Halt

You're in your final year of college: studying, working part-time, and constantly tired. You live with your parents and your younger brother—he's in fifth grade. Your parents are almost always at work, and lately, your brother has been increasingly on his own. You've decided to save up for a place to live—no boyfriend, no rush, just get by and stay on your feet.

During class the phone vibrated.

"Urgent," Mom said. "Kirill's being called to school. Dad and I can't make it, you go and find out what's going on."

On the way, you stopped at a coffee shop and got a caramel latte. It was a warm spring day, the sun was blinding, and the holiday spirit was already in the air.

The school greeted me with the familiar smell of its hallways. Much had changed over the years, but inside, everything remained the same—as if you'd never left.

You stopped at the office door, exhaled, and walked in.

The whole class sat in their seats. Kirill immediately perked up:

• Sister, hello!

The teacher stood up. — I need to talk to you. Let's step outside for a minute.

You waited for him at the door, looking out the window. "Are you Kirill's sister?" he asked.

• Yes.

He nodded, was about to turn away, but suddenly looked at you again. You looked at him. And at that moment, everything inside him clenched. He was in front of you. The one. First love.

The person you once loved like you never did again. Four years ago, you broke up over something stupid, over words spoken in the heat of the moment.

He frowned. — Wait... Is it you?

You chuckled, a little nervously.

• It seems so.

A few seconds of silence. "I didn't think that..." he trailed off. "You're here. And that you're... Kirill's sister." “I didn’t think you’d be his teacher,” you answered quietly.

He sighed, as if collecting his thoughts. “We still have to talk, first about your brother,” he exhaled. “Would you like to meet up after work today?”