Hey! I know, I know. I'm really sorry for the looong delay. Its been more than a month, I think, since I last posted but life got busier and busier. Everybody used to tell me college is so easy and fun. Its fun but not easy at all. I spend 8 hours in college. By the time I get home I'm so tired and have to finish the homework. Then I had tests non stop. A week for studying for exams and then semester exams. They were so looong…I got really bored but had to study a massive lot. The last one was yesterday and the moment I woke up I have been working on this chapter and I'm proud to now, finally, present before you-

Chapter 45

Diana examined Professor Beckor's drawing room with great interest. It was a dim, cluttered room. Cool-looking artifacts surrounded her but the state of the room was enough to show that the eccentric Professor hardly ever had visitors. The sofa on which Diana was sitting had to be cleared of a pile of dusty books that were transferred to the floor on her arrival.

Diana broke her gaze from the entrancing sarchophagus to see the Professor enter the room carrying two mugs of steaming coffee.

"How is my star student?" he whispered. He had one of those low, soft voices that had the whisper effect.

Diana smiled, "I'm good, Professor."

"You don't look good. Pale as a mummy." Diana cringed. "Have you been crying?"

Diana had, in fact, been crying over Kai but she lied, "No, Professor. Its just really cold outside."

Professor Beckor raised his eyes on the change of the subject as he handed over a mug. "Yes, yes, I think it will rain today and no need to call me Professor. Its William to my close friends."

"Okay, William," Diana said.

"Have you decided about the offer?" he asked, referring to the Assistant Professor transfer job to Russia.

"I got the ticket," Diana replied slowly.

"So there's a boy?"

Diana choked on her coffee burning her tongue. "What!? No."

"Alright, if you say so," William gave her a shrewd look. "Just want you to know that people should not sit crying when they can actually sit together smiling." He scratched his beard. "Meant it to be a lot more philosophical but can't think of anything else to say. Anyway, would you-?"

The phone rang shrilly and William grunted. He walked slowly over to an old, old telephone kept on another pile of dusty old books.

"Hello. Yes, Beckor here. What? Speak up! Oh are you sure? Oh…" William looked at Diana who was looking sadder by the minute. "Of course, I will. I will try my best to stall. Be here as fast as you can and don't repeat such mistakes again, laddy."

William replaced the receiver and walked back to the sofa, "Where were we?...Ah! the boy!"

Diana shifted uneasily, "Actually you were going to tell me about your book-The Myths of Asia?"

"I was?" William scratched his chin as if thinking of something. "Yes, yes but first tell how's your family?"

After making the call, Kai sighed. He didn't know what was happening with his world. His life used to be this clear-cut, well-worked-out plan in which everything happened systematically but now it had been turned totally upside down. Where there earlier existed precise answers, there now stood big, overwhelming questions. Would he be able to meet Diana? Would she listen to him? Would she forgive and forget? Had she ever loved him? The question of 'Where was she?' had been answered but had been replaced immediately with where was she going?

Kai wished that Diana would switch on her shitty phone and just talk once so that everything would become normal. Was that so difficult? And now, he was supposed to reach someone's house in record time to catch her. He hoped the understanding Professor could stall her. His reverie was interrupted as his pilot arrived.

"Mr. Hiwatari?"

Kai looked at the uniformed man and nodded.

"I'm the pilot of the helicopter you ordered. Are you ready to go?"

"Let's go."

As Kai looked over the buildings he felt a sudden happiness. There was something that made him hopeful. After all Diana had said some things to him too. Okay, it wasn't her who had closed the door on his face…but didn't Diana always say she had a big heart?

The helicopter reached quicker than Kai had thought. He thanked the man and rushed out of the landing ground. He consulted Google Maps to try and find the Professor's place. It was very, very far from where he was. He tried to hail a taxi but none of the two taxi drivers who passed paid him any attention.

It was then that Kai's eyes fell on a motorbike parked by the road. An idea forming in his head, he moved towards it. The key was in the ignition. Kai looked around for the rider. There was no one around. Within seconds Kai was driving towards the Professor's house at top speed.

It had been hours or so it seemed to Diana. William had talked about topics ranging from mythology, history to soap operas to accidents to countries of the world to whatnot. Diana was sure that William had changed his mind about giving her his book and was just stalling. She looked at her watch. It was time. If she didn't leave now she would miss her train home and her flight afterwards. And that was the last thing she wanted after her futile trip.

"Professor-William, it has been really nice talking to you but I really need to go now," Diana got up gathering her things.

William stopped midway through his speech on politics, "What? No? He hasn't-I mean, I haven't-I mean…wait! I have to give you the golden edition. Don't you want it? Such disrespect! And its raining outside."

Diana had had enough of tiring experiences and her mood hadn't been very good to begin with. There's something about disappointment and heartbreak that makes a person irritable. "I'm sorry, William. I need to go or I'll miss my train. Its drizzling anyway." She walked towards the door with William trailing after her in his whispering voice, "But surely you can wait for half an hour?"

Diana ran down the stairs on to the sidewalk and had left him behind when she came face to face with Kai.

…

…

Diana felt her heart break all over again as memories that she had been trying to forget resurfaced. Kai's rude words, his disbelief and most of all his lies. His face was, as usual, inscrutable.

William shouted from behind, "Thank God you came boy! One minute late and she would have gone."

What? Diana couldn't understand what was happening. How did William and Kai know each other? And William had been trying to stop her from leaving so that Kai could catch her? What did he want now? Some more accusations to hurl at her? Some more jokes to make? Because Kai and her had been a joke…Diana wrenched her eyes away from him as they pooled with tears that merged with the slight drizzle falling on her face. She hurried off, away from him.

"Wait, Diana," Kai's shout came from behind.

No. Diana didn't even turn but just crossed the road recklessly making cars skid. It was only when she heard multiple horns and the screech of brakes that she turned around to look.

Kai wasn't following her anymore. The slight relief and regret at this fact had hardly registered when Diana realized that there had been an accident. In front of a car lay a figure she could never hate. Fear made her brain slow but her body was fast to react. She staggered towards the body.

Kai lay motionless on the wet ground. Diana knelt beside him and shouted to the driver, "Somebody please call the ambulance!" She tried to check for Kai's pulse, "Kai, please wake up. Please Kai. I'm so sorry. I love you, Kai…Please, please…"

The wrist she had been fingering moved as his hands clutched hers. "At least you are not running away now." Kai sat up smiling. "Don't worry, I just slipped. The car didn't even scratch me."

The driver who had been horrified at the accident shot up the finger and shouted some choice words before driving away.

Diana was silent.

Kai stood up and held her hand, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It was just too easy to let go."

Diana broke out of her trance and punched his arm. "I hate you so much, Kai. I. Hate. You. That was so low of you."

Kai smiled widely, "And you're talking now. Definitely worth it."

Diana stiffened, "That reminds me..." She picked up her small bag which had fallen by the roadside.

Kai still didn't let go of her hand, "Wait! I need to tell you something."

"No! See Kai…I know what you are going to say…just leave it. I'm going to miss my train this way."

Kai smirked making Diana's heart melt all over again, "Really? You know what I'm going to say. Then say it."

Diana fidgeted, "It's going to be something like-'Diana I'm sorry for playing the whole joke on you. We're just friends and I don't know how you could even think differently. You should learn not to take a joke too seriously'-See, I know it already. Let me go!"

Kai laughed, "I'm not going to let you go ever and I really didn't mean to say that. I know I have this whole 'jerk' image but if you care to know me I'm a really sweet guy. What put that idea in your mind, anyway?"

"Luna made it quite evident."

Kai sighed, "That Luna made quite a mess of everything, didn't she? How about you listen to the other side of things from someone you can trust?" He related the whole Luna story on the sidewalk.

After the story finished, Diana's eyes were as big as saucers. "Mariah was right all along!"

"Yeah…" Kai looked at her expectantly.

Diana rolled her eyes, "Fine, I'm sorry for going all 'emo-Kai' on you."

"Hey!" Kai punched her arm playfully. "I thought I was improving! And wait…I got proof!" He took out a battered, sodden copy of Pride and Prejudice from his back pocket. "I didn't throw it away. I could never…it reminds me of how I met the most important person in my life."

Diana blushed.

Kai frowned, "But why didn't you tell me you were getting a job in Russia? We could have celebrated."

"How do you know?"

"We kind of broke into your house and went through your stuff. You doodle a lot."

Diana half-scowled, "I can't believe it! My house is a mess. Nobody is allowed inside and NOBODY sees my doodles. They are personal…I seriously hate you now."

"Really? Back when I was lying on the ground I thought you felt differently. Did I hear someone say they love me?" Kai smirked.

Diana blushed even more, "No-What-You…"

Kai sighed and pulled her close to kiss her.

A cyclist whistled as he went past them.

They smiled as they broke apart.

"I love you," Kai whispered.

"This is so cliché but I love you too," smiled back Diana.

Kai smiled and kissed her forehead, "You are one confusing lady." Diana nodded, "That I am."

He slipped a hand around her waist. "Since you've already missed your train how about getting something to eat now? I haven't eaten anything since morning and a lovely lady once told me that chocolate brownies taste very good with orange juice."

"Oh! I wonder who she was?"

Kai shrugged playfully.

They started to walk towards Kai's stolen bike. Diana turned her face towards his, "When did you buy a bike, Kai?"

Kai grinned, "I didn't buy it. More like borrowed it without permission."

"Whaaat!?"

"Yeah! Don't look so antagonized. I'm going to return it. By the way, would you need a place to stay in Moscow?"

Diana nodded.

"Well, I have a friend there," Kai smiled, a joke tugging on his lips. "He isn't staying there at the moment but he has a big-ish house. I could ask him to let you have a lodging."

"Really that would be cool," Diana said, oblivious to Kai's joke. "He could teach me Russian. What's his name?"

"Don't get so excited. My friend will only allow you to stay at his house if you marry him."

Diana looked at Kai with a surprised look as she sat behind him on the bike. "Oh!" was all she could manage.

"Maybe you know him. His name's Kai," smirked Kai.

"Ohhhh! I can't believe it, Kai. That was actually a good one. You had me there but you actually mean that?"

"Yeah!" he replied in his deep voice.

"Well…," Diana laughed happily, "tell your friend I agree."

The motorbike sped off.

OMG! And that's that. I felt so emotional while writing this chapter that I nearly cried during the end but I'm so happy at the same time. THERE IS AN EPILOGUE! WAIT for it. It will be up latest by a week and earliest as soon as I finish writing. And it will have Luna and the Countess in it. Rest assured :)I hope you all haven't abandoned me. I LOVE all my readers a lot. I know I messed up the kissing scene but I'm not very good with romance. And I know many of you were waiting for the dramatic race to the airport. That's what I had in mind too but a few chapters ago I read another fanfic and there it was-the race to airport end. So, I wanted to do something different. Hope you all liked it :)

Now a HUGE and MASSIVE thanks to my lovely reviewers: SMRA: Hi...your review was as usual a great source of happiness. Thanks and ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITES!? wow I am so happy that I am jumping all over my bed :) I will surely check out the fics you mentioned. Angst and Tragedy are not my cup of tea but since you like them I will check them up. Really!? I'm so delighted that people actually wanna read more stuff from me RR! beyblade002: Heyyy! I'm so happy and grateful that its your favourite and I haven't seen Breaking Bad or Walking Dead but I have heard about them. They are so famous and I nearly fainted when I read that Matchmaking is comparable with them. I actually asked my friend to tell me the stories and am gonna watch them some time now :) If I make it big I will be sure to remember all of you and I promise I will make more ff even if you are the only one who'd read it. Ily :) RR! dylan: Hey! Thank you :) SICK JOB is a wonderful compliment and I am really happy to now that you think its error free. With your wishes I hope to make more and more. How did you like this chapter? RR! kozy oner: OMG! My story got you hooked. Yay! I feel so accomplished. Thanks a lot. Your compliments make me inspired. RR! Susan sewell: Hiii...your Luna rant made me smile. I hope you like this chapter too. Tell me what you feel about it. I know you will. :) Thanks RR! I hope I am not missing anyone. Thanks for reading, favouriting, alerting and reviewing!

Sorry for any and all errors and typos :)

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