– Natasha, what are you thinking about? – Sveta nudged her friend with her shoulder. – Are you staring at Igor?
Natasha blushed and smiled uncertainly. The answer was obvious, but she had no intention of sharing her feelings. She knew full well that her dreams of happiness with him were nothing but fantasies. They came from different worlds, and that was clear to everyone, yet her gaze still seemed to drift towards him.
– No, I just remembered the plot of a book I read yesterday, – she lied, clutching her textbook and trying not to stare at the unattainable guy.
Igor Leonov was the true star of the university. His appearance, confidence, and charisma attracted almost every girl. To Natasha, he seemed like a character from another reality. Her heart would start racing just by seeing him, but she knew there was a chasm between them. He was the son of a wealthy businessman, while she was an orphan living with her guardian, Aunt Marina, whom she considered a mother. Natasha was grateful to the woman for her care and tried to help her around the house and with work. At the university, she studied on a budget, and in the evenings, she went with Aunt Marina to clean the hallways of luxury buildings where they were paid more.
One day, fate brought them face to face. Natasha was cleaning the stairs when she noticed Igor. She quickly turned away, hoping to remain unnoticed, but, of course, he recognized her.
– Natasha! I didn’t expect to see you here! – Igor grinned. – Although, I guess for you, this is probably the only way to get into an elite building.
– Hi… – she mumbled, feeling her cheeks flush.
– Well, hi! Decided to earn some money for a New Year’s dress? – he asked sarcastically.
Natasha felt hurt. She wanted to justify herself, explain that it was just a temporary side job, but then she thought: why bother? This was her life, and there was nothing shameful about it. She wasn’t selling herself, so she had nothing to be ashamed of.
– Daughter, what are you blabbering about? – Aunt Marina called out, working one floor above. – Hurry up, wave that rag! The sooner we finish, the sooner we get home. We still have three more hallways today!
– Good luck to you! – Igor smirked. – I would give you a tip, but I don’t have any cash – it’s all on the card. But you’re doing great! Working like a pro!
With these words, he called the elevator and disappeared, while Natasha’s eyes filled with tears. She tried to hide her sadness, but Aunt Marina always sensed her mood. She had raised Natasha since childhood after the child services took her from her parents, who preferred alcohol over their daughter. Aunt Marina had taught her to appreciate life, despite the hardships.
– Who’s that rich kid? – the woman asked as they left the building.
– Just a classmate… – Natasha shrugged.
– Just a classmate or the one? – Aunt Marina pressed on.
– He likes me, but we come from different worlds. He’s the son of a rich man, and I… I’m not his level, – the girl sighed.
Aunt Marina let out a loud breath and shook her head.
– So, he’s a worthless guy, not a human! These rich kids who live on handouts have no idea what real life is. When his father stops supplying him with pocket money or goes broke, we’ll see what kind of person he really is!
Natasha remained silent. She didn’t want to talk about Igor – inside, she could feel her heart tighten with the realization that her feelings were doomed. She knew: he was her “crush,” as the teenage girls would say. Unrequited love, nothing more.
But after that encounter, Igor started to talk to her more often. One day, he sent her a message inviting her to meet in the park after classes. Natasha arrived, floating on air. He suggested they go to the movies and then sit in a café. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She wanted to shout to the world that Aunt Marina was wrong: Igor was a real person.
– I’ve liked you for a long time, Natasha! Really like you! You’re hardworking, smart… What more could you want? – he smiled. – Will you go out with me?
Natasha’s head spun. She nodded, unable to say a word. Was there any need to think when her heart had already made the decision? She definitely wanted to be with him. He was the one she had been dreaming of.
He walked her home and kissed her goodbye. The moment felt like something out of a fairytale. Natasha ran home and cried into her pillow from happiness. She didn’t see any red flags. It seemed to her that he had really chosen her, even though he hadn’t spoken of love. And nothing suggested that trouble was ahead…
“I want to kiss you!” – a message from Igor arrived during the first class.
Natasha couldn’t focus on her studies. All her thoughts were about him. She wanted to run to him, hug him, kiss him.
– Why do you keep smiling? In love? – Sveta teased.
Natasha shrugged. Her happiness felt so fragile that she was afraid to tell her best friend. What if this was just a dream? Or what if Sveta started convincing her that this was strange and would end quickly?
After classes, Natasha rushed to the park and, unable to hold herself back, ran to Igor. But he pushed her away abruptly, looking at her with a cold, icy gaze.
– Don’t touch me with your dirty hands, queen of toilets and empress of hallways! Do you even know what a manicure is? Or did you really believe there could be something serious between us? – he said mockingly.
Natasha froze, as if struck by lightning. Her heart pounded, her head spun, and the pain in her temples became unbearable. She understood everything. Yes, this is exactly what she had thought – foolishly hoping for the impossible.
– How naïve you are! You’re scum, the pitiful daughter of a janitor! – Igor continued, turning to his friends who were watching the scene with sneers. – You should have seen how she was waving that rag, like doing kung-fu on the stairs! We just decided to have some fun, to play… It was clear that you were drooling over me. We thought you’d get it, that we’re not on the same path. Where are you, and where am I? Don’t even dream about a future! And you, Lyokha, give me five! I told you – she’ll throw herself at me…
Tears poured from Natasha’s eyes, burning her face and tearing her soul apart. It was a cynical joke, mockery. And she, the trusting fool, believed that she had managed to make him like her. How she got home, she couldn’t remember, but one thing was certain: she couldn’t continue studying at that university. It hurt too much to realize that those who had humiliated her were laughing behind her back and hurling insults.
Sveta tried to convince her not to withdraw from the university, but the decision had been made. Aunt Marina supported her choice, though she voiced her opinion about the “puppet masters.”
– I will always support you, my dear, – she said. – Whatever you decide. Although, personally, I’d break their backs – to let them know how dangerous it is to play with people’s feelings.
– No need… Let God punish them… And I’ll manage, even without a degree, – Natasha replied. – I just can’t bear their laughter.
She was grateful to her guardian for the support and understanding. Soon, Natasha found a job in an office. Of course, with an incomplete education, she couldn’t become an economist, but they offered her a manager position with a chance for career growth.
Natasha worked so hard that just a few months later, she received her first promotion. Over time, the owner of the company, Andrei, began to show interest in her. He was a successful and attractive man, and he courted her in a reserved and tactful manner. Despite the deep emotional scars, Natasha gradually started to trust him and allowed him to invite her on a date.
Their relationship developed slowly. There wasn’t fiery passion or dizzying emotions that usually ended in pain. Natasha loved Andrei with all her heart, and he confessed that he had fallen in love with her at first sight but hesitated for a long time before deciding to confess. He watched her, trying to understand if her feelings were genuine, and only then did he begin to act.
A year later, they got married, and four years after that, Natasha, after passing tests and improving her qualifications, became the director of one of Andrei’s subsidiary companies. They had enough money for her to take maternity leave, and Natasha often thought about having children. Aunt Marina promised to help, although she firmly refused to accept money from her foster child.
– I clean floors, and my figure is stunning! And if I stop moving, I’ll fall off! – she would say. – When you have grandkids, then I’ll quit this job and take care of them.
One day, a new economist came to the company. His simple clothes, bought at the market, sharply contrasted with the image Natasha remembered. It was Igor. She had heard from Sveta that his father had left the family for a young mistress, but she hadn’t expected to see him here.
Igor recognized her too. It was clear from his frightened look when he handed her his resume.
– I didn’t expect you’d rise from a cleaner to a director, – he muttered.
– Well, now we’ve switched places, – Natasha smiled.
She quickly scanned his resume and noted that he had little real work experience. Therefore, he wasn’t suitable for the economist position.
– You understand, there’s not enough experience. I need professionals. And you, as we know, skipped most of the classes. I can offer you a manager position with the potential for growth, but not soon… That’s your ceiling.
Igor didn’t dare to argue. After many interviews and rejections, this offer seemed like the best he could get.
– Thank you… And I’m sorry for that joke. I was foolish to do that with the guys. I regretted it later. Thank you for giving me a chance.
Natasha understood perfectly that Igor was lying. His words were just an attempt to get a job.
– If there are mistakes, find another job. I need responsible people. I’ve long forgotten the past because I don’t take it personally.
Igor nodded and, thanking her again, went to complete the paperwork. Inside, he felt a bitter realization. He had humiliated a person, and now he was in a similar situation. Now, he had to go around companies looking for clients, or else he would risk losing his job again. Only now did Igor realize how disgusting he had behaved in the past. Now he wanted to become a better person, hoping that even if he succeeded, he would never return to the person he used to be.