Sasha and Zhenya have been best friends since childhood: together at school, at practices, and every weekend. One day, a girl appears at their bus stop. Sasha and Zhenya both notice her, but neither dares to approach. These secret glances could have continued, but the stranger grows more and more gloomy each day, and then she completely disappears. After some time, the friends encounter the girl in the subway — beaten, dirty, with an impenetrable gaze. Sasha and Zhenya help her, bring her to their place, and learn her terrifying secret. Now they are the only ones whom Vasilisa, the stranger from the bus stop, can trust, the ones she can find support and warmth from. Vasilisa stays in Sasha’s apartment since he lives alone, abandoned by his family. Zhenya endures a tyrant father and indifferent mother. But when they are together, the world changes: past traumas, cruelty, and indifference evaporate. Sasha, Zhenya, and Vasilisa reunite after their school graduation and spend all their free time together: studying, helping each other, and having heart-to-heart talks. They are rapidly growing up, and the older they become, the clearer it becomes: their relationship is not just friendship. Sasha, Zhenya, and Vasilisa are connected, and they must protect their bond from the prejudices and malice of the outside world. Will they be able to overcome all obstacles without losing themselves and their feelings? Will society accept them as they are — young, bright, and loving? Yana Tkacheva is the author of the epic fantasy duology "Gods as Humans." This time, she writes not about an imaginary but about a real world and the love story of three adults. Each of the characters bears a burden that many would find unbearable. But Sasha, Zhenya, and Vasilisa find the strength for this trial in their support and trust in each other.
