Loving Geography

Chapter 9

(At the beginning of December)

After the last bell, I got out of my class with Lily.

"You'll do well, I know you will!!" said Lily happily as she hugged me.

"Thanks, Lil I hope so...goodbye! I'll call you after I go home," I said. She hugged me again and we parted.

I went to the class I was assigned for the geography test. I wasn't that nervous- if you don't count the fact that my fingers were shaking. I was in the classroom, as always earlier that everyone, when Victoria and Liana entered.

"Hey, guys," I greeted.

"Hey, Sophia! Ready?" Victoria asked me.

"Ummm...ready as I'll ever be," I said nervously.

"Don't worry everything will be fine," Liana said positive as always with a smile. I shot her a thank-you look.

"Besides, it's gonna be easy," said Victoria.

Easy for you to say...

So we were all sitting and waiting until a teacher came and distributed us the papers and said that we had only an hour to write, so without losing time we began.

***

I looked at my watch and saw it was only three-thirty. We still had half an hour to go. Everyone was whispering and talking. Panicking would be the right verb to describe them. I guess they didn't know what to write except for Victoria, Liana and I who were writing until our last breath. I answered only thirteen questions out of fifteen which I wasn't sure if I wrote them correctly anyway I just did.

***

After the bell rang, I gave my test and came out of the classroom with Liana and Victoria. We were going down the stairs when we saw Mr. Lucas.

"Girls, how was the test?" he asked.

"Umm... it was okay.' We all said together.

"I'm glad you did well. I'll tell you the result next week," he said as we all came out of the school together. Then Victoria and Liana said goodbye and we parted ways. Mr. Lucas and I continued walking the way we always went home.

"So how was the test?" he asked me again.

"I did well."

"You answered all?"

"Only thirteen."

"You wrote about the migration?"

"Yes, there were three types right?"

"Yes, Sophia did you describe them well?"

"Yes, I did."

***

The whole week past so quickly, I didn't even notice. The first semester was ending. There were big exams at the end of the year and I was preparing for them, plus getting ready for going to Germany. Every day I used to go and ask Mr. Lucas if he had checked the tests but the answers where mainly "Sorry, Sophia I was checking the exam tests I'll check it as soon as I'm free."

I didn't want to annoy him so I asked Liana or Victoria if there was any news but there wasn't. On Monday, I decided to ask Liana and Victoria to come with me after class to ask Mr. Lucas about the results since a week had already passed.

We saw Mr. Lucas who was closing the door with his keys. Suddenly, Ms. Maria, my chemistry teacher called me. I told Liana and Victoria not to wait for me. When I was talking to Ms. Maria but I was too distracted to listen to what she was saying. I think she said that I had to solve some chemistry problems when I heard Victoria scream. I didn't know if that it was a happy scream or a sad scream but it was a scream. I patiently waited for Ms. Maria to finish and then I ran immediately to them.

"So what's going on? Who passed who is in the lucky three?" I asked them both when they both were fidgeting with their phones happily.

"We did!!! We! I, Liana and you!!! Can you even imagine it??" Victoria said excitedly. Her eyes shining with glitter.

"ME? NO WAY!!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!" I said. I didn't believe it. I went to find Mr. Lucas I wanted to hear the news from him because I couldn't believe it. My heart was beating rapidly I could hear it in my ears, I was shaking. I saw Mr. Lucas standing in the corridor, I immediately went to him.

"Mr. Lucas! Mr. Lucas! Who passed? Did I pass?" I asked maybe a little too much. Please, don't blame me since I was super nervous. Although I felt ashamed of not saying hello first and just rush into questions but I was just so impatient at that moment.

"You passed Sophia," he said calmly as always.

"Really?" I asked seriously.

"Yes, you did. You're second place after Victoria and third is Liana."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Lucas! Thank you really!" I said as I ran to go downstairs crying literally. Tears were just streaming down from my face I didn't even bother to wipe them. I never thought I'll be good at something here in Russia. And all this is because of a wonderful teacher. I saw my classmates and my class teacher: Emily, Hannah, and Ms. Grace. I went to them and said.

"Can you believe it I passed!! I passed!"

"Congratulations Sophia I'm proud of you!" said Ms. Grace as she hugged me tightly.

After that, my classmates hugged and congratulated me. Then I ran home. I opened the door and said happily.

"Mom you're never gonna believe this!!!"

That was the best of my life. I'll never forget it. I'll never forget my mother's happy eyes. She was proud of me. I guess hard work pays off after all!

***