“I understand. Every day feels like sitting on a powder keg,” Van tried to joke.
“Exactly,” she nodded, her voice devoid of laughter.
Sophia looked at him with her sapphire eyes, and Constantin noted that he had never seen such a shade before. They seemed to glow from within, giving her irises a vibrant brightness.
“But since we’ve run into each other, maybe we could take a walk?”
“Constantin!” the guys called out to him, interrupting the moment.
“Are your friends?” Sophia nodded toward the approaching guys.
“More like acquaintances. Let me introduce you to them.”
He stood up and gestured to the guys who had come over.
“This is Max, my old friend. And these are Albert and Denis. We just met today.”
“Not only did you buy yourself such a badass bike, but you also kept a beautiful girl hidden!” Albert exclaimed, shaking Sophia's hand warmly.
Something stirred inside Constantin.
“Nice to meet you,” she nodded. “I didn’t know you ride a motorcycle, too.”
“I don’t like to brag. Besides, it’s more of an occasional pastime than an everyday thing.”
“You’re downplaying your achievements,” Max waved him off. “In reality, he’s been saving diligently for his “steed.” This bike is a symbol of his determination. If Van wants something, he’ll put in maximum effort to get it.”
“Okay, enough,” Constantin said. “Guys, if you don’t mind, we’re going to take a walk.”
“Actually, it’s getting late,” Sophia glanced at her watch. “I’d like to get myself in shape before the weekend. But we’ll definitely call tomorrow and come up with something. Is that okay?”
Constantin looked at her, not hiding his disappointment, while the guys whistled suggestively. Or maybe it was Albert.
“Yeah, of course. Need a ride?”
“I drove here, thanks. So, we’ll stay in touch. Bye, guys. Have fun!”
Sophia walked down the promenade, leaving him to watch her go. Every time he thought he could spend a little more time with her, she slipped away.
“She’s a bombshell,” Albert said.
“Don’t be jealous,” Denis smirked and continued passionately talking about the fast ride with his friend.
Constantin wasn't listening to them. All evening he was troubled by his meeting with Sophia.
"Why did she look so exhausted? Is it really just work, or is something else bothering her?"
Returning to the studio, he thoughtfully started mixing paints. He tried to get the right proportions to achieve that very color, like her bottomless, large eyes.