‘Mr Kovtun has come from the Soviet Embassy to talk to you this morning.’
Pia smiled and turned her head towards her best friend Anni, who was sitting in the desk next to hers. But Anni was facing the front, with her back straight. Usually, she’d rest her elbow on the desk and let her long blonde hair fall on her face. It was a trick. That way the Old Crow could not see what she was whispering to Pia. Today Anni actually seemed interested in what Mrs Härmänmaa was saying. Sitting like that, she looked even taller than usual, with her arms crossed under her breasts. Anni was really slim. While Pia was always on a diet, Anni didn’t need to cut down on her eating – she had whatever she wanted and still wore jeans the size of a child’s. And she was the most popular girl in the school. She had the best body and the coolest clothes. Today she was wearing her dark-blue Levi’s with platform boots. Pia sighed and turned her head back towards the Old Crow.
Mrs Härmänmaa checked her watch and cleared her throat.
‘Class 6 A, please be quiet.’ She turned towards the Russian man and pulled her lips wide in another attempt at a smile. As usual her lipstick had bled into the corners of her mouth. ‘Mr Kovtun from the Soviet International Friendship Town Committee has come to the school today with some very exciting news.’
At that moment the door to the classroom opened and Miss Joutila burst in.
‘Sorry, I’m late, Mrs Härmänmaa.’
Everyone laughed.
The Old Crow cast her evil brown-eyed spell over the room and it became quiet again. Pia held her breath. She was so close to a full giggling fit she didn’t even dare to look at Heikki at the back of the class, who’d laughed the loudest.
Instead, Pia started daydreaming about last Friday’s Vanhainpäivät party. Even though Vanhainpäivät was a school party, and the punch was supposed to be alcohol-free, it was the best ever. When the two teachers were out of sight, Heikki had poured a bottle of Koskenkorva vodka into the mix. Half of the punch had gone by the time the Old Crow noticed. By then it was too late, everyone was way past it. But she didn’t stop the music. Anni said it was so everyone would sober up before going home drunk – that way, the parents wouldn’t complain to the school.
Pia had worn her new blue satin shirt and trousers. She’d used heated rollers on her hair and must have looked good, because Heikki told her he fancied her, and they snogged for ages in the cloakroom on top of a pile of overcoats. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth and kept trying to get his hand inside her blouse. Once he touched Pia’s right nipple and it felt really good. But she stopped him because she was afraid someone might come in. When they got up, he pressed his hand between her legs and said, ‘I want that, Pia, you make me crazy wanting that.’ His breath was hot and his voice hoarse. Pia giggled and pulled herself away. He moved his hand to her bottom and squeezed it. ‘Nice arse too,’ he said. Pia turned her face to him and gave him her best smouldering look. His eyes were dark on her and his fair hair was tousled. Pia straightened herself up and walked out into the darkened gym hall. Everyone was dancing to a slow number. Pia turned around to take hold of Heikki’s arm. She wanted to join the couples on the floor, but Heikki had disappeared. Pia had looked all over for him, but he must have been smoking at the back of the school building. She didn’t see him for the rest of the evening.
Pia forced herself to listen to the Old Crow. The Russian looked very tall next to the short and fat headmistress. He had straw-blond hair, which he’d combed back from his angular face. He didn’t look very friendly, though he did smile at Miss Joutila. Perhaps the PE teacher knew the Russian. Why was she here anyway? It was a Monday morning and the class was supposed to have Finnish with the Old Crow first thing.
‘As I was saying,’ the Old Crow gave Miss Joutila, who again was wearing trousers at least two sizes too small for her, a quick nod, ‘we have some exciting news. As you all know, the cities of Moscow and Helsinki are twinned, cementing the friendship, mutual understanding and co-operation between our two great countries. This year, 1979, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of this great association. As part of these celebrations, we are proud to be taking part in a gymnastics competition between Moscow Girls’ Lyceum and Helsinki Lyceum. Please, Mr Kovtun, perhaps you would like to tell us some more.’
Suddenly Pia grew serious. She listened intently as the Russian spoke in his broken Finnish.
‘From our great school in city Moscow, five girls will come to you. We will have a Friendship Trophy competition of gymnastics. The best will win!’
That’s all he said and then he started clapping.
Old Crow nodded to the class and put her hands together. Everyone clapped.
‘What are we clapping for?’ Pia whispered to Anni, but she didn’t hear her.
The Crow spoke again.
‘Five girls, from all the age groups at the school, will be selected to take part in the competition. Five schools from Helsinki and five schools from Moscow will take part. Helsinki Lyceum will compete in the group gymnastic section. There’ll be one girl from the Sixth Form. As the Upper Sixth are in the middle of their Baccalaureate revision, it’s been decided that the oldest girl, and therefore the Head Girl of the team, will be selected from the Lower Sixth. I don’t have to remind you what a responsible position this is. All those who wish to be considered should go and see Miss Joutila.’
Pia made a quick calculation. There were a couple of girls in the Upper Sixth, who – if Pia was honest – were slightly better than her. Anni was good. She was supple and could bend her body to amazing positions on the mats. But Pia didn’t think she was really that much into the sport. Please, don’t let her want to take part. Then of course there was Sasha. Pia glanced over her shoulder. Sasha gave her a sideways smile, a sneer really. She was sitting next to Heikki, as usual, leaning towards him, while playing with the curls on her permed, coloured hair.
Miss Joutila said something to the horrible Russian. He was looking directly at Pia. Pia smiled. Whatever, she thought, as long as I’m in that competition I’ll suck up to any Commie Russian they want me to.
After both Miss Joutila and the Russian had left the classroom, the Old Crow started handing out the week’s essay titles. Pia leant over to Anni, ‘I’m definitely going to go for it!’
‘What?’ Anni’s pale blue eyes were wide. She seemed upset, even angry.
‘What’s the matter?’
‘Bloody Commie,’ Anni whispered. She picked up her pen and started writing.
Pia didn’t understand what her friend was on about. Of course all Finns, at least the patriotic ones, hated the Russians. If the Soviet Union hadn’t been attacked by the Germans in the Second World War, it would have invaded Finland. The country would be behind the Iron Curtain now, like Estonia and Hungary, instead of being neutral. Pia’s grandmother told her that when the tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia in the sixties, it was only because of President Kekkonen that the Soviets left Finland alone. So now President Kekkonen and the rest of the country had to keep the Russian neighbour sweet.
Surely that’s exactly what Mrs Härmänmaa was doing too?
Why was Anni getting so upset up about it?