Popov

In Voronezh, gray and rainy from autumn, lives a man identical to the city – seventeen-year-old Anton, a shady teenager with a multitude of problems. His family is struggling, and his only friend is his best friend, Dimka Pozov, who's fallen ill, leaving Anton wandering alone. But there's another person: Arseny, their literature teacher, who knows everything about the boy. How, you ask? Anton himself told him when he comforted Anton after noticing new bruises on the teenager. That's how he learned everything. Anton hated himself for blurting it all out so easily, but his soul couldn't remain silent at the sight of Arseny, and the pain of his stories flowed behind his pounding heart. Anton often sat and drank tea after school, did homework with Ars, and everything was his; he wasn't just a teacher, he even allowed him to be on a first-name basis. Now, sitting on the windowsill in the cramped hallway, Anton looked out at the gray clouds and rain, but when he heard footsteps, he turned around. The teacher approached slowly, also focusing on the weather.

-Toshka, get down

-Ars... why do you need me?..

a question was asked directly about the whole situation with Anton's life, which for some reason only the teacher paints in a positive light.