In the Shadow of Art and Arhitecture

Chapter 1

"Ugh, how did I manage to get lost again?" Asked Mateo, defeated as his eyes searched the buildings on the street. For the past few minutes, he's been walking on the streets like a lunatic in search of a cafe. "Alright.. " he muttered to himself as his eyes glanced down at the phone in his hand. "I'm supposed to walk down the street and then take a turn to the left. That seems easy," he reassured himself and turned around his heel when, unexpectedly, he bumped shoulders with another man.

"Tвоя мать! " The stranger hissed at him and then walked off in a hurry. The man was dressed in a black,expensive-looking suit, holding a laptop case in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. His face was stern-looking, his eyes piercing through one's soul. Puzzled, Mateo stared at the man's back in confusion and then resumed his journey, trying not to think too much of it. 'That man overreacted. It was a small accident.' He thought.
" It didn't sound like he said something nice." He mumbled as his feet hit the pavement.

That's how it's been pretty much every day since he moved to Russia. Getting lost on the streets, trying to communicate in his broken Russian and failing miserably. In other words, it was a living hell. Having no friends, always being alone...

After a few minutes of walking, he finally arrived at the destination. With a small sigh, he pushed open the door of the cafe, the smell of the baked goods immediately entering his nostrils. The smooth jazz music creates a peaceful atmosphere. He walked up to the counter and looked at the menu. So many coffee options. But he ordered his all-time favorite - an expresso.

After getting his beloved coffee, he took a small sip, taking his time enjoying the taste. Then it suddenly hit him, the lecture. Without thinking twice, forgetting about his plan to admire the surroundings of the cafe, he swung his body around and began running towards the university. Luckily, it was pretty close to the cafe, so it wouldn't take him too long. Out of breath, he entered the lecture hall and sat on the nearest seat he could find, his legs close to giving up on him. "God, I only ran for like 5 minutes, and I'm already dying." He spoke to himself and took out his laptop, getting ready for the class. The teacher was a man somewhere in his 40s, with sharp features, and his brown hair slicked back, his eyes holding a calm and confident stare.

During those 50 minutes, he listened to the teacher, took some notes, and just stared at the ceiling or the wall, as thousands of thoughts flooded his mind.
Being away from his family was difficult. But it was for the best. Living with a step-mom who hates him, who judges any minimal movement he does, who always finds a reason to critique him is draining. His dad was blinded by love so he never cared enough to comfort his son. The school was the only place where he could escape from the living nightmare at home. After he turned 18, he began gathering money to move out of the house and here is now. He did it, but for what cost? He still feels lonesome. The chain of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the announcement of the end of the lecture. The time flew by so quickly, that he barely noticed it.

His cup of coffee was empty, too, and he felt a small boost of energy due to the caffeine. He packed his bag, rushed out of the room, and left for the library- his favorite place in the world. He had some time left until his next class so he could rest for a while. His eyes roamed around the walls as he walked, his mind blank, no thoughts wandering in his mind. Other students were strolling around him, most of them in groups. A pang of loneliness hit him as he eyed others giggling and chatting together. Because of the language barrier, he wasn't that successful in making friends. Being an introvert didn't help at all. Shoving the door open, his presence was brought into the quiet library. His eyes gradually examined the tall racks filled with books, the high ceiling that held bright lamps, and, of course, the smell of old books that filled the air around him.

Slowly, he began mindlessly strolling around. He didn't have a specific book in mind, but being an architecture student, something related to art would do it. After minutes of searching, his eyes fell on a light brown book with the title "The History of Art. " His arm extended forward to grab it when he felt an unknown presence next to him. He turned his head to the side confused and met eyes with the stranger.
It was a girl, she looked around his age. With brown almond-shaped eyes, sharp facial traits, a small mole under her right eye, and dark hair that reached her elbow. Her face was morphed into a look of irritation.

Ignoring him, she grabbed the book and turned her back to him as she examined the interior.
"Excuse me? I saw it first." Protested Mateo and shifted his position in front of the girl. She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, a hint of challenge present in her eyes.
"And? I'm the one holding it." She spoke arrogantly as her eyes darted back down at the book, acting like he wasn't even there.
Now, that action made him feel offended for whatever reason. It's probably because he's been in a rush since he woke up. Without a second thought, he scoffed and grabbed the book out of her hands. "Now who's holding it?" He replied in a rather cooky tone. He thought he was sly, little did he know that he'd regret that move. An unexpected feeling of pain struck his body as the unknown girl kicked his knee. Taking advantage of his moment of weakness, she quickly snatched the book and ran away. It happened all too quickly. A whimper of pain left his lips as he touched his knee to relieve some pain.

"Puta madre." He cursed under his breath as his eyes shut closed."That girl.." He recalled her sudden act of violence and looked around in a hurry. She was nowhere to be seen.
"What a freak!" Mateo exclaimed. "Who kicks a random stranger just because of a book?!." He added shortly after.
'Great, my day has been everything but good. First, I woke up late. Then I got lost on the street. The lecture was meh, it could've been better. And now a random girl kicks me in the knee over a book! Was it even worth it? To suffer that way for a book? ' He thought to himself as he walked out of the library.