Dan

The silence prevailed for a moment before the principal spoke up again, "Do you want more? If you do, you can have it. Don't be shy"

She pushed the carton of milk towards Xavier, because he had been staring at his empty glass.

Xavier subconsciously spoke up, "What made you think I would want more? And why are you being so friendly with me?"

The principal paused and smiled sadly, with a sigh she said, "It's so depressing you don't remember me Xavier…"

'Another one…?', Just before Xavier could jump into conclusions, she continued.

"We were such good friends when you were a kid", she wiped her face as she observed Xavier's reaction.

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends. Your mum and I are childhood friends, and when I first met you, we bonded immediately. It's a pity you were such a shy and quiet kid.", she instantly went from sad to chatty.

Xavier understood why he thought her and his mum were alike, they grew up together! That was probably why she was treating him well, she was like an aunt of the sorts.

"Uh… I'm sorry for forgetting you…", he had no idea of what to say in a situation like this.

"Oh it's okay, you were such a little kid back then. And very shy too, whenever I came to visit, you always wanted to play with me. Back then, your favorite game was hide and seek, and you were so d- good at it!", she broke into an infectious laughter, one Xavier did not share with her, because of his surprise.

He had no idea he was such a person, and he did not think there was someone else who knew him so well.

'And here I was thinking there were all mutes, I'm a variable myself so why did I think that none of them existed.', Xavier's near perfect facade almost faltered, but he quickly controller his lips from forming into a smirk, and put on a thoughtful expression.

She stopped laughing and continued chatting with Xavier, she seemed very happy due to his reactions to her stories.

"I was very happy when your mum told me you were the one who was coming to Arcane. At first, I wondered why the Austin family would need a scholarship, till I found out it was you! Then I instantly understood. You were such a difficult and quiet kid back then, your mum barely brought you out and had difficulty figuring you out! She treated you like a little treasure, now look at that, her little treasure grew up and doesn't remember his aunt Adelaide anymore!", she seemed to be unhappy about the fact that Xavier did not remember her anymore, but she still tried to get him to contribute to their conversation.

Xavier patiently listened to her, and there was no pretence in his attitude towards her words, because he was truly stunned. Everything was unbelievable but this aunt of his whom he was on good terms with as a child, didn't seem to be lying. In fact, she seemed very sincere.

"You said we were very close when I was a child…", Xavier spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"Then why didn't you ever come visit all these years?", he finally asked the one thing that didn't fit. She wasn't mute and didn't seem like the kind of person who cared about what they had to say. It was very surprising she never showed up, or even tried to reach out. Or maybe she did, but she just couldn't reach him…

"What! Are you questioning my words?! I just never visited because I and your mother grew estranged a little, and we were both busy with our own things. I was busy preparing to be a principal, and she was taking care of both you and your sister, with time, our interactions grew lesser, and we got more busier. You kids are so lucky, you have all the freedom, time and chances you need to build relationships, do whatever th- pleases you and have as much fun as you want but you don't take it…", she was sad once again but quickly cheered up.

"So tell me, what got into you this time? Why did you want to come to Arcane on scholarship? It's not that I'm against it, I'm just curious", She asked Xavier.

"I didn't want to come to Arcane h- but she wanted me to come, and I chose to come on scholarship because it would be easy to lose it and leave the school", Xavier answered her and expected her enthusiastic reply, but she kept quiet and stared at him strangely. Then she sighed and asked;

"What is with you kids and your aversion to school? What would you rather do? Stay at home and waste your lives?!"

Xavier looked away from the concerned woman, and was inwardly surprised by her reaction, he had not expected that.

But there was no reason for him to feel guilty, after all he actually had something more important than going to school.

…Unless she wasn't talking about him alone.

An annoying figure appeared in his mind, and he spoke up before the principal could talk.

"Cheap", he subconsciously spoke out loud.

"Huh?", the principal reacted to his mumble.

"One of your students has the misconception that your school is stupid and cheap", Xavier finally explained his thoughts.

"Ahh", the principal had finally understood.

"You're talking about Ean Stone, do you know her?", she asked in surprise.

She was surprised that they had already met and talked to that point, because she was sure that Ean wasn't the kind of person to go around talking bad about someone… or something.

"We've met", Xavier replied simply.

"Ohh, Ean Stone, she's a good kid. It's just that the conditions by which she entered this school were not in her favor. She must be upset by the work ethnics of the school, but I have a way with children see, and I managed to get her to stay.", she spoke awkwardly and even Xavier could see she was uncomfortable with the topic.

"If she didn't want to stay why did you get her to?", although she was nice different and everything, Xavier still remembered that she was similar to his mother, hence he did not trust her completely, but he was willing to admit he liked her personality which was maybe why he didn't jump to conclusions.

"Why won't I?! Didn't I just give a speech about how you kids should socialize with your age mates?! Plus, her mother wanted her to attend and it was for a da- ppretty good reason.", she paused and continued.

"I mean, wouldn't you wanna see one of your kids graduate?", she asked in a quiet voice.

Xavier kept quiet while thinking about the things he knew about Ean.

"Don't get me wrong, she's a good kid. But she's probably seen lesser of the world than you have… you know what, I think you two would make great friends!", she paused amidst her sentence, then gestured to Xavier.

"Why?", this was the second time someone had urged him to be friends with Ean.

Did he look that friendly? If not, what made them think they could become friends, great ones even?!

"Well, considering that both of you arrived at Arcane under the same conditions, I think you'll have a lot to relate to.", she spoke thoughtfully.

Xavier thought about her words and just when he wanted to give her a reply, she stood up.

And went towards her desk to take out her phone and a card, "Well, I've held you for too long, and I'm sure you must want to get out of this school. So let's keep in touch."

Xavier obliged and gave her his phone, collected her contact and the card, which turned out not to be a card.

"What's this?", Xavier held the lightweight paper-like card in his hand.

"It's a coupon, haven't you seen one before?", The principal looked at Xavier strangely, shook her head then sighed.

"What is it for?", Xavier turned it over as he asked.

"It's for milk. You can use this coupon to get a good deal at a superstore", she pointed at the coupon in his hands.

"What do I need milk for?", Xavier was confused.

"Is this a gift? Does she think I like milk because I drank the glass she gave me?", Xavier's questions were soon answered.

"What do you mean, "what do I need milk for" huh?! Why are you so short? Back then when you were younger, I was sure you would grow to my height! Tell me what have you been eating?"

Xavier was stunned by the principal's bombardment, he had never been called short before and did not think he was short either.

Although he did have some sort of aversion to some foods, he was about five feet, nine inches tall, and he didn't think that was short.

"Xavier, if you don't eat actual healthy and nutritious food, you won't get big and strong", she sounded worried but the mockery on her face begged to differ.

"Okay, I'll get the milk and check my diet, I'm leaving now", Xavier slowly turned around but stopped when she called him back.

"Oh yes, during work hours, at school, call me Principal Darwin not Aunt Adelaide, okay?"

"Okay", and Xavier walked out of her office.

Principal Darwin stood by her desk watching Xavier leave, and only turned away when he closed the door.

She sat down weakly on her chair, then put her hand over her forehead as she gazed listlessly at the ceiling, and muttered despondently.

"I've gotten two of them, it just remains the last one. Dan… you better not be dead…"