examining this hand-written handsome man.
– I agree, I am also exalted by your invention, – his lips were touched by a sensual smile.
Well, at least with a sense of humor, not bad.
– How long have you been here?
“Not really,” he replied slowly. – The view is amazing from here.
“Yes,” I bit my lip. How did I not hear him? After thinking about it, I decided to clarify:
– Do you often come here?
He made a long pause. Throwing back his head, the guy looked with his dark eyes at the sky, as if he was looking for something specific there. His gaze clearly reflected incomprehensible sadness. Perhaps he was looking for solitude here as well as I, and now the moment is ruined.
“I do,” he said evasively. – Michaelis.
– Taylor.
We didn’t talk anymore. After staying a little longer, I returned to my place. Having had a snack with a sandwich and drinking coffee, she went to bed, feeling incomprehensibly tired.
I almost overslept in the morning. Hastily getting ready, I ran like crazy from all legs around the room, fussing and mentally bickering with myself. I flew into a couple with a bell for a fraction of a second, overtaking Ignat Arkadyevich, a teacher of philosophy. Breathing heavily, I plopped down at the desk. Vosmyachkin weakly waved his hand, greeting, I politely nodded. We sat in the same row, but at different ends of the audience.
– Open notebooks. There is little time, there is a lot of information, – the teacher, thirty years old, stately, pleasant-looking, began a quick dictation. It is already habitual. For such cases, I had a voice recorder in my smartphone, because it was unrealistic to have time to record everything. For some reason, my thoughts returned to yesterday’s strange stranger. Such a handsome man and prefers solitude. Perhaps, nevertheless, the irony of fate. It seemed to me that such people should bathe in glory, attention and universal gratitude. Yes, and there is no end to the girls for sure. Although then everything is logical – he ran away from annoying cute girls.
Nothing interesting in physical education – they swam in the pool, and then dried their hair for a long time – two hair dryers for the whole group – this is of course very little.
Higher mathematics is one of the few truly serious and useful subjects that we were taught here. The only one that I really liked and at the same time a bastard teacher is impossible. More specifically, a teacher. Young ambitious, she considered herself in the right to decide human destinies, deliberately flunking those who she did not like in exams (for objective and no reasons). There were a lot of rumors about her at Moscow State University, and unfortunately, not a single positive one. And Natalya Veniaminovna fully justified the bitchiness. For example, she despised Vosmyachkin only because he came from a small town near Vladivostok, and considered this a completely worthy and natural reason. Teacher of the year, nothing else (and – irony).
The ringing bell sent all the sufferers home.
Having cheerfully counted the steps, I pushed the iron door and went out into the street, which greeted me with freshness and incomprehensible humility, despite the fact that daytime animation reigned all around. People were in a hurry… some were in a couples to universities, some were going to school, some were going to work… others were stuck in traffic jams… But people are always in a hurry. No matter where and no matter where, they will still be late, and therefore accelerate. People exist, but life passes by.
I stuck an earpiece in my ear, and looking down at my feet, I walked in an indefinite direction. She walked slowly forward and soon turned onto a less busy street. Around the old houses, miserable low trees, beaten asphalt… But I tried not to notice it. Thoughts carried me away. I thought about how she, that is, soap, can still change her fate, is it possible and in general what to call fate.
A guy walked towards me, but I didn’t immediately pay attention to him. He was in a hurry. Passing by, he carelessly touched me with his shoulder and, not bothering to apologize, soon disappeared at the end of the street. Well, it happens. I chuckled, shrugging my shoulders, but almost immediately stopped and closed my eyes for a few seconds. Noise… noise from the next street… but it’s quiet here… I always choose this street. People rarely walked here, and therefore this street was especially appreciated.
– Taylor! – I heard from the side.
Slowly opening my brown eyes, I took a deep breath and managed a smile as I saw a nineteen-year-old boy in a camouflage uniform waving his hand invitingly. I had to get closer, though not even bothering to turn off the music or pull both headphones out of my ears. First, the music does not interfere. And secondly, so the conversation will not last long.
– Hi! What are you doing here? – the guy asked straight away.
Continuing to display the cute hyena grin, I shrugged slightly again, trying to look relaxed and at ease.
– Hello, Seryozha. I’m walking. I think go to the bookstore. And what are you doing here? Don’t you have classes?
– The drill was canceled, and so the ensign issued a leave, he needs to buy something. Didn’t expect to see you here. Haven’t you returned home!? The guy looked at me uncertainly, as if he had said something stupid.
Yes, there have been rumors.
Sergei is a good guy. He sought to communicate, was a kind and very bright person. I didn’t want to offend him, so I tried hard not to bastardize. We chatted some more and I hurried away. He’s a good guy, kind.
Perhaps he was not like everyone else. Moderately silly, moderately romantic… We met by chance. That evening, I was returning from the bookstore and, thinking, did not notice him. It was my fault that we collided. The books fell out of my hands, and I remember worrying about scratches on the spines. He excused himself by helping to collect the textbooks and left. I continued on my way, calculating how long it would take to get to the hostel, whether I would be in time for a new series of the cartoon, and whether Vosmyachkin would come with my notes. In less than a minute, the guy caught up with me and offered to meet.
I remember thinking, “Why not? New city, new acquaintances. We met. He seemed to me a rather large, well-built athletic guy, but without prominent muscle tubercles. Although with my lean (sorry, anorexic) figure, any average guy looks impressive. Dark brown hair barely peeked out from under the cap. The brown eyes were kind. We didn’t talk for long then either. He walked me to the hostel, helped me bring my main treasure – books. Sergei was funny. He talked a lot… entertained… Then he asked for a phone number. I don’t know, I usually don’t give such information, but this time for some reason I acted against my own rules. After saying goodbye, we parted, each to his own business, each in his own direction.
Arriving home, I went about my usual business – studying, studying and studying again. And then smoke on the roof, because it’s early to sleep, and before going to bed I read a book.
So today, nothing has changed in my actions. Everything as usual. No variety. I talked with Sergei, went to the store, bought another textbook and returned to the hostel, sitting down for lessons.
Vosmyachkin tumbled in without warning
