It was amazing how long it took a single snow flake to fall from a cloud all the way down to the ground. No matter how light the flake itself was and how slowly it was falling it could not take longer than the time Mr. Bielak needed to finish a single sentence. Unfortunately he seemed to have more sentences left in his head than there were snow flakes outside the window. He himself produced an effect similar to falling snow when he was shaking his head during more passionate moments of his speech. We were wondering, if his dandruff continued this way, our teacher would have no head left before the end of the semester. It was simply going to disappear gradually, only to fall from his neck in the form of microscopic snow flakes.
A song of an angel like a taste of heavenly music broke the silence. We all raised from the dead and bottlenecked in the narrow doorway that promised light, space and almost absolute freedom of expression on the other side.
Unfortunately Do and I were not "forgiven", and we had to stay in the classroom. It was our "maintenance duty" that week. If we tried hard, we could probably clean up, water the plants, ventilate the room, wash the black board and still enjoy a few moments of the 15min break. Losing most of the long break was still better than having to listen to Bielak.
I came back from the bathroom with a bucket of clean water and was ready to wash the board. It got dark already and I barely noticed Do standing in the far corner of the room. I could see the profile of her face contrasting with the dark cabinet in the background. Her face reflected the glow from the outside and it was the only bright object in the room. It floated in space supported just by the fluorescent collar of her school uniform.
-Look how bright it is- she said- it is almost five and the snow gives so much light as if the sun never set at all.
It was the first time she said a simple thing like that. Before I always heard her say something smart, right on the edge or far beyond my understanding. She usually said complicated things appropriate for the good student -a quality I could never be cursed with. I realized that I hadn't noticed her before not in a sense of acknowledging her existence but actually noticing her. I walked up to her. She was standing between me and the window. For a moment I was looking at her silhouette softened by darkness and the flow of her long hair. Suddenly I saw that the window was open and it was unusually cold in the room.
-I want to get sick -she said as soon as I was going to ask that question. When she turned around I noticed that her school uniform was unbuttoned. I did not dare to look although I wanted to very much.
-If I get sick bad enough I will stay at home for a week- she said leaning her back against the window pan.
-Will you come and bring me notes from the classes? -she asked while I could only stare at her shoes. I nodded my head in response and this way hoped to communicate that I will come as often as she liked.
She gave me a hug and my mind escaped into the smell of her hair for decades.
The sound of circular saws cutting live flesh ended the break and soon after that Mr.Bielak entered the classroom. The Punic wars raging wildly in that bolding head took up so much space in his mind that noticing an unwashed blackboard was just too much to expect from the poor fellow. Before he sat on his chair he already started to paint in our minds a colorful picture crowded with ancient heroes and their great deeds that were possible only in the distant past.
On Monday Dorothy did not show up at school. Mr. Bielak told us on the official hour that her dad called him and said she was sick. He asked who would like to take notes to her. My face was all red but still I raised my hand high up in the air.
-You do not have to do that, I live right next door to her - said a voice on my right.
She always had to do something "good". Everyone knew she hated Do. -Very nice of you Sophie- said Bielak.
The snow flakes were falling from left to right and the people on the street were walking from top to bottom and back.
When the chainsaw sounded off Bielak was still talking and I raised my face for my friends to discover a deep impression of a watch on my cheek.
Dorothy got better on Wednesday and came to school but she would not talk to me ever again.