Worthy

"Bored... Bored... Bored. Maybe we should go to a bar?" Rita yawned as she addressed her friend Olya.

"What's there to do there?"

"What do you mean? Have fun!"

"Not in the mood."

"You've become so boring lately. Come on. I'll introduce you to someone."

"No, thank you. You've already introduced me a couple of times."

"Those don't count. This time I won't miss."

"I doubt it. And where did you even dig up those dimwits..."

"They're friends of my Dima."

"Maybe they're okay as friends, but useless as men. As soon as they got what they wanted, they immediately found other toys. I don't need such brats."

"You're right.

But this one is different."

"You won't leave me alone, will you?"

"Correct."

"Alright, Ritka, but this is the last attempt."

Olya didn't particularly like men... No, no... Not because she was a lesbian. It's just that the male essence was repulsive to her. Always demanding, insatiable, and arrogant males, driven solely by instincts. The girl herself was still young at 29 and veeery attractive. The male attention, which she had more than enough of, depressed her, which is why she tried to run away. Many considered her a bitch, especially after she bluntly sent another suitor packing.

But arguing with her friend was difficult, and she agreed to another introduction to once again prove to her that no one was her match or equal. Rita arranged the place and time for a meeting at the bar with her Dima and his work friend. Olya's goal wasn't to attract interested attention; on the contrary, so she didn't bother dressing up.

For her outfit, she chose skinny jeans, cropped at the ankles with zippers, a long button-down shirt with short sleeves in gray stripes, tucking one corner of the hem into the jeans, and gray closed-toe heels. Minimal makeup on her face, just accentuating her eyes with mascara and her lips with clear gloss. She and Rita arrived at the bar on this warm spring evening and headed to the table where the guys were already waiting. Olya sighed with displeasure and sat down at the table with everyone.

"Hi, girls. I want to introduce you. Olya, this is my work buddy Daniil. Dan, this is my Rita's friend Olya," Dima introduced them.

"Very nice to meet you, Olya," Daniil rose from his chair and extended his hand to her.

"Yes, thanks. Nice to meet you," she replied coldly and didn't bother to offer her hand in return. Daniil froze for a second in bewilderment and sat back down.

"Tell me, Olya, what do you do? I'd be interested to hear," Daniil asked politely, suppressing his momentary dislike from her coldness.

"Oh, nothing special."

"Come on!" Rita broke the moment of silence. "Our Olya is an excellent photographer. She even opens her own exhibitions."

"That's very interesting. I'd be interested to see the works," the guy continued trying to win her over.

"You can come to one of the exhibitions sometime," she offered disinterestedly.

"Really? But I thought... Well, okay. Let's all have a drink to a good evening," he suggested to somehow ease the awkwardness of the situation. Rita also tried to sweeten the conversation and talked about her friendship with Olya. Daniil looked at Olya and sadly understood that she couldn't care less about their meeting. At first glance and impression, he liked her immensely, but now he felt dislike and disgust towards her.

"Ol, what's wrong? Didn't you like him?" Rita whispered in her ear.

"He's definitely the same as all the others."

"Give him a chance."

"I won't even think about it. I have no desire to continue getting to know him further," Olya said this out loud, which everyone heard. Daniil was outraged and offended, stood up from his chair and wanted to leave, but Olya beat him to it.

"Excuse me," she only added and quickly walked away.

No desire to give men a single chance. Olya believed there was no man who could interest her. Daniil, although he was incredibly handsome, athletic, and rugged, that wasn't enough... Not enough...

***

"What was that last time?" Rita scolded her.

"Oh, leave me alone, all of you. I don't need anyone."

"He's a good guy. And you hurt him like that."

"Let him know his place. I'll be fine without any of them. What is there to talk about with these primitive beings? They're uninteresting and boring. You can't discuss substantial things with them."

"You're branding everyone, labeling everyone. But not everyone is like that. Don't tar everyone with the same brush."

"Don't introduce me to anyone."

"Fine. Have it your way. Be alone all your life."

"Why alone? What about you?"

"Well, I'm not going anywhere from you."

Rita was worried that she couldn't please her friend with guys, but there was nothing she could do. She doesn't want to let anyone near her, but that's not right. And Daniil really is a good guy. Her friend decided not to back down from her goal and achieve a result. The girl's acting foolish, saying she doesn't need anyone, you see. She does! She's almost thirty, and still being so picky.

***

"You haven't forgotten, Ol, that my birthday is tomorrow, have you?"

"Who do you take me for? How could I forget about you?!"

"We're celebrating at a restaurant. Be in all your glory at six in the evening on the spot."

"Well, for you and the occasion, I'll doll up a little, so be it."

And Olya really dressed up for the occasion by the next evening. A knee-length dress with long sleeves and an open back in dark gold, matching shoes. She straightened her medium-length hair with a flat iron, applied a small amount of makeup to her face. A taxi took her to the restaurant, and she entered. Rita and Dima greeted her and seated her at the table with a few more of her friend's guests. While Olya was congratulating Rita and handing over the gift, the voice of another just-arrived guest was heard. It was Daniil.

"Him? Why is he here?"

"I invited him. Quiet, don't be foolish. He's just for company. Don't be angry," Rita calmed her down and accepted congratulations from the new guest. Daniil cast a glance at Olya, but it wasn't the same finalizing glance from their last meeting, but a friendly and playful one. He nodded his head at her, to which she snorted and turned away in the other direction. The entire celebration at the table went on merrily, the guests chatted nicely among themselves. Olya didn't look in Daniil's direction for a second, which couldn't be said about him. He pierced her with his gaze, wanting to draw her attention to himself. Some guests, including Olya, left the restaurant hall and went outside for some fresh air. Rita winked at Daniil and gestured with her head towards the exit.

He nodded his head and went outside, started looking for her with his eyes. She was standing and chatting with a group of girls, noticing him, she turned away again. Daniil lit a cigarette and watched her from nearby. Half the people went back into the hall, and Olya continued talking with an acquaintance. With her back, she felt his gaze, decided she needed to play on his nerves further. Her goal was to drive him away from herself and cause irritation.

She asked an acquaintance for a cigarette and put it between her lips. She didn't smoke, but she needed to provoke his irritation towards her. The acquaintance left, and Olya realized she forgot to ask her for a lighter. Daniil approached her and offered his help. He lit a lighter and brought it to her. She took it from his hands and lit the cigarette, took a drag and immediately coughed. Daniil looked at her perplexedly and was afraid to speak. Olya quickly put the lighter back in his hand and slowly took another drag of the thick, poisonous smoke.

"Are you okay?" Daniil asked.

"Perfectly."

"Are you always like this?"

"Like 'this'?"

"Angry."

"Me? Angry? Ha-ha! Don't make me laugh."

"Then what's wrong with you?"

"Something's wrong with me? Something's wrong with you."

"With who is 'you'?"

"With you, men."

"And what's wrong with us? With me specifically?"

"Is that important to you? I wouldn't like to continue the dialogue. Not interesting."

"And what would be interesting to you?"

"Well, for example, if you left me alone," she said this with such malice and slowly blew a cloud of white smoke right into his face. Then she threw away the half-smoked cigarette, turned ninety degrees so sharply that her hair flew up and brushed across his face. Daniil almost exploded and clenched his palm into a fist. She got to him... But it's unclear in what sense... Positive or negative. Not immediately, but he returned to the table and ignored Olya's presence. She said goodbye to everyone and went home.

***

The following days, even months, Olya was absorbed in work. She was preparing to open her personal thematic exhibition at one of the local clubs.

"Ritochka, I'm really looking forward to seeing you at the exhibition."

"Dima and I will definitely come to support you and see your works. You still haven't shown me the photos for the exhibition."

"You'll see everything there. See you."

From the very morning, she was busy decorating the club and arranging the program with the owners. She rented the club until morning and opened her exhibition to visitors at seven in the evening. Rita and Dima came for free with an invitation from her friend. When they entered the main hall, they saw huge pictures of couples in love. Passion and desire emanated from them. A lot of people had gathered, and then, on Olya's command, the lights were turned off, music, light music, and strobe lights were turned on. The huge photographs seemed to come alive. Under the ultraviolet light, the fluorescent paint on the photos added brightness and creativity. Olya was satisfied with her work, smiling contentedly. Daniil appeared in the doorway and headed towards her. Olya instantly suppressed her smile and started to walk away.

"Wait," he stopped her by the hand.

"What do you want from me?"

"To talk."

"I have no desire."

"You're insufferable."

"Then I see no point in continuing the conversation," she pulled her hand away and went outside. He followed her out again, and she again lit a cigarette, which she asked some girl for. Daniil laughed, looking at her.

"What's so funny?" she asked cheekily.

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"Want another dose of smoke in your face?" she taunted.

"That was bold, it got to me. Your attempts to push me away are failing. And you weren't wrong that I can't stand women who smoke," he carefully took the cigarette from her lips and threw it on the ground. "Drop that filth, smoking doesn't suit you, and you don't even smoke."

"What makes you think that? Maybe I'm the most avid smoker."

"No. You're bumming a cigarette from someone for the second time, not having your own, conspicuously when I appear. Don't do that anymore, don't ruin your health, you'll still need it."

"It's not for you to worry about my health."

"Maybe you're right. Shall we take a walk?"

"Why?"

"Maybe we can finally get to know each other better. Our acquaintance just hasn't been successful yet."

"And it doesn't need to be."

"You're stubborn. But I'm persistent too. And I don't know what you've imagined about me that you shy away like from a maniac..."

"Maybe you are a maniac."

"Ha-ha! Then I would have done my deed long ago after your antics."

Olya became interested in listening to him; he began to sow doubts about his stupidity. He began to seem like a rather interesting conversationalist and a very perceptive guy to her.

"So what have you decided, Olya? Shall we continue our acquaintance?"

"Alright."

"That's how it should have been from the start. Let's take a walk nearby."

They walked near the restaurant and sat on a bench. It was as if there was no animosity or misunderstanding between them; they chatted quite nicely and friendly. Only when Olya realized that he was far from a stupid and was an intelligent guy, a pleasant conversationalist, did she then look at his external data with interest and pleasure. And yet other girls, upon first meeting, would already be hanging on his neck just from his appearance alone. He spoke, and she caught every timbre of his low male voice, looking at his lips. He also listened with interest and looked over his interlocutor, noting her merits with pleasure.

"Oh, sorry, I need to get back to the club. I need to be present there."

She returned to the club, and some man approached her wanting to buy one of her photographs. Having agreed on a sum and shaking hands, they parted amicably. Daniil was still present at the exhibition and was examining the photographs. They occasionally met each other's gaze and smiled. Rita and Dima noticed this and were immensely happy.

***

Daniil got Olya's number from Dima and invited her for a walk.

"I'm still afraid to do or say something wrong to you. And if you consider this meeting a date, and that would be unacceptable for you, then it's better to consider it just a friendly walk."

"Very sweet."

"But I still really hope you've turned from anger to mercy."

"That's the case, but from love to hate is just one step... As they say."

They joked and laughed heartily.

"You're actually not such a bitch, if you want to be."

"Seriously? Well, thanks."

"Shall we go to a cafe for a bite? I'm getting hungry."

"You sly one. Alright. But only because I don't want you