XIV. Under Watch

Diana walked down the hallway in-between classes like any other Tuesday. She was greeting everyone the way she normally did but Diana felt the need to constantly check over her shoulder. She remembered what Daryl said, that she would be watching her. Diana's brain went wild with possible scenarios. Would she hire a private detective to trace her every move? Was the school bugged with hidden cameras? Would Aunt Daryl be waiting around the next corner to confront her?!.

Diana took a deep breath to push away these illogical fears. She was going to be okay, she had friends armed with a plan. Diana's whole job, for now, was to go to class and act normally. The only hitch was that she had to avoid doing anything that would infuriate her Aunt. That was the reason Diana was becoming more and more paranoid. What was the thing that would set off Aunt Daryl? She felt like she had to micromanage her actions to fly under the radar, it was akin to walking on eggshells.

As Diana walked down the hallway a group of her many admirers rushed toward her. They were a few first years who idolized Diana and everything about her. They rushed up to Diana with stars in their eyes.

"Diana! Diana!" They called.

"Yes?" Diana answered, stopping to talk.

"Wow! You were so amazing at the ball, Friday!" Faith, a girl with pigtails, exclaimed.

"Oh please. It was nothing." Diana said in her normal voice.

"Yeah. You look so dreamy in that suit!" Said Blair, a student with purple hair.

"Well, I do my best…" Diana said allowing herself to be showered with compliments.

"Yeah, it's a real shame that you're still in denial." said Ellen, pushing up her glasses.

Diana stopped and looked at them in bewilderment. How the hell did they get that idea? Sure the suit was one thing and yeah dancing with Akko was pretty suspect but how?

"Excuse me? I haven't the faintest idea what you're -" Diana started but Ellen interrupted her with newfound fury.

"Oh cut the crap, Diana! Get off your fucking high horse! Everybody knows you're really a scared sad lesbain who's too scared to own up to who she really is! You're such a hypocrite!" Ellen raged as Blair and Faith tried to deescalate the situation.

By this point all the students in the hallway were gathering around, many were looking at Diana with judgemental and disgusted looks.

"You think you're so above everyone else with your magic and old money but the truth is you'd rather use and belittle people like Akko instead of dealing with your own issues!" Ellen raged.

Diana stood there taken aback. It really was an eye opener. This was how everyone else thought of her. Hannah and Barbara ran up shoveling everyone else aside. They slid into the circle, next to Diana with determination on their faces. The rest of the crowd was chattering excitedly. This was going to get good.

Hannah and Barbara flanked Diana in a way that only they could do, with class and a look down their noses at Ellen. Ellen saw this and smirked, she was emboldened by the idea that she had something on the 'Queen Bee'.

"You can't even fight your own battles. Are Hannah and Barbara going to defend you again, since you can't do it yourself?!" Ellen snarled. Blair and Faith stepped back knowing something about what the wrath of both Hannah and Barbara combined could unleash.

"Let me at her." Hannah whispered to Diana in one ear.

"She'll be lipping away from this one." Barbara whispered into Diana's other ear.

"In front of the whole fucking school." Hannah threatened into Diana's ear.

Diana decided against it. If this first year wanted to call her out then she was going to deal with it herself. The downside was that this whole situation could get back to Daryl. Diana started toward Ellen composed and calm. She needed to handle this delicately.

She gave this first year a signature Diana glare.

"I'm not a lesbian. What I do in private is my business and mine ONLY. Since you seem to be so sure of yourself, how about a duel? We can settle this quarrel like true witches." Diana challenged with a spark in her eyes.

Ellen gulped and it was visible that she was rethinking her bravado. Diana took out her wand and spun it around between her fingers on one hand skillfully. She was Diana Cavendish and anyone who wanted to defame her would be dealt with.

"No! I won't duel you in magic because that's your territory but just so you know if we were in my territory you'd lose so… . Yeah!" Ellen retorted.

"Oh really? Your territory? Well, then." Diana said in mock curiosity, putting away her wand and approaching Ellen.

"What's this 'territory' you speak of? Academia? Sports? Whatever it is I'm willing to challenge you." Diana said.

Ellen gulped as she was suddenly out of options. "I'll think of something and-and when I do I will challenge you." Said Fan 3. The girl and her two friends quickly took the opportunity to make a quick escape. The crowd started to trickle away, disappointed that there was no fight.

Diana flipped her hair on one side with the back of her hand and walked on to her next class. She wasn't sure of this situation was going to turn into anything but she would be ready if it did. No underling was going to challenge her and get away with it. Her pride was fueling her.

Hannah and Barbara walked up beside her smiling from ear to ear.

"Nice going! You sure showed her." Hannah declared, practically skipping to their next class.

"Yeah. She was scared shitless. So Diana, we know were supposed to… you know. Keep the whole sexuality thing a secret, but how secret is it supposed to be?" Barbara asked quickly.

Diana blushed. She was taken aback, in all of her prideful rage her knee jerk reaction had answered for her. She was so used to denying any suggestion of her sexually being anything but straight. Diana sighed.

"Yes. I want closed lips. I don't want it to spread around as fact. I appreciate you asking." Diana said, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Of course. I just… well we weren't sure." Barbara stammered.

Hannah then took over. "We wanted to know where the hell you stand on this. Do you still not think you're gay or something?"

The blue team entered their next class: potions. After sitting down her usual seat between her two teammates, Diana answered in a small whisper. "No, I know I'm gay, but I'm not ready tell everyone."

Her two teammates nodded understandingly. As class got under way it was clear that today would be lab day. With flasks, ingredients and utensils. Diana remembered her goal to gain more and more magic ability to take down Daryl. Diana focused as class began.