[name_f]Victoria[/name_f] [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] â [name_f]Vika[/name_f] â Ruslanova (22) is a good friend of Pea and [name_u]Eli[/name_u], whoâs also a thespian and is involved in local theatre plays. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] has been involved in community plays since she was four- though she didnât always live in [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u]. She lived in Novosibirsk, [name_f]Russia[/name_f], until she was in the first grade and had to move to a small suburb in upstate [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u]- but Vikaâs family faced judgement. Their house was covered in spray painted obscenities from disruptive teenagers. The second a brick came flying through their window, the Ruslanov family left the suburb completely. Also, Vikaâs big brother was having problems at that school- a kid bullied [name_f]Vika[/name_f], her brother bit the kidâs arm, and he got suspended for a whole month. Vikaâs family decided to move to somewhere more accepting- [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u], [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u], a perfect place to raise a family. The apartments were costly and there wasnât enough space but at least they had some peace of mind, and there were no smart alecky suburban teens trying to annoy them.
When in the second grade, shy newcomer [name_f]Vika[/name_f] met Pea, the loner. Instead of playing on the playground like all the other kids, at recess Pea went behind a big oak tree. Nobody cared to see what she was doing except [name_f]Vika[/name_f], whose curious nature often gets the best of her. She found that Pea wasnât just sitting in the dirt- she was using all her water from the water bottle to water some shriveled-up plants, who were flourishing and healthy by the next week. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] finally worked up the courage to introduce herself, and Pea welcomed her with open arms- the two were equally happy to have a new friend. Pea and [name_f]Vika[/name_f] tried out for acting camp together in fifth grade and both displayed outstanding talent, and were given lead roles immediately. In middle school, the two auditioned at the community theater and got two killed roles- Pea was [name_f]Annie[/name_f] and [name_f]Vika[/name_f] was Miss Hannigan. (I was actually in [name_f]Annie[/name_f] once! I was a kid in the sidelines who licked a lollipop.) The two began getting even more serious about theater, which Vikaâs parents didnât like.
Vikaâs parents are more strict about their kids succeeding- [name_f]Vika[/name_f], her older brother, and her little brother and sister who were born after the family moved to [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u]. Itâs not that they hate their children having passions, itâs that they care about them and want them to succeed in life no matter what- which is a pretty hard expectation to lead up to. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] tried to meet their demands in high school- in freshman year she threw acting out the window, adopted a more scholarly look and dedicated her whole life to studying- but when her parents saw how burnt out and unhappy she was, they practically forced [name_f]Vika[/name_f] to act again no matter what, and today they have the best relationship. Pea was thrilled when [name_f]Vika[/name_f] got back to acting.
Unlike Pea, [name_f]Vika[/name_f] didnât major in [name_f]Earth[/name_f] and Atmospheric [name_u]Science[/name_u]- she majored in the Arts at the [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u] Film Academy, so she could be closer to her family and see them at least every two weeks- [name_f]Vika[/name_f] canât imagine being away from her family from a month, and sheâs had separation anxiety ever since she was a kid. Like Pea, sheâs almost done with her college education. Sheâs very happy for Pea and [name_u]Eli[/name_u]- [name_f]Vika[/name_f] met [name_u]Eli[/name_u] through Pea and knows how lucky [name_u]Eli[/name_u] is to have her, and vice versa- she really ships it. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] used to have a crush on Pea through middle and high school, but sheâs over it and realizes how silly it was. She now likes a boy who sits in front of her in some of her classes. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] has never had to deal with any biph0bes, and sheâd like to keep it that way- mainly because she knows Pea and [name_u]Eli[/name_u] would slit their throats. Pea was the first person [name_f]Vika[/name_f] told she was bi, and she accepted it obviously. [name_f]Vika[/name_f] is trying to work up the courage to ask out the boy, but sheâs really shy and having a hard time with itâŠluckily Pea, [name_u]Eli[/name_u] and Vikaâs siblings, who are now 24(older brother), 14(little sister) and 12(little brother) are there to root for her and cheer her on.