– I’m gathering everyone in the dorm, we’ll sing songs to the guitar. I want to celebrate my birthday.
– Well, congratulations then! I said.
– Thank you, but you’ve already congratulated me. I turned twenty last week, have you forgotten? It didn’t work out, so I moved it.
– Yes, with whom it does not happen, I forgot and forgot. Well, why are you coming with us? another guy from this company said.
– I’ll be right out, wait. I can’t let you in, Grandma is at home, resting.
I closed the door to the apartment, and went to the closet to put on whatever was from Artemka’s wardrobe.
Being in the past, I began to understand that this whole unusual story that happened to me was already becoming a part of my life and I was gradually getting used to the role of a Soviet person.
I came out of the entrance, in jeans and a white T-shirt, the guys were waiting for me. And we walked slowly through the yards.
– Guys, let’s look for soda machines now, it’s stuffy and I want to drink what I want, – said one of the company, his name I remember right away, his name was Alexander.
The guys agreed, and after passing a couple of houses, several vending machines with the inscription «Carbonated water» lined up in front of us. I noticed that there is only one faceted glass in the niche.
They took turns pressing it, washing a glass in a niche with a sink and drinking.
«That’s what kind of nonsense it turns out, they drink from one faceted glass with the whole of Moscow and don’t get sick with anything?»
It was my turn to drink soda, I winced a little and took a big sip. But the extraordinarily delicious, sweet taste immediately conquered me, and I was already greedily finishing the rest of the lemonade.
– Magic soda,» I said.
– Yes, it’s very tasty, – Alexander agreed with me.
Soon we all got drunk and the whole company went on to the student dormitory to Maxim.
When we approached the front door of the hostel, Maxim turned to face us and said:
– Guys, and now I’m going to ask you to be quieter than water, lower than grass, do you understand?
We went into the dorm and waited.
– Good evening, Aunt Lyuba, may I go to my room with my friends? Maxim said cheerfully.
The janitor examined our company with her hard, scanning gaze from under her wide glasses and said:
– Well, Sinitsyn, come in, but only if there is at least one complaint from the neighbors, then there will be no trust in you anymore.
– We will be quiet, I promise Aunt Lyubochka, – Maxim added and waved his hand, we should follow him.
We climbed the stairs to the second floor, and walked down a long, gray corridor.
– Come in, – Maxim said hospitably, and stood in front of the door of his room.
Nadenka
There were four iron-backed beds in the room, and a small table with two chairs. Posters with movie and pop stars hung on the walls. Everything around me looked like I was looking at the childhood photos of my older brother Artem.
Maxim pulled the table up to the bed so that there was enough room for everyone and began to seat the guests.
– Well, friends, I want to start our evening with a song, – said a young man from our company, his name was Anton, he sat down next to me and picked up a guitar. Anton began deftly fingering the strings and sang a song by Viktor Tsoi. I have already heard it once in my time.
When Anton finished the song, Maxim came up to us, and two young ladies were standing next to him.
– Irina, if you don’t know anyone, – one of the girls said briskly and sat down opposite me.
– And what is your name? I asked the girl who was standing, modestly lowering her eyes.
– Hope,» her voice rang like a bell.
– And my name is Artem. Sit down, next to me,» I said to the girl, realizing from every minute that I was losing my head from her innocent beauty.
Her unforgettable eyes and hair did something incredible to me.
– Do you live in this hostel? – she asked, sitting down next to me.
– No, I came to Maxim. «And you?» – I asked, switching to you.
– I also came to a classmate, Irina. I don’t live at home in a hostel. Soon I want to apply to the Acting Faculty, to GITIS,» Nadia said, and a spark of joy appeared in her eyes. Where do you study?
– You want to be an actress, well, that’s great, – I said with admiration, – And I’m from the future.
– From the future? she asked softly, peering into my eyes as if looking for confirmation in them.
– It’s all hard to explain, but I know only one thing, I don’t want to deceive you, because every word I say about your time will not be true, – I lowered my eyes and whispered.
«I understand the absurdity of this situation,» she replied in the same whisper, «but I believe you.
– Do you believe? I was surprised.
– Yes I do, tell me about your future, what is it? It’s probably nice there. All people are friendly with each other, beautiful cities, clean air, maybe people are no longer working, but robots are doing everything instead? Is it probably better there than here?
– Everything is fine, – I said, – each person will have a personal smartphone, it will be a multifunctional device, there will also be Internet and computers.
Вы ознакомились с фрагментом книги.
Для бесплатного чтения открыта только часть текста.
Приобретайте полный текст книги у нашего партнера:
