You can't help love her

"Oh! She can fight all she wants once she is better. I doubt no one will be able to match her time anyway." Professor Iris said.

"I have no doubt." Professor Thomas said, leaning back in his chair with evident pride on his face. "You shouldn't play favorites as the headmaster, you know." Professor Iris spoke with a raised eyebrow. Professor Thomas smiled upon hearing this. "It's so difficult to with Aria. You can't help love her." he spoke softly before closing his eyes.

Professor Iris knew it was the end to their conversation. She closed the door after coming out and whispered to herself, "You're right. You can't help love Aria."

Inside the recovery ward . . .

Aria was having a very peaceful, dreamless sleep when she woke up with a start.

She let out a tired sigh before opening her eyes and her mouth at the same time. But her mouth stopped halfway open as soon as her eyes opened. Aria swallowed whatever she was about to say when her eyes landed on Professor Iris sitting beside her bed with a book in her hands. She looked really into the book. In fact, she was so engrossed in it that she didn't notice Aria was awake.

"Umm . . . . Professor? How long have you been sitting here?" Aria spoke to get her attention. Professor Iris looked up upon hearing her voice and closed the book. "Long enough to wish I had taken that training session and find a student bunking classes." she replied.

Aria furrowed her brows upon hearing this. Whatever could the Professor be talking about? Seeing the confusion on her face, Professor Iris smiled. "I did not take a training session to visit you, I have something important to tell you." Aria's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She still thought for a split second that the people in the water kingdom knew of her being a monster, but Professor Iris went on, "Also, while I was here, Miss Scott arrived with all these books. She seemed to have bunked a class to come visit you, but was very unlucky to find you asleep, and even more unlucky to find me here."

Aria chuckled lightly upon hearing this. She would have loved to see the shock on Professor Iris's face to find an obedient student like Helen skipping classes. But she remembered the first sentence the next second and asked, "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Yes . . . I . . . " But she trailed off at the arrival of Miss Anhao, who had heard voices and came in to check up on Aria.

While she talked with Professor Iris, Aria turned her attention outside the window that was just beside her bed. She frowned and was lost deep in thought until Professor Iris's voice brought her back to the recovery ward.

"Aria?? Umm . . . Aria?!?!?" Professor Iris spoke and Aria's head snapped towards her. "Do you want that window open? A nice breeze is flowing outside and I guess you would feel a little hot inside, especially with all those bandages on." Professor Iris asked, looking on the verge of getting up from her chair and opening the window herself.

Aria shook her head lightly and asked again, "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Oh yes. I've been interrupted so many times now." Professor Iris sat back down and straightened up.