New Year...

it's time for holidays, decorations, all sorts of congratulations and, of course, where without a grandfather in a red hat, who distributes gifts to everyone. 

In the moment, we do not feel how fast time is passing, days, months, and years are passing... But this year seemed to me somehow... special.

I successfully graduated from school... almost. I was able to enroll in the university I was interested in, and even met a girl... Yes, yes, it's real, I checked.

In general, it seemed that everything was going on as usual, until it came... However, you'll see for yourself now...

***

The alarm clock was ringing almost the entire small room, and white light was shining from the half-closed windows. Things were scattered all over the room: socks and jeans lay on the floor, a T-shirt was turned out on a chair, a sweater was on the closet door, and a briefcase was on the table next to a closed laptop and headphones.

On the right side of the room, next to the bedside table, there was a bed with a red-haired guy, and the alarm clock was still on the bedside table.

Soon, a woman's voice came through the closed door.

— Vi-ic! Get up, you're going to be late.

The answer came through the pillow.

— I'm getting up, I'm getting up.

Then, groping for the alarm clock on the bedside table, the boy turned it off.

Sighing tiredly, sitting up and yawning, the boy finally looked out the window.

Getting up and putting on a T-shirt and shorts, Vasya looked out the window again.

The first snow lay on the street, which covered the yard, the road and even remained on the trees.

The kid spoke sleepily.

— Yes... winter... I'm lucky to have a second pair.

After that, he turned over the calendar and left the room. The date "December 1st" was visible on the calendar.

After breakfast, Vic threw on his coat, took his briefcase and went to the university. The empty streets were filled with the first snow. Even though such precipitation was rare for a small town, it was not particularly surprising for the hero, but rather depressing. 

As he walked past the shops, he looked at all the decorations with a frown.

— Winter hasn't come yet, and they've already hung up their tinsel...

He said aloud on the threshold of the hypermarket. 

Passing by the shelves with Christmas toys and decorations, he picked up the first loaf in the bakery department. After that, I stood for about 20 minutes and chose a drink.

"So, the choice was reduced to three options: orange soda, fruit yogurt and cola... Soda is expensive, yogurt is too sweet, and cola..."

As a result, Victor took iced tea. 

While waiting in line at the checkout, Vasya noticed a new saleswoman about 40 years old. When it was his turn, he laid out a bun with tea and asked.

— Do you know the grandmother who worked before you?

— Oh, Mary Claussen? I know, I know she's taken the day off so far, maybe she'll be out at the end of the month.

— I see...

The guy paid and went towards the university. An hour later, he was already stubbornly steaming.

So much so that I fell asleep after 10 minutes of it starting. 

About halfway through the couple, his neighbor wakes him up with the words.

— Vic... All right... Vic, holy shit!

After shaking, the guy still woke up and, still lying on the desk, looked at his friend, and he said.

— Vic, answer Liz, otherwise she's already buzzing all ears!

Listlessly, Vic took out his phone and looked at the messages.

— Indeed... Why didn't you wake me up earlier?

— I snored myself, but am I to blame?

— And who said: "Well, let's have another party, I haven't finished the magician yet..."

— So you've been playing the rascal yourself for how long and you've been trying to steal the crown...

A voice was heard from afar.

— Can I be quiet, please? We have a lecture here!

Vic opened a chat with Liz.

***

Missed video call.**

Missed audio call.**

[L] - Urgently, write as soon as you are free.

[V] - I'm on a date, what happened?

[L] - Anyway, let's give each other gifts for the new year? I know you don't like all this tinsel, but admit it, it's nice to get a present :)

[V] - Well, what do you suggest?

[L] - Hehe, but I won't tell you, and you don't think for a long time either, but I don't need anything expensive, but I'll be glad of the good more than the bad.

[L] - Okay, come on, I have to go, I'm going to have an exam now.

[V] - Good luck...

***

Vic sighed. During the break, the boy ate a bun and washed it down with tea, and Roman, the same neighbor from the desk, eating shawarma, asked.

— Well, what? Did you have a fight?

— No, we were just discussing gifts.

— Oh, will you give it to me? 

— If only a bun in the canteen.

— Two...

— You and one will be fat.

— Oh, and I've prepared such a gift for you, you'll have to throw it away...

— It's a pity... So give it to someone else, since you tried.

— So he's special, you can't give him to anyone.

— Well, okay, okay, I'll watch something for you.

— That's settled, and if you don't have any ideas what to give Liz, then contact her.

— Do you think that I don't know how to make gifts at all?

— Well... yeah.

Vic looked at Roman with a stony face. Roman smiled, slapped his friend on the shoulder and said.

— But don't worry, everything will be in the best possible way and maybe they won't even beat them up like last time.

— How was I supposed to know that carnations should not be given?

— Yes, everyone knows that... Oh, there's a lot of work to do. On the weekend we go out to look, at

The same time we go somewhere, and there I looked at such cubes ...

A few days later, Roman and Vic packed up and went to the mall. After going through a lot of boutiques and looking at a bunch of options, Vic still chose a gift.

After that, they stopped at the food court. Vic looked at the gift bag while Roman was choosing what to eat for them. Vic was talking.

— Will she really like it?

— Of course, it's just a pity that the cubes were disassembled, they were so cool ...

Vic continued to stare into the bag. Roman spoke.

— By the way, are you in a combo, will you take a juice or a Coke for a drink?

— Juice. I've never drunk Coke...

— What?! Have you ever drunk Coke?! Well, you're a man...

he shouted so loudly that people around him began to look around. Vic whispered.

— Hey, don't yell like that, people are watching.

— Let them look and see a man who has never tasted Coke in his life!

— Yes, that's it, calm down already. Let me order it myself.

After 10 minutes, they were both sitting at the table and having lunch.

Roman spoke.

— I took the juice anyway.

— I will not change the traditions.

— I'll persuade you to try it somehow.

— It doesn't hurt to dream.

The next day, December 7, Vic got up early and noticed that his mother was going somewhere.

— Mom, where are you going?

— I'll run to work quickly, I'll be back for lunch somewhere, but in the meantime you can decorate the house, I've cooked it in the pantry.

— Will try

Mom slammed the door shut, locking it with the key. Vic, having walked along the corridor, opened the pantry door and saw boxes with garlands and Christmas tree toys prepared, and the tree itself was disassembled, in another, larger box.

Vic dragged them all into the living room and took them out of the boxes one by one. After laying out the jewelry on the floor, he began to unwrap it. It took about an hour for Vic to untie, disconnect, and somewhere even glue tinsel with garlands.

Having hung them on the windows in a not very direct way, he looked closely, spat and spoke.

— And so it will do...

Then it was the turn of the Christmas tree. With a sigh, Vasya rewrote the parts of the artificial Christmas tree and began to assemble it. It didn't work out the first time, and it turned out that the wide part was at the top, and the narrow part was at the bottom. The second time, the branches got completely mixed up and the tree looked like an ugly oak tree. On the third attempt, the metal barrel completely unscrewed and the whole structure fell apart.

Vic buried his face in the floor.

— Why would I do that?

Eventually, he took the instructions out of the box and, with a sigh, screwed the screw onto the barrel stand. 

Finally, having assembled the Christmas tree, Vic returned to the pantry for toys. After blowing the dust off the box, he checked their condition and, after making sure of their integrity, returned to the living room.

Vic hung up the toys, threw on tinsel and a garland and was ready to exhale, but then he noticed a star lying in the box. After examining it, he hung it on the very top of the tree, but it rolled off and almost fell, then Vic tried again, but from a different angle, but this time it fell off.

Vic wanted to try again, but thought about it and rechecked the box for instructions. He shook the box over his head, and a piece of paper fell out. Picking it up from the floor, it turned out to be a coupon for a 25% discount on cold drinks. After putting the coupon in his pocket, Vic looked at the tree again, then at the star, then back at the tree, then back at the star and, throwing it under the tree, said.

— Well, to hell with it...

Having connected the garlands to the network, Vasya took up the remote control with a spirit.

Exhaling deeply, he pressed the button.

And the garlands on the windows and the Christmas tree lit up. But after a moment, they immediately closed in turn and burned out. Vasya grabbed his hair and shouted.

— Oh, fuck you!..

At that moment, his phone buzzed and, gritting his teeth, he answered.

 — Liz? Hello...

— ...

— How are you? It's just wonderful! Here, I'm decorating the house, decorating the Christmas tree...

— ...

— No, no, you're not distracting at all.

— ...

— Going for a walk? Of course I'm free... I'll pick you up at 6...

— ...

— Bye. Good luck to you too...

Vic lowered his arms and head and took a deep breath.

At that moment, the doorbell rang and a voice was heard.

— Hey, will you open the door? 

Vic lifted his head and gathered air into his lungs

— I'm coming...

I'm coming... evening came, Vic went outside and looked at the starry sky. The boy walked towards Liz's house. On the street, he occasionally looked at decorated houses. Vic was approaching Liz's gate. Stumbling and almost falling, Vic spat on a snowdrift. Then, coming close to the gate, he slipped and fell in front of the gate.

He looked up at the starry sky with tired eyes. Suddenly, a girl turned upside down in front of his face, with words.

— Vic, what are you doing here?

— I'm waiting for you...

Liz helped Vic up and together they went to the embankment. Passing by the railing, the kid asked.

— Well... Did you want to discuss something, or are we just going for a walk?

Liz pouted.

— You're always like this! You think I just can't invite you for a walk for no reason... But today there is a reason, so I forgive you.

— Mgm... And-and-and?

— I can't find a present ...

Vic breathed a sigh of relief.

— That's it? I thought it was serious...

— This is very serious! And if you don't like it?

— I'll like everything...

— But no! You're always sullen, probably someone gave you a bad gift for the New Year.

Vic turned pale and, leaning against the railing, peered into the water. Liz hugged his hand and spoke softly.

— I'm sorry, please! I didn't mean to offend you...

— It's okay...

— I can see that it's not. Just don't be sad and everything will be fine... Do you want a hot dog? I'll get it right away.

— Yes, don't...

— I'm already running!..

Vic sighed.

— Stupid New Year's Eve...

Liz went to the mobile stall and while looking at the menu, noticed Roman, who was also choosing what to order.

— Oh! The capital of Italy!

— Oh! The Queen of Britain!

The cam.

They clashed with their fists. Roman asked.

— What kind of loot did you come for?

— Yeah, I was really sad. And you?

— Yes, we are also suffering from hunger. 

The seller, holding out a cardboard bag and two glasses, spoke.

— Your order, two hot dogs and two chocolates, bon appetit.

Liz asked.

— That's right! Drink! What does Vic like?

Roman took the order and said.=

— Hmm... I don't know, but it's definitely not a Coke.

— And why?

— He said that he had never drunk.

— I see... Okay, bye.

Roman left, and Liz spoke.

— You can have two hot dogs, two chocolates and... a can of Coke.

A few minutes later, Liz approached the still sullen Vic, who saw the order and asked.

— And why the chocolate?

— To keep warm.

— If you're cold, that's what I'd say. Let's go before it freezes.

— No, I want to be here.

— good... At least let's go... At least there are chairs in that cafe over there.

— Well, let's go...

Vic and Liz in jackets went into a cafe and sat down by the window. 

— So what about the gift?

— And... here...

Liz took out a piece of paper with a list from her bag. Vic took the list and spoke.

— Of course, I'm not an expert, but is it like a surprise gift or not?

— Don't worry, there are only gift themes, not the gifts themselves.

Vic looked at the list.

"So, what do we have here?

 Clothes – I don't want

Electronics – it's too expensive, I don't want to ruin it,

Anime – early,

Office – I have a pen.

Accessory - is a more or less

Soft toy – hmm... Does he want to steal my idea?

Vic looked at Liz, who was drinking chocolate and had a foam moustache.

The girl, unperturbed, asked.

— What? Is the handwriting unclear?

Vic, barely able to contain his laughter, said.

— That's it... normal... Some kind of accessory will do...

— Okay.

Liz put away the list and wiped herself with a napkin. She opened a can of Coke and held it defiantly in her hands.

Vic looked out the window.

— I can't understand where everyone is fussing about?

— "The holiday is coming to us."

— What's that? From the truck commercial?

— Yeah.

At that moment, a light snow began to fall outside. Vic spoke.

— It's necessary to wrap up, I don't like to make my way home in a blizzard.

— let's go.

Vic saw Liz off, and he slowly went home. Completely oblivious to the falling snow and snowdrifts, he made his way through the streets.

When he was almost home, he only pulled the gate a little, slipped and fell again with a sigh.

—Ehh... Fu....