ROSES HAVE THORNS-Chapter 32 - Aftermath [Diana Side]

knock knock

"Principal Valentine. It’s me, your secretary, Mia. Is it safe to come in?"

...

knock knock

"Principal Vale–"

"Come in." A voice could barely be heard from the other side.

Mia took a deep breath and readied herself for whatever scolding she may receive.

When she opened and entered the office, she saw Diana piled up in work as usual. Her face showed neither contempt nor anger. Only focus as she breezed through her paperwork.

"Good morning, Principal. Lovely weather we’re having, is it not?" She nervously greeted.

"Good morning, Mia. And yes it is." She replied without looking up.

"D-Diana?"

"Hm?"

"You’re not mad at me, are you? If so, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have joined that stupid club with Wendy and your mom."

"There’s nothing to apologise for, Mia. I’m not mad at you. As for the ’stupid club’, don’t worry about it. I’ve already incinerated that accursed book."

"O-oh ok then. I’m glad everything’s well..."

Mia sat down at her desk and began working.

30 minutes passed in a blink of an eye when the academy bell rang to signal the students the start of the day.

"There goes the bell. Here’s to a peaceful day, ha ha..." Mia tried to break the silence but the only response in return she got was a,

"Mmhm."

.....

tick tock tick

The silence between them was deafening. Only the sound of the clock on the wall and the movement of papers could be heard.

Mia, being completely oblivious to what was going on in Diana’s head, tried asking an innocent yet cruel question.

"So, are you still up for that date with Kurt?"

clatter

A pen fell out of Diana’s hand as she paused. However she just as quickly as she stopped, she bent over to pick it back up.

"Is something wrong?" Mia stood up.

"It’s nothing." Diana replied.

"... If you say so." She sat back down. "Anyways, like I was saying, about that date with Kurt–"

clatter flutter

This time along with her pen falling, her paperwork also fell to the ground.

"D-Diana??" Mia stood up again and rushed to help her pick up the mess, "Seriously, is something wrong? You’re being very clumsy which is so unlike you..."

"I told you already, it’s nothing."

"...."

Once they were finished cleaning, Mia put the last piece of paper on her desk and looked suspiciously at Diana.

"Kurt." She said softly.

Hearing that name caused Diana to flinch but she quickly composed herself and worked with a straight face.

".... Kurt." She said again.

Mia noticed the slight movement of Diana opening her mouth and widening her eyes but she again just continued on like everything was normal.

’I knew it.’ Mia thought as her lips slowly crept up in a smile.

"Don’t you have work to do. Stop standing around and get to it."

"Yes, of course." She walked back to her desk and sat down.

Not even a minute passed after that when she suddenly moaned, "Kuuuurt~"

Diana’s face flushed furiously as she tried to ignore Mia.

"Kuuuurt~ Kurt Kurt Kurt. Oh Kuuuurt~"

"Stop it!" Diana stood up and slammed her hands on the desk.

Papers flew everywhere as she heavily breathed in and out with a crimson face. Mia also noticed a slight tear forming in Diana’s eyes as she was being glared at.

"S-stop saying that name!" She shouted again.

"Ahahahahaha!"

"W-why are you laughing!"

"Because you’re being so cuuute~ Why are you blushing so hard after hearing that name, hmmm?" She walked up to Diana with a devilish smile and her hands behind her back.

"S-stay back!" She tried covering her face but Mia was too strong for her at that moment.

She easily moved and held her hands out of the way, once again saying, but in a sultry voice, "Kuuurt~"

Diana fell to her knees as she couldn’t hold in the embarrassment any longer.

"Oops!" Mia fell with her, "Diana~ Why are you so embarrassed?"

"I told you to stop saying that name..."

"But why? It’s just a name... Kurt~"

"Mia!" She pulled her hands free and stood up, "I’ve asked you many times to stop! So why won’t you?!"

"Oh, I’ll stop... As soon as you tell me why you’re so being so sensitive~"

"I’m not telling you! That’s none of your business!"

"Fine. I won’t ask you anymore."

"T-thank you." She looked relieved at hearing those words.

"... I’ll ask Wendy instead, hehehe!"

"No! Fine, I’ll talk, just don’t go to Wendy! Also, help me clean up first."

"Okie dokie!" She happily picked up the papers that were scattered everywhere.

Once she finished, which was freakishly fast, she grabbed her own chair and dragged it in front of Diana’s desk.

"So?" Mia asked like a child waiting to receive candy from her parents.

"So, what happened was... Do you remember that time I went to the docks and healed the young man who fainted?"

"Yes... *gasp* don’t tell me, was it Kurt?"

Diana nodded sheepishly with a blushed face.

"Also I didn’t tell you this but I also coincidentally met, or rather saw him, that very same day at Sophie’s Diner."

"Twice in one day?! Are you sure this isn’t the Goddess above showing you a sign rather than chalking it up to coincidence!?"

"I can promise you that this isn’t some divine being playing with fate here."

"Mmhm... So?"

"So what?"

"That can’t be all, is what! Do you seriously think I’d believe that you reacted so strongly after finding out your date turned out to be the same guy you ’coincidentally’ met twice on the same day?! Ha! I’m not that gullible."

"Shame for you then cause that’s it..."

"Hmm... Yes, such a shame... You know since the weather is so lovely today, I think I might visit Wendy. She keeps great company with all her stories~"

"Okay! Okay... I also met him last night at Sophie’s Diner. I went there to get some food but..."

"Buuut..." Mia listened closely.

"But I was... d-drunk, so I k-k-kissed him..."

......

tick tock

".... You what?" Mia was stunned.

"I-I said, I k-kissed him."

"While you were... drunk?"

"Mm." Diana nodded, not wanting to look at Mia.

After a minute of silence, Diana wondered why Mia hasn’t started laughing yet. She peaked to see what was wrong and what she saw washed away her embarrassment.

"Are you crying!?" She walked up to her to see if she was not hallucinating but to her surprise, she was indeed crying.

"Why are you crying!?"

"B-because *sniff* y-you finally found someone you *sniff* like~"

"W-who said I liked him?!"

"But look at you! *sniff* I’ve never seen you act so girly over a man *sniff* Never!"

"I don’t like K-Kurt! Hell, I barely know him!"

"Liar!"

"I’m not lying!"

"Then why are you so embarrassed to say his name?! Why did you kiss him?! The Diana Valentine I know would never allow a man to so much as get 20 centimetres near her face! Yet here you are telling me YOU initiated the kiss?! Get real Diana, you like him!"

"I was drunk! Mistakes can happen!"

"Liar!"

"I’m n-not lying!"

"Say his name without stuttering and turning red as a tomato then."

"...What?"

"Go on. Say his name without stuttering nor blushing. Do it then I’ll believe you and promise to drop this whole thing."

"Fine, I will, so you better stick to your word."

Mia nodded as she wiped away her tears.

"Suuuuu haaaaa," Diana took a deep breath and calmed her mind.

’Just relax your mind Diana. Think happy thoughts. Something that’s totally unrelated to him. You just have to say one word then everybody can move on...’

"Suuuuu haaaaa," She took another deep breath.

"Do you really have to take so many breaths over saying the name of the man you don’t like?"

"Be quiet!"

"Okay, yeesh"

’Ok Diana this is it. Just say his name without thinking about him. And without thinking about what happened... forget his stupidly handsome face...the way we held each other...the way he begged for more... the way we passionately kissed.... Just forget!’

"K"

Mia watched her intensely.

"K-Kurt~ *gasp*"

"Ha! I knew it! Look at you!" Mia jumped for joy

"No! That was a mistake! Let me do it again!"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"K"

Mia watched on with a smug expression as if knowing what the end result will be.

"K-Kurt~ *gasp* No–"

"Pfft Ahahahaha!"

"K-Kurt! K-Kurt! K-Kurt!" Try as she might, she couldn’t get to say his name without stuttering nor blushing.

"Ahahah I-I’m dying! Ohh my tummy hurts!"

"S-stop laughing!" Diana started to cry from the humiliation.

"Aaaahahahah!"

"K-Kurt! K-Kurt! K-Kuuurt~ Why cant I say it!"

"Diana," Mia put her hand on her shoulder, "Just admit it, you’re in love~"

"I’m in... love?"

"Yes. Say it with me now. I’m"

"I’m..."

"In love"

"In... love..."

"With"

"...With..."

"Kurt."

"...Kurt..."

"There you go! Now say it fully without stopping."

"I’m in love with...Kurt."

"Again!"

"I’m in love with Kurt."

"Louder! With confidence!"

"I’m in love with Kurt! I’m in love with Kurt! I’m in love with Kurt!"

It was as if something had clicked inside her heart and brain. This was the first time she ever felt this way towards a man. She was no longer embarrassed to say his name. In fact, she said it with an awful amount of affection instead.

"I’m in love with Kurt~" She held her cheeks as her eyes glazed over with longing.

"Err... Diana?" Mia looked at her with slight worry.

....

On the other side of the door was Austin who listened to her yell and that say name so lovingly.

’Again this fucking KURT! I’ll kill this bitch once I find him!’