Black & White

Chapter fourteen

I don't feel like it so much. "Uvidimsya vecherom, Aleksey." "See you tonight, Alexei."

I am waving at her and she is stopping me for a second. "Aleksey..."

I pause walking, and turn toward her car. "Da?" "Yes?"

"YA tebya lyublyu. Tak mnogo. YA bespokoyus' za tebya." "I love you. So much. I am worrying about you."

"ya tozhe tebya lyublyu mama" "I love you too, mom", I look at her.

She often does that. Sometimes in front of the school, around my friends. I can't show that I sometimes get embarrassed about this, because it'll hurt her.

She is leaving, with my sister in the back seat and I walk into work.

Opening the front doors, my boss is already here, greeting me. My friend is not there. I wonder why.

"How are you, Alexei?", my boss is asking me.

"I am okay, how about you?"

He seems like a man who loves his life. I'm happy for him. I never saw him in a bad mood or feeling sad.

"I am really good! Will you do anything special for your birthday tonight?"

I am thinking. I don't even know.

"I don't know", I admit to him.

"Well, it better be a special night for you."

"It's just a birthday, it's not a big deal."

"Birthdays are always special. To be honest, my favourite part of birthdays is always cakes! After family, of course." he says, enthusiastically.

I smile at him.

"Well, have a great shift, Alexei."

He is pulling his coat and getting in his boots, takes his keys and leaves.

"Have a great night to you too."

After he is leaving, I make sure no one is in the bathroom and I stay there, changing. Removing my clothes, I am noticing how fast I am losing weight.

"Crap..."

I am examining my body, and it's pretty embarrassing. My arms look more like sticks and I can see a little of the bones of my rib cage. I skipped many meals, it's not so surprising. My thighs have many burns and it still hurts a little bit, but it's okay. I can deal with that.

I put on my job uniform and put on the black air force shoes my cousin bought for me.

"Hi, Vicky", I say, after stepping into the break room. Vicky is beautiful. Her mask is removed, and she has glossy lips, dark eyelashes and her mid-long hair is untied. I never saw her this way before. She still has her silver butterfly choker and colourful homemade bracelets, a very important detail.

"Hi! How was your day?"

"It was okay, you?"

She gives me a smile, nodding. "But it sucks because I couldn't find no one to replace me tonight", she fills her hydro flask.

"Oh, why? Did you have any plans tonight?"

She is turning to look at me, laying her back against the sink. "I was supposed to have a volleyball game."

Woah, she does volleyball.

"You do volleyball?"

"Yup, sir. I can even show some pics of my team and I if you'd like."

Certainly.

"Of course", I say, trying to ignore the fact she is getting close to me, almost her head laying on my chest, to show pictures.