Akko opened her eyes. What had woken her up ? She had no idea. She looked around her. Sucy was still sleeping, a mushroom in her hand and a pointy smile on her face. She heard light snores coming from Lotte's bed, just above her. And then, she head the thunder. It startled her. She didn't like thunder very much. She lied down again, only to feel like she wasn't going to sleep anymore. After a few minutes of tossing and turning in her bed, she gave up. A little walk in the corridors would do her some good. She knew it was forbidden to go out of her room at night, but she couldn't sleep, and no one was patrolling at one in the morning, she decided. She wouldn't be caught. And if she was, she could tell she was feeling ill.
She went out of their shared room, wandering in the corridors aimlessly. Where was she going ? She hadn't really thought about it yet. And maybe she never would. She just wanted to see someting else than her room, to feel less frustrated by the fact that she could not go back to sleep because it eluded her. And so she walked and walked for what felt like hours but really was a few minutes. Because the school was empty, well the corridors were, at least, and so she felt like she was in another universe, having the school for herself. Maybe it was what Diana felt like when she went on patrol outside ? This girl was really popular, but she was also very lonely. Akko had noticed. She wasn't going to see Diana though, because the latter probably went to bed hours ago.
In the sky, the storm raged on, startling Akko from time to time. She ran in the corridor, wanting to go somewhere where storms like this, frightening ones, didn't exist. She chuckled to herself. If Diana saw her, she would be double-grounded ! She was running in the corridor, and she was outside of her room at one in the morning ! Fortunately, she wasn't there.
She ran until she was tired. She would be tired tomorrow, but that didn't really matter, because she felt so free ! Plus it would be saturday, so she had no classes to worry about, and she would be able to sleep longer. She stopped at the end of the corridor. She then heard a little sound. What was that ? Was there any ghosts in this school ?! No, of course not ! She would have to ask Sucy and Lotte the next morning. If she was still alive to do so…
She gathered all her courage, going towards the sound instead of fleeing away from it. She then saw a shadow, a human form at the end of another corridor. The person sat on the floor, her ears being covered by her hands and her head burried in her knees. Who was that ! Akko hoped it wasn't another « crying spirit » or something like that ! She'd had enough of that ! She got closer, seing blonde hair and the Luna Nova uniform. So it was one of the students. With blond hair ? No...It couldn't be...Diana ?
When the student got startled, Akko realised that she had said the last part out loud.`
- Akko ?! What on earth are you doing here ?
Akko, who really didn't think she would see Diana here, stuttered :
- W..well you see...I couldn't sleep after the thunder woke me up, so I decided to walk a little to calm myself
- Are you afraid of the thunder too ?
Surprised by the fact that Diana hadn't yelled at her for being out of her room at this hour, she answered :
- Yes, a little. I was looking for a place where the storm wouldn't be there, in my sleepy state, but now that I say it out loud, I guess it may sound stupid.
Diana shook her head :
- No, I don't think it is. I don't like the thunder either, and I was thinking the same thing.
Seeing her face a little more cleary now, Akko realized she had been crying a little. She sat next to Diana, taking her in her arms. The blonde student stiffened :
- Akko ? What are you doing ?
- Don't you see ? I'm comforting you !
Diana sighed, not saying anything else until :
- Thank you, Akko.
She seemed calmer now. She continued :
- It is almost two in the morning. We should go back to bed. Well, I never went to bed in the first place, so...The only problem is, I don't think I'll ever be able to sleep tonight with this horrible thunder !
Akko then said :
- Do you want me to come with you to your room ? I could maybe sleep there ? I'm afraid too, and It is better to have you beside me, I feel calmer. And I don't want to wake Sucy and Lotte up.
- Well...I don't want to wake Barbara and Hannah either, especially to say that I'm afraid of the thunder. They don't know I have this fear. In fact, only Anna, at home knows that. And you, now. You won't tell anyone, will you ?
Akko shook her head :
- Of course I won't ! So are you okay with me sleeping in you room ?
- ...Okay. But I want the right side of the bed.
- What ?! Oh, okay, if you want.
- And no snoring. And don't take all the blanket.
- I don't...snore..I think...As for the covers, I will do my best.
- If you snore, I will throw you out of the bed.
- Are you serious ? Oh, I hope I don't snore !
- Akko ! I'm kidding !
- Really ?
They ran to Diana's dorm, bickering on the way here. The next morning, Barbara and Hannah found them fast asleep. Diana was on the left side of the bed, snoring lightly and Akko had no blanket on her body. Diana had it. But at least they had managed to fall asleep in spite of the thunder !
