I step out of the sleek, expensive car and take a look around. Towering above me are snow-capped mountains, their white peaks gleaming under the crisp winter sky. I breathe in the frosty air, a sense of fulfillment washing over me. My dream has finally come true.
“We’re here at last. My legs are numb,” my old friend Dmitry says as he appears beside me, rubbing his arms vigorously to warm up. “Man, it’s freezing out here.”
He’s dressed in a trendy but flimsy jacket, shivering uncontrollably as the winter wind tousles his blond hair. His outfit is completely unsuited for this weather.
“You look like you packed for a beach vacation, not the mountains,” I remark with a smirk, tightening the warm wool scarf around my neck. My grandma knitted it for me.
His gray eyes shoot me an annoyed glance. I’ve known Dmitry since we were kids. We grew up on the same street in a small town, went to the same school. I’ve always been puzzled by his desperate need to impress others, even when it’s to his own detriment.
“Dmitry, sweetie, we’ll warm up inside the house soon,” a blonde girl named Alice, wrapped in a short blue fur coat, grabs his arm and pulls him along with her.
In the past, a gesture like that would’ve made me jealous, but now I couldn’t care less. Back in high school, Dmitry and I dated for a while. When we moved to the big city for college, we drifted apart. It took me a long time to get over him, but that chapter is closed now. I’ve moved on.
I hear the crunch of snow behind me but don’t bother turning around. Instead, I follow Dmitry and Alice toward a wooden cabin up ahead, surrounded by lush blue spruce trees. I admire the scenery, making a mental note to snap some photos later.
A tall, imposing figure in a black leather jacket with a white collar steps up beside me.
“I bet you’ve never been to a place like this before,” David says, catching up to me and matching my stride, no matter how much I try to avoid him.
His confident gait and arrogant tone grate on my nerves. I glance at him for just a second. The smug expression on his handsome face only irritates me more.
“Yeah, I’m not used to this kind of beauty,” I reply, my tone dripping with sarcasm. It only seems to amuse him.
“Don’t worry, Nadia,” he says, not taking his piercing, unusually green eyes off me. “For once, you’ll get to live like normal people do.”
A sharp, cold gust of wind whips across his satisfied face, messing up his pitch-black hair. He instinctively smooths it back into place. In my head, I wish for him to catch a cold out here and suffer miserably. I don’t say a word out loud, though. The more I snap back, the more he seems to enjoy provoking me.
“Hey! You guys forgot about me!” the fifth member of our group calls out as he catches up to us.
A lanky guy with glasses, dressed in an odd gray wool coat, jogs toward us. He’s eccentric, always lost in his own world, and perpetually glued to online games. He never lets go of his phone. I’m pretty sure he’s a chronic gaming addict.
“Maxim, I thought you’d just stay in the car,” David laughs. “We can’t pry you away from your stuff.”
Maxim lets out a frustrated sigh, casting a disappointed look at his phone before slipping it into his coat pocket.
“I lost my castle. They crushed me like I was some newbie,” he mutters.
His serious tone catches me off guard. I’ve never understood how someone can get so worked up over a game.
“What can I say? It happens,” David replies, giving him a supportive pat on the shoulder.
They’re all close friends. The guys are in their final year of law school together. That’s where Dmitry and David bonded. Alice is David’s younger sister, and their father is some big shot—either a regional council deputy or a high-ranking official in the administration. Because of their status, they carry themselves with an air of superiority. From what I know, Maxim’s parents are well-known lawyers. I’m the outsider here, coming from a regular working-class family. I ended up on this trip by pure chance. David’s girlfriend got sick, and Dmitry suggested I join them. I’ve dreamed of the mountains my whole life, so I jumped at the opportunity, even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy.
I’d met this crew before at Dmitry’s birthday party. The golden youth didn’t want anything to do with an ordinary girl like me, and I wasn’t exactly eager to let them into my life either. That’s when David started getting under my skin. At first, he was drunk and tried to hit on me, but after I shut him down, he turned hostile. I must’ve bruised his oversized ego.
We step into the cabin. The spacious living room welcomes us with a chalet-style vibe, like an Alpine shepherd’s lodge, complete with the crackling of a fire in the stone fireplace. Everything was prepared for us before we even arrived. Money solves everything, I think with a wry smile, though I don’t really believe that.
The air smells of rich wood, mingled with a faint hint of smoke. A massive oak table and chairs with wide backs take up a good chunk of the right side of the room. A large, light-colored sofa, positioned across from the fireplace, stands out in stark contrast to the dark wooden walls.
“Am I the only one who thinks this place is awful?” Alice whines in her usual spoiled tone.
“What do you know?” David snaps at his sister impatiently. “This is the best cabin in the whole area.”
“Couldn’t you have picked something more refined?” she pouts, her perfect lips curling in disdain.
Her brother shoots her a warning look, and she falls silent. She knows better than to challenge his authority.
I actually like the cabin. There’s a certain wild, forest spirit to it. Some elements, like the sofa, clash a bit with the vibe, but it’s not a big deal. I wander around the living room, taking in the decor, trying to ignore David’s intense gaze that seems to follow me everywhere.
Maxim flops onto the sofa with a grin, immediately burying his face in his phone. He announces to everyone that he’s got an important raid coming up. I have no idea what that means, but I do know we won’t hear a peep from him for the next few hours.
“Alright, let’s get settled,” David’s commanding voice cuts through the room. “Come on, Dmitry, let’s grab the luggage. The girls can pick their rooms.”
He gives me a strange look before heading out, not even waiting for Dmitry, who obediently hurries after him. Dmitry will do anything to win the approval of someone like David.
“I hope the rooms look better than all of this,” Alice mutters, more to herself than to me, as she clacks up the wooden stairs in her high heels.
I don’t follow her. I’m not about to let David’s orders apply to me. Instead, I walk over to the roughly carved table and run my hand over its polished surface. There’s an unfamiliar energy in furniture like this. Nearby, against the wall, stands a glass-fronted cabinet. Through the clear panes, I can see porcelain plates and cups, painted with intricate swirling patterns. They’re probably just for decoration. I notice a door leading to the kitchen and peek inside. The modern cabinets and appliances are spotless. I doubt anyone’s ever used them. The guests who stay here aren’t the type to fend for themselves—they likely eat out at restaurants.
Through the window, I spot the guys returning with luggage in hand. Dmitry’s carrying my small bag, and I’m grateful for that. David storms in first, dropping two large pink suitcases onto the floor with a thud. His eyes flash with irritation.
“Why do women need so much useless stuff?” he grumbles, not directing the comment at anyone in particular.
Dmitry comes in next and hands me my small canvas bag. I take it and throw an ironic glance at David. He catches my look. Not everyone’s like your sister, I silently communicate.
Alice appears at the top of the stairs, looking displeased.
“David, did you know there are only three rooms in this place?” she demands.
“Of course I know. I booked it,” he replies coolly.
“So how are we supposed to split them?” she shoots him an annoyed glare, her blue eyes sparking with frustration.
“I was counting on Lara being here. But now you’ll have to room with Nadia,” a smirk touches his lips before he throws a predatory look my way. “Unless Nadia’s cool with bunking with me.”
His cocky expression infuriates me, and I feel my cheeks flush with anger.
“I’d sooner sleep on this couch—or the rug by the fireplace,” I snap, unable to hold back.
David grins, clearly pleased with himself.
“See? Nadia doesn’t want to room with me. So looks like she’s with you,” he tells his sister.
Alice glares at me with venom before turning on her heel and storming off.
“I wish Lara were here instead,” she mutters under her breath as she leaves us.
Her attitude stings, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m surrounded by sharks, and they’ll keep taking bites, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left of me.