«It’s an angel.» Nina only could stare at him. ' How could this creature walk on Earth? He should fly…»

«The right man for an ugly girl,» a mocking voice sounded in her mind, and she thought with vexation: «Who cares about him? What kind of man could he be?»

But her heart did not want to hear her mind.

A technician came into the room. She pulled a wagon carrying a big gas cylinder. Nearing the central table, she tried to put the cylinder on it, and she could not, as it was too heavy. Then the thin «angel» hoisted the cylinder with one of his hands, and put it in its place on the table. A whisper of delight ran over the hall.

«Thank you, Vlad,» the technician said.

«Vlad!» Adoring the sound of his name, Nina exclaimed impulsively. «You are a real noble knight.»

His long gold-colored eyelashes flapped like wings of a butterfly as he glimpsed her.

«He looked at me.» Exited, Nina did not even notice gazes from the other girls.

«It’s her job, tubby, to take care of the equipment!» the monitor girl loudly addressed her, for the second time driving Nina into the puddle of painful shame, as she was always concerned about her weight.

«You deserved it,» Nina said to herself. «You’re stupid! If you are ugly, then sit silently.»

But she could not resist herself.

She tried to catch the attention of this guy, but she could not. A group of girls followed Vlad all day long, in the cafeteria, during the reception, at the next lecture. He did not see her behind those tall blondes, and Nina dared not push someone away, as the others did many times to her.

The only relief for Nina was that Vlad Lapin looked very concentrated on study and was so absorbed that he did not even notice the efforts of those girls.

They accompanied him until he returned after school to the apartment building for male students, where entry of females was prohibited.

«He’s dumb,» the monitor girl said with disappointment. «Third day. I bet he’s gay. Or just sick. I give up. There are other guys here.»

The girls went in different directions.

«Sick?» Nina thought about Vlad. «Gay? No matter, we can be just friends. Oh, God! Just to see him… Just to see.»

At home, Nina stared at her reflection in the mirror, and watched as her mother, Alla, came close. They lived together, alone. Alla divorced a long time ago, and Nina did not even remember her father.

The woman tenderly caressed her daughter’s black ringlets. «How was your first day, honey?»

«Mom, am I ugly?» Nina asked instead of giving an answer.

Alla sighed. «You are beautiful, it’s just that not everybody likes classic beauty. I’m afraid you’ll never find a man who can appreciate you enough.»

She left, but Nina still searched her own face; she was satisfied with her lips only.

«It’s considered that big eyes are beautiful. Lie! I look like a cow!» Nina took sunglasses and put them on, trying to hide her eyes, but now her long nose made her resemble an owl. She threw the glasses away and cried with despair.

«I am ugly,» she thought again. «Nothing can help.»

* * * * *

«God Bless America,» thought Nina, smiling with those memories. «So many women around are stout and black-headed. I’m not a social outcast anymore.»

* * * * *

Jeff Menard finished all the formalities in the local animal shelter and returned to his police cruiser. He got in and hesitated for a while. Deliberately, Jeff turned his computer on and typed: «Vera Grach.»

He gazed at the screen. Married. This word killed all his hope.

«Of course, she should be,» Jeff muttered inaudibly. A bitter pain pricked his heart. «I’m a fool. Such a woman…» And he turned the computer off.