The next day, Anton Skovorodnikov came to the charity early in the morning, feeling that this day would be decisive. He took his uniform and changed into a dark blue apron and a white shirt. After that, he was directed to the hall where the event was starting. The hall was decorated with exquisite taste: white tablecloths on the tables, vases with flowers and soft light from the chandeliers created a festive atmosphere. Anton needed to fit into this atmosphere and quickly get used to it. From the first minutes of work, he realized that there would be many tasks: the waiters had to not only bring drinks and snacks, but also quickly respond to the guests' requests.
"Hey, man, we need another glass of champagne!" one of the guests shouted.
"Yeah, sure!" Anton replied, running headlong into the kitchen.
When he returned to the hall again, he saw how the guests were starting to fill the seats. And then his gaze fell on a figure that seemed to glow among the others. Asia Vieira walked into the room, dressed in an elegant evening gown. Her dark hair was perfectly styled, and her posture and grace attracted the attention of everyone present. Anton felt his heart beat faster.
"Oh my God, it's her!" he thought. "Asia Vieira. Live!"
Anton hesitated a little, holding the tray with drinks. His hands began to shake, and he felt excitement rising in his chest. He knew that this was his chance, but then he saw the old man accompanying her. He was in a dark suit, with a tired face and a serious expression. He was clearly an important person in her life.
"Why is it always like this?" Anton thought, watching them. "Someone is always interfering".
Anton forced himself to tear himself away from watching and continued to perform his duties. Trying not to let his emotions get the better of him, he ran around the room, carrying drinks and snacks. His every move was filled with determination and tension. He tried his best to concentrate on his work, keeping an eye on the table where Asia sat.
"You just have to do your job", he whispered to himself, "and not pay attention to the fact that she's accompanied by this old man".
He passed the table again and again, trying to be attentive and professional. Every now and then his gaze would slip back to Asia Vieira. He would catch her eye and smile, but quickly look away so as not to seem intrusive. One day, as he passed their table, he accidentally bumped into a wire, and his drink almost fell. He grabbed it, stopping it from falling, and began apologizing to the guests:
"Sorry, it was me", he said, blushing. "Are you okay?"
The employee working the counter noticed his confusion and approached:
"Anton, are you okay? You seem a little worried".
"Everything is fine, just a little overwhelmed", he replied, trying to hide his emotions.
Everything continued in the same vein, and the day went on in an endless stream of orders and interactions. Anton managed to do everything that was required of him, but thoughts about how to approach Asia Vieira did not leave his head. He dreamed of the opportunity to talk to her, but so far his work obligations did not leave time for this. The work was difficult, but Anton felt that this was only the beginning. Deep down, he continued to hope that soon there would be an opportunity to communicate with Asia Vieira, and that his efforts would be rewarded. Every glance at her was like a small reward, adding motivation and energy for the next stage of his difficult path. Anton Skovorodnikov, stubbornly fulfilling his duties at the event, continued to observe Asia Vieira and her companion. During the evening, he noticed that this old man who accompanied the actress was not only her companion, but also something more. At some point, passing by their table, Anton overheard a conversation in which someone mentioned the name Jorge Montesi. He was wary when he learned that this old man was the famous director and sponsor of Asia Vieira. This revelation was like a blow to the head. Anton felt that this was his chance. If anyone could help him meet Asia Vieira, it was Jorge Montesi.
"This is Jorge Montesi", Anton thought, trying to remember everything he knew about this man. "If I can explain everything to this man, maybe he will somehow help me?"
All that was in Anton's head at that moment was the thought that he had to somehow approach Asia and tell her about his feelings. He was so absorbed in this that he forgot about his role as a waiter and how important it was to maintain professionalism. Already quite tired from the constant running around, he again found himself next to the table where Asia Vieira and Jorge Montesi were sitting. This evening had been a series of intense emotions for him, but he could not get rid of the thought that this was his last chance. Following his impulse, he decided to approach the table.
As Anton approached, his heart began to beat faster. Nervously pulling his apron up, he took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts, and said:
"Excuse me, Asia", he began, ignoring the old man's expression, "I know this may seem strange, but I just can't keep quiet. I'm from another country and I came here only for you. I... I fell in love with you at first sight. You are like a light in the darkness for me".
Asia Vieira froze, her face changing from surprise and confusion. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out.
"Um, I"... she said, her voice shaking, "this is very unexpected"...
At that moment, Jorge Montesi stood up abruptly, his face distorted with anger. He grabbed Asia by the arm and began to lead her away.
"You're violating privacy!" Jorge barked, his voice full of rage. "This is absolutely unacceptable!"
He looked at Anton with disdain, his eyes flashing with indignation.
"I heard your accent. You're Russian, right? Russians don't belong here! If you don't get out of here right now, I'm calling the police!"
Anton was dumbfounded. He watched as Jorge, holding Asia's hand tightly, led her quickly towards the exit. Asia gave him one last look, full of confusion and regret, before disappearing through the door. Anton stood in the center of the room, feeling his throat tighten with shame. He was shocked that his attempt to express his feelings had turned into such a disgrace. At that moment, the organizers of the event approached him. Their faces expressed anger and impatience.
"Anton, what the hell!" one of them said, not hiding his irritation. "Lazy fatso! We are not here to act out! Next time you behave like this, you will be fired immediately!"
Another organizer, joining his colleague, added:
"Hold me, seven of you! You just ruined our entire evening! Now stop it! Get back to work and don't do anything stupid again!"
Anton felt empty and confused. Jorge's words were still ringing in his head and he could not shake off the feeling of deep disappointment. Boiling with anger and shame, he stormed out of the hall without waiting for the event to end. He ran out into the street and, leaving everything behind, decided not to go back to work. All he needed now was to find Asia Vieira as soon as possible and explain himself. It seemed to him that he had no more time and he had to catch up with her at any cost.
After running away from the event, Anton felt his heart freeze with anger and shame. Coming to his senses, he decided that he needed to take decisive action. Emotions raged inside him: how could he have behaved so stupidly and awkwardly? He abandoned his naive dreams and rushed after Asia Vieira, hoping that not all was lost. Anton walked quickly towards the street, trying to keep in his mind the images he had seen in the hall. He knew that Jorge Montesi and Asia could have left, and he needed to act quickly. His attention was drawn to a dark car that had just pulled out of the parking lot next to the event. He noticed that this was the exact car that Asia and Jorge could have been in.
Without thinking twice, Anton began to run after the car. His legs were tired from long runs around the city, but now he was ready for anything. He confidently followed the car, not paying attention to the cold wind cutting through his suit. At the same time, thoughts came to him about how ridiculous he looked and how badly this could end, but he drove them away.
"Stop, stop!" Anton shouted, trying to be heard, but because of the noise of the road and the engine, his voice was lost.
The car was moving at a decent speed, and Anton, as best he could, tried to keep up with it. After a few minutes of chasing, he noticed that the car began to slow down. This was his chance! With every meter he got closer to it, and soon he managed to make out the figure of Jorge Montesi in the window. Asia was not visible at that moment. When the car stopped at a traffic light, Anton ran up to it. He knocked on the window, and Jorge, seeing him, frowned.
"Sorry", Anton began, catching his breath, "I just want to talk to Asia. Please, give me a chance to explain myself".
Jorge Montesi raised his eyebrows and glanced at Anton and replied:
"What the hell are you doing? Where did you even come from?" His voice was full of displeasure and contempt. "You're violating all boundaries!"
As Jorge spoke, Anton noticed that Asia Vieira was sitting in the backseat of the car. Her face was filled with surprise and confusion. She leaned forward to try to see what was going on.
"Asia, please, I want to talk to you!" Anton continued, trying to ignore Jorge.
Jorge, still displeased, looked out the window and noticed the reaction of the driver and the other people who began to look at them curiously.
"Are you crazy?" he continued, turning to Anton. "You're violating personal space. I can call the police right now!"
Anton felt panic creeping up on him. He knew that there was no point in continuing this conversation here. He first looked at Asia, her gaze full of confusion and regret, then turned back to Jorge, who was about to do something drastic.
"Okay, I'll step back", Anton said, deciding that it was not worth continuing the conflict.
He stepped back, and Jorge, looking grim, gave the driver the command to move. The car moved smoothly, and Anton was left alone on the street again, watching as the car disappeared from sight. Left standing on the side of the road, Anton felt his throat dry up and his mind filled with emptiness. His attempt to explain himself had only led to more problems. There was no constructive plan left in his head, only despair. He slowly walked to the nearest metro to return to his temporary home. Time and energy were spent, and his dream seemed more and more distant. With the thought that many difficulties lay ahead, he realized that one of them was already waiting for him ahead – Jorge Montesi.
Anton Skovorodnikov sat in his temporary apartment, leaning back in his chair, feeling his head pound with fatigue and frustration. He had just experienced one of the most awkward moments of his life, and now that the emotions had subsided, he realized that he really needed help. He took out his phone and dialed Dmitry Vinogradov.
"Hello?" Dmitry's voice rang out, tired but with a hint of interest.
"Hello, Dmitry. It's Anton", Anton's voice was filled with confusion and despair. "I got into some trouble here. Things didn't go as planned".
"Oh, Skovant, glad to hear it", Dmitry, despite his tiredness, noticed the change in his friend's voice. "What happened?"
Anton took a deep breath, recalling recent events.
"So, I went to this event where Asia Vieira was supposed to be. It was terrible. I forgot that I was a waiter and started talking to Asia, confessing my feelings to her. In the end, her escort, Jorge Montesi, kicked me out and even threatened to call the police".
"Jorge Montesi?" Dmitry asked, surprised. "Yeah, he's a real old fart. But go on".
"I decided not to stay at the event and tried to follow Asia and Jorge, but it was useless", Anton continued with bitterness in his voice. "Now I don't know what to do. What chance do I have to fix this?"
Dmitry, despite being a little tired, began to think about the situation.
"Okay, Skovant. Look, I have an idea. Give me some time, I'll try to find out where Asia is now. Maybe I can find her address. Hold on, I'll call you soon".
"Thank you, Dmitry!" Anton was full of gratitude. "I was waiting for this. I know it's weird, but I can't stop until I achieve something".
Dmitry replied with a slight grin in his voice:
"Well, be prepared for more adventures to come. I'll call you soon".
Anton hung up and tried to relax, knowing that he had hope for help. He decided to wait impatiently for what Dmitry would give him. These moments of waiting were excruciating, but he hoped that soon he would have a new plan of action. Several hours passed before Dmitry got in touch again. His voice was full of confidence and professionalism.
"Listen, Skovant, I found her address! Right now, Asia is in a house on Van Gogh Street. I hacked the address database of this shitty town and found what you need! I think she is there, and most likely, you will be able to catch her alone! Take advantage of this chance".
"Thank you, Dmitry!" Anton exhaled, taking hold of his destiny again. "I'm heading there right away".