You were quite tall for a girl. Taller then all your classmates, including the boys and most of the teachers. You used to be, because new a new boy came in your class, and even you would have to look up to him. His sandy-silver hair seemed silk and soft, his skin was pale and clean, with a small blush that made him look adorable... You were afraid he would be alone, tough. Because of your length, people usually said that you were dumb, slow, and other things that you made feel different and lonely. And you were lonely, the seat next you was empty, you ate your bread alone, in a hallway in front of the next class after lunch, and you rode your bike alone when you went home. You just wished he would be more accepted, nobody deserved to feel lonely like you felt.

A week has gone by as you sat down on the ground, as usual, to eat your lunch. You took a sandwich out your box and took a bite of it. The flavor of pesto and chicken traveled through your mouth as you noticed something moving at the stairs. You heard familiar voices swearing and laughing, as the new boy ran away from them. He ran past you and you stood up. Something inside you gave you courage to stand up for him. Something deep inside. The boys saw you, grinning like idiots, and the "leader", was about to say something as you began to speak: "You should leave him alone. You have no right to call him anything you were calling him!" You said with a crappy voice "If I see you bulling him one more time..." You added, narrowing your eyes "I'll rip your tongue out..." Your serious look made the boy on the left shiver. You stared in the "leader's" eyes, waiting for a response. It took a moment, but then he burst out in laughing. You got confused. Was there any pesto-chicken on my face? He only laughed at me, and his friends joined as you started to feel miserable. He kicked your lunchbox, and walked away in the direction they came. I sighed and kneeled down to pick up my lunch up from the floor. "Miss?" I heard a sweet voice say "Are they gone?" I turned my head to the voice. "Yes... I think so. Are you okay?" He walked to you. "Is it okay if I come sit here with you?" You nodded. "Thank you so much, they were so mean and they wanted to hit me... I'm sorry..." He looked a bit depressed. You didn't really know what to say, so you just said "It was nothing" and tried to fix your bread. "I have still lunch, we can share, da?~" he said happily, taking a box out his bag. You knew the floors were really dirty here, and you were really hungry. "Yes, please..." He opened the box, it wasn't filled with ordinary bread as you expected, but with all kinds of small breads, sweet and salt, hard and soft. "You can take anything you like, Подсолнечник~" He said. Tough you were confused by the last word, you toke one and took a bite of it. It was very nice. "You sat alone all the time in class!" He said, "Why is nobody next you?" So he noticed. "Because nobody likes me." He was shocked. She was so pretty! "But you are sweet and nice!" He said, "I don't understand!" You didn't know what to say. "I'm different from everyone... I'm not..." You didn't know why you already showed your emotional side, your weak side. You tried to hide it most of the time. He looked confused, and slowly ate a bit. He remained silent for the rest of the lunch.

The bell went and you stood up with him. Your teacher was quickly at the class and you got in as first. "Shall we sit together?" He asked. "Yes, of course..." I replied, and sat down in the corner with him. I took my books out, and sighed softly at a group of girls chatting ridiculously loud. "You are so silent..." I shrugged. "I'm not used to talking, really..." He patted my shoulder softly. You almost blushed. "What is your name?" He asked. His voice was sweet as honey "I'm _ _" you said. "And yours?" "_ is a beautiful name, I'm Ivan Braginski, but you can call me Ivan." He chuckled. He seemed a lot happier than a few days ago, and he took his books out his bag. You looked in your bag and realized you forgot your books. "Eh... I forgot my books, can I look with you?" "Of course, sunflower~" He laid the biology books down in the middle of the table.

You two sat down with him every class after this akward time with sexual education. You began to talk more, and before you knew you spoke about personal matters, like the fights with your brother and parents, and he cheered you up when you felt down. "_?" He asked after a week or two at the lunch, "Would you like to go home with me after school?" He smiled. I swallowed my bread and nodded. "Of course, I'd love to..." You said. You were quite curious about it. He didn't really talk about his parents or any family member, at all. You shivered. It was snowing and the hallways were cold, and your toes felt frozen. "Are you cold? You look cold, you are shivering and your nose is all red!" He chuckled and laid an arm around your waist. You blushed and moved a bit closer to him. He smiled, but you didn't notice that because you were focused on your bread.

It was half past three when you left school with him. You were chatting about holiday which was in a week and speculating about something you could do together. He was unusual silent and you were getting a little sad because of it. By the time we walked into a street with huge houses you opened your mouth again. "Are you okay? You are so silent..." He nodded. "Of course... I'm just thinking... Are you cold?" You nodded. "Is it still far?" "No, it is right there." He walked to a huge house, and he unlocked the door. "Come in~" He smiled brightly. You stepped in and you noticed the matryoshika before the window. His house felt like him, warm and Russian. He closed the door. "Shall I take your coat?" He asked. You unbuttoned it and he took it and hung it up. "Your house looks beautiful so far." You smiled. "Very Russian." He chuckled. "It does? That's good~" He opened the door leading to the living room. You went inside it and looked around. "Do you want something to drink?" He asked. "Yes, tea, hot chocolate or something like that..." He left the room, and you walked to a few photos above the fireplace. You were surprised that there was a photo of him and you together, but also a photo of him with another girl, which looked beautiful, but frightened you a bit too, and a photo with him and a very large breasted girl. That must have been girlfriends... They were both pretty. One of them probably still is. You felt sad all out of sudden.

"Hot chocolate for my sunflower~" He came in with two big cups of steamy hot chocolate and a plate with homemade cookies. I turned to him and smiled a bit. "Thank you, Ivan." He sat down and reached a cup out to you. You sat down and took the cup in your hand and felt the warming glow go through your hands. "You are still cold, da?" He took one of my hands gentle of the cup and laid it on his cheek. I blushed. His skin felt soft and smooth, and he looked adorable with his closed eyes and a slight blush. "_... " He smiled. You moved closer to him and leaned against his chest. your body began to defreeze, and your shivers went away. You hoped this wasn't akward for him "_... I-I want to tell something..." "Tell me, everything is safe with me, you know that." You sipped a bit of your chocolate. It was really delicious. "Well... I think I really like you... In a way I've never felt... I mean..." He stumbled a bit. "What do you mean, Ivan?" Something began to glow inside you. It was like the sadness of a few minutes had faded and changed into something pretty. It must be the hot chocolate. That was liquid gold, really. "I love you, _..." He said softly. You took a second to realize what that meant. "I-Ivan..." You were a bit shocked to hear that. "I thought you had a girlfriend..." "N-njet..." He looked away. "Well, I'm glad to hear that... You are really the most nice person I've ever met... Every time I'm with you or think of you, I get a warm feeling inside..." You put the cup on the table and hugged him. He laid very gentle a hand on your back. "I'm glad..." He kissed your hair. "Подсолнечник... I want to hold you forever..." You blushed and laid your head against his shoulder. You sat together in such a loving embrace, you would never forget this day or this boy.