Author's Note: Another chapter out quickly, hope you all are enjoying these. But before we begin, let's answer the comments:
"Fuck off What. I haven't even read the story and I am already real sick of your attitude."
That's funny, this just sums up the Diakko Extremists. The only reason they target my story out of all the other non Diakkos (You won't find these types of comments in those stories) is because this is a popular one, on the first page of most followed stories, so they're scared and angry. Every time I get a new follower, and I move up on the list, they cry harder. Let the Diakko Extremist tears flow.
Taking a deep breath to boost my confidence, I knock on the dorm door, waiting for the occupier to answer.
Within a few short moments, the door creeps open, revealing just the individual I wanted to see.
"Oh, hello, Theodore." Lotte beams at me.
In our customary greeting, Lotte and I exchange a quick embrace, providing me with a brief feeling of warmth during these cold days as we wrap our arms around each other.
That feels good, just what I needed today.
"How are you doing?" She asks me, a smile on her face.
I can't help but return her expression.
"I'm doing fine, Lotte. And you?"
"I'm doing well. I was just reading." She tells me, motioning her head towards an open Nightfall book on her bed. "Did you need anything?"
I glance around her bedroom, ensuring that we are alone.
"Are Akko and Sucy here?"
She shakes her head, saying
"No, Sucy went to the market in town to pick up some mushrooms. Akko went along to help carry them. Why do you ask? Did you want to see them?"
I shake my head.
"No, in fact I just wanted to talk to you."
"Oh." Lotte murmurs in surprise, slightly taken aback by my sole need of her.
Usually, whenever I seek out her help, Akko and Sucy are included, Akko attaching herself whether she's wanted or not. The last time Lotte and I worked solo on a serious operation was during Samhain. Perhaps she's thinking back on that.
"May I come in?" I ask.
"Of course!" She happily replies, making me realize that the question really wasn't needed.
Lotte takes a seat on her bed, myself making myself comfortable in a nearby chair.
"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" She asks, looking towards me with expecting eyes.
It's really not that often that I ask Lotte for a favor, especially something this big.
Starting from a indefinite statement and going from there may be the best approach.
"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to help me with something."
"Of course, I'll help you." She nods, a certain fire in her eyes gained at the prospect of helping a friend in need. "What is it?"
"Well, you know Hannah and Barbara, right?"
The fire that was once present becomes extinguished, her face visibly slacking as she recalls them.
"Yes, I know those two…"
They really aren't very nice to her either, something that annoys me to no end. I mean, what's not to like about Lotte? If she wasn't so shy, she probably would be one of the most popular people in school.
"During our exam in Arcturus Forest, Hannah and Barbara found this mirror which contains a spirit living inside. They've tried to talk to it, but have had little luck. I was wondering, since you're so great at spirit communication, if you can help?"
The Finn lets out an audible breath through her nose, leaning back slightly in her bed.
I can already tell that she's not too enthused by my idea.
"Well, I'm not sure, Theodore. They don't exactly seem like nice people…"
"I'd really appreciate it, Lotte." I press her.
Hearing the slight desperation in my voice, Lotte straightens out her back, casting her gaze onto me.
Taking a moment to ponder this situation, she smiles at my words.
"Well, alright then, if you'd really appreciate it. But, since I agreed, can I ask you something?"
"Of course." I reply back, nodding my head in approval. "And you don't have to agree with me on something to ask me a question."
"Why is it you want to help them? Not to be rude, but you don't seem very fond of them, I remember you and them would butt heads often when around Diana. I've noticed that you've been hanging around them more as of recent, laughing at their jokes when they're not funny, agreeing with them when they're wrong. It's all very odd."
She really is right. Even though I've tried to force myself, I can't say I hold the two of them with much respect, especially after what happened in the clearing. Being in their presence, forcing myself to smile around them, it can be really draining at times. However, I'm not doing this for myself or my health, I'm doing this for Diana. I can imagine a friendship between myself and her best friends would be something she would appreciate.
My expression, which was once delighted from speaking to Lotte, now grows glum at the thought of those two.
She catches this, slightly concerned.
"Theodore?"
Her voice snapping me from my thoughts, I return my gaze to her, perhaps bearing a more pitiful expression than I would've liked.
"Was that a bad question?" She asks in concern, clenching her teeth together at the thought of upsetting me.
I shake my head, brushing her worries aside as I say
"No, not at all."
I better answer her question quick, before she starts to think I was offended.
"You're right, Lotte, honestly. I don't like them very much." I explain to her. "But since I'm now dating Diana, and they are her best friends, I'm trying to like them. It would mean a lot to Diana."
She nods at this, asking another question
"What does Diana think about this?"
The mention of Diana's opinion in the matter makes me slightly cringe.
I keep telling myself that I'm doing this for the good of Diana, for the good of my relationship with her, and that's exactly true, even if she'd never directly requested it. However, I can't help but feel this pit in my stomach that perhaps I'm doing something wrong.
Maybe I'm just over thinking things.
Pushing these feelings aside, I respond with
"Well, she would like it if Hannah, Barbara, and I got along with each other."
"But, does she know that you're putting yourself out there like this?" Lotte responds. "It's one thing to wish something, but it's another to actively chase after it. I may not know her as well as you, but I would imagine you forcing yourself to like them would not be approved."
I pause. She's sounding just like Faralda.
Really, why can't they just see that I'm trying to make things easier for my girlfriend? All of this is to create new friends, to ease tension between the two factions with Diana. I'm doing this for her, and that's all the justification I need.
"This is just something I have to do." I come to the conclusion.
The Finn nods at this.
Although she may not understand my situation entirely, Lotte does understand how important this is to me, and thus is more than happy to help. She's good like that.
But still, if she has any more questions, I'm open to hear them.
"Is there anything else that's on your mind?"
Pursing her lips, her gaze turns slightly downwards, as if searching for something further to inquire.
Lotte holds this expression for several seconds, before looking up at me with a smile.
"So when do we start?"
"Well, I'm surprised someone like you managed to pull this off." Hannah jabs at me, causally entering Lotte's room, and plopping herself on Sucy's empty bed.
"Yeah, you actually did something right for once." Barbara giggles back, placing the mirror on the table before she joins her friend. "Maybe this'll make up for all your past disappointments."
Feeling the pressure of their sudden jabs, I fold, not responding as my eyes cast themselves to the floor.
They really like to get their punches in when they can.
Lotte catches this, asking me
"Are you okay, Theodore?"
Raising my gaze from the floor and towards her, I wrinkle a fake smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's start this ritual."
Nodding at this, Lotte pulls out her wand, tapping the mirror with it.
"Come out, come out." She sweetly whispers.
In mere moments, the mirror begins to glow, perhaps sparkling even.
Nodding at this development, the Finn looks up towards us.
"It looks like the spirit the mirror cannot leave the object, but can still talk to us." She warmly smiles towards the mirror. "Isn't that nice of it?"
Lotte's prowess in spirit communication leaves me speechless, she makes it seem so easy. Is that really all it takes?
On second thought, there might be more to it than meets the eye, Lotte is a professional in this field after all.
"So, what should we ask it first?" Hannah asks her friend as she leers towards the mirror in anticipation.
No response.
"Barbara?" She asks again, as we all turn towards the girl in question.
She's completely unaware of her surroundings, instead investing her attention towards Lotte's bookshelf, eyeing the contents.
"Barbara!" Her friend yells out. "Are you listening to me?"
Hannah's cry snaps her out of her gaze, her face growing slightly pink as she shakes her head.
"Is that Nightfall I see on your bookshelf?" She asks Lotte.
The Finn nods.
"Yes, it's my favorite book series. Why do you ask?"
Upon her inquisition, Barbara's face grows slightly pink, choking on her words.
"Uh! No reason!"
Before Hannah can question her further, Barbara darts to the mirror, slightly embarrassed as she stutters out
"So…uh…h-hi?"
Upon Barbara's words, the mirror slightly sparkles, shining as if casting the reflection of the moonlight. In the light's glow, letters slowly manifest, taking shape as they form coherent words.
"Good afternoon."
Huh, well isn't that something?
It's really amazing what Lotte can do. Hannah and Barbara were struggling to get more than a few letters from the mirror, and Lotte fixes it within a matter of seconds.
Those two better be appreciative of all this.
"Do you watch TV?" Hannah asks, the question causing me to face palm. "I was watching this really good show last night."
The process is repeated, the mirror responding non verbally to her question.
"I have never watched the television. When I lived, I preferred the amphitheater."
The two girls wheeze at this, finding the answer slightly humorous.
"The amphitheater?" Hannah questions.
"Are we talking to, like, some old guy from ancient times?" Barbara adds.
"Rome has ampthiteathers." I explain to them. "And they built them in the countries which they conquered. It could be anyone from Ancient or Classical Europe."
Maybe we're dealing with a spirit from Ancient Rome, that would be cool. Maybe I can get in a few questions as well.
"We weren't asking you!" Hannah hisses at me.
"Yeah, if you wanted you to answer, we would've asked you." Barbara adds.
Jeez, I'm just trying to help.
Taking an exasperated breath through my nose, I lean back, allowing the two to continue without my intervention.
"How old are you?" Barbara asks the mirror.
Once again, letters, which soon turn into words, form on the mirror's glass.
"I don't have an age…It is irrelevant."
Hannah huffs at this, replying with
"Not much of a talker, are you?"
"Maybe it's just shy?" Lotte suggests.
Nodding at her claim, Hannah returns her gaze to the mirror, asking
"What's your name?"
"My name is not relevant to this conversation. It has been long since forgotten…remembered only by a select few."
What a confusing why to respond.
The two girls shrug their shoulders at each other, perhaps also finding it strange.
Whenever I see Lotte conjure a spirit, herself and it always have a nice and long conversation, full of kind words and insight, with little, if any, confidentiality between the two.
"Um…" Hannah puts a finger on her chin as she thinks. "Wonderful weather we're having?"
"Seriously?" Barbara sneers at her friend. "We're talking to a spirit, and that's what you ask it?"
"Well, I can't think of anything else, and it's not like the mirror is leading the conversation…"
We all turn towards the mirror, waiting for its answer.
"No…not wonderful weather…I find it quite depressing…"
Looking through the outside window, the mirror is dead accurate, the cold early spring adding a certain wetness and fog to the outside world. But still, if the spirit can see outside of the mirror through the glass, the angle isn't right. It shouldn't be able to look out the window.
I wonder just how far the mirror's spirit can see.
"So, what was life like back then?" Barbara asks the next question. "It must've been hard without showers and makeup."
Well, I can say that although this is a very interesting spirit communication ritual, I can't imagine asking such questions if I was in their position. Although I can't blame, them, given the lack of involvement of the mirror's spirit, these question still aren't something you'd see if I were the questioner. I guess I can't expect much from Hannah and Barbara.
"Let me tell you a little about myself…I was born a long time ago, long before Luna Nova…my mother died when I was born…and I lived with my Father and brother…who I hated…"
This response causes me to audible exhale, tensing my face in confusion as I glance towards Lotte.
A slight bead of sweat is forming on her forehead, also tense as she looks back at me to build rapport.
Perhaps not paying much attention, Hannah continues with her questioning, unaffected.
"So, how did you get trapped in a mirror? You must've pissed off a witch, or something."
That's actually a good question, and something that has been on my mind.
"While it may appear that I am stuck in a mirror, there was a time when I was free…for a short time…before I was slain…unjustly…"
This information causes the girls' brows to raise, Barbara asking
"What happened?"
"Let be frank, it was unfortunate…I met with a tragic…death. The same thing that happened to my Father and brother. Remember, I despised both of them…"
"Theodore…" Lotte mutters to me, casting a nervous glance. "This doesn't feel right…"
Yeah, it really doesn't. This really isn't like any other spirit communication I've witnessed. I can feel it in the air, as if there were some sticky presence, invading our throat and lungs. It's not at all an issue big enough worth mentioning, but still slightly uncomfortable, as if someone took a shower and ran the water as hot as it would allow.
If this ritual is to continue, I would need more information as assurance of no foul play.
"Tell us your name." I command the mirror. "What is it?"
All four of us wait with bated breaths, the room growing completely silent, the world coming to a stop.
Finally, the words begin to form on the mirror, slower than before, gradually shimmering in the glass's reflection.
"Let me out."
Without waiting any further, I turn to Lotte, silently motioning towards her to intervene.
Understanding my silent gesture, she quickly reaches for her wand. Fumbling nervously, Lotte drops it, quickly scrambling as she embarrassingly picks the wand up from the floor.
"Heh…" Hannah chuckles to herself, finding her struggle amusing. "Wow, Lotte, it looks like you're not nearly as good as you let on."
The Finn freezes, her eyes fixed on the two like a frightened rabbit.
Barbara joins in with her own transgression.
"Yeah, I thought you were supposed to be good at spirit magic, and yet it's just been giving us cryptic and weird answers."
No, don't tell me these two are about to do what I think…
I grit my teeth together, balling my fists as I attempt to keep myself together.
However, despite my best attempts to remain calm, the insults keep flying, and I keep getting close to the edge.
"Looks like you really belong in the loser group with Akko and Sucy!"
Barbara breaks out into laughter as her friend's remark, Hannah following soon after in her own fit of hysterics.
They are both holding at their sides, practically dying with laughter as Lotte sits there in submission, her pale white face lit up by a progressively reddening shade as her eyes glue to the floor.
She knew this would happen, Lotte warned me, and yet I ignored her…
"You'd better get tutored in Basic White Magic with all the other incompetent witches!" Barbara cries out in amusement. "I heard that Professor Finnalin does that after class on Thursdays!"
More laughter comes from the two, resembling witches cackling around a bubbling cauldron, the person in the boiling water being Lotte herself.
That's it! They've pushed me past my limits!
In one quick motion, I leap from my chair, it crashing to the floor with a loud thud, as I cry out
"Enough!"
With my sudden intervention, Hannah and Barbara twist around to face me.
"What are you blabbing about?" Hannah rolls her eyes at me.
"Yeah, we weren't talking to you." Barbara scolds me. "We told you to keep quiet. Keep your big nose out of our conver-."
"Shut up…" I growl at both of them. "Just shut up and leave…"
"What's wrong?" Hannah mocks me, a wicked grin on her face. "Did we hit a nerve, big nose?"
"Yeah, are you going to cry now?!" Barbara joins in, both of them giggling.
Grinding my teeth together, I can feel the rage rushing upwards throughout my entire body, like a thermometer on the hottest of summer days.
"That's not my name! My name is Theodore!" I roar at them, pointing at myself. "And how you're talking to Lotte, that's not going to happen! Not if I have anything to say about it!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Hannah persists, raising her brows in a fake attempt of showing inquisition. "And what if we keep going?"
"Then you're going to regret it!" I jab back. "You can flap your fat gums at me all day long, but the second you start picking on her, that's when you go too far! I'm not just going to stand here while you abuse her for trying to help you both! She tried to do something nice for you two, with no benefit to herself, and now your lashing out at her?! Can you two get any lower than that?!"
Now being the subject of this argument, Lotte twiddles her thumbs, staring down with a ruby red face, whispering to me
"Theodore, I think we should just-"
"Are you actually threatening us?" Hannah asks me, not paying much attention to Lotte.
I have to admit, even I am having trouble keeping my focus on anyone else but the two in front of me. It's like a switch was turned on, a valve released, allowing my thoughts and feelings to flow wildly.
For the last few days, I was able to keep a relatively calm attitude, to take their insults with a grain of salt. But I just can't do the same when it's Lotte on the receiving end. I won't allow myself to be a sideline spectator to that.
"What do you think?" I growl, tensing my face.
I flair my nostrils, continuing to glare at Hannah and Barbara, themselves bearing wild smirks in my direction.
It's like cowboys meeting at high noon, waiting for the other to make the first move.
I decide to make such a move.
"It's time for you to leave." I growl at them. "Go away."
Without waiting for an answer, I move towards them, almost pushing them with my body.
To avoid making contact, the two girls have no choice but to follow with my command, Hannah making sure to grab the mirror first, our conversation carrying on in the dorm hallway.
Perhaps finding it humorous, Hannah flashes a smirk to her friend, saying
"Wow, I can't believe that Theodore actually kicked us out. He was such a pushover these last few days, but now he's really is stepping up, isn't he?"
"Yeah, all we did was tell the truth about that girl." Barbara giggles. "She's not as talented as people think. We could barely get a word out of that mirror."
Hannah nods at her friend.
"You're right, Barbara. If that's the only thing she's good at, I was expecting her to actually be…you know, good at it."
"You won't be talking to her like that, you won't be doing anything to her!" I'm practically foaming at the mouth at this point, like a wild animal stuck in a state of blind animalistic rage. "If I hear that you do or say anything to Lotte, you're going to regret it, and I mean it! You two better watch yourselves!"
Taking a ragged breath, I open my mouth to continue my verbal onslaught, but stop.
All four of us notice someone in the hallway with us, someone which we weren't planning to see.
In all the chaos, the shouting, the emotions, we hadn't noticed her until now.
Diana stands there, arms at her sides, hanging limply, her expression following a similarly droop, both her eyes and brows raised in shock.
"Theodore…" Her mouth hangs open, turning to her two friends. "Hannah…Barbara…what's going on?"
Whatever energetic and vengeful rage I once felt gets sucked out of me like a vacuum, leaving me with an empty feeling of shame and regret. I feel sick to my stomach, all the energy being sucked out of me like a vampire. If there was ever a time for Diana to find out about our issue, this is the worst possible time.
I cast a glance towards Hannah and Barbara, the two of them frozen like deer in headlights.
Well, I guess there's no explaining away this now. It's time to come clean.
Taking a breath, I step forward, thinking about my words carefully before I begin.
"Diana, I'm sorry. I've been trying to get on their good sides, but nothing seems to work. When you left the forest, those two verbally assaulted me, berated me. They told me that I was a coward for running away with you from the cockatrice. It's not the first time the three of us have exchanged harsh words, but it was the first time it was ever escalated that far. It's been going on ever since we started getting close, but now that we're dating, it's gotten worse. I've tried, Diana. I've tried really hard to make them like me. I really tried, and it's exhausting, but it means nothing, not to them. I even asked Lotte to perform a ritual so they could contact the spirit in the mirror. It went well, but once they started to pick on her, I just couldn't hold back, not anymore. You know how much she means to me."
She does. Diana knows full well the extent that Lotte and I are connected, especially after the incident involving her dad. I'll admit, once Diana and I began to date, I half expected my close relationship with Lotte to raise a few of her blonde brows, but no questioning has ever taken place. Diana knows full well that the love I have for Lotte is simply platonic.
Diana's inquisitive expression turns into a frown, herself looking back at her two friends.
She probably knew something like this was bound to happen, but probably didn't expect it to be this desperate of a situation.
"Why would you two say such a thing?" She asks the two, crossing her arms. "I find it hard to understand why you two are so difficult with him all the time."
Hannah takes a breath through her nose as Barbara scratches her head.
I guess they also have to come to the conclusion that there's no beating around the bush here. They have to be direct in this moment.
"Because you're making a big mistake in dating that guy." Hannah begins. "As your best friends, we don't approve of him."
Barbara nods at this, adding
"Yeah, it would be much better if you broke up with him. It's about time we told you. It took awhile, but we were thinking of how to say it."
"While I appreciate your concerns, I am very happy with my current relationship." Diana informs her friends, her tone anything but appreciative.
"Diana's love life has nothing to do with you two." I add. "She can date whoever she wants. It makes her happy. As her best friends, I hope you would want her to be happy."
It seems like this conversation has quickly devolved into an argument, where Diana and I are faced off against her two friends. Really, this was the exact opposite of what I wanted, and yet I don't care, not now. Those two deserve a stern talking to.
Hannah scoffs at my statement, replying with
"You have an angle, Theodore, we both know it."
Barbara nods, adding
"Yeah, when Diana got back from Christmas Break, she told us all about her time with you. She even told us that your grandfather, Roma, wanted to marry her off to you. That's some pretty terrible stuff, especially considering the Sempronians and Cavendishes don't have any sort of historical relations."
"And now you two are dating." Hannah concludes, raising her brow. "Isn't that a coincidence?
"We are dating." I hold steadfast. "I liked Diana well before we went on vacation. I can't control what my grandfather says. He may have wanted me to marry her for economic purposes, but I love her."
Upon me uttering those final words, Diana glances at me, a surprised expression on her face. I think that was the first time I ever told her those words.
A shame they had to be said in such a setting as this.
"Yeah, and we're going to believe that." Hannah sarcastically spits out. "Why would we believe someone as rotten as you? You don't deserve Diana."
"Honestly, what did I do to you two that makes you hate me?!" I cry out, the tension of this situation finally getting the better of me. "I barely even talk to you two!"
Really, I don't understand just what they have against me.
"Exactly!" Hannah roars back, shoving a finger into my chest. "You barely know us, barely talk to us, and now you follow us around like a lost puppy!"
"Yeah, we know you don't actually like us." Barbara adds, wrinkling her eyebrows. "You're just trying to woo us, impress us or something, get on our good sides."
"If you can fake being nice to us, then who's to say you're not faking your feelings for Diana?" Hannah questions me, a hand on her hip. "You act so fake around us, it's sickening to even be in your presence. Whenever you force yourself to be nice to us, I want to vomit. We know you're doing it for an ulterior motive. Your kind are always schemers and opportunists."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, offended by their remark.
"Machiavelli, Mussolini, and now Sempronia." Barbara explains to me, counting these individuals with her fingers. "You guys always are backstabbers, only looking out for yourselves like gangsters. We know that you don't actually care about Diana. You're using her, measuring her by what you can take from her."
"Children, you can't judge him based on stereotype." Diana places her hands on her hips as she glares at her friends with a frown. "I chose to date him, even after what his grandfather said. I believe Theodore in what he says. He's not dating me for economic gain or political status anymore than I am."
"You don't know that for sure." Hannah retorts. "Diana, as your best friends, we are only looking out for you. Don't waste your time with this loser when there are plenty of better options. Just think of all the rich and suitable people you could date besides him."
So, they believe that I'm simply dating Diana for nothing more than economic gain, and then suggest Diana to the very same thing, speaking of it as an agreeable solution? Hypocrisy at its finest.
"I'm simply in a romantic relationship with someone I hold dear." Diana says, her tone slightly impatient and cold. "I am not doing anything wrong."
This statement seems to set Hannah over the edge, herself stomping her foot to the floor in rage.
"You're running around, attaching yourself to someone from a dying family of failures! That's what you're doing!" She cries out, pointing at Diana in accusation. "If you honestly thought your family would be okay with you dating a poor family like the Sempronians, then you're just as delusional as that guy!"
"Yeah!" Barbara adds, crossing her arms. "We would've preferred you dating even a peasant like Akko over him!"
"We're thinking about your future here!" Hannah comes back with as much fire and fury as last time. "If the Cavendish family is in decline, then why would you do you cling yourself to someone who's in a worse state than you?! It's like holding onto an anchor when you're drowning in the middle of the ocean!"
While I have already boiled over like a steaming pot, Diana has so far been able to keep herself civilized, only a slight edge in her voice, or a twitch in her expression, being the only visible signs. I'm almost jealous at how Diana can hold onto her composure, even in this high stress situation.
"My love life is none of your concerns." Diana states, a slight bitterness in her voice. "I'm not going to let my family's economic status, or Theodore's, dictate who I chose to have a relationship with."
Every time Hannah and Barbara shout at Diana, question her relationship with me, I can see Diana's face growing tighter, twisting ever so slightly with suppressed anger. Even the mightiest like Diana will slowly but surely be worn down by the unrelenting force of the two. However, the two girls don't notice, only escalating their vocabulary.
Rambling frantically, their words becoming blended together in one vengeful thrust, making it harder and harder to differentiate who's saying what.
"You're setting yourself up for failure, Diana."
"Yeah, if you keep down this path, your family is never going to recover and it'll fade away into nothing like the Sempronias. He's a leech. He's just using you for money. Why can't you see that?"
"Do you really want to disappoint your ancestors like that?"
"Yeah, hundreds of years of dedication and hard work, just for their descendant to ruin it all for some boy you haven't even known for a school year?"
"Your family would be very ashamed of you if they knew what you were doing."
"If I was a Cavendish, I know I would have be."
"Yeah, by dating him, you're spitting in the very face of your family. That's dishonorable and cruel to your family's legacy."
I turn towards Diana to see how she'll respond.
Rather than cold and expressionless as before, Diana has turned into a bubbling volcano about to blow, visibly offended and angered by their words. Teeth gritted, fists balled, and frame shaking slightly, seeing her in such a state is hard to watch.
I want to reach out and comfort her as she had done for me, but I find myself frozen, unable, and perhaps even unwilling, to tread on the minefield about to go off.
When Diana thanked Akko for saving my life twice during the Island Expedition, I recall thinking to myself that I would've never believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes.
I'm thinking the exact same thing right now.
Even people like Diana have a breaking point, something which these two are about to find out.
"Leave."
This single word, spoken calmly, but with such venom, paralyses the two from continuing.
Diana stares intensely at the two, her eyes piercing through the two girls with deadly force, a strong frown spread across her face, revealing no warmth.
Even I am taken aback. I've never seen her like this before.
For a moment, all is quiet in the hallway, the sounds of the wind outside being the only proof that time has not stood still.
Hannah is the first to speak, but just barely.
"W-What did you just say?"
"Leave now." Diana grounds herself, her brows furrow, eyes narrow, stabbing through the two like daggers. "I don't want to see you tonight in my dorm room. Consider yourselves no longer welcome."
"What?!" They scream out in unison.
"Come on, Diana! Don't be like that!" Hannah pleads, folding her hands together as if praying for mercy to a deity. "Where are we supposed to sleep tonight?!"
"Yeah, it's not like there's any hotels around here!" Barbara adds, equally in shock. "What do you expect us to do?!"
Even bearing witness to her two best friends in such a desperate state, vulnerable and hysterical, Diana's gaze holds, ice cold, and as solid as stone.
"I'm sure you two can work something out." She tells them, her voice barren of any affection. "I don't want to see either of you for now."
"Diana, don't!" Hannah begs. "We're your best friends!"
"Yeah, we were only looking out for you. We just want what's best for you!" Barbara adds.
Diana doesn't say another word, her glare being the only answer needed.
Perhaps seeing the futileness of the situation, Hannah and Barbara, cast their gaze to the floor, not daring to look at Diana, perhaps to not provoke her any further, or maybe even to avoid her furious glare.
Practically dragging themselves, the two of them shuffle away down the hallway, resembling lifeless zombies, drained of life, rather than the two lively girls they were before.
Although it was unspoken, even the blind can see what the state of their friendship is in now.
Before the two round the corner, Hannah turns back, glaring death at me, fire in her furious eyes, a deep scowl dug into her face.
I feel a bead of sweat beginning to form, growing very uncomfortable, my gaze forced to the floor to avoid the sight.
As the two disappear, Diana's hard face immediately softens, replacing with a somber expression. Her eyes, which once glared a stone cold stare, now droops, hanging low in sadness. Her face follows the same pattern, her eyes meeting the floor, not uttering another word.
"H-Hey, Diana…" I call out, a slight shake in my voice, as I close the distance between us.
She doesn't respond. It's as if she barely acknowledges my presence.
Gently, I cup my hands on her cheeks, raising her head upwards so that my eyes meet with her's.
They're full of tears.
"Hey…hey, Diana…" I whisper, trying to comfort her. "Are you okay?"
Honestly, I can't even begin to think of what to do in this situation. Diana has always been the reliable one, the support that was there for me when I needed it. To see someone as strong as her go down like this, it's near impossible to fathom.
"I don't know…" She mumbles, turning her gaze away from me, perhaps out of humiliation. "I think I need to take some time to myself right now."
"Do you…Do you want me to come with you?"
She weakly shakes her head, breaking herself from my hold.
"No, I think I'd prefer to be alone for now, but thank you."
And without any further words, Diana leaves, slowly trudging away as she too disappears from sight.
I let out a heavy sigh, leaning my back against the wall, only now remembering the quiet spectator to this whole show.
Lotte…
She stares at me with her large eyes in pity, almost entirely shut down, drained of energy. Like me, unable to fully process or react to what just took place.
She didn't have anything to add, and thus only stood there, playing second fiddle to the screaming match which just took place outside her dorm. I put her in that situation, I put Diana, Hannah and Barbara in that situation. It's because of me, all of it.
Lotte really didn't have to see all that, she didn't have to be involved. I just complicated things and hurt her in the process.
I should've listened to Faralda…
Feeling that small pit in my stomach balloon into a watermelon, remorseful regret fills me to the brim, making me want to vomit.
Like Diana, I need to be alone right now.
"Thank you for trying to help me out, Lotte…" I droop down, hands in my pockets as I walk away to my own dorm, not daring to look back. "I'm so sorry that you had to see that…"
Author's Note: Well, there we go. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Really, I'm enjoying the amount of support I'm getting. Not only from the high amounts of followers and favorites, but views are through the roof. A few days ago, I received 159 views all in one day, that's massive. Thank you all so much.
So, don't forget to follow and favorite, and show some love with a comment. See you all in the next one.