Aria closed her eyes, deciding to pretend to sleep until Harper left.
But not even a few minutes of her peace had passed when she heard a faint voice from outside. Aria concentrated and could faintly make out what the voices were saying. She recognised one of the voices as that of the head nurse, and the other, hmm, who was it?
Aria listened intently and realised that it was the boy she had met in the forest, Joseph. Seemed like he wanted to come inside but the head nurse was telling him only one visitor at one time.
Aria silently wished that the head nurse would chase him away but then she heard the door open. Aria decided she did not want to talk to this stupid boy and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
The head nurse brought Joseph upto Aria's bed and said, "Look, she's asleep. And I'll not let you wake her up."
Joseph: "That's okay, I don't intend to do that. Could I just sit here for a while?"
The head nurse clearly seemed displeased, as Aria could tell by her voice, "Do whatever you want. It's not like you're going to listen to me anyway."
After this Aria heard one set of footsteps fade and a scraping of a chair as Joseph seemed to sit down between her's and Jacob's bed.
He leaned close and whispered in Aria's ear, "I know you're awake. Open your eyes."
Aria cursed this boy for acting like a know-it-all, but she was stubborn and kept pretending to be asleep. Aria heard Joseph scoff and then his voice was again heard, seemed like he was talking to Jacob, "So you're the one because of whom my Aria ended up in the recovery ward?"
Jacob: "What do you mean, my Aria? I'm sure she doesn't even know you and didn't even look twice at you."
Joseph: "Maybe that is the case. But don't tell me, she has such a bad taste that she tried to save you? No, not possible. Aria only did that because she has such a kind heart."
Aria thought, "He dare talk to Jacob like that?!?? That's enough." She was about to say something when Harper's voice changed her mind.
Harper: "You cannot talk to Jacob like that."
Joseph: "Ooo, you got yourself a fan, huh pretty boy? Good. Keep to them. Never ever think about Aria ever again."
Jacob: "For your information..." But his sentence was cut short by Harper.
Harper: "Who even are you? Pretending to be all high and mighty. I bet Jacob could defeat you in the blink of an eye."
Joseph's voice this time was grave and anyone could sense that he was angry, even the dense as a forest Harper.
Joseph: "He? Defeat me? Seems like you're not even aware of the basic law. Look at my eyes, do you think someone as measly as this boy can defeat me? If you do, I'll ask the head nurse to prepare a bed for a mental patient."
Harper began again, "Jacob is older....."
But she could not complete her sentence as Joseph's voice came, "Out."
Harper was surprised as Aria heard a gasp.
Harper: "Jacob? You're going to let him talk to me that way?"