As he sat down, Jacob shook his head quickly from side to side, spraying water all around.
Aria turned her face away as she complained, "What are you doing? Are you a dog?"
Jacob laughed as he slicked back his dark brown hair. He said, "The way you treat me, I might be one."
Aria rolled her eyes, "I treat you like one because you are one."
Jacob put up his hands in defeat, "You win."
Aria smiled and turned to look at the river as she said, "So when are you leaving?"
Jacob: "The session starts on the first of March. And it's going to take about three weeks to reach the capital. So I'll be leaving in the first week of February. Why?"
Aria shook her head, "Nothing."
Jacob turned to look at her and teased her, "Are you going to miss me?"
Aria looked at him and gave a devilish smile, "Who doesn't miss her pet when it leaves?"
Jacob scorned, "Damn you, Aria."
Aria laughed and said, "Okay fine. I'll not tease you anymore. But I do have a question...."
Jacob raised an eyebrow.
Aria: "Why didn't you go when you were 14? Why did you stick around for three years?"
Jacob looked at the river and said with a bitter smile, "I planned to. But dad got really sick that year. So I had to take up work to support mom and dad. But now he's basically fine."
Aria: "So you're going this year..."
Jacob: "So, I'm going this year."
Aria: "Aren't you going to miss the village?"
Jacob: "I'm definitely going to. Specially since no one of the village will be going with me."
Aria's devil mind spun as she stiffled a laugh, "I heard Harper is leaving with you...."
Jacob's face immediately changed colour. It changed into white and then turned green. He made a disgusted face and said, "Why did you have to go and mention her?"
Aria said, pretending to be innocent, "Why? She is beautiful and a nice girl. Moreover, she has liked you for quite a long time. And she's even leaving her parents to go to the academy with you."
Jacob: "I didn't ask her to do all that. And she's not kind. And stop making that face like you understand nothing, you.... you brat!!!!"
Hearing this Aria stuck out her tongue and ran towards the branch where her sweater was. She took it and quickly ran towards Victor, with Jacob running behind her, shouting, "You better make sure I never catch you. Otherwise you're going to wish you had never said that."
Jacob was strongly built and faster than Aria. So he would easily catch up. But Aria was smarter. She ran directly towards Victor and hid behind him just as Jacob was about to catch her.
Jacob: "Oh now you know fear. You're hiding behind Victor."
Aria again struck out her tongue at Jacob and cutely turned towards Victor. She said, "Father, did you finish counting the fish?"
Victor: "Yes I did, but what are you kids doing? And Jacob, why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
Upon hearing Victor, Jacob was so excited that he forgot all his anger at Aria. He knelt beside Victor and asked, "So, who won?"