Chapter 92

• After just a week of intensive training with Steve and Connor, each honing in on their unique fighting styles, both trainers expressed their satisfaction with how quickly I, Aadita, was progressing. However, the beginning of the week had felt painstakingly slow, especially that first day when they explained the techniques to me. I discovered, much to my chagrin, that comprehending a verbal explanation was far removed from the reality of executing the moves myself.
• The following day proved to be equally frustrating, as I struggled to keep up. Throughout it all, Xavier stood at the periphery, his gaze fixed on me, occasionally offering a comment, though for the most part, he remained a silent observer. His sharp eyes missed nothing, going up and down my body as I trained, and I often caught his penetrating gaze, as if he dared me to inquire about his thoughts, but I opted to keep my questions to myself.
• Aside from that, I noticed that Xavier had grown somewhat distant again, but I could tell it was due to the weight of his thoughts and the time he spent hunched over his computer. I didn't have ample time to dwell on his reasons for withdrawing; my mornings were consumed with a routine that involved early runs, which Steve started joining me for on the second day—when it became evident he had healed enough to keep up.