Inside the room.
"Excuse me, sir, good morning," Lena greeted the principal politely.
The principal, who had been waiting for the person he expected since earlier, immediately looked at Lena with a terrifying smile.
'Wow, turns out this Lena is pretty too,' thought the principal.
"Oh… Lena, right? Please have a seat."
"Yes, sir, thank you," Lena replied with a smile.
"You came here with your parents, right?" asked the principal.
"Yes, sir," Lena answered.
"Then tell your parents to come in here," ordered the principal, and Lena nodded immediately.
Lena went to the door to meet her parents who were waiting outside.
"Come on, Mom… Dad, come in. The principal is looking for you," said Lena.
Lena's parents then entered the principal's office. They saw that the room was very luxurious to them, especially since this was the first time they had seen it. Both of Lena's parents saw an old man sitting with his back facing them.
The principal, realizing there were people behind him, immediately turned around. He was very surprised when he saw the appearance of Lena's parents. It was the first time he had seen people wearing clothes that were no longer fit to be worn, even torn.
"Are you Lena's parents?" asked the principal.
"Yes, sir," answered the father.
"Then let's get straight to the point," said the principal.
"Yes, sir," replied Lena's mother.
"Sir, why aren't we told to sit? My legs really hurt," whispered the mother to the father.
"I don't know, Ma. If you're tired, you can wait outside with Lena. How about that?" the father offered.
"No need, sir. It's okay," the mother replied while enduring the pain in her legs.
'Oh no, the office chairs might get dirty if they sit on them. It's better if they just stand until this is over,' thought the principal.
"Alright, Ma'am, Sir. Let's get straight to the point. Your child has been warned by the school for not paying the tuition fees since the beginning of her enrollment. Lena's homeroom teacher has also been reminded many times to remind Lena, but it still hasn't been paid. Therefore, I have to take action to expel Lena," said the principal.
Lena's parents, hearing this, were not surprised anymore, especially since this was not the first time they had been called to school.
"Alright, sir. We will talk to Lena about this matter," said the mother.
"If possible, discuss it now so the expulsion process can be handled," said the principal.
Lena's mother then called Lena, who was sitting outside.
"Dear, come in. We need to talk to the principal," said the mother with a smile.
Lena already knew what her parents' decision would be, so she had to follow it.
"Yes, Mom."
Lena and her mother returned to the principal's office.
"This is Lena, sir," said the mother to her husband and the principal.
"Well, Lena, as the principal of this school, I have the right to take action against students who violate school rules, including you.
Even though you are an outstanding student, you have violated the school regulations," added the principal.
Lena, hearing this, was no longer able to respond. She could only surrender to her parents' decision.
"I have no other choice but to expel you," said the principal.
Hearing that, Lena finally spoke with a voice that began to crack because she was about to cry.
"Alright, sir. If that is your decision, I will leave this school," said Lena while holding back tears.
"Alright then, starting tomorrow you don't need to come to school anymore," said the principal.
"Yes, sir," Lena replied.
After the principal read out his decision to Lena, he allowed them all to go home.
In front of the school gate.
Lena looked at her school for the last time, because she would no longer come here as usual.
The tears she had been holding back finally fell. She could no longer endure them, especially after hearing the principal's decision earlier.
Along the way, Lena only daydreamed. In her mind, she thought about how if she didn't go to school, she would surely have no future.
'What should we do, sir?' whispered the mother to her husband.
'Let's just enroll her in a public school, even if it's not very good,' suggested the father to the mother.
'Alright then, we'll talk to Lena when we get home,' said the mother.
The next day, Lena was still having difficulty accepting the reality that she was no longer part of her old school. However, her parents, who did not want to see Lena lose her future, decided to immediately find a new school for her. They took Lena to a public school on the outskirts of the city, which, although simple, was known to have dedicated teachers.
"Dad, Mom, is this school really good for me?" asked Lena hesitantly as they stood in front of the new school gate.
"Yes, dear. Maybe the facilities aren't as good as your previous school, but here you can still study and pursue your dreams," her father replied with a reassuring smile.
Lena's mother held her child's hand tightly, giving her encouragement. "What matters is your effort, Lena. This school may be different, but you must be confident."
With a heavy heart, Lena followed her parents into the principal's office.
"Good morning, sir," Lena's father greeted politely while bowing his head.
The principal, a man around fifty years old with a friendly expression, welcomed them with a warm smile. "Good morning. How can I help you?"
Lena's father explained their situation. After hearing their story, the principal looked at Lena with an understanding gaze.
"We don't demand too much here, sir. What matters is that your child is willing to study seriously. We will gladly accept Lena," he said.
Tears almost fell from Lena's eyes. Not because of sadness, but because of the emotion she felt from a stranger who cared so much about her.
"We ask for your help, sir," said Lena's mother with a trembling voice.
"Don't worry, ma'am. We also provide flexible payment policies. If there are difficulties, please communicate with us," said the principal.
That very day, Lena officially became a student at the public school.
Lena's first day at her new school felt very different. The school building was not as magnificent as her previous school, and the facilities were far more modest. However, she tried not to complain.
When Lena entered her new classroom, the atmosphere was lively and full of laughter. The children there seemed friendly, even though most of them wore uniforms whose colors had faded.
"Hey, you're the new student, right?" a girl with two braided pigtails approached her.
"Yes. My name is Lena," she replied softly.
"I'm Sari. Come sit with me," she said while enthusiastically pulling Lena's hand.
Throughout the day, Lena began to feel more comfortable. The teachers at the school were friendly and tried to understand the needs of each student. There was even an art subject that she had never studied at her old school.
Although she was starting to feel comfortable, Lena still faced challenges. At her new school, she had to get used to a different learning style. On the other hand, she felt a warmth she had never felt before.
One day, the art teacher asked all the students to make handicrafts from recycled materials. Lena, who was creative, managed to make a flower vase from a used plastic bottle decorated with colorful paper. Her work attracted the attention of the teacher and her classmates.
"You're amazing, Lena!" praised Sari.
Since then, Lena began to be known as a talented and diligent student. She even often helped her friends with their school assignments.
Even though she had adapted to her new school, Lena still missed her old school. She missed the complete facilities and the competitive atmosphere that had shaped her. However, she realized that circumstances were not always ideal.
"I have to struggle harder," she thought one night while gazing at the sky from her bedroom window.
Her father and mother, who often heard Lena studying late into the night, felt proud and sad at the same time. They knew how big Lena's dreams were, and they wanted to support her as much as they could.
Several months later, Lena's school received an invitation to participate in an inter-school science competition. Lena's physics teacher, who recognized her talent, asked Lena to take part.
"Lena, I believe you can do it. You are a smart and hardworking child," said her teacher.
Lena, although initially hesitant, finally accepted the challenge. She trained hard every day, read science books, and even asked her teacher for help in solving difficult problems.
The day of the competition arrived. Lena walked into the large hall where the event was held. The atmosphere was very crowded with students from various schools. Lena wore her public school uniform proudly, even though it looked simpler compared to students from other schools.
"Lena, are you ready?" asked the physics teacher who accompanied her.
Lena nodded even though a feeling of nervousness began to appear. She looked around the hall, observing other students who seemed confident. Then, something unexpected happened.
"Lena?" a familiar voice called out to her from behind.
Lena turned around, and her eyes widened. "Ani, Lina?"
"Oh my God, Lena! I can't believe it's you!" Lina and Ani immediately hugged her.
Lena froze for a moment before finally hugging her friends back. "I also didn't expect to meet you here."
Lina and Ani nodded. "How are you? Why didn't we hear from you after you left school? I even asked our homeroom teacher about you."
Lena looked down. The sadness crept back in. "I left because… there were financial problems. My parents couldn't afford the school fees anymore, so I transferred to a public school."
Ani's and Lina's eyes filled with tears. "I didn't know, Lena. I'm sorry I couldn't help you back then."
Lena smiled faintly. "It's okay. I'm fine now. My school is different, but I can still learn and pursue my dreams."
"Stay strong! I'm sure you can do it!" Lina and Ani gave Lena a quick hug before returning to their groups.
The competition then began.
After the question session ended, Lena felt relieved. When the winners were announced, she could hardly believe it when she heard her name called as the first-place winner.
Lena was very shocked when her name was announced as the first-place winner.
So happy was she that she jumped up and down.
After she took the trophy on stage, she decided to go home. She did not see where her two friends were.
Outside the building, Lena saw her father waiting for her.
"Dad, look, I won!" exclaimed Lena enthusiastically.
"This is because of your hard work, dear," her father said as they went home carrying the trophy.
To be continued…