Evergreen

Chapter 36

One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world - Malala Yousafzai

*

It was results day. Jade was lying in her bed staring up at the ceiling, a million thoughts going through her head. This was the day she'd been waiting for, the day she'd find out what her efforts had been worth in grade form. Every year, every day, every second of schooling had come to this – this one day when her academic fate would be decided by the British school system. Would she be doomed to work in McDonald's forever, or would she be given grades that would let her pursue whichever career she desired?

Her legs were trembling as she walked to the car with Will and Dad. Both of them had aced their GCSEs / O-levels, and she hoped she would be able to walk in their footsteps. She'd tried her best; she'd studied every day; she'd pored over textbooks tons of times. Yet still, a voice of doubt haunted her.

When she arrived at the school, she turned out to be the first pupil there. Perhaps the adolescents in her year were unwilling to wake up for a 9 am results day. It was a little embarrassing to have all the teachers looking at her expectantly as she approached the results collection desk in the gym.

"Ah, Jade Castillo!" said Mrs Jackson with a broad smile. "I've got your results right here. Good luck!"

Her heart began to beat like a drum in a rock concert. All eyes were on her as she tore open the envelope and grasped a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it.

Soon she was dancing on the spot and laughing like a lunatic.

"Five 9s, three 8s and one 7!" she cried, extending her piece of paper for her brother to see. "Oh, and an A in that Further Maths thing that the top set had to do!"

"Wow!" said Will, grinning as the teachers cheered for his intelligent little sister. "You did better than me, sis!"

He passed it to Dad, who enveloped his daughter in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, Jade," he said, "Mum would be proud too."

At this moment, Marty came into the gym with his sister Riley and his mum Tina, sleep-deprived but still managing to raise a smile for Jade.

"Lemme guess – all 9s, 8s and 7s?" Jade nodded enthusiastically and proceeded to talk Marty through her results. He gave her a big hug, and it took all of Jade's self-restraint to stop herself from kissing him.

Marty then opened his results, which were a satisfactory mix of 5s and 6s with one 4 (in English Literature) and one 7 (in PE). He was a little worried that his Biology grade was a 6 instead of the required 7 for progressing to the A-level, but his Biology teacher reassured him that she would be delighted to have him in her class in September.

Next came Everett, who looked as pale as a ghost as he received his results envelope. His hands trembled so much that his Mum had to open the envelope for him. She smiled at her son as she scanned the piece of paper.

"You've got an 8," she said.

Everett's eyes went wide. "Really?" He grabbed the piece of paper with a sweaty hand. Sure enough, there it was – a grade 8 for Music. And 7s for Maths and Physics too!

"Well done, mate!" said Marty, putting an arm around the flustered Everett, "you beat me fair and square."

Finally, Hassan showed up with his mum Alina and younger sister Parisa. By now most of the pupils had received their results and were chatting excitedly to their friends and teachers about their achievements. A few pupils were sitting against the gym wall and crying. Hassan hoped he wouldn't be part of the latter group.

Soon he was standing with his envelope, his friends in a circle around him. He opened it up nervously. Then he gave a sigh of relief.

"I got all 5s and 6s," he said, and his friends immediately cheered for him.