After Nadya a sixteen year old girl returns home from seeing a play she is happily consumed with its plot of unrequited love. To Nadya unrequited love is the most interesting type of love as love is boring if everyone is happy. Quickly Nadya's thoughts turn to her two suitors Gorny and Guzdev. Although they have both declared their love for her she more than anything wants to believe that they do not love her.
Trying to emulate the unrequited love from the play she writes a letter to Gorny like the heroine in the play to create tension. But then she wonders if she should instead write to Guzdev or perhaps both!
