Duca is just officially with my namesake (who, can't remember - perhaps Sredljak, though that's very unlikely, he's from the far end of town, never saw him around here... but then the name was popular, there were too many of us), but actually free. I was with her all evening, so if I'm smart tomorrow... who knows.
Later I remembered whence she came into my head. This saturday, when we were playing remi, it was raining and she had just slippers, which she left by the door (customary here) so she was barefoot, cold feet. So she put her feet on mine to warm them up. Which made me take a better look at her, and notice the special expression of her face, the slightly upturned lips in some kind of rascal mona lisa smile. Will have to have a photo of that smile.
So on 2nd we went into photo lab in Zmaj at 8:05, first just the two of us, but then within fifteen minutes Tejka and Dragana came and we kept on doing photos until 11. In the afternoon, 17 to 19, I was kind of napping but only by half, thinking and daydreaming. All of a sudden, a question pops up in my head - why is Duca always wearing trousers? Something wrong with her legs, shy of showing them? And then in the evening she shows up in a cute mini dress, legs perfect. Whew. I feared for nothing.
Um, this was some other day. That afternoon Đuđa's son came by. I can't stand the whole family, because of her, but he turned out all right, despite her, or just to spite her - he's also dissatisfied with what she does and how she is. Still angry that he came so late, so then I was late at ruža in the evening, Duca and Tejka have already left. And a part of the gang went somewhere into the swamps, some jungle by the river, but not the closest river and not the closest place by it, but almost halfway to Belgrade, camped for a couple of days. So I was very bored. Gradivoj and Dragana stood embraced on the side, kissing, when her sister came by and gave her a harsh look.
Gradivoj: now your sister will slam you when you get home
- oh no, she won't
- well she ain't stronger than you... or if she is, she isn't faster.
This was a joke of a few minutes before, when he said that she's training for a runner, "already runs 20m in 15 seconds".
On 4th the first screening of "Old cylinder". The plot is naive, acting worse, but is good fun in the sense that the actors and their close friends are the only audience. There was some talk about the next doček, and hopefully, if there are no less-than-excellent marks in the school, it should happen. We weren't that bad last time. But, ahem, gimnazija is no joke, I'd be happy to just pass.
In the afternoon Duca came first, then Dragana and Tejka came later. Switching to lorum, had enough of remi (after what, five months...). Now it being played in four, and the strategy largely depending on who's the dealer and who plays first (the next person to dealer's right), and it has six (later expanded to eight) games, it has to be played four cycles to give everyone the same chance. Which means that a game lasts a couple of hours, depending on how many pee breaks are taken. Duca is very intelligent and catches stuff right away. Again the dance of bare feet under the table. I actually put my feet in the right place without much thinking. Perhaps she already considers me a boyfriend?
Later Gradivoj and Patak came, to see the movie. "Ahh look a real gambling den here, woow".
When they took to leave, I had no proper trousers - the orange ones were all wrinkled after a wash, and it's too late (and getting cold) to go to ruža in my bermudas, so I said "I can't go to ruža like this, catch with you in 20 minutes". Duca said "I'm not going to ruža", with one of her cute and half mocking half mysterious faces, but I didn't quite catch that. So they all went their ways, and in 20 minutes I had the trousers and went. Too bad, could have went with her, but brain wasn't working fast enough.
On 5th the larger gang came to see the movie - Zvojko, both Ž. twins, Čeda, Gradivoj and three more guys. In the afternoon the gang was missing - Tejka took that tablecloth yesterday, so of course she isn't coming today. I don't care, but Duca is also not here. So I was at ruža at 19 already, and they have already visited and vanished. So what, I should wait at home until 19 but be out there at 17 just to catch them. Well, her. Aaaarrrggh.
Over there, a new piece of furniture, a large piece of cardboard, something like 3x5m. So we can all sit on it, the soil being already too cold in the evening. Stayed until 23:00.
Sixth was the last day of the long vacation. House was full - I counted eleven people, in several waves. The forelast (pretposlednji means literally that) were Duca, Dragana and Tejka. They were all indisposed - silent and subdued, headached, sneezing respectively. She hasn't seen Sredljak since the prom. They had a date but canceled because of rain, haven't rescheduled. Now tomorrow I wish we were either all in same class, or at least that the two of them aren't. She squeezed my hand on leave, signifying something.