«Yes,» a girl replied. She took out a notebook, and Nina understood that this girl was the monitor of the group, so Nina came close to register her attendance.
«You’ve missed two days,» the monitor said. «The government gives us free education, so you must not be late or skip school.»
«I was sick,» murmured Nina. «I have a certificate from the doctor.»
«Okay.» The girl made a note. «Just remember in future.» She surveyed Nina and grinned. «You’re Jewish, aren’t you?»
«I’m Russian,» Nina retorted. «You can check my papers.»
«Give me a break.» The girl snorted. «You are too ugly to be a Russian.»
Oh! This hurt Nina more than anything, and she silently went deep into the room and sat down at a free place.
«Don’t mind her.» A plain girl sat next to Nina and sighed. «Just five guys for twenty of us. We have no chance, buddy. But we are here for study, not looking for a man, eh?»
Nina nodded. «Ugly,» she thought with bitterness. «I’m ugly…»
«Victor!» the girls screamed, and Nina looked at the young man just entering. Athletic and tall, he waved to the auditorium, casually sat at his place, and struck a pose.
Nina sighed, watching some of the girls move closer to Victor. But a new guy entered the room and her heart jumped like a frightened bunny. Very slender, this blue-eyed blonde was cute as a cherub. His slightly curly hair emphasized the affection in his tender face. Bashful and shy, he looked like the Little Prince of Saint-Exupery.
«It’s an angel.» Nina only could stare at him. ' How could this creature walk on Earth? He should fly…»
«The right man for an ugly girl,» a mocking voice sounded in her mind, and she thought with vexation: «Who cares about him? What kind of man could he be?»
But her heart did not want to hear her mind.
A technician came into the room. She pulled a wagon carrying a big gas cylinder. Nearing the central table, she tried to put the cylinder on it, and she could not, as it was too heavy. Then the thin «angel» hoisted the cylinder with one of his hands, and put it in its place on the table. A whisper of delight ran over the hall.
«Thank you, Vlad,» the technician said.
«Vlad!» Adoring the sound of his name, Nina exclaimed impulsively. «You are a real noble knight.»
His long gold-colored eyelashes flapped like wings of a butterfly as he glimpsed her.
«He looked at me.» Exited, Nina did not even notice gazes from the other girls.
«It’s her job, tubby, to take care of the equipment!» the monitor girl loudly addressed her, for the second time driving Nina into the puddle of painful shame, as she was always concerned about her weight.