I didn't know who or what he was, my family had told me nothing about him, and I had already set myself against him. Although, no, I knew for a fact that he had hit me and dented my bike. And he didn't even apologize!

– Do you think I'm wrong? – I asked: Mary's thoughts were surprisingly sober, breaking down my prejudice against this vampire, but I clung to my beliefs with every fiber of my being. I wanted to cling to them because it made me feel better to think he was to blame, not me.

– Did you two ever talk? – Mary asked.

– No» I answered quietly.

– Well, look what happens: you don't know anything about each other, and you've never talked to each other, but your parents told you to ignore him … Did they say why you should? Did they say he was bad or maybe a bully?

– No, nothing like that. They didn't explain anything to me at all, they just told me absolutely not to. But aren't there enough reasons for that? It is not necessary that all those with whom we are forbidden to socialize, must be bullies! – I objected.

«But she's right: how do I know he's a rascal? Maybe he didn't do anything wrong at all. Yes, he hit me, but even then you have to be objective: it was my fault for the accident – I didn't want to ride on the bike path myself. And when he came over today, I yelled at him and started blaming him. Why? Why? Because I found out he was the vampire I was forbidden to even talk to? – I wondered. – How weird and stupid was that? And he had a right to think I was hysterical, like Cedric had been… No, I shouldn't make excuses for him: he'd read my letter! He opened the envelope with my name written in black and white and read it. He didn't dare do that! It's not his personal item, it's mine!»

– You're only mad at him because the psychologically heavy word «ban» was said about him. Very silly, in my opinion» Mary said confidently.

I immediately wanted to tell her that he had read my letter and had no right to do so, but I gave up the idea: Mary had, with a few sentences, reduced my anger at Frederik.

«Okay. I really don't know anything about him, and I have no reason to think he's a scoundrel, much less to hate him. When he does something mean to me, then I'll hate him. I'll have the right» I decided. – Right now, it was pointless and ridiculous to hate him just because I'd been told to. Mary was right: the word «forbidden» always becomes a psychological factor in unconscious dislike. And he's right, as is Cedric: I'm acting like a child, and I thought I'd outgrown that role. I must have been flattering myself, intoxicated by the mere step of getting into Oxford… And in fact, my reasoning and actions remained childish and naive!»

These thoughts suffocated me, and I again acted like a child and did what I had long dreamed of doing: I locked myself in the bathroom and cried there until Mary asked me to come in.

When morning came, I looked outside and saw my bent blue bicycle.

«Riding to college on that handicapped thing? No! I'd rather walk!» – I thought grudgingly.

I washed my face, did my morning jog, took a quick shower, dried my hair, put on my uniform, put my hair in a high ponytail, grabbed my bag, put on my shoes, and quietly left the house so as not to wake up my roommate: she slept late again after watching movies all night and didn't get to bed until three in the morning.

Walking down to my bike, I stopped. I was sad: the bike was disgusting and sad, and the back wheel was bent so badly that I wondered how I had made it home yesterday. I thought about buying a new bike, but it was very early, the stores weren't open yet, and I didn't know any of the places that sold bikes. I even got angry at myself for my thoughtlessness, because I could have easily fixed the blue invalid, and I should have done it yesterday or at night, instead of sitting in my room and crying! But there was nothing to do, it was a long walk, so with a sigh I got on my bicycle and rode to the college. I was terribly ashamed to ride my bike, but I comforted myself with the thought that after the lectures I would give it to the repair shop. When I got to the college, I leaned the bike against the fence, put a lock on it (though hardly anyone would be tempted by it in its condition), and went to meet Ellie.