Mr. Knopfler

Chapter 18: The exam

The weeks passed and soon Flora's next English test was due. She was very nervous because she had studied so much. The children had to push their desks apart and were now waiting. Mark stood in front of the class and counted the tests.

"So, children. Today is the day. Our English exam is coming up." Mark looked at frightened faces. He smiled gently at them. "Don't worry, okay? You can do it. You all did very well in class and I'm sure you'll do well now too. If you don't understand something, raise your hand and please try to stay calm. That's the only way you can concentrate. We don't want anyone to have a blackout, okay?" The children nodded in agreement. Mark walked through the rows and handed out the test questions before going back to his desk. "You have 30 minutes now. Good luck, you can do it." Mark sat down on his chair, accompanied by a loud rustling of paper. He sipped his coffee and leaned back in his chair. His eyes fell on Flora, who had not yet turned over her test paper and was looking at him anxiously. Mark smiled encouragingly at her and made a hand gesture telling her to begin. She took a deep breath and turned the test over.

Flora wrote her name and her class on the paper before she began to read the first question. Panic spread through her when she could not understand the question. She looked away anxiously and noticed that everyone else was already busy writing. Flora took a shuddering breath and tried to calm herself down before looking at the next question. Not understanding that one either, she looked at the next one. When she had looked at all five questions and didn't understand any of them, she could no longer hold it back. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she began to sniffle quietly. She would fail and Dad and Pops would be so disappointed in her. A sob slipped past her lips. Her hands began to shake. Mark raised his head in surprise when he heard a sob. He was sad to see that it was Flora. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a pack of tissues before walking towards her. He crouched down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong, Flo?" He whispered so as not to disturb the others. She sobbed brokenly. "Calm down, little one." Mark hummed and gently rubbed her shoulder. He handed her a tissue, with which she blew her nose and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Take a deep breath, okay?" She took a shuddering breath. "What's the problem?"

"I... I don't understand the tasks." She whimpered quietly and looked at him with teary eyes. Mark smiled sympathetically.

"I promise you that the tasks are no different from the ones we practiced. Read the task again." He put his index finger on the first task. She sniffled quietly and looked at him anxiously. Mark nodded at her with a smile, which made her read the task again.

"Should I find out the infinitives of the words?" She whispered quietly and sniffed again while looking at Mark. The teacher nodded at her with a smile. Flora quickly got to work and wrote. Mark smiled and stood up again. He rubbed her back gently again before going back to his seat. Mark sat back on his chair and took a sip of his coffee. Damn, in the last few weeks he, John and Flora had become like a little family and not favouring Flora in class, was becoming more and more difficult for him.

"Mr. Knopfler?" Axel asked loudly. Mark turned his head in shock and looked at the boy.

"Yes?"

"Can you come here?" Mark nodded and stood up. He wove his way between the tables before reaching the boy in the last row.

"What's the problem?" Mark whispered.

"Is my answer right?" He asked, pointing to his answer with his pen. Mark read the answer and had to grin a little. The boy looked at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry, Axel, but I'm not allowed to tell you that." He whispered.

"But Mr. Knopfler, please?" Axel complained quietly. Mark giggled a little. He put his finger on a word in the answer.