I was so nervous. I reached the school, but I felt utterly clueless. I know I tried my best and performed exceptionally well in the exams… but the thing that keeps tightening this knot in my chest is the thought—ahh, will my result fulfill my parents' expectations? I can already picture baba's angry face if I don't score above 95%. I don't know. Honestly, I'm exhausted from carrying this burden. It feels like I'm just doing what they tell me to… with no direction of my own. I feel like a robot with no emotion. I have an urge to ask my parents why they impose all these restrictions on me. I want to know why these rules and regulations do not apply to Kerem Kaya. I am speechless....
Let's see what colors of life Aylin Kaya will witness today…
"Hi, girl! How are you?" Aslı said. She's one of my closest friends—our bond is truly matchless. I've always felt that she's my only escape from all my worries. She is an artist. I am a fan of her art. She showed me her art whenever we have free time after class or in our leisure time. She perfectly captures every thought in her sketchbook. She is majestic. She has some magical power. She heals me whenever I am at my lowest.
"I'm doing great, but a bit nervous. How about you?" I replied warmly.
"I'm fine…" she said, then raised an eyebrow. "Wait—nervous? Why?"
I gave her a look. It's time for a motivational lecture now. But the best thing is, I really like it when she tries to calm me down. I remember that day back in grade 7 when one of my classmates had a massive argument with me over something ridiculous, and she stood up for me, helping me overcome my rage. As I mentioned before, she is majestic.
"Oh, right… result day." She grinned. "Girl, you've got nothing to worry about. You're literally the smartest one in our class."
"Maybe…" I mumbled, staring at the ground. "But no matter what I do, it's never enough for my dad. Ugh, forget it. What time's the result coming out?"
"9 a.m. sharp," Aslı said, glancing at her watch.
"It's 8:50 a.m. now. Let's rush to the courtyard—they'll probably announce the results the usual way, by pinning the sheets on the soft board," I said, my voice a mix of nerves and forced excitement.
We hurried toward the courtyard. The place was already crowded with students, everyone buzzing with anxious energy. Teachers were busy setting up the soft board, carefully pinning the result sheets in neat rows. For most, it was just a list of names and numbers. But for me… it was everything. Literally, it was everything for me.
It was the charter that would decide whether baba would come home with a box of sweets. We'd have a celebratory dinner—or if my result would ruin his mood, forcing me to face his cold anger again. He had told everyone, so confidently, that I'd score exactly the way he expected.
The clock struck 9. The teachers stepped back, and the crowd surged forward. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the sheet for my name. Guess what.... that single sheet of paper is ready to spoil my whole next year. I stood second in my class with 90%, and the most absurd person stood first... yeah, my eyes read the death sentence correctly. Emir Yılmaz, the person I would definitely want to throw in Karadeniz, stood first in the class.
"Aylin, are you okay?" Asli asked me.
I am not okay, girl. You know what baba said? That this is my last chance. If I don't get more than 90% he will never let me go to the library. You know very well that I can live without food, but life without books is aimless.
"O.. my poor kiz(girl in Turkish). See, listen to me, I know the studies are a matter of life and death for you. For me, it's not worth it. The best thing near me is only baklava and Turkish-style tea, so let's leave this result and have some breakfast. Then you can go home with me, and I will talk to Aunty. Your brother will also be with you. I know you can handle this." She insisted.
I agreed to her request, not because I was feeling hungry, but because I couldn't say no to her. We reached the school cafeteria. We came to school today for results only. This was not the regular study day. As a result, everyone was chilling and having fun. She ordered baklava and our college's famous Turkish tea, but the tea and baklava did not come alone. They bring the trouble as well.
"Hi girls..!" he says.
"OH, hi Emir." She replied. I was silent, but this silence of mine is provoking the storm waiting for me at home.
"I think she lost her tongue," he said humorously.
"No, no, I... I mm I'm fine. Just having some food." I replied nervously. I am not nervous because of him; it's just that my mind is not in its place.
"Asli, I think your friend doesn't want me and fellows to join your discussion." He said in his usual tone, the tone that shows he is proud of himself because he has been scoring good grades for the last 5 years since he moved to Antalya from America.
"We are fine, you can join us," she replied.
At this moment, I want to hit her head against the closest wall. Why the hell can't she keep her mouth shut? What to say... My face still shows my feelings even when I hide my words, and she is well aware that I hate this guy. Now she regrets this, and to cover it, she committed a big mistake... she is also right. She asked about his favourite topic, that is, how he is so good... how he is so intelligent and scored good marks... how he can manage his studies and also handle his favourite hobby. If I talk about his favourite hobby, it is coding. He claims he won the competition to fix 100+ bugs in code in 1 hour. For me, he is the most significant bug, and I should debug him in our class.
"Congratulations, Emir! You stood first in class again," she said.
"Congratulations!" I added. The best thing that happened today is that, before he started the whole story of his success, Kerem joined us. Not only join us but also insisted on my leaving for home. He did the best thing of the day.
Kerem Kaya and Aslı Demir saved Aylin from Emir Yılmaz, but who the hell will save me from Mustafa Kaya?