Constantly

Day 2 - First/Casual Date.
Akko (1st Person) /Diana; Akko/Andrew (One-sided)

2/7 Dianakko Week 2017

I've never thought that I would actually find myself "prim and proper-ing" up. I'd always go out in shorts or pants matched with a shirt, sometimes bringing along a big jacket when it feels like it's going to rain or if the night's too cold to handle. Oh, and don't forget my sneakers!

Standing in front of a mirror not recognizing anything that I had on was concerning. High heels to the heavens, enough makeup to look like a newly painted house, heck, I even have so much hairspray on that It felt that I could ram my head into a room and my hair would still be intact.

But honestly, I looked pretty. And through this discomfort, I felt really pretty.

It was unsettling.

Tucking the loose strands of hair behind my ears, there was still something missing. My hair was up in a bun, shoes were on, the necklace I had sat squarely on my collarbones, and that pink little dress—this time I'm sure I had it on the right side because the ruffles of the skirt were at the front.

The earrings! Oh God, I've nearly forgotten them. I remember it being in one of the jewelry boxes on the vanity. I reached out to the bigger one at the side but it only contained a dozen of watches. Which one was it? I checked the green box, the slightly taller ones, and the small one to the side—which had nothing in it.

Did I lose them?

Panic. That was probably one of the more expensive things on the vanity and I remembered putting them back inside the box. Oh no. Oh no oh no, I'm dead. I was moving everything on the vanity, checking underneath every bottle, every box and every container.

"You look… beautiful," came a comment that threw me off guard. It made me blush, coming from someone actually beautiful.

I look to the mirror to see Diana, she was leaning on the side of the door with her arms crossed, a small smile on her lips.

"Diana!"

I turned around, letting go of the perfume I had in hand. My fingers toyed around with the loose strands that had come undone from my bun once again, falling at the side of my face. She was walking towards me. "I can't thank you enough for any of this."

"It's all well, Akko." She said, reaching out to my hand and taking the loose strands, tucking it right back. "You've save my life, even though I've never asked for any of it. This is definitely nothing compared to that."

"I—" I was supposed to ask her were those earrings were or if she's seen them but hesitated at the last moment knowing that she's going to get pretty mad.

She noticed my frantic sate. God knows how long she's been standing there witnessing my little treasure hunt a top her family's vanity. "I have them right here." She took them out of her pocket. "I had them cleaned. I don't think it's been used in a long time. I wouldn't want you wearing dirty jewelry."

She stepped closer and placed it on my ears. After that, she took a step back, fixing my dress a bit by pulling it downwards. "There, perfect." She spun me around to see myself in the mirror.

"I really, really am thankful for all this Diana."

"It's nothing, Akko. You and Andrew have been good friends of mine." She turned back in the direction of the door. "You go and have fun out there tonight."

"Are you sure this is okay?" I asked. I knew they've been childhood friends, and I wasn't sure if this would stir any awkward feelings between the both of them.

She stopped on her way out. "Akko, I want nothing more than to support whatever it is that makes you happy," she said. "Just don't do anything stupid," then walked out.

Anna appeared at the door shortly after Diana left to tell me that Andrew has arrived.

I wobbled over to the stairs, descending them like a duck waddling down the road. Once I got down, Andrew was there, and offered a hand for me to take.

"So, Akko. I've never seen you so well dressed. You look really beautiful."

"Really? You think so?" Looking down on my dress. "I'd never think that I'd even fit into it. Diana's pretty tall, so I thought that it's going to be a bit too short on me but it didn't even go past my knee." I threw him a smile. "Thank you by the way!"

"Well, you really do look amazing."

I didn't know how to answer that. I was more shocked than flattered at this point—Diana did say I was beautiful earlier, maybe that's why it didn't come off as endearing.

He escorted me to the car. The whole trip to the place he said he was taking me out to was just me laughing at him and his stories. His friends were crazy and random like mine. They also had their own little batch of troublemakers that were always up to no good!

I didn't even notice that we arrived at the place from all the laughter until Andrew told me about it.

This place was crazy. There were so many people arriving in limos, exactly like us, and dressed even fancier than Andrew and I did. "Wow, Andrew, this looks so classy." There were big pillars that held the gable above the entrance. The door was 5 times as big as any normal human being and they looked really, really heavy. And as we entered, I couldn't even count the number of chandeliers from the high ceiling with my fingers and toes.

"Whoa," was the only thing I could say.

Sitting at the table made me feel much more alien than everyone else. The other guests were talking amongst themselves, it's like they didn't even notice the amount of silverware they had set on the table. I was busy counting it all until I was allured by this one fork that looked like it was a shovel with baby shark teeth on it.

"Akko," I jilted, Andrew snapping me out of my focus.

"Yes?"

"That's a cocktail fork. That's what we're supposed to use when the cocktails are served."

"Right, right." I placed the fork down awkwardly. "The Cavendish mansion never used these types of fork, I've only seen them now. It looks really funny!" I snickered.

"It does. The amount of silverware we have is quite a lot, but that's because we'll be served an 8-course meal," he stated. "And I hope you enjoy every course."

"Yeah, if I get to figure out which one to use," I pouted. "Diana never taught me any of this," I crossed my arms. "You'd think she'd brief me on how to do this whole thing but she'd rather coop herself up in the archives. I bet she's there now."

Andrew laughed. "Diana never did like formal affairs or dinners. She'd always be the first to arrive with the intention of departing early."

"Tell me about it," I agreed with him. "She's always complaining how it takes too much of her time. She'd rather do something productive than sit and chat idly with other people."

We both laughed.

I really, really thought I would've gotten into trouble at dinner. Everything looked so foreign, so intimidating that I didn't even recognized some of the things written down on those menu card things in placed in the middle of the table. Andrew was kind enough to explain to me when I asked whatever it was that wasn't clear.

In between courses, I'd ask him stories about him and Diana when they were younger. He mentioned that Diana's obsession with Shiny Chariot was usually the reason Diana got bullied. Her love with magic, however, was not something that was easily swayed with the opinions of the many. But watching her wave that stick countless times on the squirrel looked pitiful.

"I couldn't even transform well!" I told him. "Diana helps me every now and then but it's still tricky to me."

"I figured. You gave me donkey ears and a tail the first time we've met."

"Well, I wouldn't have if you didn't stray far from Diana! You really should listen to her, you know. She comes off as irritating but it's because she knows about it. She's not that scrawny, delusional kid obsessed with Chariot. She's the best witch out there right now."

Andrew paused for a while, then let out a small smile. I think he was supposed to laugh at me but then resisted.

For every plate that came out, Andrew had quietly pointed out which silverware to use. I'm still weirded out by it, "Why couldn't we use the same set for all the food? It's not like I'm sharing mine with anybody else."

"Etiquette. The idea is that each utensil has a single purpose to a meal. One plate, one type of silverware."

"Really?" It didn't sound convincing. "I'm going to ask Diana about this."

"Fine," he sounded hurt, but then took a sip from his tall water glass. "It's been taught in school and to everyone coming from a well-esteemed family. Believe me, she'll still say the same thing."

I shook my head. "We'll see about that."

The rest of the dinner went really well. I loved the dessert but was disappointed to know that we weren't allowed to have another serving.

I did want to stay longer, but Diana insisted earlier that we shouldn't stay out that late because we had to be going back to school by 6AM the next day. I'm not going to get her into one of her fits because I didn't listen to her. I told Andrew about it and he was kind enough to understand the need to leave early.

"That was really fun Andrew!" I exclaimed, we were both seated a few inches apart in his family's limo. "Wait, did you have fun?"

"There's never a dull moment with you around. So to answer your question, yes, I had fun." He sat back then looked out the window.

"I'm sorry that this date was disastrous, I didn't really understand the idea of many utensils. I didn't know that chapters could apply to dinners too. It felt more like a lesson on etiquette rather than a date."

He giggled. "Courses, Akko," he corrected me. "Not chapters."

"Oh." I flashed him a goofy grin. "Right. Right! Well," I hesitated to ask, I felt shy about it first, but urge myself to ask it anyway. "So, are we going on another date?"

He ran his hand through his hair before saying, "I'd love to have myself go on a second date with you. But," he paused, looking me in the eye. "I think you're asking the wrong person."

"Eh?" I was confused. "What the heck are you saying!?"

"Well, maybe you should ask yourself if you do want to go on another date with me, because it seems, you were more enthusiastic about someone else the whole entire time we were together than the both of us."

He was still confusing. "What…"

"Believe me, Akko," He placed his hand on my shoulder. "I think you'll be a lot happier asking her out than me."

My eyes grew wide.

"Diana…" I trailed off. But Diana was a friend. She's my best friend. She's just a friend that I cared for just as much as I cared for Andrew. Sure she's been doing a lot of things to make me a better person but isn't that what friends do? Annoy each other to death? Trying to make each other laugh? Making sure we're doing okay?

"You're crazy…" I laughed nervously.

I was thinking about every experience and interaction I had with Diana. No way, no way any of those were in the realm of romance and attraction.

Well, if everything we've been through counts as caring as much as I did with Andrew then maybe I cared for Diana even a little more that I cared for Andrew.

Heck, the thought of that that gave me a headache.

"Akko?" He called out to me. I was so deep in thought that I haven't noticed that we've already arrived at the Cavendish Mansion. The car stopped, and he escorted me to the door before he bid me goodbye. Honestly, I could've walked back without his help by my feet were killing me.

I arrived with this hollow feeling in my chest. Anna, upon meeting me at the door to the mansion, led me back to Diana's old room. I took a quick shower, finally feeling relieved having shed the formal wear, the make-up and those shoes and changed into something a lot more comfier—a loose shirt and some boxer shorts.

I couldn't sleep. My mind still hung up on the revelation Andrew told me. No, he's wrong, he's definitely wrong.

But what if he isn't?

Scratch that. I can't go to sleep with all of these questions in my head. I jumped off the bed and darted towards the bigger room at the end of the hallway.

I opened the door as quietly and as slowly as I could, but I couldn't see a thing.

I thought about turning back, not wanting to wake her up, but I knew that if I don't get any answers tonight, I'm definitely not going to get any sleep. Me not getting any sleep means the both of us will have to leave for Luna Nova later than her expected time.

"Diana?" I whispered. It was around 1 in the morning. The moon not even giving enough light that night that Diana's room was near pitch black. The only thing that gave me any sign that Diana was inside was the sound of someone shuffling from the direction of her bed.

"Akko?" Please don't tell me to leave. Please don't tell me to leave. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah…" I mumbled loud enough for her to hear. Even on my ears, I knew the word sounded so mournful.

"I'd take it the date didn't go well?" She was easy to pick up on my tone. Got to hand it to Diana, she really is smart.

"It did, actually," I was still leaning on the door frame.

"So, what's wrong?"

"I think…" It was me, I tried to explain. "It's just…" Everyone else can see that I'm not interested in Andrew, I wanted to say. "I can't…" find the right words to say any of the things in my mind.

"It's okay, Akko." She said, my eyes already adjusting to the dark. I could see her sitting up from her bed, her legs still covered in the blanket. "I know you want to talk about it. Come sit." She patted the space beside her.

I ambled over to her, sitting slowly on the bed with my hands grasping the shirt I had on, my mind still back at that fancy dinner place. "Do you know why they've got a lot of silverware on those fancy dinners? Isn't that too much?"

"To answer your question, yes. It is too much. The reason being a show of wealth during the 18th century onwards. The more silverware you had, the more extravagant you are," her eyes were closed when she answered me, like in class.

I snickered. "I knew it was something else!" Andrew was wrong about the silverware, take that!

"Is that what's bothering you? I highly doubt this is what's keeping you up."

"Well," I trailed off. Diana was no fool. I didn't know where to start.

"Have you ever…" I wanted to look at her but felt ashamed. I didn't know why though. "…found the one? How do you know you like someone? Like, like like someone?"

She tilted her head. "Could you rephrase that? I'm not quite sure I understood that."

"How do you love someone? What is love anyway? Or dating? Or attraction?" I buried my face in my hands. "I can't understand any of this."

"Well, I think…" She was tapping her fingers on the blanket, her hand a few inches away from my own. "That love is caring for someone else's happiness more than your own."

"That sounds so cheesy. Did you get that from a romance novel?"

"Yes Akko." She crossed her arms. "There are other books that I indulge in besides reference and history books."

"Sounds like you," I teased, her brows furrowing.

She pouted, looking away from me. I could really feel her anger even though I couldn't even see her face. Classic Diana.

"Don't be mad. I didn't mean it." I reached out to her shoulder. I thought she would shove it away but she didn't. Instead, her muscles relaxed under my hand. "But I still can't understand it. How do people know they have feelings for each other?"

"There are other ways that attraction or love is expressed besides the words themselves." She answered, finally looking back at me. "Like actions that help out achieve whatever the other's happiness revolves around. Or sometimes, loving someone is masked in phrases. Little reminders, warnings…"

"Phrases? Like?" I asked.

"Don't get yourself into trouble," she poked the side of my cheek, making us both chuckle—that just meant everyone loved me. "Fix your hair or Professor Finnelan's going call you out," she ruffled my hair, I motioned her to cut it out, but it made her laugh more. "It's not a good idea to steal cafeteria food when the kitchen is off limits!" She bursted out into laughter.

Okay, now she was making fun at me so I took a shot at it, remembering all those times she's scolded me. "What about, get some sleep because reading books at midnight is going to ruin your eyes?" I reached out to poke the space between her eyes which she tried to swat away. "And, you're supposed to be studying this because it's part of the syllabus?" This time I told her, reaching out to her stomach, knowing that she's ticklish there.

I had another one, one from her earlier this evening. In the heat of the moment, I didn't do any thinking and blurted out, "Or, Just don't do anything stupid!"

I expected her to laugh, that was really clever, even for me! But instead, a loud silence engulfed the room. I've never seen her so haunted, so scared with this weird joke I let go. She looked away from me, mumbling a barely audible "…yes."

"Diana…" It all made perfect sense at that moment. The lessons, countless hours of trying to talk me out of trouble, and even as far as bailing me out if I do.

She feels the same way.

Her feet was shuffling beneath the covers, she had her right hand pulling on her left elbow and she still had her gaze focused on the blanket in front of her.

I took her chin, getting her to face me. I leaned in, eyes closed, with the intent to kiss her but stopped only a few millimeters short from her. I didn't know what she was thinking at that moment. Was all of this me overthinking? Everything that's happened, this friendship we had, was it all worth this risk? I couldn't handle another rejection in the same night, let alone from 2 of my closest friends.

There was this still night air of silence but was disrupted with Diana's lips pressing close to mine. It felt so reserved, but soothing at the same time. She had her fingers slowly entangling with my hair, her other hand at the back of my neck.

I've never felt anything like this.

Electricity, followed by this heat everywhere in my body.

Diana has feelings for me.

And it was all over as soon as it started. She pulled back, heavy-lidded, breathing heavy and I was also doing the same.

I bit my lip—Andrew was right about this one. I've always had this need to always be with Diana. I wanted her to see her smile. I'd never believed that it was more than a deep friendship. I've never had a best friend before, and Diana was the closest one I had.

I guess, it grew into something more. Something sincere.

And that night, we slept in each other's arms, legs tangled, hair all in a mess. Our hearts, for the first time, beating to the same rhythm of love that we've always shared, unafraid.