served breakfast, as she heard,
«Don’t you dare tell me what I did and didn’t have courage for! You know nothing about how I felt!»
Lisa ran from the kitchen and met her mother in the hallway.
«Mom, you made such a beautiful breakfast. Let us all calm down and eat together!»
«I am not calming down – this has gone too far!»
Grandma watched her with warmth,
«I know, it takes huge courage to be yourself. Lisa has this gift…»
«I forbid you to talk to your Grandma,» said mother abruptly, looking at Lisa.
Lisa couldn’t say a word, she couldn’t even breathe.
«Why are you taking away her dream?»
«Those are only your fantasies! And I,» Mother took the coat. «I just want to protect her.»
«Her or yourself?»
Mother didn’t answer. She took her purse and went out.
«Don’t worry sweetheart… just give it some time…» Lisa heard Granny’s voice through tears.
I care
«Heeey!» somebody shook Lisa by the shoulder.
Lisa raised her head, trying to come to grips with the reality and saw Sveta’s face. Her little friend was concerned,
«What happened?»
Lisa looked around. She sat at the kitchen table. Did she fall asleep? She remembered the fight and frowned, «It’s all my fault’, she thought and sighed.
«Mmm… it looks delicious!» Sveta poured some tea in Lisa’s cup. «Here you go!» she put a pancake and some jam onto Lisa’s plate. «So! Are we celebrating Masleniza?»
«Don’t think so…»
«But your Grandma said it was important to celebrate, remember?!»
«Who cares about this anyway…?»
«I do! I care!»
Lisa smiled and hugged her friend. Sveta lightened up,
«Hey, I dreamt of him again!»
«Who… Guardian?»
«Yeah, he said the time had come……. He actually mentioned celebration.»
«What did he say… he’d show up at Masleniza?»
Sveta’s little face got concentrated,
«I am not sure if that was exactly what he said… maybe!»
Thousands of thoughts rushed through Lisa’s head, as she sipped her tea.
Depression
Denis looked at the mirror, while styling his longish hair. Beautiful face, elegant clothing, slim pants and stylish sweater. He knew how popular he was at school. Maybe because of his awesome parties, or because he was really handsome, or maybe because he wouldn’t care.
Denis looked into his own green eyes without enthusiasm and fell on the bed. «Should I skip school?» He raised himself up and sat on the bed. He looked at the box of pills. Slowly he took the box and poured them out on his palm. For some time, he looked at pills, then put them back into the box. On with the headphones, he grabbed his bag and went out.
Denis was late, as always. When he entered the classroom, the discussion was on. The teacher had just asked Lisa what the author aimed to express with his masterpiece, «Eugene Onegin’.
«I can’t be sure of what Pushkin meant to say. But… I wonder why handsome, rich Onegin, he who had all this success… Why was he depressed?»
Walking up to his place, Denis looked at Lisa with interest. He had never noticed her before. Girls were trying to make eye contact with him, but he wouldn’t bother to pay attention. He sat down.
«Well, people read Byron at that time… it was kind of fashionable… to be slightly depressed… you know, to be in Byron’s mood…» the teacher replied.
«So, you say that Onegin locked himself at home, refused going out, stopped reading… just because it was in fashion?»
Denis continued watching Lisa. A light smile touched his lips.
«I asked you so you could improve your C,» the teacher got agitated. «You ought to read critics. And stop asking silly questions!»
Lisa blushed. The moment the bell rang, she started to collect her stuff. She just wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Suddenly she noticed somebody picking up her «Eugene Onegin» book from the desk. She raised her eyes. «Denis?» He smiled slightly to her and turned to exit. Bewildered, Lisa watched him walk out of the class. A group of girls passed her, looking perplexed at each other.
«With us, your dream is your reality»
Peter walked across the school hall. On both sides there were desks with representatives from different Universities and High Schools. Advertisements were rolling on huge screens. Peter stopped at one.
On the screen was a graduate. Elegantly dressed. Blue suit. Tie. Smartly dressed men came towards him. They smiled, shook his hand. Peter noticed an expensive watch on the arm of the graduate.
In the following scene the graduate walks out of a stylish building. A cool car is brought around. He gets in the car, smiling, leaning back in the seat.
As he drives away, a slogan emerges at the corner of the screen, «With us, your dream is your reality.»
Peter was totally absorbed by the advertisement.
Denis, who walked by, kept his glance on Peter for a few seconds, then looked at the book in his hand, turned around, and hurried down the stairs.
Are you capable of fitting in?
Lisa and Sveta stopped at the open doors to a classroom.
«It will work out fine!» Sveta looked at her friend with a cheerful smile.
«Yeah…» Lisa was thinking how to present the idea of a Masleniza celebration.
«Ouch,» Sveta started back.
A small eddy of gray dust flew from the classroom right at her.
«This dust is even here!»
Lisa looked around – no dust.
«Do you think I made it up?» Sveta looked at her friend.
Lisa just sighed.
«Anyways, good luck!» Sveta ran away to catch her class.
Lisa
