Chapter 1

- Sen, an amazing band is performing at Vinyl today. I was at their audition. The guys know how to light the hall. Would you like to come and listen? I think you need to unwind, - Olya looked at me with such hope, as if her life depended on it.

“I’ll think about it,” she couldn’t refuse, but she didn’t give her consent either.

- Okay. Anyway, I'm on shift today. So if you decide to come, call me. I'll show you through the service entrance.

Olya has been working as a waitress at Vinyl for a year now. This club is considered one of the best in our city. It was stylish and not vulgar, unlike other similar establishments. I was there once. For my birthday last year.

- Good. But you understand… I don’t promise that I can come, — I didn’t give false hopes to my friend.

- Understand. But promise me what you think. You are welcome.

“I promise,” I smiled at my friend. Let's go to couples. The break will end soon.

We spent the whole big break in the square opposite the university. Today is the first day of school and September pleased us with warm weather. We took a bite to eat in the dining room and went to the square. In the very center there was a fountain, near which couples in love often made dates. Around the fountain, at a short distance, there were benches. The tiles around the fountain were laid out in an intricate pattern. And all this beauty was buried in the greenery growing around the trees. Three paths left this square, one of them led in the direction of our university.

"Let's go," Olya sighed. On her face was an expression of sorrow for all mankind. It was so funny that I couldn't help laughing. Olya laughed too.

The last two pairs went very quickly. Over the summer, I did not notice how much I missed my studies. And now, having left the university, I felt the joy of returning here again.

I inhaled the warm air and walked towards the bus stop. Passing by the parking lot, I noticed a group of guys. Some were on motorcycles, others leaned imposingly on the hood of a sporty and obviously expensive car. They looked so carefree, like they were enjoying every moment of their lives. I quickly walked past them.

Leaving the territory of the university and waiting for a traffic light signal, she crossed the road to the opposite side. From the stop that was opposite the university parking lot, you could see that company. I tried not to look at them. But all this time I felt someone's eyes on me. After a while, tired of looking at my ballet shoes, I looked up at those guys. There were four of them. One guy caught my attention, he was leaning on his motorcycle. I involuntarily started looking at it. Long legs, narrow hips and broad shoulders. Strong and strong hands. Unfortunately, from this distance, I could not see his face. And he looked at me. I swallowed thick saliva. Someone pushed me on the shoulder and I came to my senses. I looked a little to the left and saw that the bus I needed had approached. I quickly jumped into the salon, paid the fare and took an empty seat. The window overlooked the side of the university. The guy stood still in the same position and still looked at me.

Attentively.

Like a predator on prey. I felt embarrassed and turned away. Fortunately, at that time the bus started moving, and I did not have to examine my ballet flats again with renewed interest.

It wasn't far to go to work. Only four stops. I worked for the last year and a half in the restaurant "Scarlet Sails" as a waitress. The salary was not very big, but my sisters and I had enough. The leadership is wonderful. This restaurant is owned by a wonderful family. The owner is Semyon Mikhailovich, a strict but fair man. His wife Irina Igorevna is a restaurant manager. She often goes to meet employees, but in return she always demands full dedication to work. I liked working here. This restaurant had a very tasty and varied cuisine, but the most important thing is the atmosphere. As soon as you enter the "Scarlet Sails" you are surrounded by a sense of peace and family idyll. And although the Kireev family had a small network of cafes and restaurants, this place was my favorite. The sisters also worked for this family in a cafe not far from our house.

Entering the restaurant, I immediately met Irina Igorevna. Sometimes it seems to me that she sleeps here.

- Senechka, hello! The manager smiled at me.

I looked around the room. Only a few tables were occupied.

Hello, Irina Igorevna.

I quickly went to the staff room and changed. Our uniform was dark blue. For girls, this is a classic blue dress with three-quarter sleeves and knee-length. For the guys we only had two, the bartender Sasha and the waiter Zhenya - dark blue trousers and a shirt a couple of shades lighter.

Before leaving the room, I looked at myself in the mirror. Brown hair, long below her shoulders, tied into a braid. Her eyes are blue, she only applied mascara to her eyelashes. My sisters say I'm pretty. I didn't consider myself that way.

I consider myself normal.

The image of that guy from the parking lot appeared before my eyes. Who is he? I saw the guys who were with him earlier at the university, but I saw him for the first time. He is a handsome guy. No. I would even say that he is a handsome man. Would he like someone like me?

I doubt.

Lord, Sen, you are not thinking about that. I once again examined myself in the mirror, straightened my dress and went out into the hall.

Vika is with me today. Nice girl, responsible and I like working with her.

Vikul , hello. What's new with us today? I was glad to see her.

— Oh, Sen, hello. I didn't notice when you arrived. Yes, everything is as usual. There is no stop list for today. The large banquet hall began to be renovated. O! Today the nephew of the owners, Maxim, arrived, - Victoria reported on the latest news of the restaurant, without looking at me. She was intently introducing something into the art-keeper.

“I didn’t know that the Kireevs had a nephew,” she muttered softly. But Vika heard me. She smiled playfully.

- There is. Not a bad young man. He also opened a business in this area. But I'm not sure. He hasn't been in town for the past year and a half. To be honest, I don't know where he's been all this time. And she wasn't even interested.

Apparently she misunderstood me if she posted almost the entire biography of the poor guy. At that moment, a couple entered the restaurant, and I hurried to meet them.

- Good afternoon. My name is Yesenia and I am your waiter. Come on, I'll take you to the best table.

This is how my shift started. Even though it was a weekday, we had an almost full room. This is not news, the restaurant was popular in our city. Everything was as usual. Except for one thing… Throughout the entire shift, I had the feeling that I was being watched. But no matter how much I examined the guests, I did not notice anything unusual.

We were taken home. And this is good. Since we left the restaurant at about twelve at night. Irina Igorevna drove me, the cook Maria Vitalievna and the cleaning lady Aunt Yulia. The restaurant had its own minibus for transporting employees and purchasing products. Therefore, the rest of the hard workers who lived on the other side of me were transported in a service minibus.

From the stop where Irina Igorevna dropped me off, it was only two minutes to walk to my house. And although our area was calm, I was still scared, especially since I never left the feeling that I was being watched. And only in the apartment was able to breathe calmly. The house was quiet. The girls must be asleep.

I quietly took off my shoes and went to the kitchen to drink water. I still had to prepare for tomorrow's classes. And although it was only half past midnight, I really wanted to sleep. Deciding that it was time to return to the previous regime, I made myself coffee.

My sisters and I lived in a three-room apartment. I gave them two bedrooms, but I myself felt quite comfortable on the sofa in the hall. Having taken everything necessary for study, I began to prepare for tomorrow's couples.

“Hi.” I lifted my head from my textbook and looked at my sister. - Why are not you sleeping? The time is almost two in the morning.

She was sleepy and obviously unhappy.

— Hello, Vasya. I'm almost done. Go to sleep, - could not hide a yawn. I really wanted to sleep.

- Have you again decided to return to last year's regimen and sleep 3-4 hours a day? Sen, we also have money from our parents. Why push yourself like that? I remember what happened last year. These are your fainting spells from overwork during the session. Forgot already? But Sonya and I remember very well. - Sister broke up in earnest. She has always been short-tempered.

- Vasya, the money in the account should remain just in case. You know as well as I that situations are different. And I’ll earn a living - there’s nothing wrong with that ... - I didn’t have time to agree, my sister just started yelling.

- It's OK? It's OK?!

- Why are you shouting? - a frightened Sonya entered the kitchen. “Night is on the street, the neighbors will call the police,” and then my sister looked at her watch, at the mountain of textbooks, and then her gaze stopped at me. - Sen, you again? Are you saying that this year you will drive yourself again? - Sonya had a calmer character, but Vasya now resembled a rabid bull, then look, steam will come out of the nostrils.

- That's enough! All sleep. Tomorrow to study, - the girls wanted to continue to scold me, but I perfectly understood everything. And the fact that they are worried about me, but also the fact that everyone has to get up early tomorrow. - Everyone, everyone sleep.