4

Infected with some kind of childish anticipation of the “holiday”, the friends thought out a plan for several days.

Lilya had to pull Rokotov in the classroom: all her friend's thoughts hovered away from her studies.

What do they wear in places like this? Elya asked.

— Like in any club. The choice of outfit depends on the purpose for which you are going.

“I haven't been to clubs,” she admitted.

Lily's eloquent look was better than any exclamation of surprise.

- Jeans and a comfortable jacket. Extra attention is not needed, - the girl explained.

Elya nodded understandingly and continued to record the lecture.

***

Saturday night was chosen for a reason. According to Eli, only his brother was free in the Rokotov family, and he would not dare to refuse his sister, especially in studies.

“That’s all for now, we have a lot to do,” Rokotova said goodbye to Dmitry. She pushed him in the back and closed the door in front of her nose, not even letting her say hello to her friend. - Well, how do I look? Elya asked and turned around, showing off stylish straight jeans and a soft lavender jumper. The girl's blond hair lay in a perfect wave, her face was emphasized by deceptively light make-up. And she seemed to have done everything according to the instructions, but she looked like she was in a hurry to a party of an elite university closed sorority. — Not that, right?

"No," Lily agreed. “A couple of touches,” she dragged her friend into her room and held out a black hoodie. Get dressed and get your hair back. Now that's great.

- Do you think Mitya has already left? Elya asked.

Lilya left the bedroom and went to her parents' room, where the light was off. Looked around the yard; it was a lovely evening.

- Looks like he left. Wasting no time, she threw on a bomber jacket, comfortable loose pants and sneakers. — El, the taxi will be in two minutes. Come on, I ordered a car to a neighbor's house.

Girlfriend cautiously descended the stairs, looking around and listening to every rustle. Lilya felt a slight excitement, as if her parents had punished her and she ran away from home, doing something forbidden. And her friend was overwhelmed with emotions: Elya giggled nervously and shied away from every passer-by, afraid of being caught.

Elka, don't move!

***

- OU! Elya exclaimed with the spontaneity of a child.

Lilya hoped that at seven in the evening the bar would be empty: it always seemed to her that brutal men should appear late after midnight, breaking the silence with the rumbling sound of an engine.

But what a disappointment! There were a couple of dozen parked bikes in front of the bar.

“Chic, wild, exciting,” Rokotova picked up epithets, going around the “iron horses”.

Elka, you're scaring me! Lily chuckled.

- Will you take a picture of me? - The friend had already raised her leg, wanting to portray a dashing racer, as the door swung open, and four men fell out into the street.

“Hey, honey,” one of them called out to Elya, “do you know the golden rule?”

- I'm sorry, what? she murmured in response, causing the others to laugh.

- To ride, you need to give the owner!

Elka jumped off the motorcycle as if scalded.

“I just wanted to take a picture,” she justified herself, retreating to Lila.

The men roared with laughter.

"Take a picture, it's mine," shouted another. “And don’t be afraid, it won’t fall if you sit on it.

- Just? Rokotova clarified.

“Simple,” the man waved him off and lit a cigarette.

While Elya took the poses of a cool biker, Lily took a photo and listened to the men's conversation.

- I'm not long today, tomorrow we're going to my mother-in-law.

— What, Vano, did the drunken father-in-law demolish the toilet bowl again? The men laughed derisively.

- Bucket. Third this year! Freak. When he is already drunk ... all these relatives got it!

It turned out that tough men in leather jackets and frayed greasy jeans have their own mothers-in-law and human problems. This discovery made Lily look at them from a different angle. “Surely they have stretched underpants and socks with holes,” she laughed to herself.

Ordinary such men, with small tummies. One is a bit bald and wears glasses—Lilya wouldn't be surprised if he were a professor at some university. The second, twisted with osteochondrosis, hunched over, kicked a cigarette butt with the toe of his boot, gave out an office worker in himself. And all of them are ridiculously ordinary and unremarkable... And here, gathering in company, they amuse their muzhik prowess and strength...

“Hey ladies, are you coming in or what?” The owner of the bike held the front door open and made an inviting gesture with his hand.

- Yes thank you. - Elya hurriedly ran to the entrance, not forgetting to grab her friend by the elbow.

“Thank you very much,” Lilya thanked the stranger, and the girls went inside.

“Well,” Rokotova drawled, examining the situation, “atmospheric.

The two-level room resembled a garage. The concrete floor is chipped, the roughly painted walls are hung with banners from various events.

Against the nearest wall is a wooden bar counter with assorted chairs. Roughly knocked together furniture, made with obvious laziness, a couple of huge barrels are adapted instead of tables. High ceilings and a second level with separate tables.

But what surprised her friends was that there were no fences. Dangerous. Height and alcohol are incompatible things.

“Nedoloft,” Lilya muttered under her breath.

Do you think they had accidents? - Elya raised her head, considering the company. Men and women sat on sofas on the second floor.

- More than sure.

“Oh,” she pointed to the empty seats for Leela, “I want to sit at the bar!”

The hall was almost full, only a few empty seats at the entrance and the bar. Having ordered beer and onion rings, the girls looked at the visitors. Mostly they were men of a stern appearance. They walked from table to table, slapped each other on the back, exchanged greetings and laughed infectiously and loudly.

- Yes, they are cute! — a friend commented on what he saw.

Lily snorted incredulously and said:

- Well, yes. Sweethearts.

- Believe me. Elya ate the onion rings with gusto. You don't know my family yet. There is something to fear there. She laughed.

There was applause.

To see what was happening, the girls stood up, looking out from behind a massive column.

“Now it’s clear why these places weren’t occupied,” Lily grumbled.

The musicians warmed up on the stage, strumming a lingering melody.

The friends had to get up from their seats and go closer to the center of the hall. So at least you could see something.

On a low stage, five men dressed in leather prepared to perform. All with long hair: some had it in a ponytail or covered with a bandana, while others hung like icicles near their faces.

- If a half-naked girl comes out now and starts dancing with a snake, we make legs. We ended up in a vampire bar, Lily laughed.

“Don't be afraid, vampires prefer more pretentious places,” Rokotova said casually. “I saw it in movies,” she added quickly.

“Well, yes ... Damn it,” Lilya scolded, noticing how the well-known Khvostova entered the bar.

“Oh, hi, girls,” she exclaimed in amazement. “I didn't know you were here. Especially you, - she looked at Elya with surprise.

“They came to listen to the guys,” Lilya lied without batting an eyelid.

The classmate was still looking askance at Elya. A rich upstart, as they called her behind her back, and in a cheap bar. Nonsense!

- Come with me. From the second floor you can see the stage perfectly.

Before Lily had time to refuse the invitation, her friend was ahead of her.

“Class,” she said enthusiastically. - Thank you, Kat.

On the second floor, a surprise awaited the girls in the form of several men of a frightening appearance. Khvostova clung to one of them and said:

- Guys, get acquainted: Elya and Lilya. And these are guys. She slid into the lap of the largest of them. “Ros, Grandfather, Behemoth and Oil Belly,” she pointed to each with her finger.

At another time, Lily would have laughed at such nicknames, but not now.

“Get down.” Oil Belly patted the upholstery of the sofa next to him.

By the way the man examined Elya, he invited her.

“Excellent, they brought us to brighten up loneliness,” Lily noted with horror.

- We'll sit here. - Elya did not burn with the desire to "fall" next to the one who was called the Oil Belly and took an empty chair. She moved as far as possible to the edge, making room for her friend.

“It didn’t come out, Belly,” the Behemoth neighed. He was the youngest of those present, with sunken cheeks from thinness and unpleasant, shifty eyes all the time. The guy grinned impudently, nervously stroking his nails with the pad of his thumb, counting each finger of his hand.

“Don’t meddle with them,” Khvostova stood up for her classmates.

“You wouldn’t open your mouth again,” Behemoth snarled. Or do you have nothing to do with it?

“Shut up,” snapped the man, on whose lap Khvostova sat comfortably. “Or do you want me to tell you when to open your mouth too?” He looked angrily at the nervous guy.

The hippo pursed his lips.

- No, Ros.

The four girls who met outside the bar gave the wrong impression. Not everyone here is an exemplary family man who wants to take a break from the routine for a couple of hours and relax in the company of his friends.

These four were a danger, and not only to a girl who accidentally walked into a bar.

“We’re leaving in a couple of minutes,” Lilya whispered in her friend’s ear.

The table was directly opposite the stage, surrounded by wooden screens. Those who passed by nodded in greeting or lingered near Ros. We exchanged a few phrases with him and left the bar.

Lilya did not observe for a long time and, choosing a convenient moment, when two approached Ros, she said:

— We powder our noses. - Taking Rokotova by the hand, she pulled her along.

Without looking back, they descended the stairs. During the time the friends were upstairs, the first tier was filled to capacity with people wanting to take a seat closer to the stage.

Letting go of her friend's hand, Lily hurriedly made their way through the mass of people and paved the way. The girl was deafened by the music and the approving hum of those present, and she turned around.