Chapter 10
When It Rains, it Pours
"So..." Barbara broke the silence as she turned her car onto the busy street close to their apartment building. The whole drive had been awkwardly silent, save for the quiet music coming from the speakers. "How were your nights?"
She was met with silence, as expected. Looking over to the passenger seat, she saw Hannah leaning her elbow on the door while holding her head and closing her eyes tightly, as if she was nursing an intense hangover. Which made sense as to why she never made it home the night before, but didn't answer any of the many questions she had for the auburn haired girl. Barbara then looked in her rear view mirror at Diana, who was sitting directly behind Hannah. The blonde was biting her lip and smiling as she looked out the window, and even from where the black haired girl was sitting, she could see the blush that had overtaken her friend.
"Ooookay." Barbara said, nodding her head. "So Diana, did you enjoy your date?"
"...Yes. It was...lovely." The blonde said as she continued to smile dreamily out of the window.
The black haired girl grinned knowingly as she pulled her car into the parking garage and parked in her reserved spot. Diana and Barbara opened their doors and began to get out but Hannah didn't move. Concerned, they both gently shook the auburn haired girl's shoulders. She jumped and let out a squeak before groaning.
"Wha..." Hannah mumbled before she opened her eyes and looked around, noticing that they arrived at their destination. "Oh." She slowly opened her door and gingerly stepped out.
"If you don't mind me asking, Hannah, what exactly happened last night?" Diana asked as she followed behind the tired girl.
"Amanda and I..." Hannah suddenly stopped her herself with her eyes growing wide. "Ahem, we...uh...had a little too much to drink." She began to walk quickly, putting more distance between her and her friends.
Barbara and Diana looked at each other in amusement as they followed after her.
"So Diana, did you…?" The black haired girl asked as she raised and lowered her eyebrows in a suggestive manor as she walked.
"Barbara!" Diana gasped and playfully slapped Barbara's arm before they both started giggling.
"So…? Come on Diana, you know I can't take the suspense!" The black haired girl pleaded, grabbing her friend's arm.
"..." Diana looked up at the ceiling as they walked through the door and turned toward the elevator. A brilliant smile appeared on her face before she answered. "Yes."
"Really?!" Barbara squealed.
"Really." Diana chuckled as she watched her friend jump up and down in front of the elevator as it opened. They stepped in and Barbara pushed the button to their floor.
"I want details!"
"Barbara, no!"
"Barbara, yes!"
"No."
"Come on!"
"Stop!"
After Diana had taken a shower and put her business suit on, she gathered her bag and the remaining things she needed for the trip, Barbara drove her quickly to the small airport, which was somewhat close since it was a small city. She pulled up to the curb and stopped the car close to the doors to the terminal.
"Thank you so much for driving me, Barbara." Diana said as she opened the door.
"You're welcome, Diana. Good luck with your aunt Daryl. And call us tonight, alright?" Barbara gave her a small wave as the blonde got out and turned around, leaning over so she could give the black haired girl a reassuring smile and nod.
"Good morning, Miss Cavendish. May I help you with your bag?"
Diana jumped, nearly hitting her head on the roof of Barbara car before she backed up a few steps and stood up straight. Turning around, she found a man in, what was no doubt, an airport uniform. He was a short and stout man with a finely trimmed mustache.
"Oh! Thank you, but I assure you it is not necessary. I only have the one." The blonde turned and walked to the open trunk of the car and pulled her bag out. She set it on the ground and pulled the handle up.
"If you insist, Miss. Here is your ticket, you will need to check in soon. I hope you have a pleasant flight." The man bowed and smiled warmly before turning around and walking back through the doors he came out of.
Diana lifted her bag onto the curb and began to walk, waving to Barbara one last time behind her before heading through the automatic doors. It was quite busy as it was the weekend, but the blonde split the scurrying travelers like the red sea, no one daring to get in her way as she headed toward the check in desk. She received many looks and heard hushed whispers from many onlookers as her heels click clacked on the tiled floor as she walked. She was easily recognized as a Cavendish due the family resemblance and the confident, authoritative way that she was taught to carry her herself with. And her expensive business suit did nothing to dissuade curious eyes, even those who had no idea who she was.
With each step, the smile that she had previously worn disappeared more and more when she began to think of why she was going to London. Her aunt had told her nothing about this meeting, but the fact that she was required to go could not be a good thing. The last time she was in London had been a little over a year ago, she had just turned eighteen. Diana was supposed to inherit the company then, but managed to negotiate and sign an agreement, making Daryl the CEO until she finished school. Her aunt was all too eager to be head of the company, not to help Diana, of course, but for more selfish reasons, she wanted the power that came with it. She had unofficially been running the company since Diana's mother passed away anyway, so it was an easy transition. The blonde had not talked to her aunt since, but they never really got along, so it didn't bother the blonde in the least.
"Excuse me, Miss?"
Diana was pulled out of her train of thought and she blinked a few times as she came back to reality. She had been standing in line at the check in desk absentmindedly, not realizing that there was nobody in front of her now. The attendant at the desk was looking at her curiously while she waited for a response.
"My apologies." Diana moved forward and put her ID and ticket on the desk in front of the attendant.
"It's quite alright miss..." The woman at the desk looked at the blonde's ID. "Cavendish. It looks like every thing is in order. Your flight will begin boarding in about thirty minutes so please head through security and you may wait in the first class lounge if you wish."
"Thank you." Diana give a small nod and smile before walking away towards security, rolling her bag behind her.
Akko walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, walking straight to the cereal cupboard and retrieving her favorite cereal. She poured some cereal and milk into a bowl before sitting down to eat. Sucy and Lotte entered shortly after and began to make their own breakfast. The brunette could feel Lotte's eyes on her as she quickly ate her cereal, making a point to not look at either of her friends. The orange haired girl sat next to Akko at the table.
"So Akko, how did everything go after we left last night?" Lotte asked as casually as she could.
Akko choked on the spoonful of cereal she had just shoved into her mouth. The orange haired girl leaned over and began to pat the coughing brunette's back hard, watching in concern.
"Oh...uh...it was fine." Akko finally got out after the coughing stopped. A blush was quickly taking over her features.
"Fine? Come on, Akko. We're not stupid." Sucy deadpanned from in front of the stove as she dumped some ingredients into a frying pan.
"Akko? Is that makeup on your neck?" Lotte reached out and wiped some skin colored makeup off of the brunette's neck with her pointer finger.
"H-hey! You can't just-" Akko slapped her orange haired friend's hand away before she was interrupted by someone who had entered the room behind her.
"You covered the hickeys up with makeup?" Amanda snickered. "Be proud of those little love marks. I'm sure Diana is." The redhead winked at the brunette as she sat down across from her.
"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about." Akko began to pout, puffing her cheeks. "Why would she be proud of doing this to me? I'm sure she didn't even know-"
"Oh come on, Akko. You can't be that dense."Sucy chimed in, voice bordering on disbelief.
"She marked her territory. You...are Diana's now. And she wants everyone to know you're taken." Amanda stated before flashing an amused grin as Akko's eyes widened tremendously.
"Wha…?" The brunette's eye darted to each girl in the room before landing back on the redhead. "That…she didn't...she wouldn't..." Her brows furrowed as if she was working out some sort of puzzle. "Are you just messing with me?"
Amanda only laughed and shook her head before getting up and striding out of the kitchen without a word. She heard Sucy snickering behind her as Lotte patted her gently on the back and stood up to help the purple haired girl with the food. The blushing brunette lifted her fingers to where the marks were hidden underneath the makeup and gently brushed along her skin. She smiled and bit her lip, secretly hoping that what Amanda had said was true. She did belong to Diana, her heart had belonged to the blonde since the moment they met. Suddenly she heard the clinking of dishes behind her, making her jump. She cleared her throat and went back to eating her cereal, but she couldn't manage to wipe the permanent smile off of her face.
The flight to London was an uneventful one for Diana. She brought along her notes so she could study along the way, but she couldn't seem to focus. She tried not to think about the many reasons why she'd need to attend this meeting, she didn't want to be a nervous wreck when she walked into that board room. But the only other thing she could possibly think of, no matter how hard she tried not to, was Akko. And not just Akko, but what they had done the night before. She had blushed so hard once during the flight, that one of the flight attendants had asked her if she was okay, and that she could turn on the air above her if it was too warm. Diana did turn the air on, and she was too warm, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the cabin temperature.
The blonde hurried off of the plane when it finally landed in London. Although it is a short flight, Diana needed some fresh air due to her stress and daydreaming. Her mind wouldn't allow her relax at all and she felt fatigued already. She took the escalator down to the baggage claim area and saw a well dressed man with her name on a sign, no doubt her driver, who was waiting to take her to her next destination. She approached the man who bowed his head slightly before speaking.
"Hello, Miss Cavendish. My name is Edward, and I'll be your driver while your here in London." Edward held out an official looking document. "This is your itinerary for today and tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you, Edward." Diana smiled and took the paper from the driver's outstretched hand.
"If you would allow me, I'll take your bag and lead you to the car. Your aunt insisted that you report to headquarters as soon as possible."
"Of course. Thank you." The blonde rolled her eyes in annoyance at her aunt's orders after Edward took her bag. They began the trek to the black town car waiting at the curb just outside of the doors leading out of the airport.
The drive was slow due to the heavy traffic leaving the airport. Diana grew more impatient with every minute, fidgeting with her hands and looking out the window at the sights she's seen countless times before. She read and reread her itinerary, silently cursing her aunt for insisting she have dinner with the board that night. Although she could decline, it would be quite rude to do so. The blonde sighed quietly at her inner dilemma, before she noticed that they were approaching the familiar tall building that housed the main office to her family's company. The car slowed to a stop in front of the main entrance. Edward got out and walked to the back door, opening the door for Diana, who slid out immediately.
"Thank you, Edward." The blonde said as she straightened out her suit, getting any wrinkles out that had formed on the drive over.
"My pleasure, Miss. I'll be waiting here. When you're done, I will take you to your hotel."
After a nod and a small appreciative smile, Diana took a deep breath and walked toward the large glass doors leading into the large lobby of the office building. Once inside, she approached the secretary sitting at the big desk in the middle of the lobby. She was an older woman who had worked there for a very long time, who was practically family, and she recognized Diana instantly.
"Diana dear, it's so nice to see you again." The secretary stood up and smiled warmly at the blonde.
"Hello, Anna. It's good to see you as well."
"You can go right up, young miss. I'll let your aunt know you're here." Anna gestured toward the elevator.
"Yes, thank you." Diana walked the rest of the length of the room before entering the elevator and pressing the button to the top floor. It began to slowly rise as she shifted on her feet nervously. Once it reached the top floor, the doors opened revealing Diana's aunt, Daryl, and a man she recognized as the head of the board of directors. Daryl looked terrible, if Diana was being honest. She looked as if she hadn't slept in a week, and even her usual icy stare held no weight behind it. The blonde stepped out of the elevator to greet the two waiting figures in front of her.
"Diana. I'm glad you could make it under such short notice." Daryl droned unhappily.
"I was under the impression that I did not have a choice." The young blonde arched her eyebrow.
"Mm." The older woman only hummed before turning around swiftly and began walking away. "Come, we've much to discuss."
Diana sighed in annoyance as she watched her aunt leave and pinched the bridge of her nose. She heard the remaining figure clear his throat, reminding the blonde that she wasn't alone.
"Oh! My apologies, Mr. Williams. It's a pleasure to see you again." Diana held out her hand.
"It's quite alright alright, Miss Diana." The man briefly shook the blonde's hand before continuing. "I'm happy you were able to make it. I apologize for the urgency, but this is something that can not wait, as you will find out very soon if you'll follow me."
He began walking with the blonde following close behind him. They approached the boardroom, which you could see through a wall and door made entirely of glass. The large rectangular table in the middle of the room was already full except for the two seats awaiting Diana and Mr. Williams. As they entered, everyone in the silent room turned their attention to the blonde walking behind the head of the board. Although their expressions were ones of acceptance, as they always were, it was nevertheless intimidating. She took her seat next to her aunt at the head of the long table directly across from Mr. Williams at the other end.
"Thank you all for being here. Due to the urgency of this meeting, we will get straight to the matter at hand unless anyone has any pressing information to share first." Mr. Williams looked around the table, but when no one broke the silence, he continued. "Very good." He shuffled a few papers around on the table in front of him and then set his gaze on Diana. "What I have in front of me is the agreement signed by Diana Cavendish and Daryl Cavendish on May 1st of last year. And this agreement states that Diana signed over her right to inherit Cavendish Medical until she finished school, allowing her aunt Daryl to become and remain CEO until that time came, or until she was otherwise unfit to lead. Does this sound correct to you, Miss Cavendish?"
"Yes." Diana answered simply with a nod. She crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair with a silent sigh. Of course she knew all of this. Every word out of the man's mouth only added to her annoyance. She drummed her fingers on the arm of the leather chair as she waited for him to continue.
"And you know that if Daryl was, in fact, unfit to lead, the agreement would be null and void. Meaning you would be" Mr. Williams paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "strongly advised to take over the duties of CEO immediately." The man leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together in front of himself.
"Mr. Williams, I assure you that I am very familiar with that document. I wouldn't have signed it otherwise." Diana narrowed her eyes and set her lips in a thin line. "Now if you are quite finished, I would appreciate it if you could tell me exactly why I am here." The blonde almost cringed at the cold nature of her own voice. Growing up with her aunt as a mentor in boardroom behavior had left it's effects. Certain phrases instantly came back to her like, 'never show any weakness' and 'this is no place for emotions' or her favorite, 'Stop giggling! You are a Cavendish!'. Although Daryl's reasons for helping Diana had been somewhat for her own self interest, she was the only family the blonde had left. So Diana hung on every word, had heeded to every request, and had become a Cavendish worthy of inheriting one of the most lucrative companies in all of Europe.
"Yes, of course." Mr. Williams started. "Unfortunately, Diana, your aunt's declining health has made it impossible for her to keep up with her duties. I'm afraid the board has dec-"
"Pardon me," Diana interrupted with a finger out in front of her as she turned her surprised gaze to her aunt who had remained silent. "what is he talking about?"
"Diana, it is impolite to interrupt the head of the board." Daryl whispered, chastising her niece.
"I don't really give a damn right now. What is he talking about?" The blonde whispered back quickly, making her aunt close her eyes and let out a drawn out sigh.
"Angiosarcoma of the heart." Daryl simply stated.
Diana's eyes went wide as she took in the information. Her mother had been taken by the same rare cancer, not being diagnosed soon enough. Her heart sank instantly as she watched this woman sitting before her with a practiced neutral expression on her face, knowing she must have been an absolute mess inside. It was most likely that she was dying, as this type of cancer tended to spread very quickly.
"How long have y-" Diana was cut off by the man across from her clearing his throat, bringing the attention of the room, including the blonde, back to him.
"I apologize, Diana, but this meeting must proceed on schedule. As I was saying, the board has decided that Daryl is unfit to lead for the foreseeable future. She has graciously stepped down from the position, meaning you, my dear, will inherit Cavendish Medical as soon as you sign these documents in front of me." Mr. Williams shuffled the papers in front of him once more and stood up to make his way around the table.
"Wait! Just like that?" The blonde said, exasperated. "I'm not even done with this semester! I have finals this coming week!"
"Yes, we understand. You won't be required to move back here until next weekend. After school is over." The man continued around the table.
Diana's heart was pounding out of her chest. All of the hard work she had put in these past few years, becoming the prodigy of Luna Nova, would be wasted if she couldn't continue her studies. She wouldn't be able to see her best friends hardly at all. Barbara and Hannah would be devastated. But all of this paled in comparison to how heart broken she felt about no longer being able to see Akko as much as she'd like. After spending a euphoric night with her new girlfriend, this was a crushing blow. She was spiraling downward, becoming desperate to think of anything that could possibly give her more time.
"I have an established reputation at Luna Nova. You expect me to give up my studies all together? Surely there's-" Diana began before being cut off.
"Yes, we know of your prestigious reputation, Miss Cavendish. We aren't asking you to give up your education entirely, we are only asking you to take a short hiatus. After a year or so, you will be able to return to your studies. We have many prestigious universities around London that would be in line to take you on." The head of the board finally reached Diana, putting the documents on the table in front of her.
"There has to be some other way." The blonde whispered, eyes flickering up to here aunt's narrowed gaze, and then back down to the documents.
"I am truly sorry for the immediacy of all this, but I'm afraid there is no other way. If you refuse, you will no longer be an eligible heir and will lose any rights to this company in the future." Mr. Williams looked at Diana with apologetic eyes.
"But-"
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could ask you all to leave us, I would like a private word with my niece." Daryl's strong voice rang out in the otherwise silent and somber room. The request was met with silent nods and the shuffling of feet as everyone cleared the room, leaving the older and younger blondes alone.
Diana was frozen in shock. She stared down at the words on the papers in front of her, but wasn't able to comprehend a thing. Daryl watched her closely for a long moment, trying to figure out why the once proud Cavendish, the girl who has been ready to take over this company since her mother died, was all the sudden so hesitant to take over what was rightfully hers. It was concerning to say the least.
"Diana, this is what you've been working toward your whole life. The girl I used to know would have signed those documents in a heart beat." Daryl leaned a little closer and narrowed her eyes. "So why are you hesitating? Surely it can't be your education. School will always be there for you, Diana."
When the blonde stayed silent and was still unable to meet her gaze, Daryl continued to watch Diana closely with her lips pursed. She was racking her brain for any possible reason for her niece be acting so irrationally. If not school, what could possibly be keeping her from wanting to leave Luna Nova? What was so important there that she would sacrifice the rights of her family name? After a few moments of contemplation, it hit her.
"So, is there...someone you are unwilling to leave at Luna Nova? Is that was all this is about?" Daryl tried to sound sympathetic, although she wasn't sure how well it worked, because she wasn't. Diana was nothing like her, and she couldn't understand, for the life of her, why the heir would give up something so important for some fling. She was nineteen for gods sake. "Who is he?"
"What?" Diana's eyebrows shot up at the questions. "That's none of your concern."
"It is, Diana." Daryl's voice became louder. "It is my concern. You are acting like a child. And I will not let you turn your back on your family name because of some infatuation." The older woman was almost yelling now. "You are a Cavendish! Start acting like one!"
"I love her! And she is not just some infatuation!" The blonde pounded on the table in front of her as she stood up, glaring daggers at her aunt.
"Oh?" Daryl sat back in her chair unfazed with her eyebrows slightly raised. "And you would give up your family inheritance for her? Is she more important than keeping this company afloat? More important than this company that your mother worked so hard to establish up until the day she died?"
"Stop." Diana said, voice cracking as she tried to keep tears from leaking out from behind her eyes. Although her aunt's tactics were harsh, she was right. This was Diana's duty, and the fact that she even considered refusing her inheritance was unsettling. She would continue to further her family's legacy. No matter how hard it was going to be, this was her responsibility.
The blonde sat down slowly and picked up the pen laying next to the packet of papers. She began to look at each page, reading the contents and signing and dating the bottom. Daryl looked on with a pleased smirk, rocking slowly back and forth in her chair. On the last page, Diana hesitated slightly, the gravity of the situation overwhelming her. Her hand began to shake as she put the ball of the pen to the white sheet and begin to write her name one last time. When she was finished she took a deep breath and pushed the documents away from her, setting the pen on top.
"Now that is the Diana I remember." Daryl nodded approvingly at the blonde girl as she pulled the papers toward herself. "I'll get a copy of this for you and give it to you at your welcoming dinner tonight." The older woman stood up and walked past Diana, who was still frozen solid in her seat. She paused before opening the door and turned to look at the blonde. "If I may give you a piece of advice about this...girl you love so much. You will be very busy for the foreseeable future and you will barely have enough time for yourself, let alone for someone else. In my opinion you should put your love life on hold until you can handle the pressures that come with being the CEO of your company." Daryl put her hand on the handle of the door before continuing. "It wouldn't be fair to her to be competing with the company for your attention, now would it? We both know who would lose there, don't we."
The woman finally turned the handle and exited the room, leaving Diana sitting alone at the large table that she would soon become very familiar with. She looked around the room that reflected her soul at that point. Empty and cold. Soon she would be leaving everything that was important to her behind to fulfill her destiny. This should be the happiest day of her life, but all she could manage to feel was heartbreak. She stood up on suddenly wobbly legs and began her slow trek to the elevator. She flashed fake smiles at the few lingering board members who congratulated her on her new position and shook their hands before leaving.
She made it to the car quickly, avoiding anymore attention, and her driver took her to her hotel. She slept for the few hours of downtime that she had, making up for the lack of sleep from the night before. When she woke and checked her phone, she had an unread message from Akko. She stared at the phone for a few minutes before setting it back on the nightstand without opening the message. She wasn't ready to respond to her girlfriend, not until she decided what she was going to say. She couldn't get emotional now, not when she had a dinner to go to. She was the CEO now. What would everyone think if their nineteen year old leader showed up to the party with red puffy eyes? At this point, she needed as much respect as possible for a smooth transition into her new role.
"You're such a coward." She whispered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She deserves better."
Diana rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before she stood up from her bed and gathered her things to get ready for the party. She pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail and put on a brilliant sleeveless blue dress and many shining diamond accessories. She hadn't dressed up for a high society get together in a very long time, and she found herself feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. This was, unfortunately, something she was going to have to get used to again.
The dinner party was as expected, long and boring. Although the board members were nice enough people, she had no interest in hearing about their money or personal business. She was on autopilot, only talking when she was talked to and absentmindedly nodding, pretending to listen to the many conversations going on at the large table. She felt her aunt's stare at many points as she sat, sipping her wine, but made it a point to not make eye contact with her. The blonde watched the clock moving agonizingly slow, every minute wishing she could just leave and retreat to her hotel room. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped.
"Diana, you seem to be somewhere else tonight." Daryl whispered, leaning close as to not be overheard.
"My apologies, Aunt Daryl." Diana whispered back and cleared her throat. "I'm rather exhausted from today's...excitement and traveling. I'm afraid I didn't get much rest last night." Again a slight blush showed on her cheeks thinking about the night before, but this time it was mixed with a hint of sadness.
"I understand." Her aunt whispered again before standing up straight and lifting up her wine glass. "If I could have your attention, I'd like to make a toast before my niece takes her leave." Everyone at the table raised their own glasses and nodded at Daryl, urging her to continue. "I'd like to say that I'm very proud of my niece for taking this important step in her life, although it may have been earlier than she would have liked. I know that she will do everything in her power to bring honor to the Cavendish name, even if that means making sacrifices," Daryl paused to like down at Diana "that benefit the greater good of the company. A toast to our new CEO, Diana Cavendish!"
"To Diana Cavendish!" Everyone in the room repeated before taking sips of their own alcohol.
Diana's eyes never left Daryl's as they both took sips of their wine. The blonde knew very well what those sacrifices were that her aunt was talking about. Her schooling, her friends, her girlfriend, her entire life. Suddenly she was finding it hard to breathe. She needed to get out of this room, away from these people. Her aunt saw the panic overtake her suddenly, and took her wine glass from her before she dropped it.
"Go." Daryl said simply. "I'll be in touch."
The blonde stood up and quickly walked out of the room without a word. She could feel the eyes watching her every move until she was in the hallway and out of sight. She didn't stop until she climbed into her car, fearing that she was going to break down at any moment. Her driver watched her with concern in the rear view mirror as Diana covered her face and let the flood gates open. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Fear, frustration, anger, doubt. Every negative emotion imaginable was twisting and turning inside of her. This was all too much too quickly, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Are you alright, miss?" Edward asked from the drivers seat, pulling out onto the main road.
"No." She breathed out, fixing her gaze out her window and wiping tears away from her eyes.
The car fell silent again for the rest of the drive back to the hotel. Once back in her room, she took a long shower in an attempt to relax. The hot water was soothing as it washed over her skin, making her finally realize just how tired she really was. She lazily dried herself off and put on her pajamas before climbing into bed, pausing when she saw her phone, still laying on the bedside table. With a long sigh, she picked it up and turned it on, finally opening the message Akko had sent her hours earlier.
'Hey, beautiful. I know you're probably busy, but I just wanted to say hi. And I hope you made it to London okay.'
The message lifted Diana's mood slightly, even though the thought of facing her girlfriend terrified her, she wouldn't have to do that tonight. She still had time to think about what she was going to say. But this meant that she had to convince Akko that everything was okay, because she didn't want to put any undue stress on the brunette before finals week. She was struggling enough as it was. Diana quickly typed out a message.
'Hello, Akko. I made it just fine, thank you.'
She sent the message and prayed for a miracle that maybe Akko had gone to bed early tonight. But unfortunately for Diana, the brunette texted back only a few seconds later.
'Great! How did your meeting go?'
'Terrible' she thought to herself before typing out a message that wouldn't cause suspicion.
'It was fine. I will tell you about it when I see you. Unfortunately I'm quite tired. I'm going to try to get some sleep since I have an early flight tomorrow.'
'Oh. Okay. You want to hang out tomorrow?'
'I'm sorry but I can't, Akko. I need to study for finals. You should be studying also.'
'It's okay. You're probably right. Okay, well, goodnight Diana. Sleep well!'
'Goodnight, Akko. Sleep well.'
Diana felt guilty that she shortened the conversation, but she really was tired. And the more she messaged Akko, the more she would have to think about how she was going to break the news to her. Right now, she didn't want to think about anything. The blonde laid her head down on the pillow and almost instantly drifted off to sleep.
The flight home the next morning seemed like it took forever in Diana's mind. Mixed feelings overcame her as she was happy she'd be home, but she was dreading facing her roommates and telling them that she would soon be moving out. As she stepped off of the plane, she began to wonder how they would react. She considered them her best friends, no, more like sisters, and she would miss their daily presence dearly. Although the girls offered to pick her up from the airport, she declined and called a car for herself, which she found the driver of by the baggage claim. He waited for her, not needing a sign as they were well acquainted with each other already, having been hired as her driver when she was younger and unable to drive by herself yet. He also witnessed a quite embarrassing night just weeks ago, when Akko had passed out in the back of his car.
"Miss Cavendish, I'm glad to see you had a safe flight." Timothy bowed his head slightly and gave Diana a fatherly smile.
"Thank you, Timothy." Diana tried returning his happy gesture, but she could only manage a small sad smile.
Timothy took the bag from Diana and walked toward the doors, the blonde followed closely.
"I heard that you had quite an eventful time in London." He said, turning his head slightly.
"Where did you hear that?" Diana sped up until she was now side by side with the older man. "It just happened yesterday, surely gossip doesn't travel that fast."
"Ah. It does when the gossip comes from a certain well connected secretary." Timothy flashed a sly smile at the younger girl.
"Anna. I guess I should have expected that." The blonde let out a soft chuckle. "At least I'll have her there with me." She whispered to herself, but loud enough that Timothy had heard.
The driver chose not to comment on it though, as they had finally reached the car. He opened the door for Diana, letting her slide in. The drive was somewhat silent apart from some comfortable small talk here and there. Talking with the older man had settled her nerves a bit, he had always had a calming effect on Diana which helped her immensely when she first started university at such a young age. The blonde was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the car had stopped in front of her building until she heard a throat being cleared from the front seat.
"If I may say, miss, the company is lucky to have you. You are an extraordinary young woman." Timothy said, watching the blonde in the rear view mirror.
"Timothy, you said that to me on my first day at Luna Nova." Diana genuinely smiled for the first time that day.
"Yes miss, and it rings as true today as it did back then." The driver smiled again before getting out of the car. He opened the door for Diana and retrieved her bag from the trunk.
"Thank you, Timothy. For everything." The blonde said softly.
Timothy tipped his hat to Diana in response and got back in his car, leaving the blonde alone in front of the large doors leading into her apartment building. The door man opened the door and welcomed her in, greeting her happily. With a nod and a thank you, she walked past and made her way to the elevator which took her up to the top floor. Finally, she made it to her door, and after a few deep breaths she turned the door handle nervously and pushed it open. Hannah and Barbara were sitting on the couch with a mess of books and papers surrounding them in usual finals week fashion. Their heads shot up quickly at the noise of the door opening, and when they saw their roommate, they jumped off of the couch to greet her.
"Diana!" Hannah exclaimed as she pulled the blonde in for an unexpected hug.
"How was your meeting? What did they want? What happen-?" Barbara blurted out but was stopped abruptly.
"Barbara! Calm yourself." The auburn haired girl chastised her friend.
Diana giggled at the exchange.
"I'm going to miss you girls." She said absentmindedly before slapping her hand over her mouth. This was not the way she wanted this conversation to begin.
"What?!" The two girls in front of her shrieked at the same time.
"Damn it." The blonde whispered almost inaudibly as she began to wring her hands together. "Okay, why don't you both sit down. I guess I'll explain."
The girls sat down and Diana began to explain every detail of the day before. With each memory, the blonde's composure slipped and she ran her hand through her hair multiple times. Hannah and Barbara's eyes followed her intently, growing wider with every detail revealed. The blonde finally finished before she closed her eyes and took a deep shaky breath before turning her attention back to the silent girls on the couch. They looked back at Diana on shock, neither knowing exactly what to say to there frustrated friend. They turned toward each other with somber looks, having a short silent conversation before nodding in unison and turning back to the waiting blonde.
"It'll be okay, Diana." Hannah said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, we're happy for you." Barbara added.
"Really?" Diana let out the breath she'd been holding since she stopped her explanation.
"We'll miss you a lot, but you'll do amazing, I know it." The auburn haired girl nodded her head confidently.
"Yeah, and we can visit when you aren't busy, right?" The black haired girl asked excitedly.
"Of course, but I'm afraid I'll be quite busy in the beginning. At least that's what they tell me." Diana rolled her eyes and folded her arms in annoyance.
"So Diana," Barbara started and paused, looking to Hannah nervously before continuing. "what about Akko? Have you told her yet?"
The blonde's heart began to ache again, even just thinking about what she is going to say, or how the brunette is going to react fills her with dread. Suddenly, her aunts words began to come back to her, albeit uninvited. 'It's not fair to her' and 'we both know who will lose' were now stuck in her mind, playing over and over on repeat.
"Diana?" Hannah said in a concerned tone. "Have you told her?"
"No, I haven't." She whispered, suddenly having to hold back the moisture threatening to leak out. "I will after finals. I don't..." Diana trailed off, swallowing thickly and taking a deep breath to calm herself. "She doesn't need any distractions right now. Excuse me ladies, I'm going to study in my room."
And with that, the blonde walked out of the room quickly, leaving her bewildered friends behind. They slumped their shoulders in defeat. They knew Diana was in pain, and their was nothing they could do about it. In usual Diana fashion, she would stubbornly try to get through this by herself, unwilling to share the burden with anyone else. A destructive pattern they've seen too many times before, and one that would surely break her at some point. Both girls reluctantly went back to their studies, as there was nothing more they could do.
Finals week had been one of the most exhausting weeks of Diana's young life. On top of tests and more tests, she found herself buried in email's flooding her inbox every day. Things to approve, travel dates, meeting times, and information that others deemed important for her to know were looked over carefully by the blonde. She was never one to slack off in her duties, even if it left her tired and without time for anything else. She managed to have short conversations with Akko every night over text messaging. She had found out that the brunette was doing better than she thought on her tests which made Diana happy, only making her feel more confident that it was the right choice to wait to talk to the brunette about the past weekend's revelations. She also found out that Akko and her roommates were throwing an end of school party that Friday night, and naturally the blonde was invited.
Which is why she now stood on the front porch of Akko's house on a warm Friday night, staring at the door nervously. She had been standing there frozen for about ten minutes now, listening to the loud music, shouts and laughs coming from inside. For everyone else, this was a joyous occasion. It meant freedom to do what they wanted for the next few months. For Diana, this was the end of her time here at Luna Nova, this was the beginning of her new life as the CEO of the most successful chain of hospitals in all of Europe. This was the last time she would see Akko in a very long time, and she was terrified to face her. Suddenly the door was pulled open aggressively and a fiery redhead appeared in the opening.
"You gonna stand out here all night, princess?" Amanda smirked as she slurred her words slightly and swayed a little from side to side. She was obviously drunk.
"Diana!" Akko screamed from behind the redhead, bumping into Amanda's shoulder as she stumbled past and lunged at Diana, wrapping her in a tight hug.
The blonde returned the hugged hesitantly at first, but eventually melted in Akko's arms, leaning her head on the top of the brunette's.
"Don't tell me your drunk already, Akko." Diana asked in amusement as she breathed in Akko's scent, committing it to memory.
"Well you are a little late." The brunette mumbled into the blonde's shoulder.
"Yes, I suppose I...am." Diana's breath hitched as she felt soft kisses being trailed up her neck.
Amanda, who still stood in the doorway, cleared her throat uncomfortably. She immediately looked anywhere but at the couple in front of her and backed up slowly, closing the door as she went.
"I missed you." Akko whispered into the blonde's ear, making her visibly shiver.
"Akko, I-" Diana's words were effectively cut off as the brunette took her lips in a deep sloppy kiss. The blonde couldn't resist as she grabbed Akko by the waist and pushed her slowly backward until her back gently made contact with the door. Diana deepened this kiss even more, thrusting her tongue into her girlfriend's mouth. Akko welcomed the action by clashing her own tongue with the blonde's. After a few moments, Diana leaned her head back with a gasp, taking in a much needed deep breath before leaning her forward against Akko's. They stood that way for a good couple of minutes, taking in each others presence.
"I love you." The brunette whispered weakly.
The blonde's eyes shot wide open in shock and she quickly took a step back out of her girlfriend's reach. In the heat of the moment, she had completely forgotten why she was here. The phrase that she would have been elated to hear at any other moment, made things much harder for Diana. Her body began to tremble as Akko's eyes opened, a look of horror spread over her face.
"Oh my god, that just...that just slipped out. You don't have to say it back, I just...say things when I'm drunk." The brunette reached out but stopped halfway, balling her outstretched hands into fists. She bit her lip nervously waiting for the blonde to say something, anything.
"I love you, too." Diana whispered as her voice cracked. Again, for what seemed like the hundredth time that week, moisture began to build up behind her eyes.
Akko's features relaxed slightly, but instead of horror or shock, worry took over as she furrowed her eyebrows and reached her hand out to take Diana's.
"Diana, what's wrong?" She asked hesitantly.
This was it. If the blonde didn't do this now, she knew she wouldn't have the courage to later. And time was something she just didn't have anymore. She had backed herself into a corner. She gathered up as much courage as she could muster before speaking.
"Akko, I'm leaving Luna Nova. I'm moving to London this weekend." Diana did her best to sound like she wasn't completely dying inside, but the way she was shaking surely gave her away.
The brunette immediately let go of the blonde's hand and took a slow step back.
"What?" Akko asked, her voice shaky. She shook her head slowly before continuing. "No. You can't just..." The brunette trailed off and looked down at the cement.
"I was called to London because my aunt can't run the company anymore. I had to take over. Akko, I'm-"
"No!" The brunette cried out, balling her hands into fists at her sides. "You can't leave..." Her voice trailed off as tears began rolling down her cheeks. "I can't lose you, too." The words came out in a pained whisper, making Diana's heart break instantly.
"Akko," Diana reached out and cupped the brunette's cheek. "I'm so sorry but this is something I need to do. It's my responsibility. After I get my bearings, when I'm not so busy-"
"Just go." Akko mumbled as she took another step back, not meeting the blonde's gaze as she was closing her eyes tightly.
"What?"
"I said...go." The brunette said a little louder. "I'd only be holding you back."
"Akko, no. If you'd just-" Diana reached out again, but Akko turned around quickly and opened the door, walking through it without another word and closing it behind her. "Listen" she finished.
The blonde stood frozen in place on the porch. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to go after Akko. To try to explain herself better. To try and comfort her in any way that she possibly could. But could she say anything to make this situation better? No, she was the reason the brunette was in so much pain. Nothing she could say now would help. She was leaving. To Akko, the reason didn't matter, all she saw was abandonment. All she saw was the loss of another girl she loved. No, there was nothing she could do now. All she had now was the hope that this would blow over somehow. That the brunette would understand one day of why Diana had to do this. No matter how much her heart had broken tonight, she had to have hope that the girl she loved so much would take her back one day, when the time was right.
Diana turned around and slowly made her way back to her BMW. She slid into the drivers seat and closed the door. The dam behind her eyes finally broke and the first tear slid down her cheek, leading to another, and another as she wrapped her arms around herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door to the house open. Her heart jumped, thinking maybe it was Akko, but her spirits dropped immediately when she saw Amanda walking toward her car, with a very displeased look on her face. Diana quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and turned the car on, mashing the gas pedal before the redhead could confront her. As she drove away, she spoke the words that she had said to herself more times this week than she'd like to admit.
"You're such a coward. She deserves better."