I clapped convulsively, feeling heat on my forehead and cheeks. It got painful for my eyes to see, my nose got stuffed. I didn't notice when I began sobbing, and I didn't want to.
While Sasha was leaving the stage, I ran into the restroom. I rubbed my eyes with tap water like crazy; they still kept their red. I only managed to rinse my nose.
I closed the restroom door and didn't have time to react, the birdie ran into me. She was already there. What an agile creature you are.
– Alexander Pavlovich! I heard you clapping. You clapped the loudest!
– Great job, Sasha. – I rubbed one eye, then the other.
– Why didn't you share it with me? – Sasha chuckled.
– Sasha, what do you mean?
– You wouldn't cry because of me playing. Be honest, what crimes against the law have you commited? Where does it grow? – She poked my shoulder with her bow.
I smiled silently and squeezed my stomach to let out a laugh. Sasha's face changed. Her crystal eyes now looked at me with a soldier's homesickness.
– No way, Alexander Pavlovich. Did you cry.
I didn't utter a single word. I didn't have the power to.
She put her occupied hands behind my back and got in my chest with her head.
– Listen and enjoy, but please, don't cry. I will play for you, but don't be sad. Everything's yet to come.
– Sasha, go and discuss the concert with your classmates, – I exhaled without any feelings. – I will go and get some fresh air.
– Okay. See you on the lesson. Until next time! – She played a tango ending jokingly. I smiled.
While taking my coat from the dressing room, I noticed a familiar yellow head from the window. From the head came smoke, strong and frequent. The listener stood in the street light shadow.
I ignored the lovely couple and went out of the school building. I decided to sit on the bench and smoke.
– Here you are! Why are you sitting in the cold? You could smoke next to the window, – Sasha rowed through snow with her boots.
– Oh, I didn't even notice, Sasha.
– Well, okay.
We watched the fading skies silently for a couple of minutes. I felt my nose getting red. First stars began waking up. We both had smoke coming out of our mouths – my smoke was from the tobacco, Sasha's from the cold.
– Alexander Pavlovich… – I turned my head with a dead cigarette goby in my teeth. – If you had a possibility to wish for anything, what would you ask for?