Then she said, “That was… surprisingly detailed. Sit down. Next time, write it yourself instead of copying from memory.”
Luka slid down in his chair. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me. Don’t—
Luka didn’t answer. He just looked out the window and thought: I survived.
When he finished, the professor stared at him for a long, terrible second. Prepricana Lektira Ovo Je Najstrasniji Dan U Mom Zivotu
Professor Marinić walked in at exactly 8:50. She placed her leather bag on the desk. Adjusted her glasses. Then she smiled.
His mother’s voice echoed from the kitchen. “Luka, have you finished? The bus comes in twenty minutes!”
“Yes, Mom!” he lied. His throat tightened. Then she said, “That was… surprisingly detailed
Not a warm smile. A hunting smile.
The class was silent. Even Professor Marinić lowered her glasses.
Luka imagined the scene: his face red, mouth dry, while the class watched. Ana would smirk. Marko would whisper something. And the professor’s glasses would flash like two icy headlights. Don’t look at me
That evening, he picked up White Fang for real. He read the first chapter. Then the second. By midnight, he had finished it. And for the first time all week, he wasn’t afraid.
This was it. Not the day he broke his arm falling from a tree. Not the day he got lost in the mall. No—this Tuesday morning was worse. Because Professor Marinić didn’t just check homework. She smelled lies. She would point her crooked finger and say, “Izvadi bilježnicu. Prepričaj.”
Luka put his head on the desk.