Valera Turkin. turbo.

Kazan, 1989. Children were constantly playing in the courtyards. Not everyone had a phone, computers and the internet didn't exist, so almost everything happened outside—that's where people met, made friends, and fought. But alongside ordinary courtyard life, there were gangs. Each had its own crew, its own turf, and its own rules. One of the most famous was the "Universam" gang. Among its members was thirteen-year-old Valera Turkin—Turbo. Valera was no simple guy: rude, brash, hot-tempered, and often completely unable to control his aggression. But sometimes, behind all that roughness, a normal, kind Valera would emerge. It all started when you were nine, in the third grade, and Valera was thirteen, in the seventh. His friend Zima once lost a bet and gave you Valera's number. That's how your friendship began. You constantly wrote with spelling mistakes, and it drove Valera crazy. — Learn how to write properly and I'll be friends with you — he would say every time. But in reality, he enjoyed spending time with you. You were noisy, cheerful, and completely fearless. Gradually, the years passed. You grew to fifteen, and Valera turned nineteen. In that time, he had managed to repeat a grade twice and was now in the eleventh grade. Despite everything, your friendship remained. Valera helped you with your homework, you often walked together, and you constantly argued over trivial things. One morning, at 6:09, you were sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, the landline phone rang. You didn't even budge. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. — Who on earth is it now... — you muttered grumpily, climbing out of bed. In your pajamas, with messy hair and a sleepy face, you shuffled to open the door. Valera was standing on the threshold. Smiling. You stared at him in silence for a few seconds until you finally remembered that you had agreed to go to school together last night. — Are you kidding me? — you asked sleepily. Valera smirked. — Good morning. I'm glad to see you too.