I certainly have. An endless life.
Viper didn't say anything and glanced at her watch.
– I'm sorry, I have to run," she said suddenly, and stood up and picked up the physics textbooks on the table, which had been completely unnecessary and forgotten at today's meeting.
– But it's still ten minutes before the end of class," I said annoyingly, glancing at my wristwatch.
– I know, but I might miss the tram," she replied.
– As far as I'm concerned, they have a pretty frequent route," I said, someone who never tolerated mobility problems. You bet: it's easy to be mobile when you have a car!
Viper grinned.
– 'Not quite. I'll have to wait for the next half hour. I don't live in the centre and can't afford that luxury.
– Then we should make the next appointment,' I reminded him. – How do you feel about that? When?
She hung her bag on her shoulder thoughtfully.
– Monday, five o'clock. Is that okay with you?
– Absolutely.
– Just don't be late," the girl said with a friendly smile and went to hand in her textbooks, then hurried out of the library.
I remained seated in the hall, mentally replaying our conversation in my head, and noted to myself that, for all my disdain for mortals, this girl, Viper, seemed somehow unearthly to me. I didn't feel an inch of disdain for her. It was new to me, almost overwhelming, not to despise a human being. But Viper was a nice mortal girl. And her bright eyes still stood before me. I caught myself at that thought, but this time I didn't blame myself for my weakness, because I knew that what had happened just a few minutes ago was just a tribute to justice and meant nothing to me.
I could not believe myself.
As I left the library and picked up my coat from the coat wardrobe, I couldn't help thinking how pleasant a conversation partner the hated Cedric Morgan had been. Yes, he was terribly late, but still… I realised that I had been wrong about him, and once and for all I decided not to form any opinion about him without even talking to him.
Henceforth, no prejudice! I had been mistaken, God knows what, about Cedric, though I had never spoken to him, and now I was ashamed of myself and of him. Of course he had made me lonely in the library, but when he came in, in spite of my annoyance at him, I noted that he was somewhat confused, but remained polite in response to my sarcastic remarks. When we were finally seated at the table, I looked more closely at Cedric Morgan. I had never seen him so close before, only from a distance, when he walked across the courtyard or up the stairs at the university, but I had never looked at him-it seemed indecent. Today, however, his face appeared before me in full light. And I was surprised to see that his skin was so white-so white, in fact, and not almost transparent, as it is in light-skinned people. And this white skin, as if on purpose, emphasised his dark, almost black as pitch black hair. Until this day, I had seriously thought that Cedric was selfish and that he didn't care about other people. But today Cedric had unwittingly, unknowingly, changed my opinion of himself. And this with a short conversation!