I walked to the rector's office with a terrible mood. Now I would have to run around with some stupid child. At this moment, the thought of expulsion did not scare me. On the contrary, even attracted.

Honestly standing in a long queue and listening to the whining and complaints of students about their bitter fate, I barely noticeably chuckled at this human stupidity: there is no point in complaining. Complaining won't change anything. All the senior students, including me, stood with sour faces in the queue for the hated name.

Finally, I entered the office.

– Why are you all so sour? – the secretary asked me.

– I think you can see why," I replied dryly.

– This time the rector put on a show worthy of television. I don't know about you, but I'm having fun. It's a real lottery.

– I've noticed. A bloody cruel lottery.

– You gonna pull it yourself?

– I don't want to get my hands dirty.

– No way! This is your destiny! Pull it yourself. Just a moment. – The secretary stuck her hand into a glass round vase on the table, filled with small white sheets, and stirred the white pile thoroughly. – Now you can pull.

I indifferently snatched one of the sheets out of the whole nasty pile, but I didn't bother to look at what name was on it. What did it matter? I hated it already.

– So… Cedric Morgan… – The secretary snatched the sheet from my hands, looked at the name, wrote it into the computer, and handed it to me.

Quickly leaving the university, I sat down on one of the benches in the courtyard. Should I read it or wait? Shit, I couldn't escape fate.

I opened the sheet: there in large black letters was printed the hated name: Viper Vladinovich.

Viper. Stupid name. Who was it: a guy or a girl?

Below it was the date and time of our meeting: tomorrow at 17: 00, library, table No. 8.

Such haste made me wrinkle my nose in annoyance. Suddenly I heard someone's footsteps and turned around: it was Royce, walking briskly toward me. Just what I needed. What a day, huh? Did someone upstairs decide to dump a bucket of bad luck on my head?!

– Hi," Royce said, sitting down next to me on the bench.

I didn't even look at him.

– Well, who do you have there? – The American asked cheerfully. – I've got some chump from my second year. Who do you have? Let me see?

To get him off my back, I hurriedly showed him my sheet.

– Viper Vladinovich… – the American read aloud and snorted like a horse. – What kind of bird?

– I have no idea," I answered gloomily, taking the sheet back. – Viper. A snake.

– My parents named it, didn't they? – Royce chimed in.

Silently, I got up from the bench and headed for the car park. My hands clenched involuntarily into fists. Crumpling the sheet, I tossed it into the nearest rubbish bin. I hated Viper Vladinovich. And tomorrow that Viper would have to wait for me for about an hour, maybe two. Let him wait. Hopefully he wouldn't like my constant tardiness and would drop the class, since he was the only one entitled to it.

It's ironic: I, a vampire, will be studying for my victim's exam. No, not today's victim: maybe ten years from now he'll be my dinner, but for now, let him bear my scorn and hatred.

Well, stupid Viper, you'll realise soon enough that you're out of luck. Large and emphatic.

***

I stared in surprise at the message from the university with the name of the person who would be studying with me on the Rector's experimental programme. Who would be preparing me for the winter session for almost three months. My personal tutor, so to speak.

Cedric Morgan.

Oh, the horror.

Morgan. That's the one.

Of course I know Cedric Morgan. Who at the university doesn't know him? This guy always keeps a low profile, but for some reason I don't know, he's considered the most desirable guy in the university. Half of my classmates were interested in him, and every time they sighed every time they looked at him or heard his name. So I knew who fate had so disgustingly brought me together with, despite the simple logic that Cedric Morgan and I were incompatible. Yes, I knew him. The thing is, he didn't know me, and he was probably just as excited as I was to meet me. Yes, I agree, Cedric is a handsome guy. But I never understood what girls found special about him: his skin was too pale, even white, which made him look like a dead man. He didn't socialise with anyone, and in the presence of other people he was silent. No, I wasn't watching him – it was noticeable. He's too proud, arrogant, and doesn't care about people who aren't as fortunate as he was to be born into a wealthy family. That's why I didn't like Cedric Morgan, not even as a bloke, but as a person. And it was this egotist who was supposed to help me? What am I talking about? He won't! I bet he's pissed off knowing that he, a handsome rich guy, has to spend time with me, a stupid third year girl!

Screw him! I was absolutely not happy about this stupid situation, but I decided that I would honestly sit out the first meeting with him, so that the management would not have any complaints about me. This, frankly speaking, idiotic idea of the rector did not like anyone, and most of all me. All the bumps fell on me. I told myself that I would obey the rector's order and go to the meeting with Cedric Morgan. But why did I get him out of all the seniors in our department? Why am I being punished like this? I think I'm going to hang myself after my first class. My classmates congratulated me and tried to switch "tutors," but when they found out that the pairs were personally sealed by the rector, they just smiled enviously. Envious of what? I'd gladly swap Morgan for any other senior student! If I had the chance! But there wasn't.