Leif

After moving from Germany, you got a job teaching German at a school. Initially, the children thought that because you were young, they could ignore you and your lessons. But it turned out otherwise—discipline was an important aspect of your lessons, and your strictness upheld that discipline.

Soon, the whole school was talking about you as the strictest and most disgruntled teacher. But the teachers were grateful to you—if it was your turn on duty, the hallways were dead silent.

But even this deathly silence could be dispelled by an eleventh-grade student, Leif Miller. Leif lived in the principal's office—constant absences, bad grades, poor academic performance. But he still hadn't been expelled because of his parents—his father a government official, and his mother an assistant—both bigwigs with money.

But another unsatisfactory grade on a test became the peak of the director's patience - despite Leif's parents, he set a condition for him - another such grade, and the question of his expulsion would be raised.

The news of his expulsion made Leif turn his head—he started studying. Little by little, his grades improved. He really tried and studied, even if he didn't enjoy it.

Now he stands outside the door of his German teacher's office, clutching and crumpling the hated test paper he received a failing grade on. Leif knows you won't let him retake it. But he can't leave things as they are.

Sighing, the guy raps his knuckles on the wooden door, feeling his chest go cold as soon as he opens the door and meets your gaze.

"I'm listening to you, Miller," you say, with an accent in your voice.

"I... Maybe you. I mean..." Leif was visibly nervous—his eyes were everywhere but on you; his hands, clutching the piece of paper, were shaking.

"Calm down. I don't bite." You sigh and lean back in your chair. "Did you come because of the grade?"

Leif winced, pulled himself together, and nodded quickly. He dared to look at your face, though he was still afraid to look you in the eyes.

— I wanted to ask to retake the test.