The Lovers - стр. 23
Then why was she here? She had been invited to the movies. She had been invited on a date for the first time in her life. Not just by anyone, not a classmate or even an older student.
What if it was a joke? Perhaps he invited her and was now watching from some hiding place to see if she would come, like a complete bimbo. Or he decided to have a little fun: I’ll go with an ugly girl to the movies for a change, and she’ll think that I’m in love with her…
“Whatever it may be, I’ve come tonight,” thought Dina, glanced at her watch again and resolutely left the vestibule.
Dina saw Konstantin Konstantinovich almost immediately. He stood apart from the crowd that milled around the ticket office and the entrance to the cinema. More precisely, he was walking back and forth, glancing around him. One could even say that he was glancing around nervously or perhaps eagerly.
He noticed Dina when she was about ten steps away, and immediately walked forward to meet her.
Konstantin Konstantinovich moved so eagerly in Dina’s direction that they nearly collided. Dina had to stop suddenly to prevent this.
“So punctual!” Konstantin Konstantinovich said excitedly, stretching his hand out to Dina. “You ought to have delayed for five to ten minutes longer.”
Dina also extended her hand, which he shook jerkily but firmly.
“You think so? Why?” She asked, staring at Konstantin Konstantinovich with unfeigned surprise.
“Well,” he smiled in mild embarrassment, “to make me worry a little about whether you were coming or not.”
“I shall have to disappoint you, Konstantin Konstantinovich, but that is not my style.”
“How interesting.” He looked at Dina seriously, but the embarrassment and fluster remained, barely hidden by his smile. “Could we continue with this topic after a short discussion regarding a burning question?”
“I’m listening,” said Dina.
“We can go to the movies, or we can go to the cafe. Hmm… We can also go to the movies and then the cafe.”
“The third option, if you don’t mind.”
Konstantin Konstantinovich laughed and looked at his student even more carefully. He took the tickets out of his chest pocket and taking Dina smoothly under his arm, headed to the entrance.
“We have ten minutes to go to the snack bar. Would you like anything to eat?” he asked.
“No, thank you, I’m full,” replied Dina. “But if you’d like…”
Konstantin Konstantinovich smiled. “I’m full too. Besides, we have dinner waiting for us afterwards. You have nothing against the Rainbow?”
“No, nothing,” said Dina.
What else could she have said? Students like Dina, who lived on a study allowance, did not frequent cafes and restaurants, unless it was for someone’s birthday when they all chipped in, or for a classmate’s wedding, which were occurring more and more often towards the end of university.