Трансформация - Рашида Юсуфи

in a while, a girl smiled at me. I was wondering if we could be friends. I thought: Why did she smile? Did she like me?

We didn't talk much. Sometimes she would ask me to help her with her homework. We used to work out together during the breaks. No one talked to her in the class, or to me. I did not know why. Was it because we both were newcomers, or because she was an outsider?

One day, Madi approached me in the school and said: “We moved to Russia when I was born. It was hard for us to get along among the Russians. We were called "black ass" from Tajikistan. I had no friends in class because I had a white streak of hair”. I felt sorry for her. It seemed like we had gone through the same pain. And this got me thinking. I wanted to be friend with her and show her that a defect in her appearance does not matter. That she belongs here. She is not a stranger.

I tried to be kinder and more attentive to her than usual. I was careful in my communication so as not to offend her in word or deed. We used to spend beautiful times together. We started visiting each other. Sometimes she stayed with me overnight.

I got a girlfriend. It was a small miracle for me and my first small victory. It was always interesting to talk to her. She gave me advice on how to behave with guys and be a lady. And I wanted more such cool girlfriends. I remembered a case when one boy from another class was waiting for me in front of the school with flowers. It was on March 8, International Women Day. Madi saw him from the window.

Madi: I think someone is waiting for you outside.

Me: Who? Oh, my God! Why is he with flowers? I am not going out. Please, go tell him, that I am no at school today.

Madi: Calm down. It’s just flowers. Let boys take care of you. Enjoy.

Me: No. I cannot. What will I tell him? Thank you for the flowers. Now, bye. Do I need to go home? How would my neighborhood react? They will tell my mom everything.

Madi: Come on. Don’t panic. I understand it’s your first experience. Just go there, smile, take the flowers. Let him lead the conversation. Listen to what he says. If he wants to walk you home, let him do it. Accepting flowers doesn't obligate you to anything else. And if he takes you home, it doesn’t mean anything bad. It’s just a friend. Go!

Years passed. We were already in 7th grade. Every day while doing homework, I cried because I didn’t succeed.

On one of those evenings, it dawned on my mother. She firmly stated that she would hire tutors for me in Russian language and in mathematics. She worked twice as hard, saved on clothes and unnecessary things. She decided to invest in my education no matter what.

Every day after school, I stayed for extra classes. I returned home at 5 pm. Tired and hungry. There was always hot food at home. It was calm and comfortable. I could always come home and eat delicious food. I didn't always find time for Madi. We talked mostly in class. In the evenings, homework assignments according to the curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Another year went by. School Mathematics Olympiad. My teacher suggested that I take part in it. She believed in me, and I gratefully accepted her offer. Daily preparations, sleepless nights, arguing with mom over mathematical exercises. She's a mathematician by education. As a result of hard work, I took the first place among my peers at school. Halleluiah! Another achievement for me.

It was a discovery for me. After the Olympiad, I was approached by two most popular girls in the class. They greeted me and invited me to their party. It was at one of our classmates' apartments, which was available. They decided to gather in a small company and celebrate the victory of those who took the leading places at the Olympiads.

I realized that if you want to make friends, it's not only the ability to communicate, but also your accomplishments. If you are successful, if you are a winner, people will want to be friend with you.

Since then, we have become very close friends. Every day after school we went for walks and discussed everything in the world. Shared problems and discussed boys. They turned out to be quite interesting and funny people. The girls seemed so cute to me, so tender in pink dresses and with huge bows on their heads. And I was a hooligan girl who was always ready to defend and protect them.

I introduced Madi to new friends from the class. I told them how cool and talented Madi was. She was great at drawing. I made friends and we were together until we graduated from the high school.

We have finished school. Received certificates and were preparing to enter universities. I was studying the whole summer to pass entrance exams to the National University of Tajikistan. And my friends were getting ready to enter Russian universities. We have all received high marks. The three of them left for Moscow. I stayed in Tajikistan. All alone. At first, we kept in touch, but soon the communication stopped.

None of them have called me or wrote to me. Days, months passed. No news. I wrote them and called. But they disappeared. It was very hard. Losing friends was painful. But life never stops. And I move on!

School is an eternal little struggle with oneself – hard and painstaking daily work. School life is only a small piece of a big life. At the same time, the whole life is like a school life. We face difficulties, we struggle, we find solutions. Right