LITMIR.BIZ

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stared in horror at the business center building. Ramilya made one revenge plan after another, and even managed to infect me with her enthusiasm at one point.

      The plan changed every time, but they all started the same way: I had to get a job at the same company as Dimitri.

      "Media Help is a pretty big company. They were in the investment business. But I didn't understand where. However, there was only one position in the firm – a secretary. And he doesn't need to know how to invest money correctly, the main thing is to serve coffee on time and not to let unnecessary visitors to the boss. However, I was afraid to go in there, fully confident of rejection.

      A phone call brought me out of my thoughts. I shuddered and almost dropped it. But I had to pick it up. Ramila was very persistent and could call for hours without stopping. So it was easier to answer right away.

      " Let me guess, you're standing a few meters away from the business center and you want to escape? " Ramila said confidently.

      " No, I… Okay. They won't hire me! And what will I gain by it? I'll only wear out my nerves!”

      " Don't be silly. Go. Or do you want that bastard to live and enjoy himself? How many times has he called you this week? How many letters? And in the middle of the month, nothing! Payday's coming and you haven't dropped the money.”

      My friend knew me better than anyone and hit me at the most painful point, causing a healthy anger.

      Ramila's right. Dimitri wrote, as usual, about love and our plans. Only now I was paying attention to something else, in between he reminded me about paying the mortgage. He made a fool of me and used me as he wanted. I wrote a hundred term papers for him in college. I even wrote his thesis. Without me, he'd have been expelled in his third year!

      I shook myself up and walked towards the entrance, cheering myself up. At the institute I studied English and French. But after Dimitri's departure, I studied Chinese to have some fun. And since excellent command of languages was the main condition, though they didn't specify which ones, I had every chance.

      Having gone up to the fourth floor and having clarified the number of the office from the guard, I joined the queue of those who wanted to get this place. The girls were just like a selection, as if they came off the cover of a magazine. I nervously pulled up the sleeves of my jacket. Though it was already too big for me. Ramila was taller than me and a little bigger in important strategic places, but she wouldn't let me wear hers. I didn't have any new or unwashed clothes. Unless you count jeans and sweatshirts.

      " Go, get outta here!”

      The blonde girl jumped out of the office and, snorting, ran down the hall. She was followed by a tall, overweight middle-aged woman with a short haircut.

      " Who's language level is based on: "I can hardly read and don't understand", you are free to go! " she said.

      No one moved. I got discouraged. If such beauties want to get a place, it means the salary is decent. Besides, bosses prefer legs to brains.

      " And knowledge of what language is required? " I ventured to ask.

      Indeed, if they need Spanish or some Portuguese. And I do not know them. Then it turns out I'm standing here for nothing.

      " Come in," the recruiter told me.

      " I'm the last one in.”

      " If you keep mumbling like that, you'll be the last one in. Come on in.”

      I ducked inside the office, to the angry stares of the crowd. And handed over the folder with diplomas.

      " Ms.Clarke. And Ms. Adams . Well, very good. Here, read it.”

      Ms. Adams handed me a sheet of English text. I exhaled with relief and read it. It was about launching an application on a smartphone. Then there was a description of what it did.

      " Ms. Adams! Did you find it? He's already asking! And tell me what to do with it!?!”

      A pleasant young woman flew into the office. She stumbled with excessive emotion, catching her heels on the threshold.

      " There's the applicant.”

      " And this?”

      The girl shook the papers.

      " Julia, calm down and show me.”

      The blonde, nervously waving the crumpled sheets, collapsed on the chair next to me and put them on the table. I glimpsed it, noting the familiar hieroglyphics.

      " The partners sent it. He asked: "What's this?" What should I say? Why start a business without knowing the language? I don't even understand what they want!”

      " They don't want to, they announce their arrival in a month," I intervened.

      " Do you know Chinese? " Ms.Adams was surprised.

      " Just a little bit. I am self-taught.”

      " You are accepted! " Julia blurted out. " Translate the letter to the end!”

      " First I'll formalize her. And tell Mr.Roberts about the arrival. And that the letter will be fully translated tomorrow.”

      I clapped my eyes shut. I didn't expect it to be so mundane.

      __________

      * All coincidences are coincidental!

      The house Ramila got was on the Leningradskoe highway between Khimki and Zelenograd. She took a bus to the right stop and headed for the house along the broken road.

      Honestly, when my friend told me that the house was in the suburbs, I expected it to be much worse, and further away. In fact, it turned out that there is a small gap between Moscow and Moscow suburbs.

      The house, too, was much better than one could assume: one floor, four rooms with a veranda and a bathhouse.

      And what pleased me most of all was the neighboring street from the road. And to go not far and nothing in the room from the rushing past trucks does not bounce.

      " How was it? " Ramilya asked, leaning out of the window up to her waist.

      " They got me.”

      " Yes! " Ramilya jumped up, almost falling out of the window. " Ours won!”

      I didn't say anything and went into the house. Personally, I wasn't at all sure of victory. Tomorrow is the first day of work, and I will meet with him. How will our meeting go? What will he say to me?

      "You've been hired, so why are you so glum? " Ramila asked.

      " I don't want to see him," I confessed.

      " He doesn't want to see you… Or rather, he doesn't expect to see you. I can imagine him coming into the waiting room and seeing you… God, why can't I see his face at that moment?!”

      Ramila laughed and disappeared into the kitchen again. I took off my clothes and changed into an old laundered robe. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and slipped into my trampled slippers. It took about ten minutes, along with removing my makeup, and the whole time I regretted that I'd given in to my friend's entreaties.

      I wish I'd just turned over a new leaf. Erased Dimitri's phone number or blocked it. I should have done that a week ago. But every time I was going to "dot the dots" saw his last messages, in which he said he loved me, and I couldn't. If I can't even decide to do something so small, how am I going to look him in the eye tomorrow?

      " I'm not going anywhere tomorrow," I said, walking into the kitchen.

      Ramila turned to me and belligerently displayed a bust covered with red synthetic fabric. Having got rid of parental control, her friend has revised her closet a little, betting on emphasizing her bright appearance.

      " That's right. You'll go back to Samara. I'll even take you a ticket.”

      I was glad and sank down on a chair. I didn't expect Ramilya to understand and support me. I won't be able to look at him calmly tomorrow. I'm going to cry and let him put new noodles on my ears.

      " The walls are closer to home in my own town. Well, don't worry about the job. I've always sensed in you a path of self-sacrifice… You'll go to school as an English teacher.

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