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School

Chapter Five: School

Erlan had arranged for me to attend a private school just a twenty-minute drive away. A single glance was enough to reveal its clientele: children from affluent families. The four-story building, a somber shade of gray with striking red columns and a tiled roof, stood out amidst meticulously manicured lawns, vibrant flower beds, and ornamental trees.

The school uniform comprised dark trousers, a crisp white shirt, a bold red blazer, and a striped tie. While the attire was generally comfortable, the tie proved to be bothersome. It felt constricting, prompting me to remove it and casually toss it onto the car seat upon arrival. Urmat, seated beside me, looked on with surprise.

"I'm not a fan of the tie either. But if you don't wear it, the class teacher might reprimand you," he remarked, picking up the tie and handing it back to me.

"Let's not dawdle; I need to get to work," Erlan interjected impatiently. With a sigh, I reluctantly put the tie back on, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and followed him.

"Dad, are you going to drop us off every day now?" Urmat asked cheerfully, catching up to his father.

"Today I have to meet with your principal, so I brought you both," Erlan replied. "Starting tomorrow, you'll take the school bus with Toola."

"When can I start driving the car myself?" Urmat grumbled disappointedly.

"Students aren't allowed to drive to school. We've already discussed this. I'll consider it once you're in university."

Urmat pursed his lips in dissatisfaction but changed the subject.

"Will Toola be in my class?" he inquired.

"Most likely not. There's no vacancy in your class. By the way, I forgot to mention that his real name is Turgun," Erlan nodded in my direction. "Toola is a nickname used by his friends and family. So, at school, call him by his real name."

"Turgun? I've already gotten used to calling him Toola," Urmat grumbled.

Erlan gave him a disapproving look but said nothing. We had agreed to use my real name as a nickname since I still instinctively responded to it. Even Erlan himself often forgot to call me by the alias.

At the entrance, Urmat bid us goodbye and darted off to his class. Erlan and I proceeded to the principal's office. There, we were greeted by a slender woman in her fifties, sporting clear glasses in a gold frame and dressed in a stern white suit. Her graying hair was neatly pulled back into a bun.

"What a pleasant surprise," she exclaimed with a smile, rising from her desk.

"I've brought you another student," Erlan replied, nudging me forward. "His name is Turgun. I've already briefed you about him over the phone."

"Hello," I greeted politely.

"Yes, yes, I remember," she said, adjusting her glasses as she scrutinized me closely. "How is his academic record?"

Erlan hesitated briefly before responding.

"Miss Rita, to be frank, due to family circumstances, he has missed school frequently, so I can't vouch for his academic performance. But he's a diligent young man."

"I see, I see," she murmured, retrieving some papers from a drawer. "Let him attempt these questions. Even I must adhere to the school's regulations. He must achieve at least the minimum score for admission."

Miss Rita placed a test sheet and a pen in front of me.

"There are sixty questions here. You have thirty minutes."

"Good luck," Erlan whispered quietly from behind me.

As soon as Miss Rita started the timer, I focused on the questions.  Half of the questions covered middle school material, which I handled with ease. Another ten tested logic, requiring a bit more thought. The remainder delved into first and second-year high school subjects.

Fifteen minutes later, I handed in my completed test.

"You still have time. Finish the remaining questions," she urged, noticing I had left twenty unanswered.

"I'm finished," I replied firmly.

"If you're unsure, you could guess. You might get lucky," Miss Rita suggested.

"I prefer not to guess," I replied calmly.

Miss Rita smiled faintly and took the test sheet.She meticulously reviewed my answers against another sheet and then eventually smiled again. 

"Very well," she said, setting the sheet aside. "Your results are satisfactory. You'll need to catch up, of course, but I believe you'll manage. Welcome to our school, Turgun."

"Thank you," I replied.

"And which class will he join?" Erlan asked anxiously.

"He'll be in Class B," Miss Rita responded. "If he performs well by the end of the term, there's a chance he could transfer to the advanced class."

"Thank you," Erlan said to her and turned to me. "Urmat is in Class A. After school, come home with him. We'll discuss everything this evening."

With that, he bid farewell and departed for work.

"Please follow me. I'll take you to your class," Miss Rita addressed me, rising from her chair.