Vetch

Saratov. Lyceum number 3. September.

September 3rd. The new school year began. The school was changing for the better: over the summer, classrooms that needed renovation had taken on a new look – cleaner and more modern. This lyceum was one of the main general education institutions in the city of Saratov. School days were five, not six, as in some elite lyceums and some gymnasiums. Uniforms were often only worn by the elementary grades, but the middle and high school students had already developed their own style.

The first lesson was Russian. Vika sat at the last desk in the second row with her friend Alina, who she'd been with since third grade. This year, a new girl joined their class. There were still 15 minutes until the bell.