Tuesday arrived. At eleven o'clock in the morning, the sun shone mercilessly. The air felt sticky and stinging, making Viona's white and blue uniform stick uncomfortably to her skin. She stood at a small bus stop near the school gate, waiting for some of her friends before going in together. Her face was slightly shiny with sweat, but she remained calm while observing her surroundings. 
The sidewalk in front of the school looked different than usual. The atmosphere felt strange because this time they were on the afternoon shift, joining the first graders whose faces were not yet familiar. The roar of vehicles that were usually busy was now only heard occasionally. The smell of hot asphalt mixed with dust greeted the steps of the students who began to arrive one by one. 
"Gosh, I just walked home, and it feels like I've run a marathon," complained Reni, wiping the sweat on her forehead with a small floral handkerchief. Her breath was short, her body looked tired just from walking under the scorching sun. 
Viona only smiled thinly, staring at the school building that seemed quieter than usual. There was no sound of bells or laughter from children from other classes. Only the faint sound of the fan from the teacher's room could be heard from a distance. The silence made the atmosphere feel even hotter and heavier.
As soon as they entered the school building, the heat immediately hit them like an invisible wave. The old fan in the corner of the hallway spun slowly, almost without power. Several students were seen carrying their own hand fans, while others poured cold drinking water from their bottles on their faces. 
“It’s like going into an oven,” Lina muttered softly as she waved a folder over her sweaty face. 
That day, Class 2.C occupied room 3.B, which had previously been used by the third grade in the morning. It was located on the second floor, and the children climbed the stairs with lazy, heavy steps. Their hot and exhausted bodies seemed to refuse to move any further. 
The remains of the stuffy air from the morning’s activities still lingered in the air. The midday heat that penetrated through the gaps in the windows added to the burden. Even though the windows were wide open, the wind was reluctant to come by. In front of the door, a janitor had just finished sweeping the floor and opened the window. The smell of the mop and leftover chalk was still pungent, adding to the uncomfortable sensation. 
The chairs were not completely tidy. The blackboard was still covered in scribbles—the remains of third grade lessons that had not been erased. Viona and her friends looked at each other, realizing that the class was indeed not theirs.
“It really feels like we’re just freeloading,” Lina commented as she started to help tidy up the chairs one by one.
“Yeah. It’s not like it’s our own class,” Viona replied, her eyes fixed on the class nameplate on the door that still said “3.B.”
One by one, their friends arrived. Some immediately complained about the condition of the room. The blackboard that was still full of writing, several broken chairs, and the bulletin board displaying information about the third grade exams made them feel completely alienated in the room. 
"There's still a third grader's homework on the board," said Vani annoyed, then wiped it with a wet tissue. 
"Can't we have two nameplates like that? So that in the afternoon we also feel like we have a class," complained Reni, half joking, half serious. 
Class 3.B was not designed to be used twice a day. There were no additional lockers for the afternoon class, no place to store class 2.C equipment, even the class schedule still belonged to the third grade, stuck on the side of the window. All of this confirmed one thing: class 2.C was just "living" on the remaining school hours. 
The first teacher of the day arrived fifteen minutes later. He looked exhausted, sweat soaked his shirt collar, and he was carrying a large water bottle. "Sorry, the teacher's meeting was delayed," he said with a tired smile.
The lesson began. However, enthusiasm was barely felt. The teacher's voice sounded flat, echoing from a distance. Some students began to yawn even before half an hour had passed. Viona tried to focus, but drowsiness attacked her faster than usual. The hot air and the unfamiliar classroom atmosphere made her mind wander.
When break time arrived, not many students went to the cafeteria. The atmosphere was too hot to eat heartily. Many chose to sit still in the classroom, pouring bottled water over their necks, or pressing wet towels to their faces. Wiping sweat, fanning themselves, and closing their eyes while complaining became a common sight. 
"It's only been a day and it already feels like this," Vani sighed as she lay down on her bench. "What about a week, a month?" 
"Do you want to demonstrate now?" someone joked from the back bench, his tone half joking. 
But no one laughed. Even Reni, who was usually the most enthusiastic, now just shook her head slowly. "I give up. I think my energy is already used up just to survive today. Tomorrow I'll bring a fan from home." 
Even so, some teachers tried to adapt. In the second lesson, the science teacher invited students to study under a large tree in the backyard. Although it was a bit dusty and a little noisy because of the street noise, at least the air felt fresher than in the classroom.
When the bell rang at five in the afternoon, the second graders walked out of the classroom with tired but relieved steps. Their faces were wet with sweat, but small laughter began to be heard. They teased each other about how “exotic” afternoon school was, trying to see the funny side of the situation.
Viona stepped out of the gate with a tired body, but her mind was a little lighter. She knew today would not be easy. But from all the discomfort, she learned something: humans do have a way to survive, even if it only starts with small things—a fan, cold water, and laughter with friends.
Tomorrow might still be hot. But the heart, maybe will be a little more prepared.