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But again and again I replayed in my head the events of our last meeting: I saw that Viper was not listening to me, she was consumed with resentment, but I monotonously continued to explain the material to her, so that I could not see her eyes burning with resentment. The state into which I had plunged this girl made me morally uncomfortable, and I sought salvation in meaningless retellings of the laws of physics. But when Viper tiredly covered her face with her palms, something in me shivered.
I'd never cared or cared about what both vampires and humans thought of me. But in that moment, I suddenly thought with horror that Viper hated me. And as she began to silently gather her things, preparing to leave me, I remained silent. I didn't dare fall in my own eyes by apologising to her. Now thoughts of Viper plagued me. Maybe she thought I was a son of a bitch, a moral freak, or worse.
For some reason unknown to myself, I was looking forward to another meeting with Viper. Since the girl didn't schedule it, I myself passed my ward a note through a third party.
At the appointed time, I sat in the library and waited for Viper to appear. It was already six zero two, but the girl didn't show up, which was uncharacteristic of her, given her nauseating punctuality, as she herself had put it earlier. The entire hall was occupied by other pairs of students, victims of the Rector's experimental programme.
When the library door opened again, I stared at it again, expecting Viper to appear. But instead of her, another girl appeared: she looked around the room, and when she saw me, she took a firm step toward me and sat down across from me. A beautiful blonde-haired mortal with a radiant wide smile.
"Who the hell is that?" – I thought grudgingly, giving her a frown, but the girl seemed not to notice my gaze and continued to smile.
– Hi!" she said cheerfully, holding out her hand to me. – I'm Julia Novak, your new ward! But you don't have to introduce yourself – I know you! You're Cedric Morgan!
I pretended not to notice her outstretched hand.
New ward? What's the joke?
– As I recall, I'm studying with Viper Vladinovich," I said briefly. Not understanding what was going on made me angry.
– Yes, I know, you were studying with her, but everything has changed, and now your ward is me, – still smiling, confidently said the girl.
– Interesting. Who decided? – I asked coldly, giving Julia an icy stare.
– We switched," she explained. Her smile was fading. – She was already studying with her new 'friend' and I think they got along well. I'm sure we'll get along, too, though.
– Switched? – I asked quietly.
Switched? You can change things, but not people… In my case, me. Switched. I was furious. How could that Viper girl dare to do that? Change me like I was a boring object, a thing! Who does she think she is, that stupid girl?
– Viper asked me to switch with her because… She said you didn't get along, and that you didn't care…" Julia began to babble, flapping her eyelashes.
– Call everything by its proper name: she just doesn't want to study with me! – I mockingly interrupted her.
So that's the reason! Viper got cold feet and just switched me behind my back. Like a thing. Disappointment and anger at this mortal immediately flooded my soul.
– Tell your friend that if she really wants to continue studying and get a stipend, she shouldn't change me for someone else, just like she shouldn't refuse to study with me," I said in a quiet, angry voice.
Julia remained silent, but her formerly friendly eyes were replaced with a light of irritation and resentment.
I silently got up from the table, slung my backpack on my shoulder and headed for the exit, hearing Julia whisper under her breath: "What a nutcase!". I felt such a burning anger that if I'd ever seen Viper again, I would have loved to smash her, break her. Killed her. As I walked past the students, I kept my head down so that my furious eyes would not be visible. Contempt for Viper filled my entire being. Wow, and I still wanted to apologise! To whom? That coward? The one who'd sneakily changed me like a thing? Never now. I won't let some stupid little mortal girl neglect me and treat me like a thing! She'll learn her lesson.
Yes, I could study with Julia – she's quite beautiful. But, damn it, I didn't want to spend time in her a
To my own surprise, despite all my negativity towards Viper Vladinovich, I wanted to see her. She caused me a storm of resentment, but I sought to meet her. For what reason should I despise her? I should despise her! No, I already despise her!
The next day I saw this person. She was talking to Julia. Or rather, she was reproaching her for the idea of switching, and accusing her of embarrassing her, Julia, the poor, i
– I'm so sorry! Believe me, I didn't mean to set you up! I really believed it was me that he hated! But it turns out he's a universal man-hater! What am I supposed to do now? You're go
These words made me grimly chuckle: yes, she was offended! But I was doubly offended by her actions, and wished to teach her a lesson. I wanted to teach her a lesson that it was a very bad idea to confront me.
I headed toward my girlfriends. Julia was the first to notice my approach; she shoved her friend in the shoulder and glanced at me meaningfully. Viper hastily took her hand away from her eyes and looked at me, first with surprise and then with hatred.
As if to give her friend a chance to deal with me, Julia hurried away, and Viper watched my approach with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes fixed on me. When I approached her, she stared boldly into my face, not hiding her glittering eyes.
– What was that? – I asked, looking down at Viper like a teacher looking at a student. At that moment, I could barely keep myself from yelling at her or hurting her physically. Or kill her.
– It was my attempt to get rid of your company! – The girl blurted out angrily. – But if that didn't work, I'll use the other way out!
– You think that's the best way out of this situation? – I said mockingly. – Because of one small unpleasant quarrel, you cowardly run away into the bushes!
– I have many reasons for that!
– How interesting. Well, tell me!
– You think you are allowed to insult and abuse other people! You're arrogant and selfish, and you've made it clear that you despise me both as a person and as a woman! – Viper snarled.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Was she the one I'd thought so highly of when we first met in the library? The narrowness of her thoughts and judgement struck me unpleasantly.
– Go on, tell me I'm wrong! I'm always wrong and I don't understand anything about people. How could I? I am only a naive fool! – she added mockingly. – What's the use of such a performance now? I don't want to practise with you, you're squeamish about practising with me, so come on…
– What makes you think I'm shy of studying with you? – I interrupted her, trying to ask the question as calmly as possible.