My Ice Prince

Harry blushed a little.

– 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. – He smiled embarrassedly.

– It's okay, and I'm sorry» I said, feeling extremely awkward.

We walked in silence to his car, a big grey Jeep. Harry started to put my bags in the boot, and I paid the baggage handler and tipped him.

Then Harry and I got into the car.

– Don't forget to buckle up» the guy said as he started the engine.

I gri

– How did you recognise me? – I asked.

– It was easy: your sister told my mother that you were a beautiful, thin, long-haired blonde» he replied.

«I'm not that thin!» – I thought grudgingly. The compliment left me completely indifferent: I was fed up with the admiration of others. It a

– Are the students moving in already? – I asked, turning the conversation to another topic.

– I think so, but to be honest I don't know, as I'm rarely in Oxford.

– Why? I thought you lived there.

– Almost. We only live there in the summer, and for the school year we rent a flat and move to London» said the guy. – Can I ask you something?

– Please. – I was very amused by his tetchy English.

– Why Oxford?

This question, often asked of me by my parents, made me smile.

– Because Oxford is my dream» I admitted honestly, glancing at Harry.

He smiled, and I thought about the fact that he was pretty good-looking. But then I tapped myself on the forehead with an open palm.

– Oh, I forgot! – came out of my mouth in Polish.

– What?» Harry asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise: he obviously didn't know Polish.

– I remembered that I forgot something very important in Poland! – I mumbled in English.

I had forgotten what I should have taken in the first place – Maria’s list of rules.

– It happens to everyone» Harry smiled. – By the way, you don't have to buy a bicycle, you can ride Mary's.

– Mary? – I asked.

– Yes, that's my sister. She's seventeen. She's gone to stay with our uncle in Scotland, and her bike is all yours.

– That's great» I said, but I didn't feel any joy.

– You and your sister look very much alike. How many years older is she than you? – The guy suddenly asked.

– Seven» I answered without thinking.

A rather pointless, banal question.

– I wouldn't say that: it's like you're the same age. And her hair is the same golden colour.

I gri

– Sisters always look alike» I said.

– Yeah, I guess so.

We fell silent.

I decided to take advantage of the silence and call home as promised and ask my mum to send me Maria’s list.

Taking out my blue smartphone, I dialled my mum's number.

– Hi, I'm already in England. – I switched to Polish so Harry wouldn't understand my conversation with my mum.

– Hi, how was your flight? – Mum asked in a tired voice.

– It was great: there was an lady sitting next to me and she was snoring right in my ear» I replied with a smile. – Mum, I forgot something at home, could you send it to me by post?

– What is it?

– In my room, in one of my desk drawers, there's a piece of paper – it's the advice Maria wrote to make my long-suffering life at Oxford easier.

– Yes, I found it. It's fu

– Send it to me today, will you? Ordinary post, registered mail. I'll text you the address.

– Okay. Where are you now?

– I'm on my way to Oxford. Hired a car.

«It's a good thing this mortal bloke doesn't speak Polish! I can't tell him I'm taking a taxi. «And I can't tell my mum I'm in a car with someone else!» – I was relieved

– OK. I'm working now, so I'll call you tonight.

– It's not necessary, but I'll call you when I'm free.

– I look forward to your call then , sweetheart.

– Bye, Mum.

I disco

– What's wrong? – I asked him.

– 'Polish is a bit strange and sounds fu

– Thank you. But, you know, not many foreigners think so, – I said sincerely.

– Why?

– 'They think it has too many fu

«Well, there, I've been breaking the most important rule for about half an hour now: don't socialise with people. But that's how you die of boredom!» – I thought mockingly.

We chatted all the way to Oxford, Harry telling me about his sister, about his family, about what Mary was like when he saw her. As for me, I didn't tell him anything about myself, but was careful to keep the conversation neutral.

Finally, we arrived in the city of my dreams. Oxford.

As soon as we got there, despite Harry's displeasure, I poked my head out the window to look at the streets: people were going somewhere, with and without their bags, a huge number of bicycles were scattering the roads, and I felt with all my soul that I was free at last. My dream had come true: I was in Oxford!

Harry stopped the car outside a two-storey stone house, a rather old-looking building that reminded me of the Morgans' castle in Prague.

– Welcome to your new home! – said the guy, getting out of the car.

I got out too and stared mesmerised at the marvel.

– I think I ordered a flat, not a house! – I exclaimed with sincere admiration.

– Well, yes, it is your flat. It's just that all the living rooms are on the ground floor, and the upstairs is where we keep the stuff we're leaving until next summer» Harry explained to me.

– Yeah, but I'll still be the mistress of the whole house! – I laughed.

The Englishman looked at me intently.

– A tenant» he reminded me.

«How tedious and boring he is!» – I thought mockingly, covering my eyes with the palm of my hand.

– Are you ill? Do you have a headache?

I took my palm away from my eyes; Harry was looking at me with concern.

– No, I'm not. It's just that you're very tedious» I couldn't help but grin mockingly again.

– Tedious? – He asked in surprise.

– Very tedious» I clarified. – Don't take offence.

– Don't worry, I think I understand why you thought that. – He took one of my bags out of the boot and walked up the low stairs to a very modern but antique-patterned door. – We English don't call it «something tedious», but «love of order».

I couldn't find anything to say, so I just followed Harry upstairs and stopped behind him, waiting for him to open the door.

– The key's a little stiff here. You've got to push it a little harder. Just a minute… – Harry started fiddling with the key in the lock.

We stood like that for about three minutes.

– Let me try» I suggested, after Harry's failed attempt to open the door.

– You think that if I can't open the damn lock, you can? – The guy asked a little mockingly, looking at me.

– Wa

– Betting is silly.

– Afraid of losing to a girl? – I gri

He laughed softly, a pleasant enough laugh.

– Well, you asked for it. What's the bet?

– A wish» I said, deciding to teach him a lesson for his love of order.

The guy held out his hand to me with a smug look. I shook it.

– Your hands are cold. Are you cold? – he asked thoughtfully.

– Yes, I am, so I want to get inside» I said hurriedly, taking the keys from him.

And to be really cold in this amazingly su

With a little effort, I opened the door with ease and looked up at Harry victoriously.

He was surprised, his eyebrows almost touching the roots of his hair.

– It's some kind of miracle» he said with a smile.

Instead of answering, I walked defiantly into the house.