Chapter 1
It was a hot June day.
Egor slowly took a sip from his water bottle.
Suddenly, a girl with chestnut hair snatched it from his hands—without asking.
The boy clenched his fist.
It wasn’t the first time she’d treated him like that.
“Hey! Give it back, Nadya!” Egor frowned.
“So what are you gonna do, Bunny?” Nadya stuck out her tongue.
Both were tired after a long day at work.
And the cutlery still hadn’t been collected.
Egor waved his hand and calmly went back to gathering plates and utensils.
Nadya watched him like a predator studying its prey, then said:
“Hey, why were you late today? You could’ve gotten chewed out by the manager.”
No answer.
“Hey, are you deaf or what?” Nadya stepped closer.
The boy often shut himself off. This moment was no exception.
“Hey! What’s taking you two so long? Wrap it up, I need to lock up the cafeteria!”
“Yeah, sure,” Egor muttered under his breath.
He jerked slightly and started working faster.
Nadya postponed her talk and joined in.
Amid the clatter of dishes and the evening bustle, they finished their shift.
A few minutes later, they were walking through the quiet city streets in jackets.
Though the day was long, the twilight had already settled in.
There wasn’t a soul around.
Between Egor and Nadya, there was a kind of calm, private atmosphere.
“Hey, don’t be mad, Bunny. I was just joking,” Nadya said softly.
“I’m not mad,” Egor replied shortly.
An awkward pause.
“What are you doing tonight?” Nadya tried to keep the conversation going.
“I’ll probably read something.”
“You seriously like reading books? That’s sooo boring,” she drawled.
“And you can’t do anything but watch movies, huh?”
Nadya smirked.
The leaves of the oaks swayed gently nearby.
The road suddenly sloped downward. Nadya stumbled.
It all happened in a few seconds.
Egor caught her.
One hand on her back, the other… a little lower.
The teens’ cheeks flushed.
Both tried not to let out a nervous laugh.
Nadya straightened up and said:
“Listen, I’ll probably walk the rest of the way myself,” she said, breathing quickly.
Egor wanted to stop her, but embarrassment washed over him.
He turned and walked away.
They both glanced back—but their eyes never met.
Tomorrow was Sunday.
Egor lay on his bed and brushed back his chestnut hair.
His phone buzzed.
He sat up and looked at the screen.
It was Nadya.
“Hey, let’s meet tomorrow. It’s our day off anyway. The embankment would be convenient, right? 10 a.m.? I’ll ask my friend to babysit her little brother.”
Egor stared at the message for a couple of minutes.
While he looked, Nadya’s status kept switching between “online” and “last seen just now.”
“Should I reply? Maybe I should apologize for earlier?” he muttered.
He hesitated for a few seconds, then finally typed:
“Yeah, sure...”
Nadya didn’t reply, only left a heart on his message.
Egor stared blankly at the screen, then set the phone aside.
He stretched out on the bed and thought:
“What am I even gonna talk to her about? Oh man, I should memorize a few jokes.
Why didn’t I find out what kind of humor she likes? She won’t laugh at dumb jokes about Vovochka, that’s for sure.”
As he thought, the sky outside grew darker.
Stars sparkled like diamonds.
Silence.
Only one window in the distance still glowed.
Egor didn’t fall asleep for a long time.
I won’t lie to you—he even gave the sandwich his mom made to the dog.
At work, he and Nadya always managed to grab a bite from the kitchen.
But his stomach was still growling.
He fell asleep hungry.
A moment later, his phone lit up again.
He was already dozing and didn’t see Nadya’s message: “You asleep?”
It was later deleted.
The next day
His stomach was growling like crazy when he got up.
He rubbed his eyes.
A ray of light shone into the room.
He checked his phone. No new messages.
It was 9:10 a.m.
“Oh no, what the heck! I overslept! What should I wear?”
He threw open his closet.
His first-day-of-school outfit? No!
Swim trunks and shorts? Definitely not!
Maybe this…
His gaze stopped on a denim jacket.
Egor preferred a more “street” style.
He put on dark pants to match.
Sunglasses? Not his thing.
“No showing off! I’m not some poser,” he thought.
His mom had already left for work and left breakfast behind.
He glanced at the clock — 9:30.
He quickly ate.
After washing up and using some deodorant,
he took a deep breath and stepped outside.
Birds chirped in the yards.
The summer city looked alive, full of greenery and color.
Butterflies danced in Egor’s stomach.
He wasn’t oblivious to what that meant.
Thoughtfulness was both his enemy and his ally.
He had a pretty decent sense of humor — the smart kind.
Few people were out this early on a Sunday.
And soon, Egor reached the embankment.
The sea was calm today.
Seagulls soared overhead,
and the air smelled faintly of salt.
Egor straightened his clothes.
“Everything’s gonna go perfectly today.
No cheesy jokes, no awkward silences, no nonsense,”
his inner voice assured him.
Then he noticed a girl of stunning beauty.
Her long white hair shimmered in the sunlight.
He felt like he could stare into her green eyes forever.
Her short blouse left her shoulders bare,
and her long skirt — to Egor’s taste — was the color of a summer sky.
She was scrolling on her phone.
To see a dream girl in real life — it was breathtaking.
Except when you realize… that dream girl is your date.
His thoughts spun into a chaotic whirl.
Egor stepped aside, took a few deep breaths.
“Crap, crap! This was so much easier in my head!” he muttered,
then finally made up his mind.
Step by step, he approached.
Nadya glanced up at him — then quickly looked away.
“Something wrong?” Egor wondered.
“Hi,” he said automatically.
“Hey.” She adjusted her hair and skirt.
“I…” Egor started, but she interrupted:
“Listen, I’ve got something planned.
You’re free all day, right?” she asked with a smirk,
as if she already knew the answer.
“Yeah.”
“Perfect! There’s a yacht party starting soon,
and I got us two tickets.” She tensed slightly.
“You…”
A wave of unease washed over Egor.
Parties always made him anxious.
Was she teasing him?
“I hoped you’d like it.
I’ll be right there with you.
If you get nervous, I’ll support you,” Nadya said, squeezing her hands.
Everyone watching, someone bumping into them,
someone flirting — what if he got into a fight?
Egor wasn’t weak, but he preferred peace.
He didn’t want to upset Nadya — especially after she said that so sweetly.
“Yeah, sure, let’s go!” he agreed, texting his mom a quick update.
They didn’t hold hands yet,
but their elegant steps carried them toward the big yacht.
On deck, there was noise and laughter.
Kids ran around, speakers blared some silly pop song.
Adults sipped cocktails at the tables.
The yacht was decorated with tropical plants.
Everyone looked happy — except the workers, of course.
The pair showed their tickets to the guard and stepped aboard.
A lump rose in Egor’s throat.
“Wanna dance?” Nadya asked.
“No… What else is there to do?” he asked.
She raised her hand and started counting on her fingers:
“Restaurant, pool, game room, movie theater.
Some things cost extra, but you can eat once and play for free.”
Her cheerful glance warmed his heart.
“Let’s go play!” Egor said — this was his element.
Nadya clapped her hands.
They went to the game room,
where consoles stood here and there.
Security guards watched carefully — no stealing here.
One console was free.
They sat on floor cushions and grabbed controllers.
A PlayStation — maybe 4 or 5.
“So, what should we play?” Nadya mused dramatically,
stroking her chin like a philosopher.
Egor smiled.
“This fighting game! Let’s play this one!” Nadya said excitedly.
Of course, Egor would go easy on her.
She couldn’t compete with someone who’d beaten every Street Fighter.
“Hey, stop holding back! Or are you scared?” Nadya teased.
Egor tensed slightly, pretending to go full try-hard mode.
She wasn’t great, but she didn’t give up easily — and that impressed him.
Eventually, she landed the final combo.
Egor’s character dropped like a log.
In that moment, Egor genuinely laughed.
Those were the moments he forgot about all the worries in life.
Time slipped away unnoticed.
When their session ended, they walked down the corridor.
“Hey, that was amazing. We should do this more often,” Egor said, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Hey, Nadya… let’s dance upstairs!”
He couldn’t believe he’d said that.
“You idiot, you’ll ruin everything. She’ll just laugh,” whispered the voice inside his head.
“Shut up. I’m better than I think.
She had fun with me — I can handle this,” Egor pushed the fear down.
“Oh, Egor, I’m so happy!” Nadya almost threw her arms around him.
Then she said softly:
“Can I hold your hand?”
What do people mean by pleasure?
Fast food? Alcohol? TV?
All of it fades compared to holding your partner’s hand.
That silky touch makes your whole body shiver.
Your head fills with warmth — and panic.
Your knees go weak.
Without a word, he took her hand.
They walked.
Strangers didn’t matter.
Egor’s attention was fixed elsewhere.
“You’ve barely used up your stash of jokes and you’re already winning. Perfect.
Now… do I remember how to dance?” he thought.
They reached the dance floor.
Nadya let go of his hand and waited for his move.
He took the first step.
He wasn’t graceful — not at all — but that only made Nadya laugh harder.
The music grew louder.
For a moment, Egor forgot about everyone’s opinions.
His smile, though a bit nervous, was real.
Other teens were dancing too — most clearly from wealthy families.
How much had Nadya scraped together for this?
Suddenly, a white-haired guy approached them.
“Hey, aren’t you bored here?” he asked Nadya.
Egor’s muscles tensed instantly.
“Back off, I’m here with my boyfriend,” Nadya snapped.
“I don’t think so,” the guy said, grabbing her hand.
“You can’t even protect your girl, huh? What a weakling,”
Egor’s inner voice hissed again.
Rage surged through him.
In one swift motion, he slapped the guy as hard as he could.
The stranger staggered, glared at Egor — then walked away, stunned.
Everyone’s attention turned to them.
Egor blushed.
He heard quiet giggles and whispers.
Nadya quickly grabbed his hand, and they rushed off the yacht.
“Damn, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Egor said, holding back tears.
Nadya smiled slyly and hugged him.
“You did exactly the right thing.
I’m proud of you.
You protected me — like a real man.
You’re amazing,” she said, looking right into his soul.
Egor’s whole body went light.
“And now… close your eyes,” Nadya whispered.
He did.
The next moment, he felt the warmth of her lips.
