Bunny NOVEL

The snow crunched underfoot so loudly it seemed the entire village could hear every step. The January morning greeted the school with its familiar grayness: murky windows, icy steps, and crowds of sleepy students wrapped in scarves. Snow swirled slowly over the playground, and the wind swept wisps of drifting snow across the yard.

It was noisy and stuffy inside. The locker room was buzzing with voices, someone was arguing over the schedule, the younger students were running around among the older students, and the attendants were already shouting at those who had arrived without their change clothes.

You climbed up to the second floor with Anton. He walked beside you in silence, occasionally adjusting the strap of his backpack and glancing out the windows, where snow was slowly falling. After the holidays, school seemed especially strange and noisy.

Katya Smirnova, Polina Morozova and Olya were already standing near the literature room.

"I'm telling you, this is just not normal!" Katya irritably adjusted her blond ponytail and crossed her arms over her chest. "People don't just disappear like that."

"Katya, don't start this morning..." Polina sighed quietly, clutching the folder with her music sheets to her. "Everyone's already on edge."

Olya nervously pulled her scarf higher.

— My mother told me not to leave the house in the evening... Especially near the forest.

Anton frowned when he heard this.

"About the forest again?" he asked quietly. "Do you really think there's someone there?"

Before anyone could answer, a familiar laugh was heard down the corridor.

• Oops, there's a whole group gathered here, look!

Byasha appeared first, as always noisy and self-satisfied. Roma Pyatifan followed leisurely behind. His jacket was unbuttoned, his hands in his pockets, and traces of frost on his cheeks. He lazily glanced at the entire group… but almost immediately settled on you.

And he didn’t take it away anymore.

"Why are you so quiet today?" he chuckled, coming closer. "Are you sick or just didn't get enough sleep?"

Katya rolled her eyes:

• Rom, can you not bother anyone for at least five minutes?

"I'm not clinging," he answered calmly, not taking his eyes off you. "I'm just asking."

Byasha chuckled quietly nearby:

• Yes, Pyatifan has been staring at nothing but her since the morning.

— Shut up, —