Max

She knew him from afar before she knew his name. Maxim. Tall, almost two meters, with dark blond or chestnut hair and a straight fringe. A calm face, dark eyes, always a little detached. But unlike other stories, he didn’t pay attention to her at all. No glances, no words, no random “hellos.” ​​As if she simply didn’t exist. She studied with him at the same college, but in a different department. Their paths crossed, but for him it meant nothing. She noticed everything. How he walked, who he laughed with, how silent he was. He played on the volleyball team—the best player, the tallest, the most noticeable on the court. There were many guys she knew on the team, and during competitions she calmly approached them. Vitalik, Timur, Vanya—she laughed, talked, supported. She felt at ease around them. But it was worth She shifted her gaze slightly to the side—at him—and everything inside her clenched. She never approached him. The whistle blew. Half-time. The players dispersed, and her male acquaintances called her with a gesture. She went down, approached them, exchanged a few words, smiled. A minute later, someone mentioned a smoke break, and the whole group headed for the exit. Maxim also went with them. The street was noisy and crowded. He stood a little to the side, took out his cigarette and calmly took a drag, listening to the conversations. As usual—restrained, almost emotionless. But they didn’t let him stand alone for long. Girls started approaching him. First one. Then another. Then another. They laughed, said something, tried to get his attention. They stood too close, looked into his eyes, asked his name, number, anything. And he... didn’t push them away. He stood calmly, sometimes answering briefly, sometimes He just watched. He didn't look irritated. More like... he liked it. The fact that they were going crazy over him. The fact that they were drawn to him. But in the end, he refused. Each one. Calmly. Without emotion. As if it didn't matter at all. She stood next to her people, pretending to participate in the conversation, but out of the corner of her eye, she still kept looking only at him. And at some point, she caught herself thinking: he really doesn't care. And that's exactly why he seemed even more unattainable.