Chapter 21

Akko found herself back to the same halls of the Medicine department, running and kicking doors just to search for Diana. The thought of her being scolded by the Dean, Professor Finnelan, didn't deter her resolve. As long as she wouldn't get caught, she wouldn't get expelled.

All Akko knew was that she needed to talk to Diana. Diana was Akko's first thought in the morning, her last thought at night.

Akko was certain she had seen something in the British girl's eyes, something almost wishful filled with 'please' and 'what ifs', something that actually did wish for more than what she had. Or maybe Akko was just wishing on a star.

She was about to head towards the surgery room when she heard the voice she had been dying to hear since last night.

"Akko!" the blonde had given her that astonished look.

"Diana!" All at once, Akko had darted forward. She hadn't had any clear idea of what she was going to do. "There you are! I'm not going to let you ran away."

"What do you want from her you psycho?" Hannah barked.

"Girls, please." Diana took a lungful of air. "Could you leave us alone for a minute?"

"What?" Barbara asked but she seemed more speechless than ready to rebut.

"Diana, are you sure?" Hannah queried.

"I was planning to tell you girls sooner but given the circumstances, I will now."

Hannah and Barbara abruptly stopped, listening intently like puppies to their owner with no other desire than to please her.

"I enjoy Akko's company, so much that I agreed to model for her last Sunday and she agreed to model for me as well. Inasmuch, due to that partnership, we're becoming close friends."

Friends? Why did that thought stab her through the heart?

"Oh," both girls were relieved.

"Diana," Hannah said. "You must reconsider joining the Moonlit Witch."

"Yeah!" Barbara pointed a finger upwards, one of her frequent hand gestures. "We're sure you could submit an artwork before the deadline tomorrow noon."

"You girls have all my utmost gratitude for your concern and advice; I might whip up something good tonight and submit."

"We'll leave you two to talk then." Hannah grabbed Barbara's wrist and pulled her along. Barbara looked hesitant but the redhead was persistent.

Before they left for good, both girls gave Akko the I-am-watching-you gesture, making Akko gulp involuntarily. She wasn't even aware what she was doing wrong but the moment she stared at Diana, the confusion doubled inside her mind.

Diana's brows lifted. Akko was afraid for a moment, yet decided that Diana looked more confused than angry. "We got to stop meeting like this."

"It wouldn't be if you hadn't run away from me!" Akko said gruffly. "And what were they talking about a witch?"

Diana was on the verge of more explosions but she thought better of it. "I apologize, I shouldn't have, and that was immature of me. I also apologize I hadn't replied. My phone was silent all night and I was busy with my requirements. We can talk, but not here. Do you still have classes tonight, Akko? Or would you be too busy with printing your photos for tomorrow?"

Akko's eyebrows reached her hairline. "There are night classes in this school?"

"Not the point, Akko." Diana gave her a look that was so done before it shifted to wistful.

Akko laughed with embarrassment, her cheeks coated pink. "Yes, I'll be so busy tonight. We can talk tomorrow! Will you be up tomorrow after the events?"

"School events will reach until nine in the evening, but yes. I am up for that."

Akko nodded a little too eagerly. Finally having a decent conversation with Diana and with a bit of luck, she could help her sort out these uncanny feelings growing inside her chest.

"So... a-about this witch?" Akko prompted.

"You're the kind of girl who's too preoccupied with passing your classes that you had no such qualms to concern yourself with campus activities."

Akko wasn't sure if Diana was scolding her for being apathetic to school's current events or was just simply stating a fact. Either way, she pouted.

"Moonlit Witch is a title awarded to the most talented student in all campus," Diana said, with an air of nostalgia. "There are nine awards presented all throughout Samhain Festival as per of customs, but the Moonlit Witch award is the one most special because it is akin to the highest medal or trophy."

"Oh! That means you'll win it for sure."

Diana let out a heavy breath, making Akko worry about what it meant. "We can't say that for sure, Akko." Slowly, she grabbed the shorter girl's hands and clasped it near her heart. "Besides, there are others out there who are had more worthy talents than mine."

Akko's brain threatened to restart when she became conscious of Diana's face nearing hers in a couple of inches, though she completely understood that Diana was also talking about her. "Y-you mean, I get the chance to win the title too?"

"Of course," Diana said. A small, sad smile flitted briefly over her face. Even that tiny glimpse intrigued Akko. "Joining the art exhibits on the campus guarantees automatic pass as candidates for the Moonlit Witch title."

"Eh, you will win for sure." She mumbled to herself.

Diana seemed to have more debating to do but stopped. "As much as I want to suspend the Committee Chair's responsibilities for a day, I can't. The activity is tomorrow and I barely have enough time to speak with you, Akko. Nonetheless, I stand by what I informed you yesterday; I will visit your exhibit."

"I'll wait for you!" Akko chirped.

Diana smiled, almost a smirk. "See you then, Akko." She flipped her hair, haughtily. Akko was well aware that the British girl wasn't trying to be snooty when she did that. Just a habit she couldn't get rid of easily.

In truth, Akko had no qualms about it. A hair flip like that makes the air be filled with Diana's scent.

"What are you grinning from ear to ear about, Kagari?" Amanda leered.

Akko skipped the way back to her group of misfits with a smile that puts the Cheshire cat to shame. "Diana and I talked."

"What?" Amanda snapped her fingers. "Just like that? Poof?"

"Yes," her friends could have sworn they could see floating flowers and a pink aura surrounding her. "Turns out, she was just busy and her phone was in silence mode."

"See! I told you, Akko." Lotte said, clasping her hands together with a soft sigh.

"Or, she could be lying."

"Sucy!" Lotte was quick to scold her. It was a recurring process where only the Finnish girl could make the Filipino see reason.

"Hey, I'm just offering a different perspective," Sucy said, never wanting to anger the bespectacled girl.

Amanda blew a raspberry. "Never mind your love life right now, Akko. Think you can introduce me to that cute auburn haired gal with the yellow ribbon?"

"What?" Akko's nose scrunched up.

"You know," the wild redhead grinned, a slight blush on her cheeks, "that one chic that follows Cav around!"

Before Akko could react and yell Hannah's name, her French professor cleared her throat.

As soon as Professor Ursula successfully managed to get Akko's attention, she wasn't prepared for the fact that she received her friends' attention as well.

"B-before I could forget!" Professor Ursula's voice raised an octave higher but she bumped her lower fist onto her palm to look collected and calm. "The Exhibit provides you a spot to put your photographs in but you're in charged on putting your photos in the display of your booth and you would need a design to go with your topic's motif."

"Ehhh?" Akko exasperated as if she wasn't informed beforehand of this important details. Akko could only scream at the imminent fear of more time pressured work. She was about to pull her hair out from frustration when Lotte managed to contribute something insightful.

"Hey Akko, you know what I realized? We never used those backdrops we bought."

Akko was momentarily distracted that she forgot the dread she had for tomorrow and slapped her knee "Really? Oh geez, then that's what I've forgotten to do."

"Guess the ransacking in garage sales and dumpsters were all for naught," Sucy said nonchalantly.

"We used some of them!" Akko said, crossing her arms ready to argue, but Sucy was unfazed by the brash sight of bravery.

Sucy rolled her eye... eyes—probably both because Akko can't tell with that overgrown bangs. "You're lucky I didn't tell those Englishmen the props used were filth."

"Hey, we disinfected them throughly!"

"Thoroughly!" Lotte corrected her.

"Thoroughly!" she repeated for emphasis.

"But you know Akko, we could always reuse them," Lotte said, faintly to help offer the hyperactive Japanese some peace of mind.

"Then that settles it!" Professor Ursula said. "You could use those backdrops to give a good background of your photos."

"What about my foreground?"

"We'll get there eventually." The Professor said, scratching her cheek. "But if you were to ask for my advice, I'd go with minimalism."

A/N

somebody asked me how long will this fic go, tbh I don't even know myself so just enjoy!