Ilya

The holidays are in full swing, and the university routine seems like a distant memory. Our group—Amina, Lena, Ilya, and Vanya—finally made it to the river. The sun was mercilessly blazing, and without a second thought, we dived into the cool water. Only Ilya and I remained on the shore. Usually cheerful and boisterous, he now looked strangely tense. Nervously tapping his fingers on his knee, Ilya pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, struck a lighter, and greedily inhaled. We watched the others in silence. Amina and Lena splashed around in the water, laughing, while Vanya tried to tease them. Ilya's voice broke the silence between us: “Will you have one?” he handed me a cigarette. My eyes widened in surprise. “You know that I don’t know how, and I don’t actually smoke,” I replied, examining the smoldering flame. "Do you want me to teach you?" He narrowed his eyes, looking at me with some kind of challenge. "Go ahead," I blurted out before I could think. My voice sounded hesitant. Ilya moved closer, enveloping me in the scent of tobacco and strong perfume. "Look, it's simple. Slowly draw the smoke into your mouth, but don't inhale it straight away. Hold it for a second, then take a deep breath, as if you can't get enough air. And exhale smoothly through your mouth or nose. Want to try it?" He handed me a cigarette, watching my reaction closely. I took it carefully, feeling my fingers tremble.