My Ice Prince

– Tell me, how did you do it? No one's ever been able to open that lock the first time» Harry asked, following me in.

– Not Maria, either? – I gri

– The lock was still alive when your sister was here» the guy said.

Harry dragged three more bags into the hallway and gri

– I wonder how you'd carry all those bags yourself? – He asked.

– At least you have a sense of humour» I retorted, strolling through the rooms.

I was happy because I was in my own… Well, okay, rented house for a year, where I would start my adult life on my own and do what I wanted to do, like cry.

– It has everything I need: kitchen, entrance hall, lounge, living room, bathroom, two bedrooms…

– Two bedrooms? – I was surprised.

– Two bedrooms» Harry repeated. – Lights, heating. There's nothing interesting on the upper floors, unless you're interested in the old junk in the attic. That's where your bike is, by the way. – He went up the stairs and I continued to look round my little castle.

My flat or should I say house was very clean and cosy. I thought fondly of how nice it was to be here, much nicer than in my own Art Nouveau house in Warsaw. I felt as if I had come home from a long trip, and all the things in the house were glad to have me back. The windows, the curtains, the furniture, the parquet floor covered with beige soft carpet, the lamps, the lampshades – everything was imbued with true English style and tranquillity, and the bedrooms even had fireplaces, but unfortunately electric.

I took off my blue jacket and hung it on a hanger in the wardrobe in the hallway.

– There's your bike! – I heard Harry's voice and his footsteps on the creaking stairs.

The guy came down the hallway and placed a very nice dark blue bicycle with a bell in front of me.

– It matches the colour of my jacket! – I said cheerfully and snapped my finger on the bell.

The whole house immediately responded with a high-pitched ringing.

Harry looked at me strangely.

– You're very pretty» he said, embarrassed.

– It's not about looks, it's about soul» I replied stony-faced, but then I softened. – Thank you for driving me. I really like your house: it's very cosy. Where do you want me to put my bike?

– By the porch. Don't worry, no one will take it» Harry said. – Open the door.

He lifted the bike, I held the front door open, and we walked out of the house, down the stairs, and Harry leaned his two-wheeled friend against it.

– It's so amazing! People aren't as bad as I used to think» I said, pleasantly surprised by Harry's words.

– Why do you dislike people so much? – Harry asked, walking over to me.

– Because most people don't look at your soul, they look at your appearance: how you're dressed, what your hair is like… Whether you're pretty or not… It's hard to explain. I think it's time for you to go, don't you? – I wanted to get rid of his presence as soon as possible, and now I regretted breaking the rule: «Don't talk to people.»

Harry seemed to understand and smiled.

– Actually, yes. By the way, you can buy groceries at the shop around the corner because it's cheaper there than in other shops. The fridge is in the kitchen… I think that's it. And you've won our bet – you're right on your wish.

I frowned: I didn't really feel like laughing at the poor guy who'd been so nice to me. The peace and quiet of the house must have discouraged me from trying to teach the Englishman a lesson for being a bore.

– I'll think about it: I can't think of anything now. – I shrugged my shoulders.

– Then I'll be going. Oh, and when you come up with something, or if you need anything, give me a call. Here. – Harry pulled a business card out of his jacket pocket and held it out to me.

I hesitated.

«Is he trying to flirt with me?» – I thought grudgingly, but took the card anyway, thinking that I might actually have to call him about the house.

– Okay» I said.

– I left the house keys in the living room. And I forgot to tell you, if you get cold, there's an electric fireplace in your bedroom. Do you know how to switch it on? I can show you.

– No, thanks, I have one just like it at home» I lied hastily, laughing in my heart at his concern: I'll never freeze!

– That's it, then . I'll go» he said hesitantly, looking at me intently.

– Go on, they're probably waiting for you. – I wanted Harry to go away and leave me alone.

– Yeah… By the way, the hot water runs 24/7 and our house is serviced by a postman. – Harry finally started walking towards his car.

– Thanks, I'll take care of it. Goodbye, Harry. – I quickly walked into the house and closed the door behind me.

«What a tedious fellow! Very nice, though» I thought.

I remembered the business card and ran my eyes over it: «Harry Smith. Lawyer.»

«Lawyer? Doesn't look like it» – I tossed the business card carelessly on the table and started sorting through my bags.

As I pulled all my belongings out of my bags and placed them in relative order around my new home, I immediately remembered Harry's mocking words about the number of bags. He was right: my clothes and shoes didn't fit in the large wardrobe of the bedroom I'd chosen for myself, but I moved them to the wardrobe of the next bedroom, which was right behind mine, so I didn't have to run far, and my shoes were lined up in the hallway. As the sweet unpacking came to an end, I glanced at the little clock, which looked more like a vase hanging on the wall, and it appeared that I had been up late into the night-the little hand pointed to three o'clock.

Suddenly I thought of Maria's rule: «Always switch off the lights at night» and I switched off all the lamps and lampshades in the house one by one. The house was dark, but not for me: my eyesight allowed me to see even a needle in the darkest darkness, and since the yellow light of the lantern outside the window illuminated the streets and, through the windows, part of the house, it was quite bright.

Tomorrow I would have to go to the seamstress and order a college robe, some white blouses, black skirts, and a black ribbon around my neck, like an Oxford tie. And then all this will have to be thrown home and go to the post office (what if the letter managed to reach Oxford in such a short time?). And it is necessary not to miss the parcel from Warsaw, so important for me – my relatives have provided me with «humanitarian aid» and sent me a large container with donor blood, which I will feed on until I go out on the first hunt of my life. And about that… I decided that I was definitely not going to hunt anytime soon: first, I had to get used to the mortal way of life.

In the meantime, all I could do was sit in my dark room, burning with the urge to get out of the house and walk around the city, to look around and taste the freedom.

How uncomfortable it was to be a vampire during the night hours! How inconvenient not to sleep, but to be constantly awake and hiding in the house, not daring to switch on the light, and dying of boredom.

I went to the window and looked at the neighbouring houses: they stood silent, somewhat sullen in the yellow rays of the lantern, and no light was burning in any of the windows. The people were asleep.

To keep myself busy, I decided to iron all the clothes that were wrinkled in my bags, but there was no ironing board in the house, so I ironed them on my bed without turning on the light. It took me about three hours, but even then , the city was still asleep.

I watched the hands of the clock eagerly, waiting to see if it would show six o'clock in the morning: my plan was to take my Walkman and jog through the waking town.

Finally, the light of the lanterns faded against the misty English dawn.

«At last! What boredom awaits me at night!» – I thought as I changed into linen shorts and T-shirt. In the hallway I quickly put on my sneakers, plugged my headphones into my ears, turned on my Walkman, walked out of the house, closed the door, went down the stairs and slowly ran along the beautiful street paved with big stones, meeting no one on my way, as if there were no people in this city at all.