Disclaimer: I don't own Little Witch Academia or any of its characters. They belong to Trigger.

A/N: Hello, my lovelies! I'm back with chapter 4, and it's my longest chapter yet! As always, I'll leave my rant for the end. So please, read to your heart's content and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter~! :3

Chapter 4: Catching Up

A couple of weeks had passed by, and the meeting night had finally arrived. Diana went out when she finished her shift at the clinic and is currently on her way to meet up with her childhood friends at a pub & eatery in Blytonbury. Aunt Daryl and her cousins were more than happy to grant her the opportunity to hang out with her friends by mutually agreeing that Diana would have an early shift today.

Apparently, going out on my very first date and hanging out with friends is considered to be a miracle of sorts. The young Cavendish thought with slight amusement, feeling slightly irritated at this turn of events.

In truth, Diana couldn't really blame them. It's not everyday that she voluntarily goes out to have fun. So, of course, her family is more than happy to indulge her.

The drive to Blytonbury wasn't bad, plus the trip itself wasn't lonely at all since Daryl kindly volunteered to drive her there. Blytonbury itself was only an hour away from Wedinburgh by car, but depending on the time of day, driving can be quite stressful with people driving in droves...

"Thanks again for taking me to Blytonbury Aunt Daryl, I appreciate it." Diana spoke gratefully with a smile.

Her aunt returned that smile with one of her own while saying, "It's no trouble at all, Diana." As an afterthought she mentioned, "And, while I know that you're a full-grown woman and that you're fully capable of taking care of yourself... I am going to worry a whole lot if I let you make this trip alone."

The young Cavendish raised her brows in amusement. "Is this because I'm going out drinking with friends?" She questioned.

"Partly," Daryl admitted, sighing in exasperation since she had no choice but to press on the brakes again. Being stuck in traffic on the highway was not fun... at all. "Besides you making the trip alone, you might be a bit buzzed for the drive home. The last thing I want is for my niece to get into a car accident..."

Diana couldn't help but shake her head in disbelieve. "My, that's quite the overactive imagination you have there, Aunt Daryl. Do you honestly think I would do something so stupid and irresponsible like that?" She asked.

"You're right, forgive me. Let me re-phrase my statement: I don't particularly mean that towards you, but more so for the people around you." The elder Cavendish clarified while pointing forward to gesture to the long line of vehicles in front and behind of them as well as on the sides. "They can be inconsiderate, unpredictable, and just overall stupid."

Diana hummed in acknowledgment. "Point taken."

No sooner had she said that, the Cavendishes couldn't help but witness a spectacle that had just occurred in front of their very eyes. A car tried to get out of the lane in order to speed through the walk-way to try and avoid the cluttered traffic, however...

A police siren rang out, instantly making the driver stop his escapade.

Where did the police cruiser come from? Nobody knew, but it was quite the sight to behold for the Cavendishes since they started to laugh at the fellow's stupidity.

Once Daryl gathered her composure, she said, "Did you see that, Diana? What did I tell you? People can be quite stupid while being behind the wheel. I mean, it's gotten to the point where I think that everyone in Wedinburgh got their driver's license from a bloody cereal box."

"T-that can't be true..." The young doctor let out a flow of giggles at hearing such a remark from her aunt. "Surely, there are some people that actually worked hard to earn their license." She finished saying once she calmed down.

"Hmph. I'll believe it when this town finally decides to drive better." The elder Cavendish huffed.

Diana chuckled. "If you insist, Aunt Daryl."

A comfortable silence fell soon afterward, and it wasn't long after that they pulled out of the highway once they found their appropriate exit. One thing's for sure, Daryl's posture relaxed significantly once they were out of that chaos.

Sighing in absolute relieve, the older doctor started a conversation by saying, "So, how are things between you and this girl that you're seeing? Well, I hope?"

"O-oh, you mean with Akko?" Diana replied belatedly, completely caught off guard from the sudden question. Her cheeks have a rosy hue to them from the mere thought of the tomboy. "Yes, I think they are. She and I have been texting and chatting over the phone whenever we have time, and we're thinking of going out together again sometime soon..." She murmured at the end, but her aunt still heard her.

Daryl smiled, bringing a hand up to gently trail her fingers through Diana's soft tresses. "That's good to hear, Diana dear. I'm glad that you were able to find someone you fancy."

Diana couldn't help but grumble. Her face was a deep shade of red by this point due to embarrassment. "Aunt Daryl, please do pay attention to the road..." She mumbled in slight reprimand, carefully removing her aunt's hand from the top of her head.

"Akko, huh? So, that's her name." Daryl teased while laughing merrily, but she did comply to her niece's request and paid full attention to the road. "You're so skittish when it comes to this topic. It's quite adorable, really."

"I just don't understand the big deal of teasing me over it." Diana rolled her eyes in annoyance, speaking a bit exasperatedly than she had meant to. "I'm going out with someone, so what?"

"Frankly, my dear, it IS a big deal!" Daryl stated seriously, her playful tone from earlier was completely gone. "Do you know why that is?"

The blonde thought about it for a moment, but she couldn't think of an answer. "...No."

"Of course, you don't. You've been too focused on other things to even think about this aspect of your life." Her aunt told an obvious, and rather painful truth. "In a way, emotionally speaking, I honestly don't know what was going through your head the moment that... your mother passed away." She let out a shaky breath, her blue eyes fully focused on the road ahead of them. "Your father too, for that matter." She added as an afterthought.

Diana remained silent, subconsciously balling her hands in her lap.

Despite the girl's silence, Daryl continued on by saying, "I may have lost them too, but my loss would never amount to yours... At such a tender age, you had a one-tracked mind. One that had me concerned, and I was right to be. As I watched you grow up, you constantly threw yourself to your studies, you were never interested in making relationships with people. It was always studying or working with you. I was quite astounded at the fact that Hannah and Barbara put up with you for so long. No offense."

"None taken..." The young Cavendish sighed, leaning her head against the window as she blankly stared ahead. However, her aunt knew that her mind was somewhere else.

The older woman stopped the car once they approached a red light, and as soon as she did the silence inside of their vehicle was almost too much to bear.

"At first, I thought that was your way to handle your grief. It's not the healthiest way, mind you, but people find ways to manage their sorrow differently. And, to my surprise, I suppose it was the right thing for you." Daryl admitted. "You kept working, yes, but you had a goal in mind to distract you. After you graduated med school, however... I've noticed that you were lost. Like you had nothing else to do anymore, am I correct in my assumption?" She inquired, stealing a side glance toward her niece.

"Pretty much, yes." Was the quiet answer that she received.

"And, what made you feel that way?" The elder Cavendish asked her, commencing to drive once again once the light finally turned green.

Diana sighed heavily through her nose, straightening up in her seat. "I don't know... It is as you said, after I ultimately finished with school I was... lost. I've always wanted to take over the clinic and make it more successful, for mother's sake. But when I officially started working full-time, I felt bored with the routine I settled on." She then elaborated with more detail, "Working at the clinic for about eight hours a day, sometimes more. Going to Auriga's for my breaks, only to return back to the clinic to finish the rest of my shift. I obviously don't have any plans for when I finish work for the day, so... I just return to a cozy, and yet empty flat."

Daryl couldn't help but smile sympathetically, especially when she caught the slight grumble at the end of her niece's explanation. This was the point where she started to feel lonely. She surmised.

"And," As her aunt spoke, the young physician certainly didn't miss the sly grin that took over her face. "What brought on this change?"

Almost instantly, Diana felt her face heat up at the realization of where this conversation was going...

The blonde closed her eyes in momentary respite as she thought, She wants me to confess...! I honestly don't know if I'm happy or irritated that she supports me. Perhaps both?

Diana sighed, mostly in defeat. "It... it all changed when I waltzed into Auriga's on that fateful day in February." She confessed. "You happy now?"

Daryl's smile grew. "Very much, yes."

And just when Diana thought that their talk would end there, her aunt spoke up yet again, "By the by Diana, this doesn't have to happen right away, but... once you're comfortable and sure about Akko, I expect that you'll set up a date so that your cousins and I can meet her."

To say the least, Diana was caught off guard from the sudden request. "M-meet her!? Wouldn't that be too soon in our relationship? I-I mean, we aren't even an official couple yet..." She muttered shyly.

"The earlier the better, at least in my book." The older woman said with a mere shrug of her shoulders. "Ultimately, you'll have the final say in the matter since you're a grown up and very capable of making your own decisions. So, the timing is all up to you. I, on the other hand, would love to meet and thank the woman who has been making the effort to ensure my niece's happiness as of late, and I'm sure that your cousins would agree with me."

The physician let a small smile take over her features. "Yes, yes they would." She agreed, thinking about the request for a moment. In the end, Diana didn't make a decision but decided to compromise for the time being by saying, "...I'll think about it, Aunt Daryl. Thank you for caring."

"It's no trouble at all, Diana dear."


Eventually, the Cavendishes finally made it toward their destination. However, once they arrived at a certain street in Blytonbury, Daryl quickly found out that simply parking and dropping off her niece is going to be quite the task...

"Blimey," The elder Cavendish gasped at seeing a large amount of cars being parked along the crosswalk of the entire street. "It seems that I'm going to have to stop and you have to be quick in leaving the car, Diana."

"It certainly appears so." Diana responded, looking quite surprised herself.

"Do you recall how the establishment looks like?" Her aunt asked her while keeping a lookout on the building in question. It also didn't help that people were walking up and down the sidewalks at their leisure, no doubt frequenting some of the shops and restaurants around the area. "What's the place called?"

"From what Hannah has informed me, I believe that the place is called, 'The Little Witch Sanctuary.'" Diana told her.

Daryl chuckled in amusement. "Witches? At this day and age? That's quite eccentric."

"You and I seem to share the same sentiments on the matter, but Hannah told me that that's the aesthetic of the place." The blonde explained. "I'll see the pub for myself soon enough."

"Well then, I hope that you have fun and tell me how it goes later. We're here." Daryl announced, stopping the car in the middle of the street the moment that she spotted the joint. As soon as she stopped the car, already a good amount of vehicles were lined up behind them. "Better hurry up now, before the other drivers get impatient."

"I will," The young Cavendish replied as she grabbed hold of her purse, exiting the car soon afterward. "Be careful on the way home. And thanks again, Aunt Daryl."

"I most certainly will, don't you worry. Have fun, Diana! Ta-ta!"

"Thank you, I will! Bye!"

And with that, Diana quickly crossed the street and Daryl was able to drive off, the cars that were lined up behind her following suit. As soon as her aunt's car turned at the corner of the street and was completely out of sight, the physician made her way over to the pub's entrance.

The moment that she opened the door and walked into the establishment, Diana instantly felt that she was transported into another world...

And, it was absolutely incredible.

The first thing that immediately caught her eye were the uniforms that the employees are wearing. It's only mid-March and yet it felt like October was right around the corner considering the wide variety of Halloween costumes that they're wearing. From the standard monsters to actual attempts in dressing up as mythological creatures.

What world did I just walk into? Diana thought, completely awestruck. The young Cavendish felt like she was in the middle of a convention, not that she ever been to one.

"Kyehehehehehehe!"

Diana went rigid the moment that she heard that frightful cackle, instinctively bringing a hand up to her chest due to being scared. When she turned her head to the right, she saw the source of that evil laughter.

An old woman, who was dressed up in a very convincing witch costume, had exited the kitchen of the establishment. She was holding onto what appeared to be a cauldron as she made her way over to one of her tables.

The witch had long-gray blue hair, a large pointed nose, and big bulging eyes. Her attire was a complete classic, the exceptions of her getup being longer reaching to cover the feet and having very long and loose sleeves. Once she had reached her patrons, she carefully set the cauldron in the middle of the table for her guests.

"Sorry for the wait," The old woman apologized, "But I am pleased to announce that your Hangman's Blood has been brewed to perfection..." She informed with a sly grin, lifting the lid.

As soon as she lifted the top, white smoke seemed to flow out of the pot, but Diana knew that it merely came from the coldness of the drink inside. Needless to say, the customers are quite impressed as they said their thank yous and kindly asked the witch if they could take a picture of her, to which the old woman must've replied with a yes considering that the guest were taking out their phones.

"Pardon for the wait, my fair maiden. As you can see, we're quite packed today."

The blonde tore her gaze away from the old witch to pay attention to the hostess in front of her. This employee is dressed as a Kitsune, though instead of all nine tails she only had two tails to make it more manageable.

The girl is rather short in height, and yet she has a strong and friendly aura about her all the same. Her raven colored mane was tied up in buns, and her chestnut eyes shone brightly with mirth as a smile adorned her cute features.

"I-it's quite alright..." Diana gave a slow response, trying not to let her eyes wander anywhere else in the joint.

The hostess couldn't help but let a small giggle escape from her lips. "Is this your first time here, I take it?" She inquired. "Then please, allow me to welcome you to the Little Witch Sanctuary, where you can dine and drink to your heart's content. Will it be a table for one?"

"Ah, yes. I was supposed to meet up with my friends here..."

"I see. May I have a name then? I might be able to help you find them."

"It's-"

"Diana!"

The doctor looked up the moment her name was called, and no doubt she immediately spotted her childhood friends, who are standing and waving their arms around from their booth. They both looked very happy to see her.

Thankfully, the lively environment of the pub is rather loud to where each and every one of the patrons are distracted with their own company to even pay attention to such an embarrassing spectacle. The employees are also too busy to notice. The physician would've been absolutely mortified if she was suddenly the center of attention.

"N-nevermind then, I suppose." Diana chuckled before she turned her attention to the hostess. "That's them. Thank you so much, um..."

"Linlin." The Kitsune smiled as she introduced herself. "And, it was my pleasure. I hope that you have a grand time with us tonight!"

The young Cavendish returned that smile with one of her own. "Thank you, I think I will."

"Ugh! What is taking you so long?!"

"Yeah! Instead of gawking at the joint, you should be sitting down and chatting with us!"

Before Diana knew what was happening, she was abruptly bombarded by her friends as each one of them hooked her arms with theirs and started dragging her away from the pub entrance. Regardless of what just happened, Linlin took everything with stride as she merely waved Diana off with a smile before her attention diverted to brand new customers that just walked through the door.

Once she was seated in their designated booth, Hannah and Barbara sat together on the other side of the table. Obviously, Diana was more than a bit displeased over what happened.

"You girls are terrible..." The physician commented without remorse as she safely settled her purse by the booth wall.

"Well, excuse~ us! But you were taking your damn sweet time looking at the place and chatting up the hostess." Hannah grumbled irritably.

"I don't blame her though, this pub certainly has a unique charm to it." Barbara stated in Diana's defense. "Also, you seem to forget that I'm also recently new here, unlike you." She added teasingly.

"What can I say? This place rocks! It's Halloween all-year-round, and their drinks are absolutely out of this world!" The redhead gushed, reaching over to take the drink menu that was settle between the condiments. "Take a look girls!"

However, before even the raven haired girl could even take a glimpse through the menu, Diana slammed her hand on top of it.

"You're acting beyond rude by this point! And honestly, that infuriates me!" The young Cavendish remarked, her infamous scowl was rather easy to spot by this point.

At first it seemed like Hannah acknowledged her, looking rather guilty for her actions. That quickly changed the moment she leaned against the table to reach for Diana's hands. Holding them in her own, a smile blossomed on her lips as she said, "You're absolutely right, Diana! Where ARE my manners?! It's been such a long time! How are you? How's the fam? How's the medical career been treating you these last few years since we've been apart?"

I don't know what aggravates me more... The fact that she KNOWS that she's being rude, or that annoying grin she has on her face! Diana thought to herself in outrage, fully intend to punching the living daylights out of her friend, but then she remembered that they were in public...

There would be too many witnesses for such a scenario occurring.

The raven haired noble stifled a laugh at the back of her hand, commenting, "It's good to see that some things never change..."

"What needs to change, and soon, is her coarse manners! It is really unbecoming of a lady, especially at her age!" The doctor chastised, retracting her hands away from Hannah's hold.

"Aw, but ma! You know you love it!" The redhead insisted in a la-dee-da tone, which added fire for Diana's need for violence.

The blonde sighed heavily through her nose, straightening up in her seat. Restrain yourself Diana, she's not worth it. She firmly reminded herself.

Barbara shook her head in disappointment, lightly slapping Hannah's arm in reprimand for her actions. "That's enough. We're not in middle school anymore."

"You're right, you're right, I'm sorry." Hannah conceded, genuinely apologizing. "But it really is good to see you girls again." She said with a small smile, sighing as she added, "At least two people managed to make it to our scheduled night out..."

"Two? You mean you invited more people besides the two of us?" Diana questioned.

"Yeah, this is definitely news for me too!" Barbara mentioned with a slight pout, no doubt feeling left out of the loop.

The redhead merely shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal, her hazel eyes skimming over the drink menu while she decided on her alcoholic drink. "Yeah... I originally wanted to invite the whole gang and make this night out as a high school reunion of sorts. Unfortunately though, life got in the way for some of them. So, they couldn't make it tonight."

A thin frown appeared on Hannah's lips, almost in apparent indecision, but Diana and Barbara knew better. "Chloé is apparently livin' it up as an ambassador in France, so she obviously couldn't make it. Blair and Mary are runnin' their boutique shop together, and apparently they were swamped with finishing up orders for this weekend – they're out too. Andrew, from what he told me, is currently busy trying to secure a seat within the city council since his father is retiring soon. And of course, Frank being his right-hand man, will obviously be helping him to secure that position so... They're out too."

While Hannah droned on, Diana noticed a slight flinch from Barbara the moment the redhead mentioned Andrew. The action seemed to be out of guilt.

For what? The physician wondered. "I see..." She nodded sympathetically for her friend. I'm not that surprised to hear that, with our careers and all. Though, honestly... I never really liked Chloé to begin with. She thought earnestly.

Sure, that would've been terrible to say out loud. But in truth, Diana and Chloé never got along at all.

The French girl always seemed to have some kind of vendetta against her and she was quite adamant in trying to one-up the young Cavendish on everything when they attended school together. From academics, to sports, in school plays, and this silly competition even extended far beyond school grounds.

The sad part was that Diana never even considered her to be a rival in the first place. But, would the girl listen?

No. She did not.

It was one thing after another with the two of them. Not to mention, it was quite exhausting dealing with the girl. Physically and emotionally draining. Diana to this day considers it a miracle that she somehow managed to focus on her studies, even more so on the day that they went their separate ways when they decided to attend different colleges.

All in all, despite their one-sided rivalry, the few times that the blonde had spent with the French girl wasn't all bad, when there wasn't any sort of drama involved at least. Still though... Diana simply marveled at the fact that she didn't have to deal with Chloé's presence, even if it was for a single evening.

"That's too bad." Barbara commented sympathetically to her friend, gently laying a hand on the girl's shoulder. "What about Avery? I've noticed that you failed to mention her."

At hearing that, Diana blinked in surprise. How could she have missed that? "You're right, Barbara. Avery wasn't mentioned at all."

On cue, Hannah proceeded to growl as she angrily slammed her fists against the table, causing the other two occupants to jump in their seats. "I'm pissed at her the most!" She proclaimed with vile resentment.

"With Avery? How come?" The girls asked in unison.

"That woman is nothing but insufferable, and totally unreasonable! She always complains about work, about not going out very often, and the one fucking time that I invite her out for drinks – OUT OF THE KIDNESS OF MY HEART, BY THE WAY – She DARES to tell me, "I'd rather go out drinking for when you win the upcoming election." And, she left it at that! It didn't matter how many times I insisted! Fucking jerk!" The redhead practically bawled, surprisingly keeping her voice at a medium volume despite it all. "I swear... If she wasn't my campaign manager, I'd totally fire her ass-!"

No sooner had she said that, Hannah instantly covered her mouth. However, she knew by now that it was too late. She then sighed exasperatedly, her body hunching forward in her seat while she rested her chin in her hands, silently cursing at her slip of the tongue as she muttered, "And, I got wound up... Dammit, Avery!"

"You know, it's quite rude to curse someone's name, even more so if they aren't present to defend themselves." Diana mentioned in slight reprimand.

"Shut up! That little bit was meant to be a surprise for you girls!" The redhead whined, a pout surely evident on her features.

"Now, now," Barbara cooed, bringing her upset friend close for a hug. "These things tend to happen. Though, I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that you're part of an election at all. You've never given the impression of being interested in politics, or anything at all really. What position are you running for?"

"And, please do tell us the real version of what happened with Avery." The blonde added, "Not that I don't believe you, but your version of events seems a bit far-fetched. Avery is much more considerate than that."

"You're both terrible to me..." Hannah grumbled to them. "I need a drink..." She then turned her head to the side, raising her voice to yell, "AMANDA~, we're ready now!"

What surprised Diana was the fact that despite of Hannah's shout, the atmosphere of the pub still remained the same, a comfortable loud with its patrons and employees remaining oblivious to it all.

Pretty soon a waitress, (or perhaps waiter?) begrudgingly walked up to their table. This LWS employee is dressed up as a vampire, though for some reason this monster looked worse for wear. However, her overall appearance was presentable enough with their orange hair being slicked back. Their green eyes and overall expression certainly told that they weren't amused in the slightest.

Hannah snickered. "You know, for a youthful monster, you look like crap." She teased the newcomer.

"Ha, ha, very funny." Amanda remarked with a roll of her eyes. "Now, you'd better have an actual order for me. I can't afford to play the back-n'-forth game tonight."

The redhead looked displeased, pouting so. "Aw, you can't?"

"No. Unlike you, I have work to do." The short-haired tomboy stated seriously, her green eyes then landed on Diana and Barbara. "Are these friends of yours?" She asked.

"Yep! They're newbies!" Hannah confirmed while she started making introductions, "The woman sitting next to me is Barbara Parker, and the one sitting across from me is Diana Cavendish. They're childhood friends of mine."

Diana merely gave a polite nod toward the waitress. "It's nice to meet you."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." The raven-haired noble replied courteously, offering a smile as she did so.

"Amanda O'Neill. Good to meet ya ladies, and I apologize for not making a very good first impression." Amanda apologized as she started to set the dinner menus in front of her guests, "My shift has been rather hectic, and I genuinely thought that Hannah here was going to waste my time with her shenanigans." She explained.

At hearing this, Barbara sent a look of disapproval to her friend. "Really, Hannah?"

"It's quite alright, Ms. O'Neill." The young Cavendish reassured, giving Hannah a look of her own. "I completely understand how it's like to be interrupted in the middle of your shift..."

"Oh, so now I'm the villain!" The auburn-haired noble spoke offended, laying a hand on her chest while feigning to be hurt. "Last time I checked, having fun was not a crime!"

"It is in my book for being a hindrance. Now, have you ladies decided on what you'll be ordering this evening?" Amanda asked them, having a pen and notepad at the ready.

"Hmm, I am a bit peckish..." Diana mentioned, though she looked a bit indecisive while looking over the menu.

Admittedly, there was a lot of good food on the list. Not to mention, a very extensive drink menu...

"I just don't know what to choose!" Barbara finished saying Diana's shared sentiment. "We're so sorry for keeping you, Amanda!" She apologized profusely.

The red-haired tomboy showed a small smile. "No worries. I know that our wide selection can be a bit much for first timers."

"Not for me!" Hannah grinned as she looked over the menu in glee, her grin growing ever so slightly once her eyes landed on what she wanted. "We'll start with appetizers, so let's have... a large serving of your famous pub fries along with two orders of buffalo wings."

"Any preferred condiments with that?"

"I don't know why you're asking me, you know how I like it!"

Amanda had to resist the urge not to roll her eyes as she scribbled the order down. "Blue cheese, got it. Anything else, Your Highness?"

Hannah merely raised her brows as if to say, 'Don't take that tone with me', but then she remembered that she forgot to mention, "Oh! And please be sure to add ranch to that order for the girls too, please!"

"Alright. Any drinks?"

"Now, I do know what I want for this one! I would like a shandy, please." Barbara ordered.

Diana hummed, flipping through a couple of pages until she finally made her decision. "I'll go with a Snakebite."

"And, I'll have a Black Velvet." Hannah said lastly as she started gathering all of the menus and handed them to their waitress, except for one in case they have room for more food later.

Once Amanda accepted the menus from the girl, she looked at her in concern. "Are you okay...?"

Hannah tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked.

The vampire blinked, ultimately shaking her head a moment later. "Nevermind. Anyways, I'll put your order in. I'll be back with your drinks momentarily."

"Thank you so much, Amanda!" The girls said in unison.

"You're very welcome."

And with that, their waitress took off and the girls were left on their own once again.

"She was nice." Barbara commented with a smile.

"Agreed." Diana conceded with a smile of her own. "Though, I still can't believe that you tend to give her a rough time, Hannah."

"Relax. It's all in good fun, it's been like that since I've first came here." Hannah reassured them, straightening up in her seat so that she could stretch her arms out above her head. "And don't worry, I always make sure to compensate her for the trouble with a generous tip." She added.

"Good." The blonde nodded in satisfaction, more than relieved to hear that. She then changed the topic to their previous conversation before their waitress arrived. "So, what's this about an election? I didn't know that you were interested in politics?"

"Oh, that."

Hannah's shoulders slumped a bit at the mention of the election, an action that the girls noticed and couldn't help but feel concerned. "Well, you obviously went to med school soon after college. And of course, Barbs did the same herself, only with law school. I, however, just attended a standard college and earned myself a degree in political science with a minor in law. After that, I did a whole lot of volunteer work and started serving on a bunch of local committees to make a name for myself. It's a lot of work to become a mayor, let me tell you..." She finished saying with a sigh.

"Mayor, huh?" Barbara remarked in surprise, "For Blytonbury? Or, another town?"

"Wedinburgh, actually." The auburn-haired girl answered. "Thinking of starting small for now. Besides, I'd rather compete with Miranda Holbrooke than that old man here in town..."

"You mean, Mayor Lucien Dodge?" Diana inquired.

"Yeah, that's the one." Hannah confirmed, leaning back on her seat. "That man is quite insufferable. I heard rumors that he'll do anything to win an election. From buying votes, to spreading lies about his competitors, and don't get me started with foul play..."

"I never liked that old coot to begin with..." The raven-haired noble commented in spite. Then, an important question came to mind... "He hasn't done anything to you, right?"

Hannah remained silent, subconsciously bringing a hand up to her right side.

Barbara furrowed her brows in concern. "Hannah?"

Diana was no detective, but she's observant enough to know that something had indeed happened to her friend due to her body language. And that something was most likely a violent incident no doubt, she could bet her medical expertise on it.

"Were you injured at some point?" The physician questioned her, deep down hoping that her assumption was wrong.

And, as it turns out... she wasn't.

"I... I kind of got stabbed at the end of last year." The redhead confessed. "Well, not kind of, I DID get stabbed. It happened while Avery and I were on our way to one of my local committee meetings too, in broad daylight at that."

"Are you serious?!" Barbara spoke out in outrage, "And, nobody reported it?! How far is that old man willing to go just to win an election?" She finished saying with a shake of her head, not quite believing what she just heard.

"At least he wasn't stupid enough to do it himself, though it really is cowardly of him to hire someone else to do his dirty work. It's just a hunch though, I don't have any proof that it really was the old coot." Hannah shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal. "And the incident was more of a stab-'n-run. The bastard was wearing a black hoodie along with a mask, he even had his hood up now that I think about it. Can't really give an accurate description to the police even if I wanted to."

"More importantly... Why didn't you or Avery try to contact us?" Diana shot a question of her own. "We could've been there for you!"

"Avery wanted to, trust me, but I told her not to because I didn't want to worry anybody over a little stab wound." Hannah tried to reason with them, despite of the obvious looks of disapproval she was receiving. "The poor girl was more hysterical than I was, which is saying something because she wasn't the one who got hurt. The point is... If Avery called you girls, it probably would've been blown out of proportion. I didn't want you girls to put your lives on hold for me." She finished saying with a small chuckle to lighten the mood a little.

Diana looked rather hesitant, not to mention a bit disturbed. "Still though... you could've died. Getting stabbed is no laughing matter either."

"I know, but I still didn't want to inconvenience anyone... It was bad enough that Avery took it upon herself to nurse me back to health after the incident." The auburn-haired girl sighed, "Being involved in city politics is tough work, and that's even if I get elected..."

"Well, I'm still mad at the fact that you didn't contact us, but..." Barbara smiled, bringing Hannah close for a one arm hug. "I'm really glad that you're okay, Han. Just... please promise that you'll notify us if something like that happens again."

"I will, I promise. If there's one thing I learned from that experience, it's to not make any rash decisions." Hannah stated. She then added, "One of those decisions being calling the old man out during one of our committee meetings. And obviously, that wasn't a very smart move on my part..."

"Indeed, it was not." The young Cavendish agreed with a shake of her head. Her friend could really be short-tempered at times...

"If that old fart even thinks of laying another finger on you, I'll take his scrawny ass straight to court!" The raven-haired noble proclaimed, slamming a fist against the table.

Hannah and Diana couldn't help but laugh due to Barbara's reaction over the whole thing.

"Oh my... A bit gun-ho, aren't we?"

"Careful Barbara, you're lawyer mode is showing~!"

"You girls are laughing, but I'm actually quite serious!"

"Very sorry for the wait ladies, our bartender was quite busy dealing with a full bar." Amanda apologized, finally arriving with their designated drinks. Tray in hand, she carefully started to hand out the drinks in front of her guests. "A Shandy, Snakebite, and a Black Velvet. Your food should arrive at any-"

"Serves up!"

Lo and behold, Linlin had arrived with a tray of her own. Granted, this particular tray happened to be a bit bigger than she was, and yet the small girl was able to carry it with ease. The hostess carefully set the huge tray on the table and started handing the food to their guests.

"My hero~!" The vampire said gratefully with a grin, obviously impressed. "Not that I'm not grateful for your timely intervention, but you didn't have to do that for me, Lin." She told her co-worker.

"I wanted to." The Kitsune insisted, settling the tray under arm once she finished handing out the food. "I didn't have anything else to do, so I decided to lend a hand."

"Well, that's very kind of you. I appreciate it." Amanda thanked her once again. She then turned to her guests and asked, "Do you need anything else, ladies?"

"Nope. I think we'll be good for a while, thanks." Hannah spoke on everyone's behalf.

The waitress nodded in understanding. "Alright then, I'll be taking my leave. Lin, let's go."

"I hope you ladies enjoy your meal!" Linlin said to them, bowing politely before she left with her co-worker.

"Thank you so much!"

Soon after the LWS employees left, the girls settled down and began eating their food. They ate and drank to their heart's content, with some of them ordering more than one drink as they chatted here and there. The girls mostly talked about their lives soon after graduating college, some tales being a bit more exciting than others until a certain topic came up...

"WHAT?!" Hannah shrieked, completely shocked at hearing such a revelation from her friend. "You're engaged?! To who? Since when?!" She interrogated, obviously demanding an answer.

Barbara stifled a giggle at the back of her hand. "Is not that much of a surprise is it?" She teasingly shot a question of her own, bringing her left hand up to show her engagement ring to the girls. "It was going to happen sooner or later."

"Congratulations!" Diana said with a smile as she admired her friend's ring in awe. "Who's the lucky fellow?"

"Yes! Do tell us, Barbs!"

"Well, if you must know, it's Andrew."

"ANDREW!?" Diana and Hannah exclaimed in surprise, obviously not expecting such a response.

Barbara chuckled. "Is it really that shocking?" She asked them.

"Quite." The young Cavendish remarked. "I mean, you weren't exactly a wallflower during our time at school, but you didn't like putting yourself out there either."

"Yeah," Hannah agreed with a nod. "We knew that you fancied Andrew for a long time, but we also knew that you were playing hard to get with him. By the way, who confessed first?"

"Me, of course." The lawyer answered with a playful roll of her eyes. "I originally wanted him to confess to me first, but... you girls already know how bloody dense he can be. And so, I finally mustered up the courage to ask him out before graduating college. Somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a tiny voice telling me to go confess to him before it was too late because once graduation was over and done with... I'd be near impossible to see each other again, especially with his career as a politician."

The redhead huffed in amusement while leaning forward in her seat, cradling her head against her fist as she commented, "I'd imagine that dating wasn't exactly easy for you guys, huh?"

"Nope, it was not..." Barbara grumbled, finishing off the last remainder of her Shandy. Her third one of the night to be exact. "Me being a lawyer is one thing, but between the two of us and our busy schedules, I rarely cancel our dates. Him, on the other hand...!" She let out a long sigh, "If it's not one thing, it's another with that man with dates being canceled last minute, or leaving me hanging on a cold and lonely flat when I decide to have a romantic dinner at home..."

However, despite her complaints, Barbara sighed yet again. This time out of contentment as she laid her eyes on the engagement ring on her finger. A small smile took over her face while she gently started fiddling with it. "But I know he doesn't mean it, and I know that he's trying his best to be there for me, for us." She giggled softly as she recalled a certain memory, "There was one time where we had a get-a-way weekend planned to go to the Bahamas together. Far away from work, just the two of us..."

Diana had a smile on her face as she said, "I sense a but coming in at any moment now."

"BUT~!" Hannah and Diana laughed at their friend's exaggeration, the young Cavendish obviously being right in her assessment, but they managed to quiet down when Barbara continued on with her story.

"Mr. Ham-bridge had to go to work and associate with other pigs of the highest order! We, of course, had to cancel our plans. Again. We had to cancel our reservations. Again. And we had wasted money on bloody, useless plane tickets...!" The lawyer growled out that last part, she then took a deep breath and resumed with her tale, "I was livid, oh so livid. And he must've known that I was miffed about it because he didn't dare approach me at all for the rest of that weekend. Good thing too, or else he probably would've ended up in a body bag..."

Blimey, I really hope that I won't make Akko feel that way if we continue to see each other... Clearly, Diana was at a loss for words. And honestly, she could hardly blame her friend for feeling a bit neglected in the first place. "I see..."

"Surely, Andrew can't be THAT bad, right?" Hannah spoke up slightly in the man's defense. "I mean, you practically said so yourself, didn't you?"

"He isn't." The raven-haired noble confirmed, sighing so as she lightly traced a finger along the rim of her empty glass. "Though, it doesn't change the fact that being put in that scenario more than once is frustrating." She then chuckled, closing her eyes as she continued down memory lane. "There's still a good ending to that story despite of everything that happened. So, obviously, Andrew didn't dare to talk to me for the entire weekend. A very wise decision on his part. Monday morning soon came around and before I left my flat, I realized that my work binder was not in my bag. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to look around for it, and so I headed to work. Lo and behold, when I arrived at my office, my binder was laying on my desk..."

"Yes?"

"And?"

"I opened it, only to find out that man had written an apology letter in his own handwriting. Not only that, but he had also made a collage with pictures of our time together." Barbara let out a giggle as she mentioned, "It was a sweet gesture, though he is rather clumsy when it comes to arts and crafts..."

"Seriously?" Hannah blinked in surprise, not quite expecting that little detail from the man.

Andrew always seemed to strike for perfection. Not in a bad, but he always made sure not to make any mistakes whenever possible. So, to hear that apparently he's not that good at making a simple collage was rather... amusing, to say the least.

"Can we take a glimpse at it?" The girls asked, curiosity filling their tone.

The raven-haired noble shook her head in response. "Nope. It's for my eyes and mine alone."

"Fair enough." Diana conceded in defeat. "Will you at least be able to share the proposal?"

"Yeah! Come on Barbs, you definitely can't leave us hanging on that!" The redhead pleaded, raising her empty glass in the air once she saw Amanda around the vicinity, all while mouthing the word, 'Please'.

The vampire immediately responded with a thumbs up, heading over toward the bar to get more refills for them.

"Now that, I will gladly share it with you girls."


It was around late Autumn of last year when the couple was still dating. By this point their Summer plans had not gone through due to the fact that Andrew had to go in for work that fateful weekend, but now that they have reconciled and had talked things over, things were back to normal.

Well, as normal as it could get for them. At this moment, however, the politician was more determined than ever to make this night special for the two of them.

The couple were holding hands as they walked through a park in downtown Blytonbury. To say the least, Barbara was pleased that Andrew managed to get off work early and was kind enough to pick her up at her work place, even more so since the man had declared that they were going out for a picnic. Just the two of them.

At the same time though, while it was indeed a pleasant surprise, the lawyer can't help but feel that her boyfriend was hiding something from her. It wasn't like a bad vibe or anything, but he certainly was acting strange.

Soon enough, they both managed to find a comfortable spot to have their picnic. The couple opened a bottle of wine and simply enjoyed a light meal in a comfortable silence. It was nice. Barbara honestly couldn't remember the last time they were together like this... In utter bliss, without any interruptions whatsoever. But, it still didn't change the fact that the lawyer was quite suspicious of her boyfriend's actions today.

If she dared to say so, it was almost TOO perfect...

Whenever Barbara asked about his behavior, the brown-haired noble would always be nonchalant about it and divert the conversation to something else. For instance, he would ask her about her day, how work was going for her, where would she like to go for their next trip, things like that. Her questions were dismissed one after the other until she couldn't take it anymore.

And so, the raven-haired woman decided to be direct. "Andrew, can you please tell me what it is that you're hiding?"

Andrew looked quite relaxed as he merely swirled his red wine around in his glass, having a piece of cheddar cheese from a sampler plate they had settled in front of them. "And, what makes you think that I'm hiding something?" He teased, throwing a question of his own once he finished chewing.

"Andrew Hanbridge, I'm serious. I may not be a detective, but I can tell when someone is lying to me." Barbara warned him, though the pout on her face made it seem like she wasn't serious enough.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Luckily for her though, Andrew can take a hint when things went too far. He looked quite serious himself as he admitted, "The truth is, I am hiding something from you."

Sadly, those weren't the best words to use in this situation as immediate concern had filled Barbara's features, her teal eyes widening in fear. "Y-you... you aren't breaking up with me, are you?" She asked him, her voice wavering quite a bit.

At hearing this, the nobleman straightened up in his spot, almost dropping his wine glass in his wake. Sighing in relief, he carefully placed it down beside him on the blanket.

"Barbs, what makes you think that I'm going to do something so cruel as that?!" He sounded quite insulted, with reason.

"Then, did you get fired?"

"Heavens no! Why would you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know! This little date of ours has been too perfect for my liking! To be completely honest with you, I'm quite expecting something to ruin the moment as we speak."

"To be frank, love, YOU are ruining the moment."

"I-I... Look, I know that I haven't exactly been an angel over the last few months, but what else am I supposed to think when you admit that you're hiding something from me?!"

This was starting to get ridiculous...

Andrew sighed in frustration, "If you had given me the time to explain myself, and not jump to outrageous conclusions, I could've told you that what I could be hiding from you is a gift. A simple. Harmless. Gift. Nothing more."

The lawyer's eyes widened once more, but this time out of surprise. "A-a gift?" She stuttered.

"Yes, a gift." He clarified with a small smile, retrieving the wrapped present from inside the picnic basket they brought with them. The man then held out the gift for her. "You can open it now, if you'd like."

As soon as the present was in her hands, Barbara took her time opening it. Not too slow, and not too fast to be hasty about it. Once the gift wrapper was off, the lawyer's mouth went agape the moment she saw the latest cover of her favorite novel series...

"NIGHTFALL!?" The raven-haired woman exclaimed in complete surprise, shifting her gaze between her boyfriend and the book in her hands. "It's the latest volume of it too! How on earth did you know which one to get?" She asked him.

Andrew merely raised his eyebrows in amusement as he replied, "I may not be invested in the series like you are, but I do listen when you gush about it."

"You do, huh? Then, enlighten me, what happened last volume?"

"Uh, is that the one where the werewolf went to space...?"

Barbara had to resist the urge not to laugh at the adorable perplexed look that her boyfriend had on his face. While the answer itself was wrong, she'll still give credit where it's due...

"Bzz! Incorrect! The events you just mentioned happened on volume 13." The lawyer stated to him, only to relent as she scooted closer to lay her head on Andrew's shoulder. "But... I'll give you an A- for effort."

"How gracious of you." Andrew chuckled, leaning his head against hers. "So, what happens on this volume?" He asked, curiosity filling his tone.

"On volume 20? I don't know, I have yet to read it, silly."

"Well then, I suggest that you get started so that you can tell me all about it later."

She giggled and decided to tease him by saying, "Really now? Will you actually listen this time around?"

"Don't you worry, I'll be sure to ace your quiz next time." He gave a cheeky response, a small playful smirk gracing his features.

"I'll hold you to that, mister."

As soon as their silly banter was over, Barbara pulled away from Andrew so that she can start reading, but the moment that she opened the novel... she quickly found out that it was manhandled...

Well, manhandled is a bit of an exaggeration, but the book was indeed tampered with. There was a huge clear hole that went through the pages and onto the back cover of the novel. It was almost as if someone had used a hand press paper cutter of some kind in order to make this perfect circle, and the lawyer doesn't even want to imagine how many attempts it took to puncture a hole on the hardback cover of the book...

To say the least, the raven-haired woman was horrified. Just who on earth would even go through such lengths to mistreat informational text like this?! To top it off, it was on her favorite series no less!

It was almost unforgivable.

Deep down, Barbara hoped that this present was a practical joke of sorts. If so, then it's a truly terrible one.

"Um, Andrew..." The lawyer began to speak after what seemed to be an eternal silence, still blankly staring down at the atrocity that was currently still in her hands. "What's-"

Her words soon died out once her eyes caught sight of a jewelry box on the other side of the book, opened and perfectly in sight to show the ring that was inside. When did the man managed to pull the box from? Even she didn't know.

Quite stunned over this sudden development, Barbara slowly turned her to the right to see Andrew. The man's face was firm with determination, his cheeks having a blush to them as he maintained eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry for getting your hopes up like that, but it was the only thing I could think of to catch your attention long enough to do this..." The politician apologized, and he then began to reassure her by saying, "No need to fret though, I have a spare novel with me so that you can read it to your heart's content later, but right now... I need to know if you're willing to marry me."

The raven-haired woman was truly at a loss for words. She couldn't believe that this was actually happening... Her mind was still trying to process everything as a heavy blush took over her cheeks by the storm. "A-Andrew..."

Her boyfriend took a deep breath, and exhaled soon afterward. Seeming to have gathered his thoughts together, he opened his mouth to say, "I know that these last few months haven't been ideal nor fair to you, with me constantly being at work and all, but please believe me when I say that the time we've spent together mean so much to me. That you're willing, still willing, to put up with me after so long when you clearly deserve better..."

He confessed. "I'll be honest with you. I know that our work schedules aren't exactly fitting, nor decent for the two of us, but I am willing to fight and maintain what we have. Cause, by the end of the day, I know that you'll be waiting for me. And, of course, I'd gladly do the same for you. It'll be difficult, but with the two of us... I know that we'd be able to manage anything so long as we're together. So, Barbara Parker, will you marry me?"

For a few moments, there was only silence. After a while of not receiving a reaction from his girlfriend, Andrew was starting to fear the worse, even more so when he noticed his girlfriend lower her head to stare at her lap. By this point, the brown-haired man couldn't tell her expression at all due to her hair obscuring most of her face...

Too soon, I suppose. The politician chuckled internally to himself, only for a small frown to appear on his face. Or, perhaps, she doesn't feel the same way after all... He then closed his eyes in defeat. I'm sure that things will be awkward now. Way to fuck things up, Han-

Andrew's brooding got interrupted the moment he got pushed back, but luckily he managed to catch himself with his arm in time. Surprised, he finally opened his eyes to see that his girlfriend had launched herself at him. In one fluid motion, Barbara had cupped his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss itself was short and sweet, but one that Andrew lamentably couldn't return fast enough since his girlfriend pulled away after a couple of minutes.

"...Yes! Yes, Andrew, of course I'll marry you!" The raven-haired woman managed to speak through her tears, no doubt being overwhelmed by emotions at the moment.

Finally hearing a response from the woman he loved, the politician sighed in relief as a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. "Bloody hell... For a second there, I genuinely thought that I fucked things up."

"You did fuck things up." Barbara stated matter-of-factly, now feeling more composed than before.

Andrew blinked a few times, tilting his head in confusion as he said, "Excuse me? I just poured my heart and soul to you a few moments ago, and you're telling me I fucked up! On what grounds!?"

"For murder!"

"Again, why?"

"You butchered a perfectly good book, my favorite series at that! That's a waste of paper! Furthermore, it's complete and utter disrespect for literature! Have you no shame?!" Barbara reprimanded her boyfriend, now fiancé, to no end as she began to smack him with the ruined novel. "Do you know how many trees have suffered in order to print, on what I think, to be a masterpiece?!"

"Ouch! Bloody hell, I'm sorry!" The man apologized profusely, raising his left arm in order to defend himself from the onslaught. He would've raised his right arm too if it weren't for the fact that he was still holding the ring box.

"But... I suppose I could still forgive you." The lawyer had seized her book onslaught, staring at her beloved with a tender smile on her face. Pretty soon a heavy blush took over her cheeks as she admitted, "I appreciate the time and effort you put into this. It's... really sweet of you to do."

"I'm glad you think so." Andrew replied with a charming smile, finally taking the ring out from its box. "Well then, love, shall we make it official?"

Barbara merely giggled, nodding her head as her fiancé slipped the ring on her finger.


"And, that's how our love story jumped from dating to engaged!" The raven-haired woman spoke enthusiastically as she finished retelling her story.

"Congratulations, Barbara! I'm so happy for you!" Diana congratulated her with a smile, "Have you guys decided on anything for your wedding?" She asked.

Barbara shook her head in response, sighing all the while. "Not yet, considering Andrew has been a busy bee at work as of late..."

"That sucks..." Hannah grumbled, finishing off her fourth Black Velvet of the night. "Do you guys at least know on what month you want for your wedding?"

"Hmm. I wanted it to be in June, but at the rate things are going... we might have to leave it for August or September." Barbara answered.

The blonde hummed in contemplation. "Well, from the sound of it, at least you have a back up plan of sorts if things don't work out how you want them."

The raven-haired woman nodded, giving a small shrug of her shoulders. "Yeah, I'm trying not to get stressed out about it. The important thing is that the two of will marry each other soon enough. Besides, we're in March right now. There's still some time left before June comes around."

"That's the spirit, Barbs! Plus, you get to enjoy being engaged for a while longer!" The redhead cheered as she patted her friend on the back. "When you and Andrew get everything sorted out, you'd better send the first wedding invitations to us!"

The lawyer chuckled. "Don't you worry, I will."

"Whelp. Now that we have one juicy story out of the way... I think it's time for another!" Hannah declared with gusto, drumming her hands on the table for dramatic effect before she stopped to point at... "Diana, it's your turn!"

Uh oh... Diana thought in dread, being caught off guard since she was put on the spot. The poor girl looked like a deer caught in headlights as she muttered, "I-I beg your pardon?"

"I said, it's your turn to give us a juicy love story." The politician elaborated, having a look that clearly said, 'You're not getting out of this one.' "So, spill! And don't you dare tell us that there isn't anything to tell, cause I know there is!"

The blonde merely arched a brow in response to the girl's insistence. "And what, pray tell, makes you think that there's something to gush about? Are you psychic?"

"Nope, but I have a hunch!"

"Oh my, then you need to have that checked out."

"D-DID YOU JUST SASS ME, WOMAN?!"

"Is that a problem?"

Barbara burst out a laugh, "Oh man...! Diana got you good, Han!" She managed to say before laughter consumed her again, wheezing every so often due to being out of breath.

Diana herself tried her damn best to maintain a poker face as she chose this moment to have a sip or two of her Snakebite, though there still was a tell-tale sign of a smirk while she drank from her glass.

Hannah, however, looked absolutely miffed. In all the years that they have known each other, the redhead has never heard this level of sass from the young Cavendish, with such confidence at that. There would be some sarcastic comments here and there, yes, but never sass. Between her friends, sass was mostly Barbara's forte than Diana's.

Very suspicious indeed... The politician mused to herself, drumming her fingers against the table as she kept her inquisitive gaze on the physician. Either Diana had some kind of change over the years due to something or someone, OR it could be the alcohol doing the talking but... I'm sure Diana is responsible enough not to get too drunk, right? She felt conflicted with all the speculation she was making.

Luckily for her, Barbara came to the rescue once she calmed down from her high to say, "In all seriousness, Diana. There has to be something. You couldn't have just been working all these years since we've last seen each other."

"That factor has not changed for me in the slightest." The doctor confirmed, setting her glass down on the table. She then bit her lip, obviously debating on whether or not to tell them. "But..."

"But?" Both Hannah and Barbara leaned forward in their seats, giving Diana their undivided attention.

"I... guess you could say that I am seeing someone..." The blonde shyly admitted, a slight blush evident on her cheeks as she thought about a certain brunette...

Barbara's teal eyes widened in surprise as she slowly said, "You're... seeing someone?"

"Nah. This has to be some kind of ruse, Barbs. Maybe this is Diana's new tactic to try to make us THINK that she is seeing someone, but it turns out that it's a fluke." Hannah commented with her own opinion on the matter. "I mean, this is Diana we're talking about here. She's never been interested in romance."

"Still though, she IS blushing! There has to be some truth in her statement, right?"

"She's always been shy, could be the typical norm as we speak."

"Oh, I don't know what to believe..."

"Well, you believe what you want to believe Barbs, but I think this mystery person our Diana is seeing is imaginary."

That's it! I think that's quite enough jabbing for one evening, thank you! The young Cavendish thought irritably, putting a stop to this.

"You know, it's quite rude to talk about someone, WHO'S INDEED PRESENT!" Diana reprimanded them, obviously feeling quite insulted. "I also don't appreciate being called a liar when I was genuinely being honest with you girls!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Diana! I never meant to call you out like that!" Barbara apologized, looking quite guilty as she flailed her hands around, obviously not sure on how to remedy this situation.

"You were at least kind about it Barbara, unlike a certain someone...!" The physician stated with a low growl in her tone, glaring daggers at the redhead.

"Wait... You were serious?" Hannah deadpanned.

"Fuck you!" Diana cussed at her, in a rather playful manner whenever someone gets pissed off at their friend.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! This is just... surprising to me, that's all." The politician admitted to her, looking quite shocked over the whole revelation. And something else too, though Diana couldn't tell what it was.

"What do-" Diana's sentence got cut off when her phone started to ring, making her look down at her purse that sat by her side. Who on earth could be calling me? She wondered as she went to take out her cell phone. "Please excuse me girls, I need to take this call."

"It's okay, Diana. We don't mind." Barbara reassured her.

"Much." Hannah grumbled, raising her empty glass once again when she saw Amanda in the vicinity.

Spotting the empty glass from a distance, the waitress responded with an arched brow as if to say, 'Aren't you having a bit too much?'

The auburn-haired noble gave a reply of her own by bringing up her free hand while rubbing her fingers together, signifying that she'll willingly pay for it. In the end, the vampire merely shrugged her shoulders in defeat and went to get the redhead's drink.

Witnessing the display, the lawyer arched a brow of her own as she looked at her friend with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah?" Hannah answered her with a rather comedic look, not knowing what the big deal was. "Is there a problem?" She asked with a question of her own.

"Not really, no, but you do realize that this is your fifth glass of the night, right?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Just making sure you knew, is all. Try your best not to go overboard."

"I know, I know."

As their talk ended, Diana had finally managed to find her phone from the abyss that was her handbag. Bloody hell, I really need to organize my stuff later... She thought to herself, sighing in frustration as she accepted the call without bothering to look at the caller ID. "Hello, this is Diana Cavendish."

"Hmm," A thoughtful hum could be heard from the other line as they said, "I'm not sure whether I'm surprised or amused with how you answered the phone this time around."

The reaction was immediate once Diana recognized the voice, her face set aflame as she became frazzled in an instant. "A-Akko! I-I'm so sorry, I-I just picked up the phone and didn't notice that it was you!"

Akko? Hannah thought to herself, trying to recall if she had heard that name before, but it turned out to be in vain since she couldn't recall anything. There's definitely no one with that name in our immediate friend group... Maybe it's someone that Diana met as an acquaintance at one point over the years? She speculated, only for her to get suspicious soon afterward... Then again, Diana's reaction just now seems to indicate to be more than just a mere "acquaintance"...

"Ehhh, so you never even bothered to look at the caller ID?" The red-eyed woman sounded shocked, and Diana could already picture the adorable pout she must have on her face while saying so.

"N-no, I haven't..." The blonde admitted, almost in shame as her blush worsened in embarrassment.

"And here I was thinking that I was going to hear a peppy hello from you, but instead I got the business tone." The tomboy continued saying in mock disappointment, "Is this how you usually greet people?" She asked, half in curiosity, the other half in a teasing manner.

"Only when it's work related, I assure you."

"I'll hold you to that, pretty girl. So, how are you doing tonight?"

Noticing that the young Cavendish was indeed distracted with her call, a mischievous grin made its way up on Hannah's face as she purposely dropped her fork under the table. Gasping, "Oh, silly me! I dropped my fork! I better get that..." She said with a chuckle when she went under the table.

As the politician went undetected under the table, Barbara waited a couple of minutes before she sent a glance toward the physician, who still appeared to be invested in her phone call, the lawyer cautiously lowered herself down enough to whisper, "Han, what in the heck are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm eavesdropping! How else am I supposed to listen in a conversation in the middle of a loud pub?" Hannah answered, carefully maneuvering and making herself comfortable on the other side of the table, making sure in not touching the physician while doing so cause otherwise her plan will be ruined.

"You're terrible! This is beyond rude by this point!" The lawyer chided before stating the obvious, "Diana won't like it!"

"Diana won't willingly tell us either." The redhead made a point of her own.

Barbara looked absolutely miffed, resisting the urge not to grind her teeth. "And, who's fault is that?!" She hissed.

Hannah leaned back a bit, bringing her hands up in defense. "Hey now! You partially insulted her too, you know! So don't blame it all on me!"

"You started it!"

"And, you went along with it. Your point?"

"You're awful!"

"And you're just as awful as I am, just admit it Barbara."

"At least I know my limits! This is an invasion of privacy!"

"So what? It's not like we're reading her diary." Hannah said with a roll of her eyes. "It's just one measly little conversation. No harm, no foul."

"Yes harm, yes foul! Now, get back in your seat this instant!" Barbara demanded, reaching over to grab the redhead's forearm and fully intent to drag out from under the table.

"Let go, you're not my mum!"

"Han, I'm serious!"

"Barbara."

"Ouch!" Startled, the raven-haired woman had accidentally banged her head against the table before she managed to sit back properly in her seat, stuttering a quiet, "Y-yes, Diana? I'm sorry for not paying attention! I, um... dropped my fork."

The doctor merely nodded in response, she had momentarily stopped talking with the brunette once she noticed that a certain occupant wasn't present on the table... "Where did Hannah go?"

"O-oh! Um... she went to the restroom?" Barbara sounded quite unsure with her lie at first, but then she decided to own it. "Yes, the restroom!" She spoke more confidently this time around.

"Alright... If she indeed went to the restroom as you say, then why didn't you get up in order for her to leave then?"

That was indeed a good point.

Bloody hell! I completely forgot for a moment that we're sitting in a booth...! The lawyer thought in late realization. Think Barbs, think!

Luckily, Barbara managed to think of something in a pinch. "Oh yeah, about that..." She let out a laugh as she began to explain, "You know how impatient Hannah tends to be. She didn't wait for me to stand up since she claims that I'm too slow, and so she went under the table. Like a child!" She finished saying, the last part being purposely loud for a certain someone to hear.

In retaliation, the raven-haired woman had received a swift kick to the shin, which no doubt caused Barbara to jump a bit in her seat while she bit her lip in order to keep a cry of pain at bay.

Noticing the pained look on her friend's face, Diana asked, "Are you alright, Barbara?"

Taking a deep breath through her nose, Barbara somehow managed to release it soon afterward without letting a yelp slip through her lips as she responded, "...Y-yes, I'm alright. My apologies, I seem to have developed a sudden Charlie horse and I need to walk it off. Please excuse me."

And with that, the lawyer had taken her leave as she limped toward the pub's entrance. Diana couldn't help but look on in concern for her friend, but soon enough her attention had diverted to her phone once she realized she left someone hanging...

"Diana? Helloo?" Akko's voice could be heard from the other line, a bit impatient at this point. Understandably so. "Are you busy or something? If so, I can call later."

"No, no! I'm back now, sorry about that..." The physician apologized, fully focusing on the brunette now. "And I'm not busy, so to speak, but I'm actually out drinking with friends tonight." She explained.

"Oh, no wonder it's a bit loud on your end. Are you having fun?"

"Yes, the most I've had in a long time actually. I really missed hanging out with them."

"I can imagine. Sorry if I interrupted your time with them, I can call you back later if you want me too."

"And leave me alone?" Diana teased, having a small smile on her lips as she silently thanked Amanda when she came by to deliver their next order of drinks.

"Alone? Didn't you just say that you were with friends?" The red-eyed tomboy asked her, sounding genuinely confused.

"Yes, but they unfortunately had to step out for a moment." The blonde informed her. "One just went outside to walked off a Charlie horse, and the other apparently went to the restroom when I wasn't looking."

"I see. Well, I finished my shift not too long ago and I just wanted to call to..." Akko trailed off a bit, softly chuckling to herself soon afterward. "N-nevermind! It's going to sound weird!"

It was quite unusual for Akko to be shy, and so Diana decided to encourage her. "What is? It's okay, Akko. You can tell me."

However, the brunette kept being dismissive about it. "I-it's okay Diana, don't worry about it. It's just a silly thought, that's all."

"Akko. Please?" The physician pleaded with her, absentmindedly tracing her finger along her glass as a minor distraction. Whatever it was though, it surely made Akko sound nervous and Diana's curiosity kept on growing as a result. She didn't want to push the girl into telling her anything, but at the same time... "Why won't you tell me?"

"Truth? I just don't want to make things awkward between us, especially since we're starting to get to know each other and all..." Akko spoke earnestly, and the young Cavendish could already picture the poor girl biting her lip in hesitation as she said this.

Diana furrowed her brows as she thought about what potential problems could arise from this apparent secret. Finding none, she gave an honest reply of her own. "While your worries seem considerate and warranted, I still fail to see on what could cause this apparent 'awkwardness' to occur."

"Oh, I don't know! It's kind of embarrassing..." The red-eyed tomboy sounded unsure, grumbling some things that Diana couldn't comprehend due to her mumbling.

"Try me."

"What?"

"Try me." Diana repeated once again, taking a sip of her drink before she continued, "Just say what you have to say. I'll listen. I won't laugh, and I would most certainly not judge you over it. You have my word." She promised.

Akko let out a shaky sigh, "With an honest statement like that, I almost feel obligated to tell you." She said in jest.

"Akko, you don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable."

"N-no, no, no! I'm not uncomfortable at all! It's just... Ugh, nerves...! This is more difficult than I thought..."

"Take a deep breath." The doctor instructed, hearing the girl doing as requested on the line. "Now exhale," She had to resist the urge not to laugh with how frazzled the poor girl sounded during this process. "Better?"

The tomboy giggled. "Not really, but I do feel a bit calmer. I guess?"

"Honestly, I don't understand what the big deal is. You say that it's embarrassing, but even then I can't seem to think on what it could be." Diana wondered out loud, feeling a bit exasperated over this apparent mystery. "Are you sure that you can't tell me?"

"I want to..."

"But?"

"It'll be weird. And after telling you, I'll wish for the ground to swallow me whole and out of existence, but that will heavily depend on your reaction."

The young Cavendish playfully rolled her eyes at hearing the girl's exaggerated remark, not that the girl could see it obviously. "Akko, it can't be that bad."

"That's what they all say!"

Diana smiled as she raised her glass, but before she drank from it she commented, "My, oh my, how the tables have indeed turned for us..."

At hearing this, Akko hummed inquisitively. "What do you mean? I don't follow."

"Oh, nothing. It's just that the last time we spoke like this I was more of a... How did you say it? A shy bambi, I believe? Meanwhile, you were all sweet bravado with all that confidence of yours. I suppose that was all for show then?" The physician inquired teasingly, beginning to indulge on her fourth Snakebite of the night.

"Wha-" The brunette gasped.

Did she hear that right? Was Diana Cavendish seriously teasing her? Akko could scarcely believe this was happening right now. Nevertheless, Akko let her feelings be known.

"Oh-ho...! Diana, if you are insinuating, even for a moment, that my bravado is false... Then, you're sadly mistaken."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really! I only wanted to hear your lovely voice, especially since it's been almost a week since I last heard it! Is that a crime!?"

And just like that, the young Cavendish choked on her drink. She wasn't expecting that kind of response, and she also wasn't expecting making a bit of a mess by spilling a good portion of the alcoholic drink on herself either...

Blimey, what a mess... Diana thought irritably while trying to overcome the slight coughing fit she was suffering through.

"Whoa. That doesn't sound good..." Akko commented from the other line, "Are you alright, Diana?" She asked in concern.

"I-I'm fine..."

"You weren't expecting that kind of response, were you?"

"Not really, no." The blonde coughed, a couple of giggles slipping out of her mouth as well.

The tomboy groaned, half expecting a laughable reaction. "Told you that it was going to be embarrassing..." She mumbled.

"I still fail to understand what's so embarrassing about such a statement." Diana spoke earnestly, finally gathering her bearings as she began to clean the mess with a good amount of napkins.

Most of the disaster was, for the most part, cleaned up. She will have to remember to ask for more napkins when Amanda comes by again.

The doctor heard some shuffling on the other line for a couple of minutes before Akko ultimately settled down and began to explain, "Well, for starters, most people would consider that comment to be kind of desperate. Since, you know, we more or less have started to get to know each other and all. The second factor is that, sadly, most people think that such behavior is outright creepy."

That's a bit of an overreaction, to say the least... Diana thought with a roll of her eyes. At times like this, societal standards are truly beyond her comprehension... "Well, rest assured, that I am not 'most people'. I appreciate the sentiment very much, Akko. Thank you, really."

"G-good to know!" The brunette certainly sounded surprised by her crush's answer, laughing a bit nervously on her end. "So, um... To clarify: You do miss me too, right?"

The blonde could already picture the girl with a heavy blush on her face while bashfully scratching the back of her neck, a small grin adoring her features.

Just thinking about it brought a smile on the physician's face. "Of course I do, silly. What made you think I wouldn't miss you?" She asked.

Akko merely hummed, if she were present she'd likely shrug her shoulders. "I dunno, I just wanted to know if you felt the same way I did. It's just... good to know that I wasn't alone on that front, you know?" She replied with a light-hearted chuckle before she continued on by asking, "And, speaking of 'I miss you', is there a chance that we might be able to go out together again sometime soon?"

Good question... Diana thought to herself, feeling a bit stomped on how to respond to such a question.

Spring and Autumn are pretty much the busiest time of the year for the clinic. Minor and major injuries are a given, but add allergies and the flu into the mix then it's a different matter entirely work-wise. The calendar in Diana's office was pretty much littered with important to-do's and patient consultations for the month of March, and the blonde honestly didn't want to push her luck too much when it came to asking her family for some time off, but then again...

I know that I rarely go out to begin with, but even so... I don't want to take advantage of the people I care about just for the simple fact that I'm genuinely interested in someone either. The young Cavendish mused in distress, groaning a bit as she considered her next course of action. Oh Merlin, I don't know what to do!

Almost as if sensing her indecision, Akko's voice interrupted her brooding by offering words of salvation to her slight dilemma.

"Sorry if I put you on the spot, I just thought that it wouldn't hurt to ask." She apologized, chuckling for a bit before she continued in a more serious tone. "In all seriousness though, there's no rush. If you genuinely can't make time for our next outing, then I understand. Do what you have to do, and once you feel ready... Whelp, you know that I'm only one call away."

Diana smiled. "Thank you, Akko. You are the most patient, understanding person I have ever met. I promise that I'll make it up to you when I can."

Akko giggled. "No problem. Another date with you will be plenty. If not, then a simple phone call like this will do."

"You'd be satisfied with a single phone call? I can't accept that." The blonde said with a shake of her head.

"You'd be surprised. After a hectic dinner rush, I feel like I can handle another after talking with you."

"That terrible, huh?"

The brunette took a bit longer to respond due to the fact that she was trying to keep a yawn at bay. And sadly, it didn't work since it escaped. "Not really, but it's up there."

"Someone's tired." Diana teased, shifting a bit in her seat while she tried her best to stretch out her back.

"Who? Me? Nah." Akko replied casually as she could before another yawn took over.

"Yes, you are." The young Cavendish spoke firmly, "Head to bed, we can talk more tomorrow." She told her.

The red-eyed girl hummed in contemplation. "...Do you promise?"

"Yes, I'll even pass by the café. Promise."

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course. Have a goodnight Akko, sweet dreams."

After a good chuckle, Akko said her goodbyes, "Thanks. Goodnight, pretty girl."

As soon as the call ended, Diana looked down at her phone with a fond expression. That contentment abruptly ended however when a disappointed groan emerged from... the table?

Confused and about to investigate the source, the doctor cautiously lowered herself a bit to look under the booth table to see Hannah, who looked quite discouraged along with something else that Diana couldn't identity.

"Hannah, what are you doing down there?" The blonde interrogated, her infamous scowl settling on her features due to her irritation growing by the second.

"Didn't you hear Barbara earlier? She said that I apparently left for the restroom, remember?" The politician reminded as she properly went back to her seat. Might as well since her cover was blown.

"If that's the case, then you should've come by and sat down like a normal person."

"Glad that you finally caught up with the lie, detective. Want a medal?"

"Smartass."

"Yes, I am. More importantly, I'm shocked to have found out that your mystery imaginary lover is indeed real."

"Rude!" Diana sounded quite offended at hearing such a remark, glaring daggers at the redhead. Then she belatedly realized something else... "Wait a minute... YOU WERE EAVESDROPPING!?"

"Look, I'm sorry." Hannah apologized, closing her eyes while pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She sighed, "I guess you could say that I'm very salty tonight, or to be more accurate... I'm jealous. Of you, and Barbara." She admitted.

That certainly caught her interest. Furrowing her brows, the young Cavendish asked, "You're jealous of us? How come?"

"Unfortunately for you, that's as much as I am willing to share for the night." The politician lamentably informed, obviously not budging on the subject. However, she seemed more than willing to start on another topic... "As I was saying earlier, I was surprised that you're actually going out with someone. A woman, no less."

In response, Diana merely raised a brow. "Is that a problem?" She said in a warning tone, almost as if daring her friend to say something.

"None in the slightest." Was the cool reply she received from the redhead.

Sensing no hostility in her answer, the physician decided to hold her tongue for the time being.

"No offense when I say this, but... Why should I give a damn on who you date? It's not really any of my business. And please, don't take it as 'I don't care'. I care, immensely. I'm your best friend, and Barbara is also your best friend. We both love and support you as a sister, and we know that you'd do the same for us. The main point of what I am trying to say is... If this woman makes you happy, then that's all that matters to me."

Diana was at a loss for words. "Hannah, I... I don't know what to say."

"I know, mushy right?" The redhead joked. "Anyways, from what I could gather from that conversation alone... This Akko girl, for starters, sounds hot."

The heiress' eyes narrowed dangerously, her voice lowering quite a bit as she growled, "Back off. She's spoken for."

Amused, Hannah leaned back in her seat while raising her hands up in defense. "Noted. Don't worry." She soon relaxed for a moment as she continued on with her assessment, "What I've also caught on is that you actually found a good one. Not many people are lucky enough to find a good partner the first time around."

"Well, um, the thing is... we aren't really official yet." Diana confessed, a heavy blush settling on her cheeks as she avoided her friend's inquisitive gaze.

"Excuse me?" Hannah deadpanned.

"You heard me. We're not official yet, we're just testing out the waters. Basically."

"So, you guys haven't even gone out together on one measly little date? Really?"

"We have, just the one though." The doctor sighed, prompting her head against her fist while drumming her fingers against the table with her free hand. "We merely had dinner on one of the restaurants she recommended, which was very good and I'm looking forward to go back again with her sometime soon." She said fondly.

"I see. Nothing else since then, huh?" The politician asked her.

"Sadly not. It's been a bit challenging to work around my schedule as of late, it's pretty much a miracle that I managed to make it tonight." Diana admitted.

"Well, the way I see it, schedule or no schedule, you need to start putting your part into this relationship. At least try, otherwise the poor girl is going to get tired of you."

"I am trying!"

"Not hard enough from the sound of things. Calling and texting is all well and good at first, but it grows stale pretty quick. You like her, yeah?"

"Of course I do! Akko has been such a sweetheart, and her patience rivals a saint's with how understanding she is. It's more than I deserve..." The young Cavendish sighed exasperatedly, mostly feeling frustrated with herself. "This is why I never tried to date anyone when I was still at school... I know that what I'm doing to her isn't fair, but I'm still trying to figure out how to balance my life both in and out of work."

"With responsibilities being a constant thing on the line, it's never easy." Hannah stated a sad truth, "That's why, as cheesy as it sounds, love is worth fighting for. Show that you care, show that you're willing to fight. That is, of course, if you decide that you want to pursue a relationship her. Speaking of which, between the two of you, which one initiated the first date?"

Diana groaned, slumping forward in her seat while laying her head on top of her folded arms on the table. "Akko did. I was too much of a chicken to even ask her out in the first place..." She mumbled in shame, adding, "Pathetic, I know..."

The redhead raised her brows in disbelieve, commenting, "Calm, cool, and collected Diana Cavendish. Reduced to a blubbering mess by a woman, I never thought I'd see the day."

"Rub more salt on the wound why don't you..."

"I gotta meet this woman, she already sounds wonderful! I bet that she's drop-dead gorgeous too! Ooh, you should introduce me! She could probably give me a couple of pointers in the romance department, ha!"

"Please stop...!"

"Alright, alright, I'll spare you the melodrama as a courtesy of our long friendship."

"Thank you."

"BUT!" Hannah exclaimed as she slammed her hands on the table, startling Diana to sit back properly on her seat again. "This doesn't mean that you're off the hook, missy! You're going to have homework, and the assignment is that you need to pull up your big girl pants and ask Akko out!"

Oh Merlin, give me strength... The blonde pleaded, technically not looking forward in making a fool of herself yet again on the phone with Akko. Technically, it's gotten a bit easier talking to the brunette over time, but it still doesn't change the fact that she gets frazzled every now and then. Ugh, she makes it sound so easy...

"I-I'd love too, believe me, I do!" Diana said insistently, a bit lost on what to do. "But, I don't even know where to take her."

"Well, it's only March. And since it's Spring time, I'd enjoy the outdoors as much as I can to see what nature has to offer so..." The redhead brought a hand up to her chin in thought. "How about the botanical garden? There's one here in Blytonbury." She suggested.

"A botanical garden?" The young Cavendish repeated slowly, and moments later her blue eyes lit up at the prospect of the idea. "That's a good one! So many flowers will be in bloom, and she and I would have so much to talk about in terms of a plant's cooking and medicinal properties. Hannah, you're a genius!" She praised her friend with a grateful smile.

Hannah showed a grin of her own, taking the praise with stride as she straightened her jacket. "I know, I'm just that good!"

Diana playfully rolled her eyes at hearing such a remark, commenting, "Okay, now, you're full of it."

The politician scoffed, feign offense. "Touchy."

Both girls soon laughed merrily once their serious facade had broken away, and their laughter subsided altogether once Barbara had finally returned from outside. To their surprise though, she wasn't alone...

"Hey girls! Look who I found when I was out!" The raven-haired woman spoke happily, heading over to their table with her fiancé in tow.

"Andrew!"

The brown-haired noble chuckled, greeting them with a smile. "Hello girls, sorry I'm late. It's good to see you."

"Barbara made it sound like you were going to have another late night at work." Diana commented.

"I was," Andrew admitted while nodding his head. "But it was thanks to Frank that I was able to make it. He was kind enough to cover for me on the later half of the shift."

"I swear, that man deserves a medal. He's such a good friend." The lawyer remarked, latching onto Andrew's arm as she said, "You better make it up to him somehow!"

"Don't worry, love. I most certainly will, I just need to figure out how to go about it." Her fiancé reassured. "He's quite stubborn when it comes to people doing him favors..."

"Yeah, like someone else we know..." Hannah spoke knowingly, sending a glance toward Diana. "Anyways, now that Andrew is here, we can continue on with this little reunion of ours! Diana scoot over, I'm seating next to you!"

"Do you have to be so demanding?"

"I will be if you don't move your ass!"

"Rude!"

"So crude..." Barbara said with a shake of her head. Hannah could be so inconsiderate at times...

"And then she wonders why she's still single..." Andrew gave a comment of his own as he and his fiancé sat down together on the spot that the redhead previously occupied.

"I HEARD THAT!" Hannah yelled him before shifting her gaze at Diana, who was obviously trying to keep at laugh at bay due to Andrew's remark. Unlike the couple that was seating across from them, the physician was not so lucky in trying to escape the redhead's wrath, even more so since she was trapped seating inside of the booth. "And what are you smirking at, huh?!"

Diana squealed since Hannah was relentless on her tickle assault, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please stop!"

Meanwhile, Barbara's mouth went agape, lightly slapping the man's arm in reprimand.

The politician gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "What? It's the truth, isn't it? It's all in good jest."

"That's still not nice, mister. Apologize."

"Alright," Andrew relented, and so he began to make amends, "Hannah, I'm truly sorry for my insensitive comment. Is there any way that I can make it up to you?" He asked her.

The redhead thought about it for a moment, finally releasing Diana from her tickle assault. "Well, if you'd be so kind as to take care of the tab tonight, I might forgive you."

"Now I regret asking..."

"Relax, relax! You'll only be paying for the food, I'll handle the drinks. Half-and-half, see?"

"I suppose..."

"Great! Now that that's settled, you can fill us in on your side of the marriage event!" Hannah declared, before she remembered one crucial detail... She hollered, "AMANDA! We're ready to order for-realsies!"

At hearing that, both Diana and Barbara leaned forward in their seats for a slight huddle. Keeping their voices low for their small meeting. "Looks like we're in for a long night, Barbara."

"Yup, I already feel sorry for Amanda. Want to split a good, generous tip with me for her?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Forty-forty sound good to you?"

"There's four of us and a lot of food and drinks in our near future. Eighty bucks sounds good to me."

The lawyer gave a firm nod of her head, patting the doctor's shoulders. "Good pep talk."

Diana giggled, whispering, "Same to you."

A/N2: WHEW! And, that's it for chapter 4 folks! I spent a lot of time writing this chapter way passed midnight on so many nights... but I've done it! I hope you guys love it as much as I enjoyed writing every bit of it!

Next time for chapter 5, it will mostly be a rather laid back chapter with Diana finally finding the courage to properly ask our dear Akko out on a date! Chapter 6 proper will be their botanical date, but... I first need to find the time to write both chapters, lol. Please, let me know how I did on your reviews! Reading them makes me happy, and honestly, they motivate me to keep on writing for you all. Faves and follows are awesome too to show your support for this story!

I can't thank you guys enough for the support on this project, it really means so much to me that people are enjoying this coffee shop au. Which honestly makes wonder: What's the appeal? Yes, I've said it! What's the appeal of coffee shop aus for you guys? When people think about dates/romance, coffee shops are literally the first thing that comes to mind for most people. Please explain it to me in the comments, I really want to know if there are different answers from you all. Until next time my lovelies, stay safe! X3