Aria asked, "Really? What did you do?"
Joseph scowled, "Why do you assume he was angry with me?"
Aria shook her head and changed the topic back, "Anyway, what do you reckon will be done?"
Joseph sighed, "I really don't know. Professor Thomas takes hurting other students very seriously...."
"When you've not properly challenged them to a fight." Both Aria and he finished the sentence together.
They both sat in silence for a long time before Joseph said, "You should eat something."
Aria: "I'm not hungry."
Joseph: "Quit acting like a child. You not eating isn't gonna help Helen."
Aria: "Says the one who hasn't eaten anything."
Joseph: "I am not the one who fought continuously for three hours."
Aria: "And I am not the one who didn't have any breakfast."
Joseph's eyes turned a little expectant, "You saw that?"
Aria: "Of course I did. So don't tell me to eat when you haven't all day."
Joseph's face broke into a small smile as he scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in his mouth. After swallowing, he said, "Happy? Your turn."
Aria sighed as she picked up a piece of the bread she had ripped to pieces and popped it in her mouth. The two took five more bites this way until they both felt like it was no use.
The two were usually abnormally in sync. They got up at the same time and put away their trays and walked out as if everything had been rehearsed hundreds of times before.
The dining hall was almost empty by the time Aria and Joseph walked out. Aria looked thoughtfully towards the South tower, where the teachers stayed and had their offices.
Joseph nudged her, "Don't even think about it."
Aria knew it was no use denying, "Just a quick peek."
Joseph: "We'll get in trouble."
Aria: "I'm not afraid to. And I'm not asking you to come with me."
Joseph: "Helen and...JACOB!!!!!"
Aria turned around because Joseph had shouted the last word to someone behind her.
Sure enough, she saw Jacob heading for the West tower. Aria and Joseph half ran, half flew to him and Aria bombarded him with questions, "What happened? What did Professor Thomas say? Are you all right? Where's Helen?"
Jacob's voice was flat and lifeless as he said, "Professor Thomas sent me to my room. Helen is still at his office."
"What happened?" It was Joseph this time.
Jacob looked at him and said, "Nothing much. He gave me a punishment to help clean the grounds for a month along with my studies, and said he would be sending a letter to my family about my misconduct."
Joseph whistled, "You got away easy."
Jacob opened his mouth to argue, but decided against it as he turned around and started walking, "I'm going back to my room."
Aria caught upto him, "I'll come with you."
Joseph also came along and the three walked in silence.
As Jacob went to freshen up in his bathroom, Aria said in a hushed tone to Joseph, "Don't talk when you don't know the whole story."
Joseph: "What happened?"
Aria: "Professor Thomas is sending a letter to the village. It will be a huge blow for his family. Jacob is not like you or me, he can't afford to get in trouble. He's the oldest and his father is a little sick, he's supposed to be responsible."