Two for tragedy. Volume 1 - стр. 13

These words had a deafening effect: there was a dead silence in the hall.

The rector, probably satisfied with the result of his speech, left the hall. As soon as he disappeared into the corridor, the hall seemed to explode: students were loudly indignant and complained to each other about the blatant injustice. Everyone was displeased. But I kept silent, hiding my discontent deep in my soul.

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.