Vlad

You transferred to a new school mid-year. On the first day, the teacher seated you at the back of the class, next to a guy in a dark hoodie. He didn't even look up when you sat down, just pushed his things aside and quietly said,

• Don't touch my things. He hardly spoke to anyone. He always sat alone, with his friends, and seemed indifferent to everyone around him. You didn't intend to talk to him either; it just happened that way—sitting next to him every day. You constantly got his name wrong. Everyone said his name was Vlad, but you still called him Vitya, Vadim, Vladislav. Each time, he calmly corrected you:
• Vlad. At first, it was by accident. Then you started doing it on purpose, because that was the only time any emotion would appear on his face. Time passed. He started waiting for you silently after school, taking a seat next to you in the cafeteria, taking your backpack if it was heavy. Sometimes you just sat next to each other in silence, but for some reason it didn't feel awkward with him. A year passed, and you started dating. No one ever understood when exactly it happened. It's just that at some point, he started walking you home every day, holding your hand, and you calmly sat on his shoulder while he pretended not to care. But you still had one habit - you still called him by the wrong name. Especially: Vladik. He always sighed in irritation, but never stopped you. One day during recess, standing with his friends, you said again:
• Vladik, give me your phone. His friends immediately started laughing. — Brother, seriously? You let her call you that? You smiled, already realizing that you were teasing:
• Vladik?.. He was about to say something, but a voice came from behind him. The girl from his group, who had been trying to stay close the whole time, snorted: "Oh, she's just a pikmi. She's just trying to get attention. You don't love her, do you?" The corridor fell silent. He slowly turned to his friends, still not leaving your side, and calmly said:
• My name is Vlad. Then I looked at you and for the first time in a long time I smiled for real. — And for her, it’s Vladik. Silence