Verses from the Past - Part 1 (Episode 1)

1.

I took a deep breath. It was going to be a tough day. The project had to be completed by the end of the week, Thursday arrived, and we were only just approaching the halfway point. Things had been going wrong for some time. First, we had a computer crash and lost some data, then, after we'd completed it, it turned out there was a bug in the program and we had to start over. Our entire team had been working overtime for two weeks, and it seemed we wouldn't be able to finish the project by the deadline, which was Monday. The CEO was becoming increasingly dissatisfied, and he was showing it more and more often.

I sat down at my desk and looked through the faxes. All these things would have to wait. The screen flickered, and with a faint beep, the computer announced the launch of new programs.

I looked out the window—the July morning was turning into a hot summer day. The sun sparkled on the buildings, white, fluffy clouds drifted across the blue sky. Only now did I realize I had over forty days of vacation and had to use them sometime. But how? Go somewhere? Where? Why?

Anita entered the room. Ten minutes late, as usual, with a large canvas bag slung over her shoulder and a book under her arm. I knew the other employees were critical of her dark ankle-length dress, leather sandals, Indian earrings, and crew cut, but I liked her style. Besides, she was an intelligent, well-organized girl. Perhaps a bit independent for an assistant, but… we somehow got along. I especially appreciated her honesty.

"Hi!" she said to me. "

Hello," I replied. "Did you finish those charts I asked you for yesterday?"

She stopped at her desk, dropped her bag on the floor, then slowly turned around and stared at me. She stood there for a long moment, making me feel uncomfortable. Finally, she said,

"Do you ever think about anything other than work?"

I was confused. She was clearly in a bad mood, but why was she taking it out on me?

"I'm at work after all," I muttered. After a moment, I realized I was the boss and she shouldn't be answering me like that. "So what about those charts?" I repeated the question, my tone sharper.

"They'll be ready in half an hour," she announced, a palpable hurt in her voice. "

Listen," I tried to soften the mood. "The project is the most important thing right now. It has to be ready by Monday. Otherwise, it'll be a complete failure, an embarrassment for the entire department, maybe even the entire company. Then we'll make up for it. I'll try to negotiate extra days off with the CEO for those overtime hours and Saturdays.

" "I know, I know," she grumbled. "But I don't have to come in this Saturday, do I? I'll finish the charts, type up the text I have left, and that's all I have to do."

"You know..." I hesitated. "We could use every hand. I thought we'd finish everything this Saturday, print it, make extra copies, and bind it, so that it would be ready on the CEO's desk by Monday morning."

I noticed her expression change. She clenched her jaw nervously. I decided to add a few words of encouragement.

"As soon as we're done with this, you can take your vacation. If the project is successful, I'll make sure we all get nice bonuses.

" "Oh, thank you very much, Mr. Manager!" she said fiercely. "Excessive grace!" She stood up abruptly from the table.

"Where are you going?" I asked, concerned.

"Don't worry, I'm not running away. I'll make coffee."

As she passed me, she threw the book she'd brought to the office on my table.

"Read it in your free time," she said. "You'll see that there are other things besides work, career, and money. He's a little-known poet, but incredibly talented!"

She left, and for a moment the orange-lemon scent of her perfume lingered in the air. I sat a little dazed. She had never been in such a mood before. I glanced at the book on the desk and froze. I read the poet's name again, then again, and again… My mouth went dry. It seemed to me that the room had suddenly grown colder. I closed my eyes for a moment, and in that same instant, colorful images flashed beneath my eyelids at dizzying speed – scenes forever etched in my memory.

Once, not so long ago, I read poetry. I tried to write something myself. Perhaps somewhere among the old papers, my clumsy attempts still linger. But surely in one of the photo albums there was a modest page torn from a notebook, and on it a few lines written especially for me. Beneath them was a date and a signature – the poet's name from the book in front of me.

What had happened to me? What exactly was I doing here, in this glass-and-steel building, devoting so much time to things that truly meant nothing to me? What was I chasing, or perhaps what was I running from? Where could my friends be now? Why had I lost touch with them? Was I afraid to look them in the eye?

Suddenly, I felt a terrible emptiness and loneliness. Yet all it took was a small step, a phone call, a letter, a sign…

***

"back in time when fears can't climb..."

***

The school building didn't look inviting. A gray block with three rows of windows and a heavy entrance door. Yet the sight of it filled me with joy and pride. Crowds of young people were arriving from all directions, and I was among them, for the first time as a high school student.

I was nervous. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I hadn't thought about schoolwork yet; I'd never had any problems with it. I was wondering what my new class would be like. I didn't know anyone, but I wasn't overly worried. Things weren't going the way I wanted them to at my previous school. My former class was divided into small groups based on interests and lifestyle, but I didn't fit in anywhere. I sat in a desk with a terribly boring guy with whom I didn't keep in touch outside of school. My classmates only remembered my existence when they needed to copy homework or when they had to ask the teacher to reschedule a test. Besides Krzysiek and Andrzej, no one really teased me much. They just called me "nerd" and made fun of me every time I did something wrong. I got used to it, learned that the most important thing was to stay calm and not get drawn into the game. Sooner or later, they'd drop out of boredom. But I wouldn't want to run into someone like that again.

Of course, I had no illusions that my new class would be filled with friendly people. What mattered was that I was starting from scratch, with a clean slate; no one knew me, no one knew anything about me. All I had to do was make a good impression.

I watched the students enter the school with interest. Yesterday, at the official start of the school year, I was so excited that I lost sight of the faces of my classmates. I only remembered a pretty, tanned blonde, a tall boy with short hair, and our teacher. Climbing the stairs to the first floor, I reminded myself to be relaxed, act natural, and make friends. However, as soon as I stepped into the classroom, I felt uneasy and gave in to shyness. Most of the desks were already occupied, conversations were going on, and it seemed like many people knew each other well. Was I the only stranger? I took a seat in the third desk (but not the first—that's a bad sign!) and looked around. It was a Polish room, with portraits of writers and quotes from literature on the walls.

At first glance, it was hard to tell anything about my new classmates. They looked like the rest of the teenagers – fashionable clothes and hairstyles, remnants of a summer tan, and mosquito bites. A girl with curly red hair smiled at me pleasantly. I smiled back. I wasn't sure, however, if I should get up and introduce myself or stay put and just smile at everyone. Neither idea seemed like the best. Then, a boy who had just entered the room caught my attention. The first thing that caught my eye was his utter disarray. He was of average height, slim, with a long face and dark eyes. His hair, black at the roots and dark red at the ends, stuck out in all directions. A black T-shirt peeked out from under a faded, gray hoodie, gray pants with black stripes, and wooden beads around his neck completed the look. He had a stuffed binder under his arm, which he carelessly tossed onto the nearest empty desk. Then, without looking at anyone, he took a seat, pulled out a piece of paper, and began to draw something on it.

I thought he was probably one of those rebellious, conflicted youths, determined to demonstrate their originality at all costs. I must admit, I've always been impressed by such people. I wanted to do something, anything, to stand out from the crowd. However, I lacked the courage to dress extravagantly, dye my hair, pierce my ear or nose, or even strike some characteristic, provocative pose. I looked like an average student, behaved and studied better than the average student, but deep down I longed to do crazy things. That's probably why this boy caught my attention. Of course, he could have turned out to be a completely uninteresting character.

Suddenly, he lifted his head, as if he sensed I was looking at him. He looked at me intently, then shifted his gaze past me, toward the entrance, and began to stare intently at something. I slowly turned my head. Two boys were chatting in the doorway. The shorter, stocky, brunette was gesticulating furiously, while the tall, blond one was laughing at his friend's story. Something about the blond boy's appearance made me linger. For some reason, he reminded me of the Musketeer Aramis from Dumas's novel. He had an element of nobility about him; I couldn't quite define it, but I could easily picture him in high boots, a long coat, a feathered hat, and a thin sword at his side.

The brunette finished his story, waved goodbye, and walked away down the hall. The blond entered our classroom and immediately went to the "rebel's" desk. They seemed to know each other. Meanwhile, a long-haired guy peeked into the classroom. He looked like he'd just arrived from the beach. He wore a colorful shirt and checked Bermuda shorts, and dark, space-age glasses. His bare, hairy calves looked amusing above his heavy, black boots. His hair, which reached halfway down his back, was braided into a hundred thin braids, each tied at the end with a different colored thread. He pushed his glasses down his nose and studied the class with concentration. Suddenly, his eyes brightened, and a broad smile spread across his face. He strode confidently inside.

"Chaki! Marti! I thought I'd never find this damn classroom!" he headed straight for the Rebel and Aramis. "This place is a real maze, I turned somewhere on the ground floor and ended up in the cafeteria!

" "That could only happen to you, Konrad," Aramis laughed.

"Eeer, but I know what's for dinner today." He threw his worn-out backpack on the floor and sat down at the desk right in front of his classmates, his back to the board, his face to his friends.

"So?" he asked. "What are you doing smearing your T-shirts with? What's this supposed to be, planetary wars?"

The rebel stopped drawing and turned the page over.

"You barely get here and you start causing chaos," he said quietly

. "Confusion, confusion, confusion!" Konrad chattered. "That's the point. Without me, you'd die of boredom."

Aramis burst out laughing. It was such an infectious laugh that I couldn't help but smile. I felt a certain fondness for these three.

"I still can't believe it," Konrad continued. "I'm here, in high school, a high school student, a freshman, a new stage, a new chapter in my life...

" "I can't believe it either," Aramis chuckled. "You're in high school, amazing!

" "And how's our class doing? Are there any hot girls?" He stood up and looked around carefully. "Shhh... heaven on earth, I've already spotted a few." He muttered, causing another wave of joy from the blond boy.

"Konrad, you're pathetic," the Rebel said. "Look at you, who in their right mind would want to hang out with you?

" "Aaah, so you're not the healthiest if you're hanging out with me

." "We do it out of pity."

Konrad snorted contemptuously.

"You need me, I liven up your boring and sad existence."

- Another theory of Konradus's - the blonde laughed

- You see, Marti, at least you're having fun with me - Konrad concluded - Someone might say, Konrad, you're making a fool of yourself, why do you care, but I claim that this is precisely my calling, to make people laugh, to bring smiles back to those sad, resigned faces...

Blond-haired Marti was laughing hysterically. I glanced at them and listened, fascinated. They seemed incredibly crazy, yet at the same time… more adult than my previous classmates. I longed to get to know them better, to sit next to that crazy Konrad and laugh with Marti. But I didn't fit in. Unfortunately.

"Oh, look who's coming!" Konrad exclaimed. "It's Robcio, hi Robek, and you're here?"

The boy who had just entered the classroom was the complete opposite of the crazy trio. He was of average height, quite stout, with a childish, round face and blond hair combed sideways. He was wearing brand new navy blue jeans and shiny white sneakers, along with a blue, elegantly pressed T-shirt. Even the backpack slung over his shoulder was brand new – a new "layette" for the new school. I was willing to bet all his books and binders were neatly wrapped in colorful paper.

Under the curious gaze of the other students, he blushed and lowered his gaze. The sight of someone like that always made my heart ache. He was too proper, he didn't fit in with his peers, he was definitely a good student. Such a person sooner or later became the butt of jokes, and Robcio certainly couldn't handle jokers. As if to confirm my suspicions, Konrad's mocking voice rang out:

"Nooooo, Robek, you're all dressed up! Nice! That's style! I have to change like that, new gigolo."

Marti and Czaki burst out laughing. Robcio blushed even more. I felt sorry for him.

"What's the matter, Robbi, aren't you going to say hello?" Marti asked

. "Hi," the boy muttered.

"Hey, why are you so shy?" Konrad called. "Sit with us, with your old friends.

" "I don't want to," Robbi replied

. "What do you mean?!" Konrad seemed genuinely surprised. "What does that mean? I don't understand!"

"I don't intend to get a warning for bad behavior on my first day at school because of your antics.

" "But Robcio, this isn't elementary school, there are no class registers here," Konrad sneered, while Czaki and Marti giggled behind him.

I immediately lost sympathy for them. It looked like they were going to be the three class troublemakers. I had to be careful not to cross them. At the same time, I regretted that they turned out to be such characters. How appearances can be deceiving.

Robcio, meanwhile, looked around the classroom uncertainly. There were only two empty seats left in front of me, one on the first and second benches. The boy headed that way, but before he reached it, the second bench was occupied by two girls who had been talking to someone at the back of the room. Robi stood, confused, uncertain, shy, and pathetic. I don't know if it was his sad expression or the feeling of pity he evoked in me, but I motioned him to the seat next to me.

"This is free," I said. An inner voice told me, "You'll regret this, you're taking on the worst victim in the class," but it was too late. Robi sat down next to me.

He pulled out a blank notebook, elegantly bound and labeled, as I'd predicted, and… oh my god, a pencil case! A large, colorful zippered pencil case with all the necessary holders for a ruler, compass, eraser, scissors, and everything else you might need for school. I had one too – in the first grades of elementary school. For a while now, I'd been carrying all the supplies I needed in my backpack, and whenever I needed something, I'd pull it out. A large, colorful, childish pencil case, noooo…"

Robi placed his supplies on the edge of the desk and turned to me .

"My name is Robert," he extended his hand

. "Piotr," I introduced myself.

"I'm a little nervous," my new friend admitted. "And when I'm nervous, I ramble on, so if I start spewing out a torrent of incredible nonsense, just tell me to be quiet." I won't be offended.

I smiled back. Robert seemed quite friendly.

"Ooooh, Robi, what's that thing dangling from your backpack?" came from the direction of the three jokers.

I absentmindedly glanced at the backpack slung over the back of the chair and was completely taken aback. A reflector in the shape of a four-leaf clover. Robi really went too far. He might as well have stuck a sign on his forehead saying, "Hey, I'm a loser, you can make fun of me." He must have sensed something was wrong, because he blushed and, a bit embarrassed, explained quietly, so only I could hear:

"My little sister gave it to me for good luck." I couldn't refuse.

I nodded halfheartedly. Meanwhile, the amused trio persisted.

"Hey, Robi, show me what you've got!" Konrad shouted. "Is that some kind of treasure? It looks like a jewel!

" "A jewel!" Marti snorted. "Are you blind or what? It's a reflector.

"Oh, why?" Konrad muttered

. "To be visible on the road," Marti said, and all three of them burst out laughing.

"Oh, safe way to school, I forgot," Konrad continued. "And we're a danger to drivers.

" "You—for sure!" Marti laughed.

I looked sideways at my neighbor from the desk. He was sitting with his head bowed, staring at the tabletop. I really felt sorry for him, and I hated those three more and more, especially Konrad. I wanted to say something to them, but I didn't do anything. I lacked the courage.

"Doing it! Doing it!" cried Czaki, who had been silent until then. Robert looked at him with resignation.

"Excuse me?" There was a hint of weariness in his voice.

"Will you lend me that light?" Czaki was deadly serious, staring intently in our direction. However, a mischievous spark burned in his dark eyes.

"No, I won't lend it to you," Robert replied. "

Why?" Marti chimed in. "

Are you such a friend?" "What do you need it for?" Robi asked.

"I want to be visible on the road too," Czaki stated, causing another wave of joy from his classmates. "Lend it to me, Robi, it's so cool."

"Oh, Czaki, give it a rest," Robi sighed.

"Robi, Robi, Robi,

" Czaki whined. "Robi, have a heart," Marti joined him. They held out their hands in pleading gestures and kept repeating "Robi, Robi," to the general amusement of the rest of the class.

Robert sighed in resignation, unhooked the light from his backpack, and handed it to Czaki. I felt terribly stupid. I suddenly wished my new friend would move somewhere else. I didn't want to be mistaken for his friend.

Meanwhile, Czaki and Marti were examining the plastic trinket as if they were seeing it for the first time.

"What's that, a snowman?" Konrad demanded

. "You're a snowman yourself!" It's a leaf," Czaki said

. "A clover," Marti added

. "It's a talisman," Czaki continued. "It's supposed to bring good luck

." "Sure, at least a car won't run you over at night," Konrad rejoiced.

"It's a symbol," Marti observed. "You see, each leaf resembles a heart, four hearts connected... just like us – Czaki, Marti, Kondi, and Robi!

" "And the tail?" Czaki asked

. "I don't know. A mistake. "

They burst out laughing again.

"Hey Robcio, have you heard our theory?" Konrad exclaimed

. "Yeah..." Robert sighed deeply, rested his elbows on the bench, and buried his face in his hands. For a moment, I thought he was crying.

"Hey, don't worry, they're idiots," I whispered. He

raised his head, looked at me gratefully, and smiled.

"I'm not worried at all," he said. "I've gotten used to their craziness.

" "Do you know them well?" I asked.

"Yes." They were in my class in elementary school. They're the biggest lunatics I know. It's awful.

"Maybe now, in your new school, they'll leave you alone?

" "No," he said with conviction, "but it doesn't bother me at all."

I wasn't at all sure. But I didn't say anything more. I glanced at the jokers. Czaki was just attaching a reflective light to a string of wooden beads around his neck. Marti stretched out on the bench, giggling hysterically, Konrad making silly faces. Luckily, the teacher came in, and the lesson began.

For a moment longer, Czaki, Marti, and Kondi occupied my mind. I wondered how I should behave so they'd leave me alone. Above all, I decided to keep my distance. I glanced at them every now and then, searching for clues, but they acted completely normal, taking notes, even seeming interested in the subject. Soon, the lesson captivated me, so much so that for forty minutes I forgot about those three. The bell rang, we rose from our seats, and it was time to move to another room. I watched in admiration as Robi arranged his books in his backpack, carefully tied the strings into a bow, fastened the flap, and checked that all the pockets were zipped. The sight made my stomach clench. Robi followed me step by step. For the next few days, I was completely dependent on him. He pulled a sheet of paper with his class schedule out of his pocket and checked the room number. He was an organized guy! I actually liked him, if only he weren't so terribly tidy, if only he could be a little more relaxed...

Miraculously, the rest of the class had reached the chemistry classroom before us, and we were left with a third desk again. Well, we had to accept that. Robi pulled out a pear.

"Do you want half?" he asked. "I have a pocket knife.

" "No," I shook my head. "Is there anything else he can surprise me with?"

I noticed small groups slowly forming in the classroom. Five boys from the back desks were discussing something heatedly, among them the one with the crew cut I remembered from the beginning of the school year. He looked somehow more mature and manly than the others. He clearly had a taste for military style, as he wore a green T-shirt and combat trousers, a bit worn and baggy at the knees. The others, including a long-haired metal fan in a leather jacket and his neighbor with a Kurt Cobain T-shirt, looked at "Hedgehog" with admiration.

The girls also broke the ice. They stood in a large group, talking and laughing. I realized I was already catching up on life in the new class, and it hadn't even been the first day. Maybe I should have at least gotten up and walked around the room; maybe someone would talk to me. I didn't have time to put my idea into action, though, because at our desk stood... the "holy trinity."

"Robi, where did you run off to?" Marti began. "How are we supposed to navigate this school without a guide?

" "And without a plan!" Konrad added. "You're our brains, and you're leaving us to our fate, helpless like little children who've lost their way home in a dense, dark forest!"

Marti laughed. There was something about this boy that caught the eye. I don't know, maybe his facial features? The accentuated cheekbones, the well-defined jaw, the well-fitting nose, or that smile, the flashing white teeth… or maybe his eyes, gray-blue, framed by dark lashes and eyebrows, contrasting with the light strands of hair. In any case, I felt like staring at him. These thoughts terrified me a little. I'd always enjoyed observing people, their postures, their behavior, but in this case, I was more fascinated by this boy's beauty. I felt even worse.

"You know, Konrad," Robert said, "I'm surprised by the aptness of your metaphor. If I'm not mistaken, you're using early literature, the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel. Am I right? "

I froze. It seemed Robi was playing with fire.

"Great!" Konrad rejoiced. "Since you know this work, consider the danger lurking for children, symbolized by the cruel witch and..." he shouted the ending over Robert's head. "Don't leave us to our fate anymore!"

Robert cringed, and I flinched automatically. There was no point in teasing the beast. I knew perfectly well that words were a long way from blows to blows, and Robi didn't look like Van Damme. I certainly didn't.

"Robi doesn't want to hang out with us anymore," Czaki stated. He looked directly at me as he spoke. "Now he has a new friend, and he hasn't even introduced him to us.

" "Oh, indeed!" Robi reflected. "This is Piotr, and these are Konrad, Czarek, and Marcin.

Great, I thought, they've just spotted a new victim." Konrad extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said with feigned seriousness in his voice. His grip was firm.

Marti smiled, but to my surprise, it wasn't a malicious smile at all. Czaki, standing to the side, watched everything.

"You have to know," Konrad said to me, "that Robert is a completely crazy guy. Just listen to how he talks. You'll spend some time with him and start spouting the same nonsense he does. Wow, I'm already infected!

" "I warned Piotrek that if I started talking nonsense, he should shut me up," Robi explained.

"Get some decent duct tape," Marti winked at me. "You know, the kind you use to tape up packages." I smiled weakly. I was a little lost. This wasn't your classic "hey, let's make fun of the two victims" situation

. What exactly did these three want from us?

I didn't have time to find out, because another bell rang and another lesson began.

I was returning home, mentally reviewing that first day. I'd met Robert, Konrad, Marcin, and Czarek, along with a few others. Robert would likely stick with me for the next few days, maybe even weeks. I thought he was even funny. Luckily, he had a sense of humor. It would all work out somehow, I told myself. This was just the beginning. Everyone, even those who knew each other from elementary school, would have to adapt to each other, find their place in the class. We'd also have to adapt to school, the new challenges, and the demands. The teachers, at least the ones we met, seemed quite demanding. We'd have to work harder. Finally, I thought I'd finally like to find a friend, a real one, someone I could talk to about anything. But is that possible?