The pink rays of the winter sun glowed softly on the driven snow with all the colors of the rainbow. The still fir-tree branches covered with duvets of white snow looked so pristine and dazzlingly beautiful, that, if it wasn't for the lively young voices coming from behind the trees and the fresh skiing route on the snow, one could have thought that the forest was a protected reserve which no man had ever entered.
Two skiers appeared from behind the snowy fir trees and ran down the route. One of them was a tall skinny fair-haired guy in a tracksuit; the other skier, the shorter one, was a big-eyed girl with curly golden hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was skiing rather awkwardly unlike the young guy who was graciously moving his well-trained body along the skiing route.
"Yankee, poles back!" he shouted as the skiing route went steeply downhill.
The girl obediently put her ski poles back and, gaining her speed, followed the guy. Cosmos (for it was him) ran boldly down the slope.
"Duck!"
Yana lost control of her body and, getting out of balance, she tumbled head over heels into a big snowbank.
"Oh jeez, it's been quite a ride!"
"Not quite yet. But we are in for a real ride, kid" Cosmos held out his hand to her.
"Well, if you are willing to be my personal couch..."
"Sure I am," laughed Cosmos.
He lifted Yana back on her feet, but they had barely skid down the slope when they crashed into each other and both plunged into another snowbank.
"It's so romantic, isn't it?" said Cosmos lying in the snow beside Yana, "Lying together in the snow, looking up in the blue sky..."
"Oh, if only it was Dima instead of Cosmos here right now!" she thought involuntarily.
This fact didn't upset Yana too much, though. She liked Cosmos; he was funny and hilarious. She felt Cosmos liked her too and it was very flattering. Besides, Pavlya was obviously hitting on her; the night before he told her that she was the prettiest girl on the Agtustud forum.
"But I'm not registered on Agtustud!" Yana said, laughing.
"So register," Pavlya suggested, "And then you will be the prettiest girl on the forum."
"Man, I've got a helluva lot of suitors in this city,"she thought proudly, counting them on her fingers, "Cosmos, Pavlya, Chrome, White... And, apart from them, that one... Saltikov... Oh, Dima darling, why isn't it you around me instead of them all? Why not you?"
However hard Yana tried to get the elder Negodyaev out of her head, convincing herself that to forget him was the only option and that after his and his younger brother's confession on the new year's eve the best she could do was to draw a line under the whole thing - deep down she couldn't help hoping for a chance even though intellectually she knew that there was no chance at all for her.
At first she actually hated him for falling that short of her expectations. That goddamn new year's eve her little world was crushed so severely, that, as it often happens to some unhappy people, a mean little thought crossed her mind: "Since I am so unhappy and miserable I am in my right to make everyone else miserable, too! I have nothing to lose anymore; that means I can do whatever I want!" Thinking that way, she didn't push Saltikov away when he, assuming she was deeply unconscious, had kissed her for the first time.
"Olive? I don't care about Olive; I couldn't make it with Dima, so let her not make it with Saltikov either!" went through Yana's mind at that moment.
But after the second of January's night incident when the Negodyaev brothers like two supermen from some American movie, had rescued her life, her feelings for Dima flared up again with renewed vigour. The hope that it might mark a turning point in Dima's attitude to her took up residence in her heart again. But a miracle didn't happen; having taken her home and made her a tea, Dima left, shunning her touch, as cool and unapproachable as ever.
And then there was Saltikov...
Surely, it had to be given a proper thought. Of course, Saltikov was a real windbag, she admitted it, but she could play it smart, actually. She could go all-in and get her hands on him... Why not?
"Why not? He's a promising match, knows how to make money... Men like him don't come in bunches, do they?" Yana reflected when she and the guys were already going back home by Sanya Negodyaev's car.
Having passed the truck ahead Sanya sped up.
"Wow, Sanya, you're a real Shumasher!" Cosmos couldn't help saying it.
"Come on" Sanya laughed it off, "What Russian doesn't like a fast ride?"
"The question must be put otherwise: what fast rider doesn't like "Russian"? joked Pavlya.
"Of course, I don't love Saltikov," Yana continued with her thoughts, "But it's to my advantage, really. Besides, he's Dima Negodyaev's best friend, so the access to him is going to be provided. Maybe jealousy will work out with him since nothing else does... Well, anyway, even if things won't work out with Dima, I'll keep Saltikov at least..."
"Damn, we forgot to treat Yana to boogies," said Pavlya breaking her flow.
"Phew, what the hell boogies?" Yana wrinkled her nose with disgust, "Do you mean boogers?"
The guys burst out laughing.
"No-o! Boogie is our ethnic traditional cookie! It is usually made for Christmas," was the explanation.
"Well, I think you still have plenty of time to do it," she said, "We will come back to Small Corels, won't we?"
"But in a couple days you will no longer be with us," Pavlya said with a sad sigh.
"Why in a couple days? I intend to stay here for another fortnight."
The guys stared at her in surprise.
"Don't you have to go back to work on the ninth of January?"
"No. I'm on a study leave until February, and the basic exams I've already passed," Yana explained, "Originally I did want to leave on the eighth; but later I thought better of it."
"Cool! What made you change your mind?" Cosmos asked.
Yana smiled.
"You see, I find it kind of more interesting staying here, in Arkhangelsk..."