Alfredo, Bernardo, Ernesto and Pedro have been friends for eternity: that is, as far as ‘eternity’ can actually apply to ten-year-olds.
“But kindergarten is ancient history!” Pedro sighed, kicking a sizeable stone that lay in front of him, “and since then, the four of us have always been together, same group, same class… I hate it that you want to leave school!”
Alfredo grabbed the sleeve of Pedro’s jacket and looked him in the eye seriously.
“You know how much better eight-grade high schools are. That’s why my mum and dad have been sending me to preschool for the past two years! I can’t say I’m not applying!”
Bernardo joined in:
“I have no desire to switch to high school, believe me! But my parents would be very disappointed if I didn’t. And there is a physics and chemistry lab, which we don’t have here at our school.”
Pedro cast a questioning look at Ernesto, but he remained silent.
“Ernesto? Do you also really want to leave next year?”
No reply. Pedro started getting upset.
“Did you hear what I asked? Are you leaving too?”” ““Well, I guess that’s it then!” Alfredo exclaimed, “then you’d better come with us. Then we could stay together!”
“But my mum can’t afford it,” said Pedro.
“There is a scholarship! If you study hard enough, you can get a scholarship and your mum won’t have to pay. You have to try and apply!”
Ernesto suddenly found his voice:
“It would be very sad if we were no longer in the same class. If you want, my mum will call your mum and ask her to let you switch to the other school with us. You must come with us, too!”
Pedro hesitated. I mean, he’s fine with this school… He doesn’t want to be a lawyer or a physicist. The schoolyard has always been a good place to play some ball at breaks – then again, it would obviously be the same at the other school. So, what’s the deal then? What should he do?”
“Okay, I’ll take the admission test. And your mum should call my mum! But I’m only going for you guys, you should all know that!”
“Now you’re talking,” Bernardo raised his fist in delight. “The team stays together!”” “An eight-grade high school! His Mum almost fell off her chair when Pedro mentioned the idea.
“But Alfredo and the others are going there too, and Bernardo’s mum will call you to explain everything.”
“Is that really what you want, sweetie? You would have to get up earlier every morning because it’s further away from us, are you sure about it?”
“I am certain.”
“And you promise to study really hard and get a scholarship?”
“I promise, Mum.”
“Well, then… why not give it a try.”
“Thanks, mum!” Pedro gave his mum a big hug, but he was faking more joy than he really felt inside. In fact, he was petrified about the new school. And even more about the admissions. The boys said there would be an interview as well. An excellent report card would not be enough.
For the rest of the year, he hardly saw his peers, he was constantly studying for the spring admission test.
As the day of the interview approached, he regretted his decision more and more.
“You can’t change your mind anymore!” Said his mum, after Pedro burst into tears from all the fear and worry. Pedro rarely cried, but when he did, he cried big time.” “In fact, there was nothing to fear from the admissions. All four boys were easily accepted: Alfredo was selected for advanced history, Bernardo for maths and physics, and Ernesto, who was good at the violin, enrolled for a music class.
“Which class were you admitted to?” Alfredo asked excitedly after they had received their papers.
“Well…,” Pedro looked at the letter, “looks like it’s class D. A non-specialized class. In other words, no specialty.”
“We will spend all our breaks together!” – Bernardo laughed.
“And we walk home together!” – Ernesto added with a smile.
However, all Pedro could think about was the lack of specialty. He didn’t know what kind of field he really wanted to get into… He didn’t play an instrument, he was good at maths but not really interested in it, and he was downright freaked out by history: he hated all that memorizing.
“Everything’s alright after all,” he thought, and looked at his companions calmly: at least they could stay together, and that was all that mattered.” “The first year at the new school went by very quickly.
“I’ve never had a rougher school year!” Alfredo sighed, as the boys enjoyed the sunshine on their walk home from the new school after the first report card ceremony.
“Me neither,” Bernardo replied, “maybe we should have stayed at the other school! All I have done all year is memorize stupid formulas…”
“But I won the local violin competition!” Ernesto exclaimed proudly.
“Yeah, but we hadn’t seen you for two months because you’d been practising so much,” Pedro replied, and then continued. “My year was pretty normal. Well, I had to study, of course, but it wasn’t too bad. And I still got all A-s! Mum will be happy; and I will continue to receive the scholarship.”
“And what’s your class teacher like?” Alfredo asked.
“Garcia? Awesome. He is always telling me that I should go to his extra class, but it would make me late home on Mondays, so I’ve never been.”
“Oh, the literature club? Well, that must be boring. I can see why you don’t go!” Bernardo pouted. “Who cares about poetry?”
“Yeah, exactly.”
They left it at that.