Still alive?

Mia woke up in her dorm room, took a shower, got dressed, drank a cup of instant coffee and turned on the news:

“Scientists have warned that the threat of a nuclear apocalypse is closer to becoming a reality. The Bulletin’s Atomic Scientists segment advanced its symbolic Doomsday Clock 30 seconds to two minutes to midnight – a reflection of how bleak scientists view the current nuclear dangers facing the world. The dial is now 23 hours 58 minutes. According to authors of the project, before the onset of «nuclear midnight,” humanity had only two minutes remaining.

“To label the world’s nuclear situation dire is to understate the danger and its immediacy,” said Rachel Bronson, the bulletin’s president – the news station’s CEO informed journalists in Washington.

The “clock” better known as the Doomsday Clock, was created in 1947 at the initiative of a group of scientists who participated in a project to develop an American atomic bomb. For decades, the project has been overseen by the editors of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which is published by the prestigious University of Chicago.

Explaining their decision on Thursday, scientists from the bulletin’s widely respected science and security board said they were disturbed by the rising tensions on the Korean peninsula: their increasing expenditure on nuclear weapons from major powers, the absence of arms control negotiations around the world, and the wavering political desire to combat climate change.

“The probability of a global catastrophe is disturbingly high,” warns the committee’s journal on science and security.”

“The end of the world. The Apocalypse. Is there no news besides the end of the world?” Mia wondered and switched off the TV.

“There’s insurance for almost anything: an apartment, car, health, even Jennifer Lopez insured her famous derrière. But no insurance company will be willing to cover anything related to nuclear war... I should consider some sort of insurance,” Mia then remembered a phrase of her beloved Scarlett O’Hara.

“But what if there won’t be a tomorrow after all this talk of nuclear war? Hmm… Then I need to look good today.” After a shower, she dried her long hair and carefully combed it.

“I’ll need to wear something decent,” Mia thought and found a blue blouse in the closet. This color complimented her blue eyes, and as she looked in the mirror, she saw a beautiful girl with magnificent wavy hair and sea-blue eyes. A girl, it was impossible not to fall in love with as her smile was irresistible.

Suddenly her cell phone rang, and she heard Max’s voice.

“You know, I thought, I’m free from work at lunch time. We could meet and have some pizza,” he suggested.

“Oh, that is a nice idea,” she thought, remembering that there was nothing in the refrigerator… again. Except for a couple of eggs.

Today there were not many lectures at the university, and Mia had some free time.

Mia went to meet with Max at the mall. She entered and took the escalator to the third floor, accompanied by Robbie Williams’s song.

Mia often visited this mall for window-shopping in her spare time, breathing the aromas of perfumes coming from boutiques, and groaning about her modest scholarship.

The cafe on the top floor with its red glass tables and white leather chairs together with the green of the palm trees created an atmosphere of relaxation for business people to distract them from work and endless stress. A few suits drank coffee with a newspaper in their hands. Mia wanted to come here one day with her small white computer, just to sit and feel herself one of them for the moment.

... Max barely could wait for a lunch break and drove up to the shopping center almost half an hour earlier than the agreed time. Leaving the car in the parking lot, he entered the mall and sat on a lounge-chair in the back of the hall. He decided to leaf through the magazines, that were tabled in front of him. Basically, those were richly illustrated publications with a variety of promotional products from world-famous companies and campaigns. One page drew his attention. There was an advertisement for a technology conference. Max was interested but then continued flipping through the magazines and looking impatiently at the clock from time to time. Finally, the clock showed exactly one PM. But no one appeared in the hall. Max became nervous, but five minutes later he saw Mia heading towards him. She was dressed in an elegant suit that emphasized her impeccably slender, beautiful figure, and fashionable high-heeled shoes that lengthened her beautiful legs even more. Max got up spread his arms for greeting hug, but she averted his hands with a smile,

“Max, please don’t,” she said laughing. Smiling, she continued, without giving him the opportunity to say anything more “I’m glad to see you.”

“Mia, you look great!” he said.

“Thanks, Max.” She blushed a little.

“Let’s go. There is a small Italian pizzeria on the corner, I have never been there, but we can go there together,” Max suggested.

“I’m not that hungry,” Mia said, staring attentively at his face.

“Do me a favor,” Max said in an uncompromising tone and opened the door for her.

She had nothing to say to that and humbly followed him to the restaurant.

There were just a few visitors and Mia were able to look around. Inside, the place was like a little Italy, with cheerful Italian music, with paintings of gondolas, Venice and the mountains on the walls... She had never been to Italy, but being in this cafe Mia could feel as if she was visiting that beautiful country at that very moment...

The hostess, a well-groomed Italian, looked at Max with undissembled interest, which Mia didn`t like.

«A table for two? - the hostess asked in a creamy voice. She glanced at Mia briefly and calmed down, seeing that Max did not hold her hand. Grabbing the menu, the woman led them to a table for four in the very center of the café hall.

Mia was about to sit down, when Max shook his head.

“Could you, please, show us more secluded spot?” - he asked.

“Of course,” the Italian answered giving him a surprised look, and led them to a small table in the corner behind a partition. “Will this do?” she asked.

“It`s perfect,” Max answered with a dazzler.

“Okay,” the hostess nodded. “Make yourself comfortable!” She looked absent-mindedly at Max and Mia and went rickety to the kitchen.

Then the waitress came up, looking at Max and Mia with genuine interest. She smiled sweetly.

«Hi, my name is Lena. Can I bring you something to drink?

Mia noticed that the girl was referring to Max only.

He looked at Mia, letting her being the first to order.

“I would like a glass of still water, please,” Mia said.

“Then two glasses of water,” supported Max.

“Just a minute,” the girl promised, smiling again, but Max did not notice her.

«How do you feel?” He asked when the waitress left. His voice sounded somehow tense and worried.

“I’m fine, I promise,” Mia answered insistently.

“Still, I’ll be sure if you eat something,” Max

The waitress brought water and a wicker basket with bread sticks.

“Can I take your order?” She asked Max, turning her back to Mia.

“Mia?

The girl reluctantly turned to Mia.

“Choose what you want. It’s on me!” Max suggested.

“Please, Max, there is no need,” Mia felt embarrassed. As Max didn`t even look at her, she decided to surrender. “Hmm... a small pizza Margherita,” Mia named the first dish she saw in the menu.

“And a young man?” affectionately asked Lena.

“One big Margarita, please. We will share it,”- Max smiled politely.

“If you want something else, please, let me know,” the girl gave him a flirty smile, but Max didn’t even glance at her. The waitress left, obviously, offended.

“You can drink your water!” Max said.

Mia obediently took a sip, then, realizing that she was dying of thirst, she drained the whole glass at once. Max pushed his glass to her.

“Thank you,” Mia muttered, and trembled, feeling the icy liquid in her throat.

“Are you freezing?” Max assumed and started worrying.

“No, I’m fine. This is because of the water,” Mia explained, still trembling a bit.

“Where’s your jacket?”

“Oh no, I left it in the dorm!”

Max took off his jacket. How did Mia ignored what he was wearing? Okay, better late than never. Under the thin leather jacket, he had a white shirt.

Max handed Mia the jacket.

“Thank you,” Mia muttered again, putting her hands in the sleeves. The jacket turned out to be very helpful, though, the sleeves were too long and had to be tucked up.

“It suits you!” gagged Max, and Mia flushed scarlet.

He pushed a basket grissini towards her.

“Help yourself,” he said. Mia had not yet seen his eyes to be so bright. Today they were sky blue.

“You know, I feel very calm when you’re around.” Max shook his head.

Mia took a breadstick, not taking her eyes off his face.

“Mm…” Mia bit off the stick.

While talking, Max and Mia unconsciously leaned towards each other and when the waitress approached bringing pizza, they staggered back synchronously. The girl put a plate of pizza in the middle of the table in front of them and immediately turned to Max.

“Anything else?” She asked hopefully.

“So indiscreet!” Mia thought.

“No thanks! However, please bring two more glasses of water.” His hand pointed to the empty glasses.

“Of course!” the girl was delighted and rushed to the kitchen.

After bringing the water, she left immediately. Mia grabbed one of the glasses eagerly.

The pizza was delicious. After eating, Max and Mia had a nice conversation.

“So, tell me how are you doing, Max,” Mia caught herself thinking that the guy sitting in front of her was very handsome.

“The same as usually, Mia, and, how are you?”

“Same here”, - she laughed, putting the glass to her lips.

Mia was flattered that Max invited her to the pizzeria and to see the world, so to say, as her scholarship wasn’t enough to afford eating in a cafe or pizzeria.

“How was the week, Mia?” - Max asked.

“Many classes and term papers. And yours?”

“Work. And a technology conference,” Max boasted.

“Interesting. And what are the news from the future?” Mia asked.

Max looked at Mia. All her anxieties and concerns immediately flown away and Mia felt peace, as usually in the man’s presence. When Max looked at her, there was no fear in her eyes.

Mia hoped that he would still answer her question. Max shut lips tightly and gave her such look, as if deciding whether to be frank or not.

“Eat, and I will be telling.”

Mia immediately grabbed the fork and began to chew so fast that she nearly choked.

Overwhelmed by confusion, her thoughts were flying around like frightened birds. With her hands on her lap, she leaned back in her chair waiting. Max sat motionless, like a statue.

“Many things. They say, artificial intelligence threatens humanity. And a few more interesting things.”

“And can the world be saved?” Mia suddenly asked.

“Yes. Love will save the world,” Max answered.

“Eh… Love?” Mia asked skeptically.

«Yes, love. And my startup,” Max said confidently. “And, of course, your beauty,” he added.

Mia blushed.

“Will you finally tell me what is your startup in specific? Or it’s, still a secret?”

“In short, we want to produce safe and clean energy.”

“And…” Mia asked.

Mia liked Max for being eccentric and idiosyncratic. It seemed he was chosen for something great. Mia liked spending hours chatting with him on various topics, she even started to like him not telling details about his startup idea.

“You stopped eating,” Max said instead of giving answers.

“Sorry, I’m full.”

“Are you okay?” Max asked.

“Yes, Max,” she said carefully.

“Ready to go home?”

“Yep!”

The waitress approached them, as if she felt that they were ready to ask for a bill. Maybe she was eavesdropping?

“Would you like to order anything else?” She asked Max.

“Just the bill, please!” – Max said. The request sounded harshly and the girl froze for a moment.

“One moment, please,” she said after coming to her senses. She quickly took a piece of paper from her apron’s pocket and put it on the table.

Barely glancing at the bill, Max returned it to the waitress along with a crisp.

“No change,” he smiled, getting up, and looked at Mia anticipatingly.

“Have a nice evening,” the waitress smiled sweetly, and Max thanked without even looking at her.

“I can pay for myself too!” Mia almost burst out laughing.

Max pretended nothing happened. He just gallantly opened the door for Mia.

A minute later, she got in the front seat of the car, and Max sat next to her. The motor roared and they darted away maneuvering among other cars.

It got much colder. The Max’s jacket was so comfortable, smelled so pleasantly that Mia secretly enjoyed having it on.

“May I hop off at the intersection?” Mia asked when they were approaching her dorm. She was afraid of other students gossiping about her arrival by car.

“Okay, Mia.”

Mia was about to leave the car, when Max opened the door and offered her a hand.

Now they were standing at the crossroads... Her hair waved in the wind and she looked at him with her huge sad blue eyes.

“Today we visited Italy,” said Max. “Did you enjoy our little adventure?”

“Thank you for this trip,” she answered.

“I have a surprise for you,” said Max, handing over a small flash drive in the shape of the globe to Mia.

“I give you the whole world,” he said.

Mia smiled. “Max is a hopeless romantic,” she thought.

“You can download your term papers here.”

“Thank you, Max. It’s super nice of you.”

“Since now, if you feel lonely or bored all of a sudden, this thing will remind you of me ...

“Thank you very much, it’s very touching...”

They waved goodbye and Max left.

… In the evening, feeling lonely, Mia looked at the flash drive and thought about Max...