"Don’t Save Me" by Asya Lavrinovich, summary Automatic translate

This romantic story, written in 2022, tells the story of the clash of two completely different worlds: a dutiful, straight-A student from a wealthy family and a freedom-loving rebel. The stark contrast between the protagonist’s outward well-being and her inner need for freedom, which suddenly erupts, is striking. She is constantly forced to conform to others’ expectations, hiding her true desires behind a mask of propriety.

Meeting at a restaurant and kissing in the hallway

The events begin in an upscale establishment, amid the sounds of jazz and the clinking of glasses. Ulyana Shatskaya is sitting at a table with her father and his gray-haired business partner. The men are actively discussing the girl’s possible acquaintance with the partner’s son, who studied in England. The heroine feels like a commodity being sold at a profit. At neighboring tables, people are arguing and complaining about lost loves. Suddenly, she notices the intent gaze of a man with a short haircut and glasses at another table. He winks cheekily at her, causing her to feel a surge of anger and a strange sense of excitement. Unable to bear the boring conversation about her future master’s degree in the Czech Republic, Ulyana runs out into the empty hall.

In the dimly lit hallway, she encounters the same stranger again. Without a word, she takes a step toward him. The click of her heels echoes off the walls, mixing with her frantic heartbeat. She rushes toward him, wraps her legs around his hips, and kisses him passionately. He’s not at all flustered and reciprocates, pressing her against the wall. Overwhelmed by emotion, Ulyana’s head hits a crystal sconce. Drops of glass tinkle down, shimmering in the lamplight. Pulling back, the young man grins and offers to at least get to know each other first. The narrative then shifts to a year ago.

The beginning of the story and helping a stranger

A year earlier, Ulyana was studying history. She delighted her family with her successes, served as class monitor, and easily earned credits automatically. Returning home early, she found her strict Aunt Lilya with her bags packed. Aunt Lilya, who constantly monitored her niece at the request of her overbearing father, was leaving for a week to visit a sick friend. Ulyana was overjoyed by the sudden freedom and the opportunity to live by her own rules. The next day, after boxing practice, she bought a fresh baguette. Suddenly, she was nearly hit by a skateboarder. She soon found him sitting on the pavement in a busy courtyard — he had fallen down the stairs and injured his leg.

The victim rudely refuses to call an ambulance. He appears hungry and greedily devours Ulyana’s baguette with Provencal herbs. The man calls himself Misha and behaves rather brazenly, but Ulyana decides to help him. She takes him to her apartment on the tenth floor, having first bought an elastic bandage. At home, she gives him green tea with pumpkin halva, which he openly criticizes. Misha explains that he had a huge fight with his stepfather. He hit the man for the first time in response to inappropriate behavior and is now forced to hide. He plans to wait a couple of days in a safe place and then leave the city.

A run-in with an ex-boyfriend and morning surprises

That evening, Ulyana decides to take her guest outside, but they encounter Ruslan Koptelev at the entrance to her apartment. He’s Ulyana’s ex-boyfriend, who had previously cheated on her with a mutual friend and is now maniacally stalking her and causing scenes. Ruslan begins hysterically insulting her, calling Misha a "slob" from the dumpster and ridiculing his skateboard. The 1.88-meter-tall skateboarder calmly defends Ulyana and advises her attacker to watch his language. A fight ensues. Misha lands a few well-aimed punches, knocking Ruslan to the ground. The defeated opponent walks away. After the incident, Ulyana allows Misha to spend the night in her aunt’s empty room.

The next morning, the heroine awakens to the smell of food. In the kitchen, Misha is frying eggs, wearing only a white towel around his waist. It turns out he’s already done all his laundry and even borrowed some eggs from his neighbor across the street. Ulyana is confused by his appearance, muscular build, and tattoos. To solve his clothing dilemma, she offers him some of her aunt’s clothes. Misha takes the awkward situation with a grain of salt and tries on a pair of pink floral women’s shorts with a red top. He struts down the hallway, eliciting heartfelt laughter. At that moment, the doorbell rings, and Ulyana panics, hiding her guest under a blanket.

Flowers from an admirer and a neighbor’s spying

A timid, blond-haired delivery man appears at the door, bearing a bouquet of irises and a romantic note from Pasha Dolgikh. Ulyana politely thanks the boy. Later, she goes to the store to buy dumplings for Misha and stops by her neighbor, Alexandra Markovna, on the way. The elderly woman, who enjoys spying on everyone through opera glasses, warns her about a suspicious "flirty girl." The unknown girl was hanging around their door about an hour ago. The neighbor mistakenly believes Misha is Ulyana’s boyfriend and advises her to be on guard. Ulyana returns home to find Matveyev sleeping peacefully in front of the television. That evening, they play cards, avoiding deep personal conversations.

Moving to the parents’ dacha

Events unfold rapidly, and Misha finds himself at Ulyana’s parents’ dacha, located on a high slope near the coast. To justify his presence to the family, the heroine concocts a cover story. She introduces him as a music teacher for her grandmother, Alla Konstantinovna. In her youth, the grandmother studied ballet, but a serious injury ruined her career. Since then, she pinned her hopes on her granddaughter, forcing her to dance until her feet bled. Ulyana hated the training, but endured it for the praise. Now, the elderly woman is delighted with Misha’s piano playing. The boy charms everyone in the household, including the housekeeper, Vera Kirillovna.

Life at the dacha is full of curious moments due to the need to conceal the boy’s true identity. His younger sister, Gela, is a sharp-tongued schoolgirl who immediately notices the sparks between her sister and the so-called teacher. One day, she bursts into the room without knocking and deliberately flops down on the bed, where Matveyev is hiding under the blanket. His older brother, Stas, is also at the country house, and Ulyana fears his reaction to the suspicious guest. However, Misha manages to find common ground even with him. He plans to take his brother’s clothes to the dry cleaners to smooth things over and avoid parting as enemies.

Preparing for departure and revelations

One morning, Ulyana finds Misha packing his few belongings. He spent the night on a remote beach under the stars and has made a firm decision to stop hiding. He announces that he successfully completed his last lesson with his grandmother and now must finally wrap up his business in the city. He needs to help a loved one get out of trouble. Ulyana is deeply upset by the imminent separation and possible loss. Misha openly confesses his feelings, tenderly kisses the top of her head, and says, "Do you know that I really like you?" They both realize how deeply attached they have become.

The final chord is accompanied by fireworks.

During the day, the young couple sit on a wicker garden swing in the shade of fruit trees, playing backgammon. A gentle breeze blows from the coast, smelling of ripe peaches and the sea. Ulyana wins her games, employing her grandfather’s cunning tactics. Their younger sister, Gela, approaches them, followed by their older brother, Stas. His brother behaves delicately: he apologizes for the intrusion and walks away, whistling a tune and jingling his car keys. Alone, Misha pulls Ulyana to him, and they kiss passionately again. At that moment, bright bursts of fireworks burst into the night sky. The roar of the fireworks blends with the frantic pounding of the happy heroine’s heart.