Act Two

III

"I... excuse me?" The young woman responds, looking up at the man who only has a few inches on her. "I swear I know you from somewhere. I ran into you a few weeks back, here." Yakov explains again, his heartbeat filling his ears as he finally converses with the woman he's been after. The green-eyed brunette's thin brows stitch together. She's searching the dirty blonde's face trying to make something, anything, of it. "Sorry, I don't know you." She's honest with the older man, genuinely not having a clue. Yakov can hear made-up dishes crashing in his mind. This woman doesn't know him. Part of him wants to be sad but another is telling him that he is not crazy.

I don't know you.

"This is not right." Yakov shakes his head, looking at the white tile floor. "Pardon?" The woman asks, not sure whether she should just walk away or continue to awkwardly stand there with a stranger. "Sorry, sorry... it's just, since we ran into each other, I haven't been able to get you off my mind. I know I've seen you before. Prior to us bumping shoulders. I can feel it on the tip of my tongue. Your face is so familiar." Yakov returns his gaze, eyes softening for her without realizing. The woman on the other hand is... weirded out. A stranger, constantly thinking about her and who knows what about exactly. "I see..." She mutters, pointing her body in the opposite direction. Yakov just now realizes how disturbing and creepy he came off and he's regretting every word he said.

Now you've done it.

"Look, I am very sorry, I did not mean for it to come out that way. Can we start over?" Yakov rubs his forehead and reaches his right hand out to shake the woman's. The woman is hesitant but complies, switching the milk she held into her other hand to shake his hand. "I'm Yakov-Ivanovich Feltsman." He grins, embarrassed for this whole situation. This poor woman who has probably never seen this man is being humiliated in the middle of a convenience store. "Lilia." She gives a short answer. "Just Lilia?" Yakov tilts his head slightly. "Mmm... yes. We'll keep it Lilia for now. Adding on to your mystery." Lilia winks, grinning back. There it is, Yakov's butterflies multiply and now he's falling deeper into this hole he's dug himself.

"Well, Lilia, it's a pleasure to meet you properly. Sorry about earlier... and the time before that too." Yakov purses his lips, each pulling their hands back after letting go. "I hate to be rude but I must be going now." Lilia nods her head, waving as she turns to walk up to the register. Yakov feels his heart ache for her as she leaves him. He wants to continue chasing her. Yakov shakes out of his thoughts and follows behind, catching up. "Before you go, will I ever see you again?" He grabs her attention. Lilia turns her gaze up, smiling and showing off her perfectly straight teeth. "You already seem to know where I shop. I don't see why not."

Yakov barely makes it to his skating session on time, apologizing to his students when he comes in. The group is only finishing lacing their skates so they don't mind at all. Yaletha notices her coach's arrival so she springs up with a half-laced skate and runs over to him while he puts his own on. "Hello, Yaletha-Levovna." Yakov smiles, looking over at her mother who joins shortly after in case of translating. Yaletha lifts her hands and looks at her mom. "Oh, she said she would like to learn something new today." Her mother grins at Yakov. The man nods and thinks of what the young girl can learn. "How about we practice footwork? We can eventually add jumps and spins to it." Her mother takes a moment to sign everything to her daughter who smiles even brighter, nodding her head vigorously. "I'll take that as a yes?"

Yakov and his students make it out to the rink and begin their warmup, skating around the perimeter for five minutes. "Your daughter's improved a lot since she's started my class." Yakov notes to her mother who stands behind him off the ice. She sighs and nods, watching her only child. "I've noticed. I'm glad. I'm glad she has something she can enjoy." "Me too." Yakov replies quietly, eventually skating to the center for further instructions. The students all scatter across the rink to train on their preferences. Yakov gets Yaletha situated with edges and three-turns. The young girl is always fascinated by observing her coach, trying her best to attempt the same. Even if she completely fails, Yakov won't mention it harshly. He has a soft spot for the girl.