November 5, 2006
The fifth of November, and Milana’s still the same. Fucking freezing, like the weather outside.
English lesson. Smolenskaya was presenting her essay on Brontë, while Kamila tried to catch Arkadiy’s eye, like she had been doing for two weeks in a row. She’s just not who I want to see.
There was a party at school on Halloween. Everyone wore costumes, and it was fun. Milana turned up as a witch and hit him hard on the shoulder with her broomstick, when he attempted to talk to her. Called me a drunken moron. Well, I might’ve been slightly drunk. But why the broomstick?
«Gena, what’s vanilla romance?» Arkadiy asked, gazing at Smolenskaya.
«Wha’s what?» Smirnov gave him a surprised look.
«Search me. Smolenskaya said she wants vanilla romance.»
«Well,» Gena took a thoughtful pause. «What did you give her?»
«Wha’ did I what?»
«Give. You know, gifts, presents, candies, teddies…»
«Nothing,» Arkadiy said after a puzzled momet.
«Nothing? Cool!»
Smirnov snorted with laughter so loudly, that Smolenskaya fell silent, and their English professor gave them a very stern look.
«Mate, you’re cool,» Gena said after a short while. «You must first give a girl something. It’s like with cars: first fill the tank, then drive.»
Weird. I was never in such relationships before. Sex doesn’t count.
Arkadiy frowned. «What should I give her?»
«Flowers, jewellery, teddy bears, the rubbish you’d never buy for yourself,» supplied Gena. «Google it.»
Smolenskaya finished her speech, and the professor nodded, satisfied.
Highest mark, as always. Smolenskaya, the star of rhetorics. I’ve already encountered her brilliance.
For some time they listened to the professor in silence, then, unexpectedly, Gena snorted again.
«Sorry mate, but I think she’s got a point,» he nodded in Milana’s direction. «No money, no honey!»
I see no point. What, are those presents necessary? I’m Novikov, what else does she need? Flowers? Teddies? Diamonds? What’s the key to Princess Perfect? Fucking trouble!
©Smolenskaya.Moscow
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Previous episode: 22. At the end of October Smolenskaya changed her status on Facebook
Next episode: 24. Tenth of November, time for decisive actions!
Contents. Part 1
- 1. Summer in France tastes of freedom. September, UK, dive into school
- 2. Long legs, model walk. Awesome, thanks dad!
- 3. «Have we met before?» «I don’t care. Totally.»
- 4. They’re so different. One’s attractive, the other’s annoying
- 5. Friday evening. Kamila talked about Novikov. All day long
- 6. He was waiting for her. Smolenskaya appeared ten minutes later
- 7. Castle in the air? Can’t she buy it?
- 8. You try on someone else’s life for a second, and then you feel so empty in yours
- 9. Welcome to London, welcome to life. And Smolenskaya, my guide to life
- 10. Novikov, I’m with you now only because we’re a diaspora
- 11. I behave according to my status, Novikov
- 12. So prim and proper, but there’s something in her that I like. What’s that?
- 13. Kamila can be distracted. You know what? I’m gonna help you, bro
- 14. Smolenskaya, Arkadiy Novikov has got serious plans on you!
- 15. Boss in a tee and shorts, testing the limits of her power
- 16. I’d rather give in to the waves than lose a fight with Kamila
- 17. She likes to rule millions and millionaires
- 18. Smolenskaya, you don’t mean what you do
- 19. I’m fifteen and I want my vanilla romance!
- 20. He’s not the man with whom I can cheat on myself
- 21. French manicure, shining diamonds, victory
- 22. At the end of October Smolenskaya changed her status on Facebook
- 23. Flowers? Teddies? Diamonds? What to give her? Fucking trouble!
- 24. Tenth of November, time for decisive actions!
- 25. Milana continued to ignore him, and so did Kamila
- 26. Let them resist, I’ll get what I want! Like with Novikov.
- 27. The Smolenskie are having a Christmas party. You’d better think of a present, if you know what I mean