Journal 103
Tuesday - 12-7-10
I never heard from Vitaly. Go figure.
Also, Roma couldn't show up to practice early -- and even though I didn't have hustle today, I didn't want to stick around later (I was really tired...) -- so we didn't practice together, again. But I was at the studio from 5 until 7:30 ish, so I got a good practice in, at least.
While at the studio, I saw Sasha and Angelina (two of Vitaly's students), who were having a lesson with him. Continuing on the theme I mentioned yesterday -- where I have NO idea what is going on between Vitaly and I anymore -- at one point during the lesson he was giving them, we caught eyes, and he winked at me (that flirty, charming kind of wink). Of course, because I'm a sucker for winks, in general, I smiled and laughed, and continued on my way. But seriously? What's with the "ignore - charming - ignore - charming" cycle? I just don't get it. And I am pretty sure I'm just going to stop thinking about it. It might make my life a little easier -- because I'm almost entirely sure there's no rhyme or reason to anything anymore.. = @_@ =
**********
I left just before the group class started -- and as I was on my way out, I basically stopped and had a lengthy conversation with Slava (the guard who is fond of me).
We hadn't chatted for awhile, and I wasn't truly in any kind of a rush, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to him. (I've rushed past him the last bunch of times I've seen him, and I felt kinda bad about it...)
The line of questions from Slava was pretty fatherly -- of course, he told me once I remind him of his daughter, so I wasn't too surprised.
--
Any love?
How's the language?
Holiday plans?
I don't have anything to share... Do you drink milk? Let me get you some milk!
Well, how about apples?! -- Stay there, I'll give you an apple!
Oh, you're going on the Metro? I'll wash it for you!!
--
And by the time he came back from washing it, and giving it to me -- Vitaly and Andrei (one of the amazing dancers/other trainers -- only found out his name tonight) appeared at the end of the hall...
By the time they caught up to us, I'd finished thanking Slava, and telling him it was truly time for me to go. They heard me use his name, and as the doors shut behind us, Vitaly asked (almost disdainfully, it seemed), "You know the name of the guard??"
I said yes; and that I'd been there chatting with him, because he'd just given me an apple -- they started laughing/making fun on that, and asked why on earth he did so.
I tried to explain how it had happened -- but I guess I messed up saying, "When I first met him," because Vitaly and Andrei both burst out laughing.
-- I'd like to say here that it is terribly intimidating when two, attractive, 20-something men are laughing at you, because you've just messed up something in their language -- and when they proceed to set in to teasing you. It's not that I can't take a joke... What follows was funny, certainly -- but it was a highly stressful situation for me, simply because it felt like I had no way to "fight back," as I've called it before. I can't joke back, when I feel like I'm getting railroaded for having messed up the language in the first place. Also, there are a million and a half social markers influencing the scene, when you consider that Vitaly and Andrei would be among the Alpha Males of a system I rank at the bottom of -- thus, I already feel like I'm not dealing with peers, but superiors, though they may be in my age group. Superiors are people you want to impress, not people you want laughing at you. Understand? --
So, I started trying to explain what I'd meant again -- and Vitaly asked, "What?"
Andrei started to explain, "She's asking how to say, "The first time she met --"
I started to feel relieved, that he was going to explain it, and it was going to be okay --
"-- the apple!!" [Which Slava had just given me.]
-- and I realized that I was not going to get out easy.
I think Vitaly followed with something along the lines of telling me not to bring a banana [to the studio] tomorrow, or some such nonsense.
Vitaly parted from us; and Andrei and I went off in the same direction.
"I was just joking, you know…" He said, giving me a sidelong glance.
"I know…" I said, smiling. I appreciated his wanting to make the point that he wasn't being mean.
He asked where I was from (referenced slightly as I was trying to explain my connection to Slava), and I said that I was from the US, didn't he know?
Apparently not.
We didn't chat for long -- he needed to cross the street sooner rather than later, so we said our goodbyes.
… And 5 seconds later, some man who'd been walking his dog near us, comes up and asks me, "Does he like you?"
"How should I know?!?" I responded.
He might have been saying, "He likes you," but I'm almost certain the intonation was that of a question.
Aiya…
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Went to Hustle.
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I wrote Vitaly when I got home, reminding him to please tell me about lessons for tomorrow… No word… *sigh*
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