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– What is it? – Mum asked in bewilderment as I held out the piece of paper to her.

– The thing is, I've already got in» I said firmly. – I didn't wait for you to decide and took the exams online.

My father glanced at the letter with a disgruntled look.

– 'Well, I see you didn't waste any time. Congratulations. Still, I am happy about your first independent victory» he said, handing me the letter, which Maria immediately took. – But I ask you, next time, before you do something so rash, wait for our permission.

– All right, all right! Then I'll go pack my things! – I was so happy, I was ready to fly to London that very day.

– Wait a minute, sister, the things aren't going anywhere. We haven't solved the most important question. – Martin looked at his father. – So who's going to look after our little tomguy?

I waited with anticipation and a joyful longing in my chest for my father's reply and looked into his eyes.

He was looking at me with a smile, too.

– I think she should try living alone, unsupervised. Maybe then she'll realise the value of family and parental control in this world» he said with a smile.

– Dad, you make it sound like I don't love you! – I exclaimed, throwing myself around his neck.

– But you are so eager to leave us! – Maria said, coming up to me and hugging me. – Congratulations! But don't flirt too much!

– I think flirting is your thing! – I laughed.

– Here it goes! A youthful maximalism! And I thought you would keep her at home until marriage» said Mscislav cheerfully to his father, and gave me the letter from the university, which had already fallen into his hands.

– I wish I could, but you see for yourself: this chick wants to spread its wings and fly away» replied his father. – But I still have a question.

I tensed up.

– Where will you live?

– Ugh… How you scared me! – I exclaimed with relief. – I've already been allocated a university flat.

– You have a whole flat all to yourself? You won't get lost in it? – jokingly asked Mscislav.

– I don't know how it's done… And anyway, you've already studied there, so you'd tell me! – I parried his joke.

– I am happy to tell you, but I think Maria or Mariszka will give you better advice.

In the evening, sitting in my bright and cosy room, I still couldn't believe that I had achieved what I wanted: I would go to England! I'll fly away from Poland! I'll fly away from my family! And there would be a new, grown-up, independent life!

«Thank you, Cedric. You helped me to become myself» I thought gratefully, suddenly remembering him.

2

That same evening I called Mariszka in Prague to share my happy news with her, but instead of congratulating me, she strongly insisted that I give up this «madness». Her voice disturbed me: there was bitterness and some tragedy in it.

– Mariszka, what's wrong with your voice? – I asked, deciding that her resistance to my trip had something to do with the sadness in her beautiful voice.

– The thing is… Though I don't think you need to know about other one's problems» she replied.

– Something with Markus? – I suggested. – Was it really that serious?

I didn't know anything about love relationships, but I knew about them from books and films.

– No, no! Markus and I are fine. It's not our relationship that's the problem.

– Then what is it?

– I'll call you later. Tomorrow… No, next week, but promise me you won't go anywhere!

– I've made up my mind, and to be honest, I didn't think you'd mind! Even Martin agreed! – I said grudgingly.

– Misha! – Mariszka sighed heavily. – The path you've chosen is scary and difficult. Besides, no one in the family is even thinking of going with you! You think it's so easy to live alone in human society and successfully hide? You can't do it!

– By the way, your husband's brother thinks otherwise!

– Cedric? What did he tell you? – There was alarm in Mariszka's voice.

I was surprised at the haste with which she said those words.

– He told me I could do anything» I answered shortly: my instincts told me I shouldn't have talked about Cedric too much, and I regretted bringing him into my sister's conversation.

Now she was going to give him the full scolding!

– Cedric! You're the one to listen to! – Mariszka said harshly, clearly angry.

– I don't know what you're angry about. – I was surprised, feeling irritated by this conversation.

– Exactly, that you do not understand! That's enough moralising for today. Now I'm going to call my parents and tell them not to let you go anywhere! Are they crazy or what?

– You wouldn't dare! – I shrieked, but she had already hung up.

Throwing the smartphone on the bed, I jumped out of bed and ran to my parents' room to somehow prevent them from changing their minds about my admission.

«Well, Mariszka! This is unimaginable! My own sister wants to put such a piggyback on me!» – I thought resentfully, knocking on my parents' room.

But there was no answer. I listened: I couldn't hear their voices anywhere in the house. So they had gone somewhere.

«What shall we do? Mariszka will ruin everything!» – I thought with despair.

I went back to my room, sat down on my bed, hugged my knees, and was ready to cry with resentment at my sister: I was very upset, lost, did not know what to do now. I was unbearably bitter at my own fate of being forever bound to my parents' house, like a convict to a stone that would not let him escape. All my joy was killed by one phone call. And to whom? My favourite sister!

But as soon as the first tears rolled from my eyes, I hurried to wipe them away and pull myself together, lest any of my brothers or Maria come running to comfort me.

That was the inconvenience of being a vampire: it was impossible to feel free among my siblings, because they could hear my every word, my every breath, even my whispers. And that was another reason I wanted to leave home: I longed to just sit in my room or close myself in the bathroom and cry quietly. I couldn't afford that luxury at home, because I was in the palm of my hand.