It's a long way home.

Chapter 2

As the train came to a stop at Lubyanka Station, Ksenia and Alyaksandr quickly got off. The metro was crowded and the tons of people streaming inside the car of the train almost didn't let them get out. They zigzagged their way through the crowd of people at the metro station, making it to the stairs that led them outside.

As Alyaksandr and Ksenia reached the top, the ice cold air of Moscow's city center hit their faces harshly. Alyaksandr pulled up his scarf in order to hide his face from the cold that caused his skin to hurt. Ksenia, who was wearing an ushanka, had closed the sides so that her face would be covered on both sides and pulled up her scarf too. She tried to keep up with Alyaksandr, who advanced through the enormous crowd of people that walked along the road. Alyaksandr took her by the hand when she was almost pushed back by a group of people that crossed the road in order to get to the train station.

"Try to keep up." he said as he grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him.

It was already 7:50 and they still had two blocks left until they reached their school. Alyaksandr walked faster, still dragging Ksenia by his arm.

"Sasha! Slow down!" she whined.

"Ksenia it's 7:50." he answered her coldly.

Ksenia's eyes opened wide.

"Oh crap!" she said, as Alyaksandr nodded at her and the two of them walked even faster than before.

"Sasha I can't afford to be late again! Not to Mrs. Nikonova's class! She'll kill me!" Ksenia said fearingly.

Mrs. Nikonova was a young teacher at their school. She was around 26, but had a strict working manner and disliked it when people came late.

"I know her well enough. She won't get mad, trust me. She knows the public transport is shit here." he said calmly.

Ksenia just looked at him, eyes still wide, as they continued walking quickly.

As the two of the reached the school, they quickly entered, pushing through a wall of warm air. Ksenia let out a sigh of relief. 7:56, enough time for her to get to class on time. Finally she was in her warm school.

"Moscow in winter can be unbearable." she muttered to herself.

"You're telling me." Alyaksandr answered her.

They both walked to class together, simultaneously taking off the thick layers of outdoor clothing which had covered and protected them from the freezing cold air of Russia's capital city.

Just as the bell rang, the two of them entered the classroom, quickly slipping into their seats.

"Привет, мачо!"

Alyaksandr turned around. It was his friend Dmitry.

"Привет Дима." he said, tiredly.

Dmitry was one of his best friends. He would regularly hang out with Alyaksandr, Ksenia and their other friends after school ended, before going home. They were also subject to Moscow's endless party locations, which they tended to visit every so often, when there was no major project due.

"The bus again?" Dmitry asked him.

"Da." Alyaksandr answered him, making an annoyed expression at the mention of the word 'bus'.

"I can tell." Dmitry simply stated. "So you and Ksenia walked to the train station?" he asked again.

"Da. Like always, when that damn bus ditches us." Alyaksandr confirmed.

It was then that there teacher entered, like always, perfectly on time.

"Добрый день!" she greeted them in a good mood. He didn't know how she did it. Every morning Mrs. Nikonova came into class in a good mood. He simply groaned to himself. He had a long day at school ahead of him.