Anton Skovorodnikov sat on the sagging sofa in his tiny one-room apartment. The room was filled with old books, textbooks and all sorts of junk that he had collected over the years. A single light bulb on the ceiling blinked, as if hinting that it would soon burn out, leaving him in semi-darkness. Outside the window, the gray sky of Ivanovo looked at him sullenly, as if doing everything possible to depress the student even more.
Anton sighed deeply. Everything in life seemed boring, routine and aimless. Neither friends, nor rare forays to study, nor even computer games brought joy anymore. His gaze accidentally stopped on the old TV, on which there had been nothing interesting for a long time.
"Well, at least I'll watch a movie", he muttered under his breath and began clicking on the old remote control, flipping through the lists of films on pirated online viewing sites.
Anton wasn't looking for anything specific, he was just looking for something that would brighten up his evening. At some point, his gaze caught on a promising title – "Omen IV: The Awakening". Remembering that he had liked the film "Orphan" a long time ago, he decided that perhaps he had come across a movie that could pull him out of boredom.
"Why not? Horror movies always go down well".
He poured himself the last of the cheap soda and pressed play. The film began with the typical scenes of dark omens, mysterious prophecies and strange children, but after a few minutes Anton's attention was suddenly riveted by one of the actresses who played the main role – a little girl named Delia York. Her gaze, her charisma – they instantly captured him. The further the film went, the more Anton became fascinated not by the plot, but by the actress. He stopped noticing the absurdities of the plot, his mind was occupied with something else. When the film ended, he sat staring at the screen, feeling something click inside him.
"Who is she?" Anton stretched sweetly. "We need to see".
With these words, he quickly went to his laptop, still full of emotions after watching the film. The image of the actress who played Delia York and left him in complete delight did not subside in his head. He launched the browser, and with hands shaking with excitement, began to search for information about the mysterious star. In the Google search bar, he typed the name of the film and, noticing the link to KinoPoisk (Russian analogue of IMDb), quickly clicked on it. The film page appeared on the screen, and Anton headed to the list of actors, which was on the right.
His gaze was immediately drawn to a photo of a smiling girl. Under it was written: "Asia Vieira as Delia York". His heart beat faster when he clicked on her name. A page with information about her opened in front of him: 42 years old, lives in Toronto, Canada. At first glance, her filmography did not look very extensive, but this only added to her mystery. The list included several low-budget films, episodes in famous TV series, and even theater productions.
Anton immersed himself in studying her portfolio, absorbing every detail. He read about her roles with interest, looked at her photos, and carefully studied her biography. All this aroused in him more and more admiration. Every line of information, every detail of her career only fueled his desire to get to know her better. In his head, he had already begun to make plans on how to get closer to this amazing woman and, perhaps, win her heart.
"Toronto, Canada"... he thoughtfully repeated these words to himself, looking at her photographs. "How far away you are... And how beautiful you are!"
The more information he found, the more he was captivated by this woman. Her eyes caught his attention – full of mystery and fire. He scrolled through her Official Facebook Group, immersing himself in every detail of her life: every post, every photo – all of this became a source of new inspiration for him. He closed Facebook and began to search for old interviews with her and articles about the films in which she starred, to find out how she started her career, what projects she had. All of this was created in Anton's head into an amazing and almost mystical image. Gradually, an idea was born in his head, which at first seemed incredible. But with each passing minute it became more and more attractive and convincing.
"I have to see her in person. I have to go to Canada", he said out loud, not believing his own words.
Anton leaned back on the couch, and for the first time in weeks, he felt like his life had a purpose. His mind was spinning with thoughts about the upcoming trip, the opportunities it would open up, and how his dream could become a reality. Yes, it sounded ridiculous, crazy, almost impossible, but in his heart there was a growing confidence that he could make it happen.
The next day, as the morning sun was breaking through the curtains and illuminating his room with a soft light, Anton slowly woke up. He stretched, turned off the alarm, and, still a little blurry, went to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. As he toasted some bread and poured himself a cup of coffee, his thoughts were focused on what had happened the day before. His passion for the Canadian actress had not left him alone, and, inspired by his decision to go to Toronto, he was about to take the next important step. Breakfast was ready, but Anton's appetite had disappeared. He sat at the table, looking at the phone that lay in front of him. Every time he was about to dial his father's number, his hand hesitated. Andrey Anatolyevich was not the kind of person who happily supported his son's ideas, especially if they seemed frivolous or went beyond the ordinary. Too often, Anton had encountered his skepticism and mistrust, especially when it came to his dreams and ambitions.
However, this time, something inside Anton was pushing him to talk. Deep down, he felt that this was not just another whim, but a real opportunity that could change his life. He had already made a decision: he would go to Canada to meet Asia Vieira, and he knew that this would not be just an adventure, but a step towards something greater. Anton put the phone down and took another sip of coffee. He stood up, collected his thoughts, and, deciding that it was time to stop thinking, headed for the phone. All that was left was to figure out how best to tell his father about this decision, how to prepare him for this news and, perhaps, get the support he was waiting for. The words he was going to say were already ringing in Anton's head, and despite his inner uncertainty, he was ready to take this important step.
Anton dialed the number and, waiting for an answer, listened to the sounds of long beeps. Each "beep, beep" seemed like an eternity to him. Finally, the phone was picked up, and his father's voice sounded with a clear hint of displeasure, as if he had been suddenly awakened.
"What do you want, Anton?" Andrey Anatolyevich's voice was heavy with sleep and irritation.
"Dad, I just... Wanted to tell you something", Anton began, his voice shaking with excitement, feeling a lump forming in his throat.
"Well, go ahead", his father responded, his tired sigh clearly audible in the receiver. "What is it this time?"
Anton hesitated, peering into the endless whiteness of his room's walls, as if inspiration could be hidden there. Finally, gathering his courage, he said decisively:
"I watched a movie yesterday and... Well, I fell in love. With an actress. Her name is Asia Vieira, she's from Toronto. I'm thinking of going there to meet her".
There was a brief but intense noise on the other side of the line, and his father's voice changed abruptly, becoming harsh and tense.
"What?", Andrey Anatolyevich suddenly perked up. "Are you serious? Are you calling me to tell me that you fell in love with some Yankee beauty from a movie?"
"She's from Canada", Anton corrected his father, feeling everything inside him shrink.
"Canada, America, all the same Yankee!", his father was indignant. "Are you completely crazy? Do you understand what you're saying? You're 25 years old, you're a student, you live in a one-room apartment, you can't find a normal job, and now you suddenly decided to go to Canada?", his father's voice became more and more indignant and shrill. "Do you even know how much a ticket costs, and a visa, by the way? Where did you get the money from, you dreamer?"
Anton swallowed. Various thoughts flashed in his head, but the desire to explain disappeared under the onslaught of his father's grumbling. And visas, money... It all suddenly seemed even more complicated than he thought.
"Dad, you just don't understand", he began, his voice shaking with excitement and despair. "I just"...
But at that moment, another voice suddenly intervened in the conversation.
"Fell in love with an actress!" the voice of Albina, Anton's younger sister, sounded sarcastically from the receiver. She had clearly been eavesdropping on the conversation and did not hide her mockery. "This is something new, brother. I hope she at least knows about your existence?"
Anton was shocked that his sister had intervened in their purely male conversation. He froze, not knowing what to say to her jibes. It seemed to him that now this topic had become even more absurd and funny.
"Listen, if you've decided to conquer Hollywood... Oh, sorry, Toronto", Albina continued mockingly, her laughter clearly audible in the receiver, "then don't forget to make yourself a T-shirt with her portrait. It will definitely help you win her heart!"
Anton rolled his eyes, trying to ignore her sarcasm. He understood that the conversation with his father was already going badly, and now his sister was adding fuel to the fire.
"Albina, stop it", he tried to stop her teasing. "This is serious".
But Albina seemed to have only just warmed up:
"Come on, bro. Of course, I know that this is all madness, but if you've already decided so – what can you do! Maybe you'll even manage to find her, confess your love, and she'll leave her successful career for a student from Ivanovo. Who knows, anything can happen in fairy tales!"
Her ironic jibes only spurred him on, and her mockery made his determination even stronger. A real fire flared up inside him, and he suddenly realized that he would not back down, despite all the doubts and mockery.
"And you know what, little sister? I'll do it. You're laughing, but I'm really going to do it. And when I get there, you'll remember my words".
Albina snorted briefly, her laughter in the receiver was heard with special mockery.
"Well, good luck to you. I hope that by that time you'll at least have something to pay for the ticket with".
Anton clenched his teeth, suppressing his irritation and stubbornness, but did not say a word. He was sure that if he really decided to go all the way, he would be able to do it, despite the ridicule. He quickly said goodbye, hung up and headed to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he found a can of energy drink – the only thing that helped him cope with the fatigue after sleepless nights. Opening it with a loud hiss, he took a sip, staring at the fog outside the window.
"Well", he said under his breath, "now I'll definitely do it".
Anton took another sip of energy drink and felt a wave of cheerfulness roll through his body. Thoughts about Asia Vieira were spinning in his head more and more. He understood that this was not just an obsession, but his destiny. He needed to meet her, he needed to be near her, no matter what it took.
"Okay, enough dreaming", he said to himself. "Time to act".
Anton sat down at his laptop, determined to find out how to get a Canadian visa. He started searching for information on the Internet, and soon realized that it was not an easy task. The first thing he noticed was the need for a significant amount of money in the bank account. Canada required proof of financial solvency to ensure that he could cover all expenses during his stay. In addition, he had to provide evidence of the purpose of the trip, which meant preparing documents and explanations. The visa itself was also an expensive and time-consuming process. And let's not forget about the plane ticket – another considerable expense!
Every step seemed like a new obstacle on the way to his dream, and all this information could break anyone who was not determined. But Anton did not give in to despondency. Despite the mountain of problems and difficulties, he was determined. He already had a plan in his head, and each new obstacle only strengthened his determination to overcome them all. A fire was burning inside him, pushing him to action, and he knew that despite all the difficulties, he would overcome them for the sake of his goal.
"I have no money", he reasoned, taking another sip of energy drink. "So I need to earn money".
Anton decided to act, and his plan was simple, but it required persistence. He knew that the first step towards his dream would be saving up money for a visa and a ticket. The Internet was full of ads for temporary jobs, and he plunged into the search with complete determination. From the very morning of the next day, he began to implement his plan. The first job he found was far from luxurious: he was required to be a loader at one of the local warehouses. The shift began early, and Anton, putting on worn gloves, got to work. He lifted heavy boxes with difficulty, dragging them around the warehouse. The work was physically exhausting, and each lift of the box seemed harder. But his every move was accompanied by an internal reminder:
"All for Asia", he repeated to himself like a mantra, during every difficult minute.
A few weeks passed, and the work in the warehouse, although it brought a stable income, became a real test. Routine tasks and constant fatigue began to push Anton to look for more flexible part-time work. He was lucky to find a new opportunity – distributing flyers at a local shopping center.