Tomorrow was a big day – her first working day in Amsterdam!
****
Vasko on the other hand had his own beginnings. He flew over the ocean and finally got to where he’d dreamt of being. But the story with Annika had taken all the pleasure away and he no longer enjoyed his dream. It felt empty and pointless without her, and Vasko wondered if he had made the right choice. The worst problem was that he could not find an answer. He was not sure of anything any longer.
Vasko lived on the university campus, with a room-mate from Hungary. Since Vasko was not an extrovert and did not have many friends even back home, the transition was smooth. He was addicted to knowledge and studying, and that part was perfectly catered for there. He enjoyed the classes, the professors were great and he spent most of his evenings poring over the textbooks. Needless to say, crazy student life with its alcohol-fuelled parties and wild adventures, not to mention sexual experiments, were just not in his schedule.
Vasko had been checking his mail for a week, but still there was no news from Annika. He was sure Annika was mad at him and that most probably she wanted everything to end that way – quietly, with no talk and no tears.
She was in Amsterdam, he was in the US, and there was an ocean and more between them.
Vasko had given up waiting for Annika's e-mail when it finally came. He read it and took a deep breath. It all depended on him now. Why did she say that? Why was she putting all the responsibility on his shoulders? Why hadn’t she even given a hint about what she wanted him to do?
Vasko felt confused. In this state of confusion he even wondered if he wasn’t just a pill for Annika to pop to get over Stefan. He was always pretty insecure about the whole matter. Vasko thought that Stefan had had such a profound emotional influence on Annika that he would never be able to match up. He was not Stefan and it seemed that Annika had loved Stefan too much. Would Stefan have stayed with Annika instead of leaving for the US, Vasko wondered? Most probably yes, and most probably that was why Annika had loved him so much.
There was only one situation that had put Vasko to the test and he had failed. From the very first try, he was immediately disqualified. Would Annika give him a chance to re-take the test? That's what she’d written in the e-mail, but did she mean it? Vasko had no idea what he should do. His heart did not whisper the answer, his soul did not provide the solution and Annika's e-mail did not tell him anything specific. In short – he was lost.
****
Annika's life in Amsterdam was full of new experiences. She found many new people, her lifestyle was completely different and she felt very happy. Her patients were very different, but she loved them all. The mere thought that she could help them and ease their pain was enormously gratifying.
With each day that passed, she loved Amsterdam more. Annika enjoyed the free spirit of the crazy city with all its colours – red lights, green parks and the blue river. With each day she found she was successfully integrating into its life more and more. Like a real Amsterdamer, Annika bought a very nice bike which took her everywhere she wanted to go. In the evenings she sat on the windowsill, looked at the sunset and breathed in the second-hand marijuana.
She did not buy a television. The only items of civilization were a small stereo, her laptop and the coffee machine. By now her room had become a calm, cosy, warm place which she loved coming back to. By now she already had a few friends and not all the evenings were lonely. She went out with them twice a week. Things were beginning to fall into place.
Annika was also back in cyber space. This time she relied on e-mails and did not spend her time in chat rooms. There were very few people she kept in touch
****
Vasko on the other hand had his own beginnings. He flew over the ocean and finally got to where he’d dreamt of being. But the story with Annika had taken all the pleasure away and he no longer enjoyed his dream. It felt empty and pointless without her, and Vasko wondered if he had made the right choice. The worst problem was that he could not find an answer. He was not sure of anything any longer.
Vasko lived on the university campus, with a room-mate from Hungary. Since Vasko was not an extrovert and did not have many friends even back home, the transition was smooth. He was addicted to knowledge and studying, and that part was perfectly catered for there. He enjoyed the classes, the professors were great and he spent most of his evenings poring over the textbooks. Needless to say, crazy student life with its alcohol-fuelled parties and wild adventures, not to mention sexual experiments, were just not in his schedule.
Vasko had been checking his mail for a week, but still there was no news from Annika. He was sure Annika was mad at him and that most probably she wanted everything to end that way – quietly, with no talk and no tears.
She was in Amsterdam, he was in the US, and there was an ocean and more between them.
Vasko had given up waiting for Annika's e-mail when it finally came. He read it and took a deep breath. It all depended on him now. Why did she say that? Why was she putting all the responsibility on his shoulders? Why hadn’t she even given a hint about what she wanted him to do?
Vasko felt confused. In this state of confusion he even wondered if he wasn’t just a pill for Annika to pop to get over Stefan. He was always pretty insecure about the whole matter. Vasko thought that Stefan had had such a profound emotional influence on Annika that he would never be able to match up. He was not Stefan and it seemed that Annika had loved Stefan too much. Would Stefan have stayed with Annika instead of leaving for the US, Vasko wondered? Most probably yes, and most probably that was why Annika had loved him so much.
There was only one situation that had put Vasko to the test and he had failed. From the very first try, he was immediately disqualified. Would Annika give him a chance to re-take the test? That's what she’d written in the e-mail, but did she mean it? Vasko had no idea what he should do. His heart did not whisper the answer, his soul did not provide the solution and Annika's e-mail did not tell him anything specific. In short – he was lost.
****
Annika's life in Amsterdam was full of new experiences. She found many new people, her lifestyle was completely different and she felt very happy. Her patients were very different, but she loved them all. The mere thought that she could help them and ease their pain was enormously gratifying.
With each day that passed, she loved Amsterdam more. Annika enjoyed the free spirit of the crazy city with all its colours – red lights, green parks and the blue river. With each day she found she was successfully integrating into its life more and more. Like a real Amsterdamer, Annika bought a very nice bike which took her everywhere she wanted to go. In the evenings she sat on the windowsill, looked at the sunset and breathed in the second-hand marijuana.
She did not buy a television. The only items of civilization were a small stereo, her laptop and the coffee machine. By now her room had become a calm, cosy, warm place which she loved coming back to. By now she already had a few friends and not all the evenings were lonely. She went out with them twice a week. Things were beginning to fall into place.
Annika was also back in cyber space. This time she relied on e-mails and did not spend her time in chat rooms. There were very few people she kept in touch
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