The coffee shop with glass doors was almost empty. The menu was displayed outside so as not to embarrass those who couldn't afford the prices. The patio with wrought-iron tables was heated with gas heaters. The chairs were covered with soft pillows and rustic lamps softly illuminated the green foliage in the park.
Arina sat in front of a huge plate with an elaborate three-layered dessert that was impossible for one person to eat, especially when trying to do so under the gaze of a man's beautiful, thoughtful gray eyes. Maxim barely ate anything. He smiled and asked questions that made Arina go hot and cold all over. He seemed to be playing hide and seek with himself. It was impossible to understand what he wanted, why he ran after her there in the street. Why had he brought Arina to the coffee shop?
He was acting strangely as if waiting for her to do or say something.
"So, you are an animal rights activist?" he asked, in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"No," Arina shook her head.
"So, how many animals," he continued, still sarcastic, "have you personally saved from death?"
"When?"
"What do you mean, when?" he didn't understand her at first.
"When exactly are you talking about?" Arina clarified. Maxim hesitated.
"Well, let's say . . . last week," he stared at her, patiently waiting. Arina spooned out a little piece of the endless dessert and put it in her mouth. Yummy! She couldn't tear herself away from Maxim's eyes.
"Three," Arina said calmly. How do you like that? Damn, what a delicious dessert! She had never tasted anything like it.
"What?" he raised his precisely contoured eyebrows.
"Two cats and one terrier," she continued, feeling even more confident. "The life of the others was not in danger."
Maxim paused, confused, as if he had forgotten what he was thinking or talking about. He examined Arina from head to toe which immediately gave her goose bumps.
"But you are just a kid! How old are you?" So, that's how he saw her! Nellie was wrong: people didn't see a hedgehog when they looked at her; they saw a child. That was even worse!
"Nineteen. What about you? How old are you?" Arina replied defiantly. Strangely, the question surprised Maxim more than Arina expected. He choked drinking his tea and had to clear his throat. Then he stared at her with suspicion.
"You don't know how old I am?" he asked.
"How would I know that?" Arina was taken back. Maxim went silent as if wondering whether he should reveal his big secret to her. His showing off like a girl seemed almost funny to her.
"I told you how old I was, didn't I? Are you afraid you're too old?"
"Oh, so this is how it is now, huh? How old do I look?" Maxim asked, and his eyes playfully sparked again.
"I don't know. Twenty? Thirty?" she guessed and he burst out laughing.
"Your guess is flattering and killing me at the same time. I'm twenty-nine years old. Which means that I'm exactly ten years older than you are. You don't find it too scary? I don't have fake teeth yet, I promise!" he assured her, pretending to be worried.
Arina began to smile, blushing as he looked at her with his dark gray eyes. Unwanted thoughts about what his lips would taste like inflamed Arina's imagination. She was seriously worried that he could read the thoughts in her eyes.
He was sitting to the left of Arina, with his long legs stretched out. His eyes were glued to her every clumsy movement, her every glance. He was playing with her like a cat with a mouse. Like a tomcat . . .
"No, I don't," she mumbled. He put the cup of his herbal tea aside and then suddenly moved so close to Arina that she could smell chamomile on his lips.
"You consider yourself quite adult, don't you?" he looked her right in the eyes. There was less than half an inch left between them but he wasn't in a hurry to overcome the distance. Time stood still, and every cell of Arina's body went mad from this closeness. Every cell of her body was singing and shouting, demanding the impossible.
Kiss him! Just do it!
A few more seconds, and she would have done it, although this was completely unacceptable, inappropriate, and against all her views on how to and how not to behave. Just an hour ago, she had no idea who Maxim Korshun was. Even at that moment she still knew little about him. Yet she was thinking about kissing him!
Maxim leaned back in his chair and the moment was lost. Arina felt relieved and disappointed at once. The vein on her temple was throbbing; her blood was boiling as if a hurricane had gone through her body. Maxim remained calm or at least seemed to.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked all of a sudden.
"No," she answered quickly, without hesitation.
"Really? Or he is just not here with you today?" he wondered, and Arina flared out from resentment.
"Yes, really," she muttered.
"But why not?" Maxim looked sincerely surprised. "Oh, I get it. You are already disappointed in love, right?"
"You guessed it!" Arina made a face at him. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about it!"
"Okay, let's stick to three topics then- weather, nature, and urban gossip. Deal?" He gave her a cheerful smile.
"Is urban gossip a proper topic?" Arina looked surprised.
"Who said that I wanted to talk about proper topics? Speaking of improper, has anybody ever told you that you look like Snow White? There is an amazing resemblance. You have such an interesting face, such expressive eyes. And these birthmarks . . . " He reached out and touched her cheek. Arina blushed and her eyes widened in horror. "Do you want me to take your picture? We could find costumes and have a photo shoot."
"Oh, no! Let's not," she interrupted him right away.
"Why not?" He was disappointed. Other girls usually reacted differently. Maxim sighed. What a strange girl. It was odd that she was a fan of his work. Usually he had quite different fans. Not so... um... naive and young.
"So, you walk around town rescuing homeless cats and terriers. Is that right?"
"I work at Umka," Arina mumbled.
"I'm sorry, where?" he didn't understand.
"It's a network of veterinary clinics. I'm a vet student and that's where I work at night."
"At night?" All of a sudden, Maxim sat straight in his chair, looking serious and focused. "And you study during the day, right?"
"Yes. Well, I'm taking my exams now."
"What year are you in?" The smile was gone, and Maxim's face became even more serious.
"First. I mean, I'll be in my second year," Arina was embarrassed. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.
"Why do you like my work?" he asked, thinking about something.
"Why?" Arina was confused. Of course, he couldn't have imagined that she didn't like his work at all. She didn't like his Hatred but she wasn't going to admit it. No doubt, he was a renowned photographer and wouldn't be disappointed with what some girl thought about his "hard" approach to photography.
"Do you prefer Sequences?" he asked with curiosity. Arina looked completely lost.
"Sequences?"
"Listen, I . . . I admit it; you puzzle me, my dear Snow White. I have vague doubts in my head. I get the feeling that you hadn't ever heard of me until today," he chuckled, but one quick look at Arina's face made him stop.
"But wait, how come you were at my exhibit then?" He suddenly stood up and walked towards the porch. "No, don't answer. I think I get it." His mouth twisted in a bitter smile. "You were there by accident, right?"
Arina didn't know what to do. She nodded and, without a doubt, Maxim Korshun was crushed by the simple fact.
"I see," he muttered, puzzled, and then began to examine the gas heaters on the porch as if they were the most important things in the world.
"So what?" Ariana mumbled sheepishly. "Besides, what difference does it make what I like and don't like? I'm not an expert in photography; does my opinion really matter?"
He turned around and gave Arina a thoughtful, intent stare.
"Your works are very strong and . . . and . . . " she jabbered. Maxim wasn't even trying to help her out. She could see the coldness in his eyes, and it felt like the clouds had covered the sun and a storm wind had begun to pick up. "They are interesting. And strong. That child with a gun. Very strong."
Maxim suddenly squatted down beside her. His face was right in front of her pale face. He touched her hair, straightening it up. His touch, very tender, very unexpected, made Arina feel dizzy.
"You said that they were strong three times. I get it, my dear Snow White." His voice was filled with sympathy, which Arina couldn't understand. "But you don't know anything about me. I'm sure you would never stay here with me if you knew who I really was."
Arina suddenly realized that he was about to leave. She also realized that he had probably had many women in his life.
Then, everything was over. Something about Maxim had changed; he stood up, pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned it on. A few short beeps made it clear that all this time, someone had been looking for him, someone had called him, someone had been worried about him. He looked through the texts and called someone saying that he would "be there soon" and "tell them all to go to hell; he does whatever he wants." When he was done, Maxim looked at Arina as if they were strangers.
"Would you like me to call you a cab?" he asked, sounding very polite. Arina swallowed her tears and forced herself to speak.
"No, you don't have to," she shook her head.
"Are you sure? I don't mind at all."
"I have . . . I have something to take care of," she muttered indistinctly, barely managing to put words into sentences.
Maxim looked away from his phone and studied Arina's pale face as if he were trying to memorize it.
"I somehow don't want to let you go, Snow White," he sighed and looked at her with what almost seemed like regret.
Then don't! She wanted to shout. She liked him; she liked him a lot. In fact, she had never liked anyone like this before, from first sight, from the first look at his picture with the ocean abyss in the background. But he was already gone, leaving behind some money for the waiter at the bar. He didn't turn around, he didn't look at her and he didn't even ask her name.