Darin stayed where he was for a moment longer, his gaze remained fixed on the empty space where Marcus had stood just seconds ago.
Elyra stepped closer, stopping just beside him.
"You're thinking too much again," she said quietly.
Darin exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Am I?"
"You always do that when something bothers you," she replied.
He didn't deny it.
He drifted again towards the bench.
"He's wrong," he muttered at first, and then stared at the status window in front of him.
"Or maybe…he isn't," he corrected himself.
If it had been an insult, he would've ignored it as if it were just another professor's way to show off their authority.
If it had been arrogance, he would've dismissed it because he's a commoner and he's faced them a lot.
But it wasn't either. It was a precise scolding disguised as a lecture. Something only a parent would say when frustrated at a child's behaviour.
"But I don't like being told I'll fail," he said.
