Ephemeral

Chapter 2

When the concertmaster stopped playing, the rehearsal ended and Monica dismissed us. While I was chatting with the guys from the troupe, Federico, the chief videographer of our theater, suddenly bursts into the classroom. He fussily ran his eyes from side to side until his gaze stopped on me. Then he came up to me and spoke:

- Hi, listen, could you run and pick up a flash drive from one person? We really need it for the report, and there is absolutely no one to pick it up…

- Well, where should I go to get her?

- It's very close, just walk across the street and you will immediately see the neighboring building...

- I think I'll go now, we just finished classes for today.

- Then great, thanks for helping out, and the girls ... you're just super, however, as always ... - Federico said coquettishly, and then immediately left the room.

Oh, why am I the one being harnessed with all sorts of nonsense every time?! Do I have "errand girl" written on my forehead?! When I went outside, there was a slight smell of autumn in the air. Today is already the second of September. But the leaves on the trees were still a fresh shade of green. Walking across the street, I saw a residential multi-storey complex. Hmm, I live in almost the same, only mine is much more modest. I think I'm on my way to visit someone, and I hope they're waiting for me there… I reached the right apartment and rang the doorbell. When they opened it to me, I was just in shock… In front of me was the same guy, the photographer, whom I saw at the theater a few days ago. I stood in utter bewilderment from surprise and excitement. Everything was mixed up in my head and I didn't know how to behave:

- Um, hi, I'm from Federico, he sent me to you to pick up the flash drive ... - I spoke to him indistinctly.

- Hi. Oh, yes, I have it, come on in.

When I entered the apartment, I saw a large studio, made in dark and restrained colors. The interior was quite minimalistic, but tasteful. There were a lot of drawings and some incomprehensible diagrams scattered all over the apartment, on which buildings were drawn. Then he said:

- Here, sit down on the sofa for now. Would you like some coffee?

Not knowing at all what to say to him, so as not to be stupid, I shyly said:

- Well, come on.

- Fine, - he replied calmly and briefly.

While he was rattling in the kitchen, I tried to think over the further course of my actions so that everything would go as smoothly as possible and without trouble. Finally, he returns to the living room, holding two mugs of hot freshly brewed coffee, one of which he carefully places on the coffee table in front of me. Then he sits down in front of me, taking that ill-fated flash drive out of his pocket:

- Here it is. It contains all the photos I took from your recent performance. By the way, my name is Andreas, if anything…

- And I'm Jennifer. Glad to meet you. You're a photographer, right?

- Yes, but not only. I am also engaged in videography, and I may soon be working part-time in your theater. And you come out…

- I'm a ballerina. I am a member of the main cast of the theater, this is actually my job, - deftly interrupting him, I answered in advance his upcoming guesses about my profession.

- Well, that's nice.

Then there was an awkward silence that lasted about ten minutes, and I just drank coffee and pretended to be completely absorbed in this process. But eventually, unable to stand the strain, I decided to ask him: