kitty

It's nice to have someone you trust completely by your side. But it's especially nice when that person is Vanya, the same Kisa half the school is crushing on, and he chooses to sit next to you.

You've known each other for two years. After the classes were dismissed, you were seated at the same desk. It started with casual conversation, then came late-night phone calls and walks where time slipped away unnoticed.

That June evening was memorable for the phone call. The screen lit up with the name "Kisa."

"Get ready!" Vanya's voice thundered. "We're going out of town. Me, Gena, Hank, Mel... Let's go!"

"Are you crazy? It's nighttime!" you laughed.

— All the more reason! It's summer, after all. Twenty minutes. Come on, don't let me down.

You ran out into the street. In the car were you, Vanya, and a strange girl. She was later introduced as Arina. At first glance, she seemed too flamboyant. The kind who feeds on male attention.

It was 9:48 PM. You were looking out the window. Arina was bursting into laughter, leaning first towards Hank, then towards Vanya.

More than two hours passed. Gena chuckled:

— The dacha is still eight hundred kilometers away. Hang in there.

Everyone groaned, but you didn't care. If it weren't for Arina. Her "accidental" touches had long since ceased to be accidental. Jealousy burned inside.

And then the car grew cold. Arina immediately spoke up:

"Vanyusha, give me a blouse, or your baby will freeze!" she drawled, as if making a mark.

You tensed up.

Vanya looked at her with bewilderment. He didn't like pushy people. Without answering Arina, he turned to you. His voice was soft, almost intimate:

"Aren't you cold?" he asked, leaning closer. "Do you want a sweater? Or should I get a blanket from the trunk?"