediately.
- Of course - he waved, laughing, then unsure he spun around, waiting for us to refute the girl.
- I'm sorry, but… I don't know what it's about either - I shook my head.
- I don't know it either. - said Zsombor, confused. Then we all looked at Lorant, who was staring at the ceiling, obviously in thought, constantly biting the corner of his mouth.
- Lorant? - asked the director, snapping him out of his daze.
- Yes?
- Do you know it?
- Know what? - he asked.
The headmaster ruffled his hair a little nervously and shook his head.
- It doesn't matter if you know it or not. Just read this – he handed us the papers, one by one. - The competition has an eight-year old history - he said, while all of us looked at the description.
- Believe me, it's a big deal. Szirtes High School has never been selected before and now we are in the competition. We can measure ourselves with other schools. And in addition to already participating which is a huge possibility, it is also a huge recognition, we cannot forget that the competition has many prizes. The winning team beyond that
as the defending champion, you can automatically participate in next year's competition, wins the winner's cup for their school. Look! - he showed his tablet towards us with enthusiasm, where the display of a yellow goblet appeared. All four of us bent down and looked. The director showed it way further to us, than it was necessary to look at attractions in a photo of a cup.
Then after a while the display went dark, and we were still watching. We didn't dare interrupt Kocsis's staring into the distance, because he seemed to see his office beautified by the winner's cup.
- So... - Bernadette cleared her throat. - So we have to win this cup for the school? - she understood.
- Exactly. - nodded Director Kocsis, returning back from his thoughts. - And this year, if we were so lucky that the lottery selected us, Szirtes High School will participate in series of events, and the four of you will fight for the cup - he spoke solemnly.
- So we're gonna compete? - asked Lorant.
- That's right. And it's not because other students can't hear about sacrificing two weeks of summer vacation for NASC -
beautified the director. - We're sending you because you are the excellences of our school! - he clapped his hands enthusiastically, but his explanation looked a bit suspicious because of the negative half-sentence he said.
- What do you mean two weeks? - asked Lorant, and in that moment, I looked up from the competition brochure in my hand.
- Here it is written that the National Schools Competition is a series of events that takes place at the end of June every year and it will last for two weeks - I read aloud.
- End of June? - But that summer vacation. - said Lorant out loud, who found out a little late what this was all about. (School ends mid-June in Hungary)
- Certainly. - agreed Kocsis, and took up a gentle expression, clearly with the intention of trying to convince us.
- However, you must know that this is absolutely not a punishment. It's more of a privilege. You can do this competition to prove that you are the best as a team - he urged us in bloom.
- How would we be the best team? We barely know each other - thought the tenth grader Zsombor out loud, and we all agreed. The relationship between the four of us is exhausted to the extent that we heard this and that about each other, saw the another in the corridor, in a common room, or on the school website because of something.
Even we, with Lorant as classmates, didn't know much about the other, because despite the daily contact, his set and my set did not intersect, and therefore we didn't have anything in common beyond the fact that we were sitting in the same room at lessons.
- I'll explain. - headmaster Kocsis nodded firmly. – When I received the notification that we could participate in this year's competition, I called the faculty together and we discussed which of our students should represent or if you like, our excellences, the Szirtes High School in the competition. This is a big deal for us. We have applied every year for eight years, but never before got in the competition. That's why we tried to put together the strongest possible team. According to the rules, every school has to enter four students with one accompanying teacher.
Believe me, it took a lot of discussions and compromises for the four of you to be standing here now. According to the competition announcement you can never know in advance what location the NASC will be held, nor what its theme will be, or what types of tasks can be expected. Everything about the competition is revealed at the beginning, when it is no longer possible to change students. Therefore, most schools try to have a mixed team. Everyone tries to send their best students, from mixed fields, to be sure that they will do well in the competition as a team. It happened, that the faculty met and we discussed our best students. Who is the strongest in what area. We reviewed the last eight years of National Schools Competition descriptions, reports, photos, tasks and we have come to the conclusion that we can't predict anything in advance - he told us, and we watched with intense concentration and we tried to imagine the secret meetings taking place in the teacher's office, as our teachers argue about who should be sent for a competition that no one has even heard of. Kocsis continued the storytelling: - The most pressing question was, what will this year's competition be like?
What can we expect? This caused a lot of thinking. We agreed that at least two students from the team of four must be athletes. In recent years, without exception there always was a fitness task at the NASC. According to our tips, this year will have them too. Yes, but who knows in advance what kind of fitness task will it be? Land or water? Maybe a ball game? Pass. Then the decision was based on the unanimous opinion of the faculty that we select both a boy and a girl student, who have outstanding athletic results.
That way the decision fell on Bernadette Kozak - he glanced at the girl standing next to us. – Bernadette, as a water polo goalkeeper, we count on your skills and your talent in possible water tasks and swimming numbers in the same way as, say, in ball games, or any other fitness competition, as you have excellent athletic build and a strong physique - he smiled at Bernadette, who, knowing her task, nodded firmly, and she closed her hands into fists, while the skinny boy standing next to her, - Zsombor - looked at her arm, where the muscles were strained by the sleeve of her T-shirt.
- Wow! Zsombor marveled appreciatively. Bernadette grinned, satisfied and looked at the headmaster as he continued.
– Among the girls, we chose Bernadette for fitness tasks and among the boys…
- I guess it's not me. - Zsombor whispered amusedly, and we all smiled at his statement. The tenth grade boy was two years younger than us, but outwardly he maybe even seemed more immature than his age group. Someone could just think he looked like a schoolboy with his boyish face, short stature and skinny figure.
- Not really. - replied the director kindly, looking at Lorant.
- Lóránt Vari, you deserve the honour.
- Huge! Thanks to everyone - he nodded with a wide smile.
- We couldn't determine exactly what sport you do with the teaching staff but you clearly have developed muscles, so then…
- I work out - he helped the director out.
- Great, so…
- And I never miss leg day either. - he continued.
- Wonderful. - the director smiled awkwardly.
- Look at my calves. - Lorant suddenly turned his back to us and stretched his legs so everyone could admire the boy's elaborate calves.
- Thanks for showing me, but turn back now. - asked the director.
- Oh, OK - grinned Lóránt and he turned back. - Did you see it too, Hannah? - he asked me.
- I saw - I nodded.
- You know how it is. You always need a few days of leg days. This is my motto - he said.
- Hmm - I nodded.
- I made this up by the way. Check it out on Instagram, #fewdayslegdays
- Okay, of course - I said a little reluctantly, because I wasn't sure I'd like to see Lori's own hashtag someday. But obviously he uploads great pictures.
- Well then - the director clapped his hands together, distracting our attention from the subject of leg day, for which I was sincerely grateful. – We had Bernadette and Lorant, our two athletic students, but we had to find what area we are choosing from, for the other two students. - he said. - The faculty's unanimous opinion was that we should send a strong realistic student (in this context, realistic means the subjects where you use logic. Eg maths, physics) to solve logical tasks that are most likely to be expected.
And so, Hannah Ujvari - he pointed at me proudly with a smile on his face - it would be a pleasure if you were in the Szirtes team as the winner of the district mathematics competition.
- Thank you, but that was a long time ago. - I added, shyly I shook my head, indicating that a lot had changed since then.
- Come on, don't be modest. - Those results of yours are indisputable, and in your case, we absolutely did not take last year into account during the election as if it had never happened... - he gifted me with an encouraging smile.
- I hope that would be the case - I answered with a huge lump in my throat, and Kocsis was clearly embarrassed and suddenly didn't know what to say.
- What was last year? - Zsombor turned his head.
- I'll tell you later - whispered Lóránt, who, as my classmate was aware of what happened. I stood with my eyes downcast, and waited tensely in silence for us to change the subject.
– Hmm. So. Hannah, I would love to have you participate in the contest, there is a huge need for you and your knowledge - muttered the director and he tried to collect his thoughts and move on without trying to dwell on the past. - Well, the faculty agreed that the three of you start the competition. Hannah is because of her outstanding mathematical achievements - he nodded at me - Bernadette for her outstanding achievements in water polo - he smiled at Bernadette - and Lorant for his athletic figure, athlete's physique, and, as it turned out, because of his persistent leg days, - he said a little confused. - And. Then there was only one free place left in the team, he said and
his gaze was fixed on Zsombor.
-Me? - asked the boy, blinking widely.
- Of course, you - Kocsis nodded and let out a huge sigh, like someone who's in big trouble. - You should know that this caused the most debate. Each teacher tried to select the last competitor from among the students who excelled in their subject.
The humanist subjects' (Grammar, literature, etc...) teachers were furious because there wasn't a strong grammarian in the team. The IT teachers asked why we have not selected someone who has achieved excellence in this field, even though the school is full of YouTubers who make gameplay videos at a daily level. For example, the entire eleventh C – he thought about it. - However, I decided that I'll choose the tenth-grade Zsombor Szalai. I choose Zsombor, even though everyone thinks he's too young for the competition, and let's face it, his physique doesn't justify taking part in a competition where you don't know in advance what awaits you - he said finally. Zsombor hovered helplessly in front of the table, and not really knowing how the disparaging words that left the headmaster's mouth will justify the undoubtedly debatable decision regarding his participation. As a friendly gesture, Lorant punched Zsombor in the shoulder, and although he intended the move to be encouraging, the tenth grader almost collapsed from it.
- Don't worry, Zsombi, we'll work out a little. How are you doing with protein? – asked Lorant, grinning.
- None? - Zsombor asked back, rubbing his shoulder. He was visibly in pain at the site of the blow.
- Well then - Kocsis took the floor back. - The whole faculty was against it, but as director, I could make the final decision, and I chose Zsombi as the fourth team member.
- Why? - asked Bernadette.
- I'll tell you... - Said Kocsis immediately, and on his tablet he flipped through pages, then finally, he showed us one. A picture of Zsombor appeared on the display, proudly holding a Lego car in his hands. – Because this kid won the national robotics championship this year, bringing fame and glory to our school. His results are indisputable, his knowledge is outstanding, and last but not least, the team can benefit from his ability to solve problems under stress. That is why I chose Zsombor Szalai as the last member. I count on him to be able to stand up, I believe in him, and I hope you get a task that matches your abilities, and not, for example, fitness, considering that even a small gust of wind will blow you away... - he explained.
- We'll put a weight on his feet - grinned Lorant, and leaning over the tablet, he looked at the Lego picture again. - Dude... - he shook his head. - Did you build this? - he stared at the robot car in the photo.
- Yes - he answered modestly.
- And it moves and all?
- Yes - he nodded.
- Cool - Lorant nodded, impressed.
- Thanks.
- So then the four of us would go to the competition? - returned to the subject Bernadette and she ran her hand through her short-cropped brown hair, standing in the stuffy, lingering air.
- That's right. The four excellences of our school. Congratulations to all of you! - watched all over us solemnly. - Of course participation isn't mandatory, no one is forcing you to do this, but I believe that
the competitive spirit in all of you is strong enough to be able to sacrifice two weeks of your holiday in the hope of a successful performance and victory. I want to get an answer by tomorrow whether you will participate. Discuss it at home, show the description of the competition that I gave you. Bernadette, you should ask your coach. I count on you and I believe that you can win the cup - he threw in the bait to which Bernadette nodded firmly. As an athlete, simply her competitive spirit and competition made her feverish, but mentioning the cul was an absolute hit with her, it was evident on hee face that she was determined to win it.
- I'll do it - she said tersely.
- Great - the director clapped his hands together, and opened the cabinet of his desk, and bent down to take out something.
- Here, a preview of the National Schools Competition. According to the information, you will be the red team, so I prepared the uniforms based on the requirements.
- Lorant - he offered the first pack of red sweatpants and a zip-up sweater for the boy, who was happy to take it over.
- Cool - he turned it over in his hands and examined it fiercely. - It says Szirtes on the back - he showed the back of the sweater, on which the name of our school was decorated in white lettering.
- Yes. Here, Bernadette, Zsombi and Hannah - he gave out the other sweaters.
- Wasn't it in a different color? - Lorant inquired.
- Unfortunately, we couldn't choose, the rules of the competition are strict in which school can compete in which color. We became red! - he said, beaming with joy.
- It's good, even though the color makes me paler - thought Lorant.
- Excuse me, Sir - asked Zsombi, who was holding up the received clothes. - Can it be sewn up? I see that it is quite long pants - he held to himself.
- Naturally. You can adjust it for yourself until Monday.
- Then I'll ask mom - Zsombi shrugged.
- Do I understand correctly that the competition lasts for two weeks in the summer? – I inquired, clutching the stuff I received. - Every day we will go racing in this red dress?
- Exactly - agreed the director. - With the difference that you don't have to go every day, you'll be there in the first place.