Actually, Diana had a good attitude to Kirill, but to date him, and then to marry him...no, not that, please!
Kirill Lvov lived in the same yard with her. Almost sixteen years ago, their mothers used to go out for walks with their strollers and chat while sitting on the same bench. When Kirill and Diana grew up, everything was almost the same, only the children now sat in the sandbox. Diana's mom Tanya still laughs when she remembers how "Kiryusha" would rush to defend Diana from the other boys. And, of course, she never misses a chance to recall this (and many other) stories from her and Kirill's childhood. And lately she has started to do it too often....
- So what, - Diana thought, - well, we were friends with Kirill, but all these stories happened when we didn't even go to school yet, at least we were in the first or second grade! Yes, he is not bad, but now each of us has his own life, and friends ... It is not a fact that Kirill needs them now. He almost never leaves the house, only to school.
And it was true. Kirill was going to devote his life to science, and he spent all his days at home. Nobody knew exactly what he was doing there. They only knew that he was studying for exams, but not who he was going to study for. But everyone, including Diana, thought that Kirill wanted to become a programmer or something like him. David was the complete opposite of him.
It should be clarified here that Diana and Kirill studied in parallel classes. David Manukyan was new in Diana's class. He was half Armenian and practiced basketball. And when Diana saw him for the first time, she realized that she was missing him. Like almost all the girls in the parallel. Diana knew that, so she decided that she wouldn't let him get away with it. She constantly tried to catch David's eye, and even went to basketball games. And Kirill's heart broke when he saw it.
- Don't you realize that he'll just use you and then disappear? - he thought, looking at his childhood friend. But Kirill had forgotten that he had an ally in this case.
Or rather, allies, because, as already mentioned, Diana's parents were in favor of him. But Diana also had a younger brother, Damir, who was entirely on Kirill's side.
- Kirill is good, you can come to him with anything, he will always listen, and maybe even give sound advice - thought Damir - And this David Diankin ... Well, screw him! Big as a sleeper (so my grandmother says), and no use! He has long been studying at our school, and I heard from him only that I am a minnow, and a request to "do not tangle underfoot". I told Dianka about it, but she wouldn't listen to me!
But Kirill and Damir didn't even know what unexpected ally they would discover very soon...
***
It all happened because of a tradition that Diana and Damir's father had invented many years ago: every year in the summer they would go camping in the mountains for a few days. Damir was almost eleven years old, and he couldn't remember a year when they didn't go there. Sometimes they took his mother, sometimes they didn't. But they always took Kirill with them. And remembering this, Diana flatly refused to go.
- I don't want to go with Kirill! - she said-- David--
- He won't even notice your absence! - Damir interrupted - And he hardly cares who we take with us. But the girls - he gave his dad a sly look and winked at him - will be jealous when they see the pictures we bring back!
Diana looked at her brother incredulously:
- Really? Are you sure about that?
- Of course! They're just getting in!
- Especially when they find out where we're going! - Dad added.
- Aren't we going to the same place we always go? - Diana asked.
Turns out it wasn't. This year they were going to a new place where Dad had long dreamed of taking the whole family. And where no one Diana knew had ever been.
Diana thought - and decided to go after all.
They got there quickly, although the new place was a little farther from where they had been camping before. Then Dad, Kirill and Damir set up the tents (by the way, Damir had already been able to do it for several years, and he was good at it), then they cooked dinner, talked a little and went to bed. They all fell asleep quickly, but after a while Diana and Damir were awakened by a bright light. They were very surprised, because it was still supposed to be dark. They were also surprised that their parents and Kirill had not noticed the light.
- We won't wake anyone up," the brother and sister decided, and suddenly, not far from the tent, they saw... a ghost! Yes, yes, a real ghost that could even glow in the dark.
- Don't be afraid of me, please," the ghost said softly, "I am the Brocken Ghost. I have come to tell you something.
- And the others? - Diana asked - Kirill! Dad!
- You don't have to call anyone! - I have something to tell only to you. And you will understand why. Come with me, my cave is high, but I'll help you not to fall.
Diana and Damir followed the ghost and soon found themselves in a mountain cave, where their new acquaintance approached the wall. Diana and Damir followed the ghost and soon found themselves in a mountain cave.
- What is he doing? - Damir asked his sister in a whisper.
- I don't know - answered Diana, and suddenly she saw some picture appear on the opposite wall - Look! It's like a projector!
And indeed, an image of Damir playing soccer appeared on the wall. He had actually been playing soccer for a few years now, so he liked the vision.
- How do you know I play soccer? - he asked.
- I know - answered the ghost - and I also know with what grades you finished the quarter - Damir blushed, and the ghost continued - And now I'll show you what will happen to you if you don't get smart.
And indeed, an image of Damir, who was at least twice as old as he was now, appeared on the wall. He still played soccer, even became a professional soccer player, but...everyone but him was taken into the team.
- Because you didn't finish high school well, and didn't even learn to spell many words correctly, you're the last to get on the team. No one wants an illiterate player," the ghost explained.
- I told you. I, for one, am a normal student," Diana teased her brother.
- The ghost answered, and the next minute Diana and David appeared on the screen...Diana and David. And it was obvious that they were dating, and they were having a good time together. Diana's eyes lit up at what she saw.
- So my dream will come true? - she asked - David and I will be happy, won't we?
- You don't know everything," the ghost replied immediately. - What you're seeing now is just a fling. For a while, you'll really think you're doing well, but you'll quickly realize that David doesn't have you alone. He'll cheat on you. Always. And if you get married, it won't stop him.
Diana was shocked. To be honest, her parents had told her almost exactly the same thing about David, and Damir had never liked him, but she hadn't expected that what the ghost had said would not only confirm their words, but turn out to be even worse than anything they'd said. Still, Diana needed to ask one more question
- А... uh... Kirill? - she asked stammering, "What's going to happen to him?
- It all depends on what decision you make. Don't worry," the ghost answered, seeing Diana's frightened look, "He'll be fine, he won't be lost. But if you meet with someone other than him, in a few years Kirill will leave, and where to, no one will not tell. He will be happy anywhere, but you can hardly be happy without him. Look at him and David before it's too late.
Something clicked, and then... Diana and Damir woke up.-Did you see the same thing? - Diana asked.
- Uh-huh.
They never realized what it was and said nothing to anyone. But they decided to listen to the ghost's advice. Diana spent a lot of time with Kirill during the trip and learned a lot of new things. It turned out that he was going to enter the Institute of Earth Sciences and knows a lot of interesting things about different fossils. When they returned, it turned out that David had started dating some girl from a neighboring school, but Diana was no longer interested.
Damir has also taken to thinking, and in the last quarter he improved his grades in almost all subjects. Now his parents are not afraid for his future. After all, he has always been a smart kid.
The end