After class, I headed home. Strangely enough, I was very tired, but the joy of being rid of the bastard I hated lifted my spirits and warmed my soul, and I walked cheerfully to the bus stop.

Farewell forever, Cedric Morgan!

I don't know what came over me yesterday. Why did I get so mad and take it out on Viper? I didn't have the slightest reason. But the fact remains that I took out my anger on the girl, insulted and humiliated her. Why did I get so worked up? Because she asked me about a book I was reading? That's ridiculous! For such a small thing, which was not even a hint of mockery or insult to me, I began to behave like an ill-mannered brute. I could see the confusion, surprise, even pain in her eyes when the rude words against her came out of my lips. My voice was icy and callous. Normally, I only speak so harshly and coldly to mortals, wanting to scare them away. Apparently, this behaviour had become such a habit that I couldn't behave any other way.

The whole day was spent thinking about what had happened.

Why had I behaved like a real bastard? Wishing to push Viper away?

"I must need to apologise," I came to a thought. But suddenly, out of nowhere, came a disgruntled voice, "Apologise? To some mortal? I have to apologise to that stupid girl? No. Why would I do that. Where did this softness come from? Where does such an idea come from? She's only a mortal!"

Damn… Stop! What was that harsh thought? Where did it come from? As soon as I started to think something kind about Viper, my vampire pride would immediately rise up in me. This time I wished my pride would obey the command of reason: I should have kept my temper in check and done the decent thing. Yes, I will apologise to Viper for my piggish behaviour… No, there will be no apology! What am I thinking? People don't deserve any involvement or sympathy!

Oh, here we go again! What's happening to me? Am I having a split personality? Or is it my vampire nature fighting my conscience? But how do I suddenly have a conscience? Me, who has never apologised to anyone in my life (parents and Markus don't count) and treated mortals with the disdain that is inherent in higher creatures over lower ones? Why do I care about Viper's feelings and opinions? After all, what is she? A mortal girl I've only seen a few times in my life! Just a speck of dust in my eternal universe.

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?