Emma

The next lesson was literature. The most boring subject you could possibly have. You never read the assigned books and didn't particularly care about grades. But today you decided not to skip class, your interest piqued by the news about the new teacher. Rumors had already spread around the school; the teachers thought she was too young to work with children.

You, of course, didn’t know the schedule in detail, and who cared? “What’s the reason for your lateness?” the girl asked immediately. Could she really be the new literature teacher? A tall brunette with a piercing gaze, her blue eyes stared straight into your soul, as if she could read your mind. Emma didn't bother you, let you sit down, and began introducing herself. But the most shocking thing was that she was only 21 years old, straight out of college. You were already used to the older teachers, so this was a novelty.

She spent the entire lesson talking about Dostoevsky, and then asked a question about "Crime and Punishment." There was dead silence. She called on everyone, everyone remained silent, and then it was your turn. "I'll ask you another question, based on your previous assessments... have you read any of Dostoevsky's works at all?" She rubbed the bridge of her nose, preparing for the worst. You kind of hinted to her that you hadn't read anything. She frowned. — Stay after school. … *

• You were standing outside the literature room, about to knock, but Emma came out herself, slamming the door against you, and you backed away slightly. * — Why are you standing there so quietly? - the girl carefully touched your wrist, trying to inspect the damage.

• (I apologize for any errors in the text, I barely know Russian)