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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?

– 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 annoying company. I sensed an unfettered arrogance in her: she considered herself a queen, whose opinion and orders are binding. Viper, on the other hand, was soft, feminine, but at the same time somewhat cold. "And cowardly," I thought mockingly. Her unusual beauty attracted me much more than Julia's perfect appearance.

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, innocent sheep, and then complaining about me. Viper stood at the big window, leaning on the sill. Her face was frowning and tense. She listened silently to her friend's accusations, but suddenly she closed her eyes with the palm of her hand.

– 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 gonna get a smackdown from the chancellor. I'm gonna drop out of this programme. I can't imagine how Morgan can be such a boor! A shameless and insensitive prideful man! – she said in despair.