KARINA 1-5

1

Without giving the matter any further thought, Karina gathered everything she could carry and headed to the station.

"I'll never, ever let him do that again," she promised herself with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you for everything, for the suffering, pain, joy, and new moments of experience." Tormenting thoughts gave her no peace. The girl's head buzzed with endless depression.

"Good morning, your tickets, please!" the ticket inspector's words didn't reach her.

"Your ticket, please! Can you hear me!?

" "Yes?" Karina suddenly snapped back to reality.

"A ticket, what ticket, why, where am I going?

" "No..."

It was a good thing the tickets had been booked the day before, because when she thoughtfully reached into the pocket of her purse, she found a ticket to...

"It doesn't matter where, as long as they leave me alone now," the girl thought.

"Please.

" "Is everything alright with you?" the ticket inspector asked alarmingly.

"Yes," she replied quietly, ignoring the people around her, lost in her thoughts.

Two more people sat in the compartment opposite Karina. A pair of lovers, exhausted after something, had fallen asleep. A middle-aged man entered the compartment, but after a moment's reflection, left, looking for a more comfortable place to travel.

"Will I never find peace again? What does he think he's thinking? Okay, enough." Suddenly, a soothing thought appeared in her tired head. "Enough, a new life, new adventures, new problems, this is what I need. But how can I forget everything? At times, I felt so happy.

At his side, she didn't have to think about anything; all her problems resolved themselves, as if by magic.

"Where am I going? Who am I without him? A body without a soul?"

Suddenly, her eyelids grew too heavy, they drooped, and her exhausted soul fell asleep.

2

Stopping at a gas station, an angry man in his thirties named Leon was rummaging through his notebook, searching for a phone number. Somewhere between the pages, he finally found a note with the name Tina written on it and called.

"Where is she? Why isn't she answering my calls? Haven't you seen her?" the man yelled into the receiver

. "What do you mean, you don't know?" Leon asked furiously, clutching the poor phone.

"Okay, I need to calm down. She's probably sitting somewhere with her friends, feeling sorry for herself. I'll give her some time. She'll beg me for mercy later," Leon concluded, muttering to himself. He got in his car and drove away.

After speaking with Leon, Tina, Karina's cousin, couldn't calm down.

"What could have happened between them this time?" she wondered.

She liked her cousin because neither of them had siblings. They lived close together, so Karina, acting as an older sister, served as a lifeline to her problems. No one else understood Tina like she did. The cousins ​​could talk for hours about various topics that troubled girls' hearts. And if an emergency suddenly arose, Karina never stood by; she always tried to help, and in some way known only to herself, found the right solution.

"Mom, do you know what happened to Karina?" Tina asked

. "Leon, her friend, called me; he's very angry, and I can't contact her. I'm worried. Leon is very angry.

" "I don't know, honey," Mom replied

. "But I'll call Shila right away; she'll definitely explain everything. Don't worry, it's probably just another argument between the two lovers."

"Don't call me, I was supposed to go to my aunt's anyway, so I'll ask her what's going on right away," Tina shouted, running down the stairs. She ran so fast she didn't even notice she'd reached the house where Karina lived with her parents.

Shila, Tina's mother's sister, and Herold, her husband, lived across the street; she only had to cross. Karina's parents' house was beautiful. A single-family detached house with a usable attic, no basement. On the ground floor were a garage, bathroom, hall, kitchen, dining room, and living room. On the attic were three bedrooms, a bathroom with a drying room, and a walk-in closet. Karina's parents had worked hard to live in such a house. It was also difficult because the house often caused arguments. For a period, until their daughter was six, it consumed almost the entire budget, leaving little left for the family's needs. But now they were proud that they had succeeded.

"What would you like to drink?" "

I'll make you a great capuchino. There's ice cream left in the fridge, so we'll have a little treat. What do you think?

" "Great, I love your capuchino," Tina replied automatically, and, no longer listening to her aunt, she tried to find an answer to the persistent questions: why did he call me? What happened? What if my aunt doesn't know anything?

"Here, it's ready. Now sit down, don't stand there like a post. Tell me what's going on with you? How's school? What's new in the love department? Surely the boys aren't letting you get bored?"

"Oh, Auntie, stop, everything's fine with me. Studying is school, and it's finally vacation, so I have some peace and quiet.

" "And more time for dates, huh?

" "Okay, if you're so interested, I see Tom from time to time, he's my friend," Tina said, embarrassed.

"You'd better tell me where Karina is? I haven't seen her for a week, she's always busy."

"Yes, it's true, since she started dating Leon, I've barely seen her at home. Besides, you know how I feel about Leon. He's almost 10 years older than me, he's not the right man for Karina. But I can't help it; if she gets into something, it's over. Yesterday she went to the seaside to see Tamara, my friend from college. You know her. Tamara visited us a year ago. We were in the mountains together, remember?

" "Yes," her niece nodded.

"To the seaside to see Tamara?" Tina marveled, her eyes already widening like two large black almonds, which added to her charm, and now they could be admired endlessly.

"Tamara has a summer house there," Shila said with a smile

. "She invited us a month ago. When she called yesterday to remind us about the invitation, Karina, without further ado, promised her she would come. My uncle and I aren't on vacation for another month, so my daughter went alone.

" "But so suddenly, without telling anyone?"

"I was surprised too, but you know her, she's unpredictable. That's why I decided not to ask unnecessary questions; at least she'll get some rest. Leon takes up all her free time, and she's still so young and curious about the world; she shouldn't stand around like its shadow. Maybe a cookie?" Shila changed the irritating topic. "You're not eating anything. I hope you're not losing weight again? You're so thin you'll disappear soon.

" "No, Auntie, thank you very much, but I promised to help Mom with dinner. Kisses. Bye."

Tina walked home at a leisurely pace. Her black ponytails, tied girlishly yet playfully at the sides with yellow bows that matched the color of her shorts, were blowing in the wind. And her beautiful eyes were so far away that it was impossible to see what was wrong with them. Reflecting on the events of the week when her cousins ​​hadn't had the chance to meet, she reached the apartment building. Entering the stairwell, she came across an elderly woman. She greeted him and, without waiting for the elevator, went to the seventh floor, where she lived. She went into her room and turned on the computer to check her mail. She sat comfortably in the armchair and, staring at the monitor, became even more lost in thought. Her cousin's beloved never called Tina, sometimes on his home number, but only when her sister was at her house. So, the girl waited anxiously for a message, if not from Karina, then at least from Leon.

"You have a message," the computer's metallic voice suddenly woke Tina.

But not seeing anything interesting in her inbox, the girl decided to change.

Meanwhile, Sara, Tina's mother, had prepared dinner. Since her father still hadn't returned, the girls, after a brief debate, decided not to wait for him. They settled into the living room and, while eating, began watching a funny comedy with famous actors. Halfway through the movie, Tina forgot about her problem. The amusing comedy made both mother and daughter laugh until they cried.

Another

week passed, and Tina, tired of cleaning under her mother's watchful eye, sat in front of the television, waiting for the moment when she could finally leave the house. Suddenly, the phone rang. Tina picked up the receiver and heard the painfully familiar:

"Hello, darling, how are you?" The girl was speechless. After a moment, she said,

"Hi! Karina, is that you?"

"Of course it is, what do you mean, you don't recognize me anymore?

" "How could you do this to me?!" Tina, regaining her voice, screamed.

"Easy, darling, don't be nervous, I have a surprise." Tamara's coming to pick you up first thing tomorrow morning. I talked to Sarah, and she said you haven't been going anywhere lately, and a trip like this would be good for you.

"When? In the morning? No, I can't tomorrow.

" "Why?" Karina asked, surprised

. "Mom didn't tell me anything. What are you up to?" Tina asked, confused.

"She didn't say anything because I asked her to. I wanted to surprise you. I thought you'd be happy.

" "Yes, you are," Tina replied in a calmer voice, "but I can't, I'm going on a trip with Tom tomorrow.

" "A trip? Okay, I have to go now. I'll call tonight, and you think about it. Tamara's going to Mom's anyway, so you can easily take her back. It's so beautiful here. See you!"

Only intermittent beeps could be heard on the receiver, but Tina was so lost in thought that she only woke up when the phone stopped working again.

"Hello!

" "Tina?"

"Excuse me, who's this?

" "Tinelli, don't you recognize me? It's me, Tom, what's up with you lately? Are you so absent-minded? I just arrived, how about a sweet cocktail? I'll be waiting for you at the bar on the corner in about 30 minutes, OK?

" "Okay, Tom, I'll be there, but in 45 minutes."

Just like the girl, she was wearing clothes she only wears around the house. It took her a whole hour to get ready. On top of that, her parents had decided to go to the countryside, so Tina had to listen to her mother's instructions.

Tom had already finished his third glass of something cold, but he waited calmly. He'd been dating Tina for over a year and knew his beloved's habits. She was his first love and his first serious girlfriend. He was a well-rounded man. Despite his young age, he knew what he wanted, so she, feeling the strength of his feelings and his warm, always-there-to-be-embraced arms, was safe and calm. I wonder what's going on with her? Tom wondered. Lately, she's been so distant from everything, constantly thinking about something, and where's her sister gone? They often spent time together, and now Tina, I don't even want to talk about her. Well, women are strange, he thought. Then he walked over to the bar to order something. Before he could even open his mouth, he heard a voice behind him:

"Hi! Why are you all alone without your love?

" "Hi," Tom turned around in surprise, trying to remember where he knew this man from.

"Did Tina leave you?" the man added jokingly

. After the last sentence, Tom realized who was speaking. Only one person could have said that – Leon, Karina's friend. A wealthy blond, of average height, sharp-tongued, but helpful. Tom rarely saw Leon. He saw his car more often when he dropped off or picked up Karina, so the blond's voice was unfamiliar to him.

"But you're alone too," Tom said

. "Then let's talk man to man.

" "Two hundred for cognac, but the real stuff, please!" Leon said and took a seat next to an empty table

. "But I can't," Tom began, but a waitress approached with a tray

. "Can I get you anything else?"

"I think the cheese and lemon canapés won't hurt us," Leon said.

The waitress rushed to fill the order without a moment's hesitation. She saw Leon here occasionally, so she was counting on a generous tip. Tom realized there was no point in denying anything, so he resigned himself to the situation. He was curious what the blond was up to, as he didn't run in that kind of circle, so he must have come here specifically; he definitely wanted something. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Tina approaching.

"Good morning!" I thought we were meeting for a cocktail?

"Yes, honey, but as you can see, I met..." Tom tried to explain in an innocent voice, until Leon interrupted

. "Tina, please sit down, I'll explain everything to you. It's my fault. Your beloved has nothing to do with this. I was passing by, I met Tom. And when I found out you were coming, I couldn't resist the pleasure of seeing such a beautiful, kind, and charming person as you, Tinula.

" "What would you like to drink? Don't worry, I won't take up much of your time, I still have a few things to take care of.

" "What can I get you?" Suddenly, out of nowhere, a helpful waitress appeared

. "I'll have a Malibu for the beautiful lady. If I remember correctly, you always liked it, didn't you?"

"Yes." Tina sat down and felt a strange sense of relief. She felt the same way when Leon and Karina took her on trips to the park, the forest, the amusement park. But that was so long ago, and it wasn't true, that I shouldn't be thinking about it right now, Tina scolded herself.

"Tom, maybe I should go home, you two can talk, and then we'll meet up, okay?

" "No way," Leon interrupted. "I won't let you ruin your date. If anyone has to leave

, it's me." "Tina, do you really have to go? Stay, don't make it complicated," Tom pleaded.

"Okay!" Tina finally agreed.

"Malibu for you," the waitress said, approaching.

"Thank you

." "Well, I won't waste any time and tell you what's going on," Leon said with incredible truthfulness, which, in Tina's opinion, was completely out of place.

"I last saw Karina a week ago. I was a bit busy, so I didn't see what she was getting at this time." Could you tell her to stop playing games with me and at least answer the phone? My patience has its limits too.

Leon never stooped to begging or pleading; he had everything and more. He knew how to deal with people to get what he wanted. But you can't always predict your own actions. Especially when a disobedient heart is persistently begging: go to her, call her, ask what happened, apologize! And the sentence he'd just uttered cost him more than all the gold in the world, and Tina knew it.

"You know, Leo," Tina began, "theoretically, yes, but Karina's not home, she went to Tamara, and I don't know when she'll be back.

" "Tamara, what Tamara? Where does she live? Karina never mentioned her to me. Why did she leave, and why don't I know anything about it?

" "Why? Maybe you can tell me why? Don't play innocent, Leon! You were the one who called me the day she left, so it's not hard to guess why Karina did it so suddenly."

The blond was lost in conjecture; not all the facts fit. He wanted to ask a million more questions, but he couldn't afford it anymore. He took a sip of cognac and after a moment said,

"Can you tell me where Tamara lives?"

"I don't know, and don't try to get it out of me, because I really don't. Tamara's at..." Tina bit her tongue, thinking she always had to blurt everything out to Leo. His look and tricky questions had more of an effect on her than a priest at confession.

"He'll come tomorrow," Leon added.

"It's okay, Tina, don't get upset, I'm not your enemy," Leo said more calmly, hoping he'd see his beloved tomorrow. He took another sip of cognac and left, tossing money on the table with a generous tip for the waitress.

Reflecting on the course of events, Tom decided he wouldn't pursue the awkward topic any further. He embraced Tina as tenderly as he could. Tina's eyes showed signs of exhaustion. He helped her stand, and the two of them, hugging each other without a word, left the bar.

Tamara

arrived as promised. By 9:00 a.m., she and Shila were bustling around the house, telling incredible stories from their college days.

"Remember when you were in love with the brunette from the second group? Was it hard to get that Don Juan out of your head?" Shila said, beaming with memories.

"He wasn't quite Don Juan anymore. He probably has three children now and works as a sewer worker because he didn't have much time for his studies," Tamara laughed.

"Tomka, tell me how Karina is coping? She looked strange when she left. But when I spoke to her recently, she said you were at a concert, so I understand you're not complaining about a lack of activities.

" "My dear!" Karina made me feel like I was 20 again. Your daughter is bursting with energy, planning new challenges for us every day. With her, I discovered that cycling isn't so bad, and dancing to the samba rhythm is better than aerobics.

"Well, then I'm calm. Maybe there's a chance she'll get over this Leon thing and start living a normal life.

" "Shila, don't exaggerate. Karina's a smart girl, I'm sure she'll manage," Tamara assured.

"And where's Tina? I was supposed to take her with me. Your daughter asked me to contact her first thing in the morning.

" "I'll call her right away. She mentioned going with Tom, so maybe she won't go, but we won't have to guess. I'll call

her." Meanwhile, after yesterday's conversation, Tina decided to change her plans and go to Karina's. Tom agreed, but only if he could visit them soon. Tina's parents were still in the country, so after long phone calls from Sara about how to pack, how to behave, what to eat, and where to sleep, Tina finally hung up and started packing. When Shila called, she learned they were leaving that evening. The friends, unable to enjoy each other's company and the memories of their youth, couldn't bear to part so quickly. They promised each other, as they always did, that one of them would soon move in permanently

.

Tina and Tamara were slowly getting ready to leave. And on the seashore, Karina, lying on the beach right next to the cottage, enjoyed every ray of sunshine. She felt the unique atmosphere of this sea, soothingly beautiful yet terrifying in its boundless mystery. Full of magnetism and roaring waves. Everything she did, thought, felt, and touched now took on a new meaning. There were no limits anymore, she no longer had to fear or worry about anything; she could finally breathe easily and freely. Just like when she was a little girl, whose biggest problem was that her teddy bear, Jogi, had broken his leg and would no longer be able to jump rope with her. The thought that Tina would soon arrive gave her even more energy and ideas for how to spend her free time. Only sometimes, when she woke up in the morning, would memories of something packed away somewhere deep in her soul return, twisting her insides and tormenting her. She wanted to escape, to drown and destroy the gift of forgetting. But fortunately, the girl learned to fight it. Pushing the memories as far away as possible, she turned on music, danced, screamed, and a moment later, free from the tormenting thoughts, she returned to reality. Then, usually to prevent the persistent memories from returning, she sought out interesting activities. She signed up for a diving course, went paragliding, and planned a parachute jump.

By the time Tamara and Tina reached the seaside cottage, it was almost noon. They stopped on the way to the cottage to catch a nap, as the woman was tired after a long day with Szila. When they entered, Karina was gone.

"Unpack in Karina's room," Tamara said

. "She's upstairs; you'll definitely talk all night, so you'll be comfortable. In the meantime, I'll look for her; she's probably on the beach."

Tamara's cottage wasn't very large, but beautifully designed, with a large terrace and a second floor containing a large guest room and a bathroom. Downstairs was a tastefully appointed living room, a kitchen, a larger bathroom than the upstairs one, and a bedroom to which Tamara was sentimentally attached, as it was the only place on earth where she felt comfortable with her husband, who had been gone for five years.

"Good," Tina said, and, delighted with the new atmosphere, began unpacking her luggage.

As Tamara had correctly suspected, Karina was at the beach. She was lying on a lounger, sipping juice. Her tanned, almost artistically sculpted body was dressed in a blue two-piece swimsuit. A large straw hat covered her head with a storm of dark curls, and a flowing scarf hid her overly tanned shoulders. Soft music drifted through her Walkman headphones; her eyes were closed, so she didn't notice she was no longer alone.

- We are here - informed Tamara

- Did you miss us?

- Hurray! - shouted Karina after a while.

"How was the trip? It wasn't too tiring. I prepared a delicious dinner. Where's Tina?

" "Don't worry, not all at once," Tamara said with an indignant smile

. "Tina's unpacking. Come home, we'll talk over dinner."

Cooking wasn't Karina's forte, but the dinner she ordered from a nearby restaurant tasted delicious. Tina didn't ask any questions yet, enjoying the atmosphere created by the unique sea, sand, and the beautifully integrated cottage. She was glad she'd gone, as the last time she'd been to the seaside was when she was 10. Tamara, meanwhile, talked about the trip, and Karina discussed plans for the three days ahead. So many ideas were swirling in her head that Tina and Toma sometimes couldn't keep up with her. When the phone rang, no one even moved to pick up. After a long moment of persistent calling, Tamara answered.

"Hello, who's talking, I can't hear you, please speak up," Tamara began, and the girls went upstairs to their room to avoid interruptions.

It turned out Tamara had to go home for a few days. Three hundred and seventy kilometers from the seaside cottage, she ran her husband's transport company. As an accountant by training, she knew all the financial matters down to the smallest detail. She didn't work there as an accountant, but some matters had to be handled under her close supervision. Thanks to this, the company thrived, and Tamara had not only enough to support herself but also to pursue a career to which she devoted herself completely. Even if it sometimes caused inconveniences. Because even though she looked quite young for a 45-year-old woman, she had every right to feel tired.

Tamara's departure was planned for the morning, so the girls had arranged the evening so she could rest and chat while listening to the pleasant woman's interesting stories.