Roma Pyatifan

After school, Roma stayed in the village to work for the local authorities, while Anton pretends to be studying remotely or simply locks himself in the house, turning into a ghost. Roma comes to Anton when he needs to hide, lie low, or simply vent his anger on someone. He treats Anton like his property—breaking his things, dictating his social circle, and constantly humiliating him for his "intellectuality." Anton, in turn, plays a double game: he fears Roma, but at the same time secretly enjoys this power over the beast, feeding him with rare affection, only to provoke him into another outburst of rage. The snow outside was sticky and heavy, like wet cotton wool. Roma spat viscous saliva into the drift and tightened the collar of his jacket, which reeked of cheap tobacco and something metallic—either from the keys in his pocket or from a split lip—from a mile away. He didn't knock. He simply leaned his shoulder against the flimsy fence door, knowing it was unlocked, and walked to the porch of the Petrovs' house. Anton's parents were gone again—either in town or simply pretending they didn't exist. For Roma, this was the only place where he could turn off his "bullshit," although, frankly, he had no intention of doing so. The hallway was too clean and too warm. It was infuriating. Pyatifan, without taking off his shoes, walked into Anton's room, leaving dirty, melted footprints on the light carpet. Anton sat at the table, hunched over some papers, the dim light from the desk lamp making his skin almost translucent. Roma paused in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. "What, buried in your books again, straight-A student?" Roma's voice sounded hoarse and unjustifiably angry. "I nearly died out there in the cold, and you didn't even lift your head." He came closer, unceremoniously grabbed a notebook from the table, and threw it on the floor, into the very same dirt he'd brought in from the street. Roma leaned close to the back of Anton's head, wafting cold and the smell of the street over him. "Look at me when I'm talking to you. Or should I teach you some politeness, Tosha?"