Aria was wondering if she ought to convince Miss Anhao that she was still hungry and ask for a few more sandwiches, when she heard the murmur of voices outside. Aria almost let out a groan as she saw Joseph, walking in, looking very much like Professor Iris again.
She hated only having to learn theory while not being able to put it into practice. Sure, she could, but Miss Anhao had advised her that she shouldn't, and Aria had decided to limit her troublemaking tendencies and listen to what she said.
So Aria readied herself for another hour or two or studying and put her lunch tray aside. "Why do you look like you're ready for a great sacrifice?" Joseph asked with a chuckle. His eyes quickly glanced to the bouquet beside her pillow, and his smile widened a bit involuntarily.
"Being taught by you is rather a sacrifice." Aria grumbled, but she pulled out a book of water precision and opened it. Joseph was still smiling as he shrugged, "I know I'm a stern teacher. But I can't help it I'm afraid. It's the way I was taught."
Aria understood what he meant. Joseph was basically royalty, even if he had stopped acting like it. And children of royalty were supposed to be. . . . well accomplished at the least. And most families would go to any lengths to make sure their kids were.
Sure, the people of the water kingdom were rather nicer than what they had been back home, but it didn't mean that their expectations were lower.
Aria and Joseph were halfway through the lesson when Aria grumbled, "It makes no sense."
Joseph: "What?"
Aria: "If we can bend bend blood once it comes out of our bodies, why can't we bend water that is inside a person's body?"
Joseph stared at her open-mouthed. "Well . . . . . I don't . . . . . . we just cant!!!!" he exclaimed.
"Why on earth is that so??!!" Aria insisted. Joseph was spared the trouble to answer when the door of the recovery ward opened.
"Oh Scott. I thought your lessons were supposed to be in the mornings?" Jacob asked as he walked in, leading Helen by the hand. Aria glanced at his hand that was holding hers and was a bit surprised to see their fingers intervined.
She glanced to Jacob's face with a questioning look, but he just blushed. Aria let out a smile as Joseph scowled, "What are the both of you doing here?" He had also noticed and apparently wasn't as happy as Aria.
Jacob blinked, surprised and let go of Helen's hand as he pulled out a chair for her. He and Scott had gotten quite close lately. Scott had given him a talk when he wasn't willing to open up about how he felt about that night, and that had mended whatever rift had been caused due to Jacob sneaking away with Helen. But truth be told, Scott's protective brother persona still scared Jacob a bit.
"Umm . . . . well . . . . I . . . . " Jacob stammered for words.
"I asked him to come with me." Helen thankfully cut in, "We both had some free time after our classes, and I really wanted to visit Aria. I had no idea you were teaching her."
"Struggling is more the word." Joseph muttered and let the topic drop.