The Monday morning dread was a familiar weight, but this one felt particularly heavy. I'd spent the weekend with Diamond, and even though those moments were often filled with an odd sort of electricity, they had also been… confusing. A strange undercurrent of something I couldn't quite name. I chalked it up to stress, because my life was never normal and tried to brush it off as we both got dressed for school. We were heading down for breakfast when I heard the chatter and saw the mess of food on the table.
Hannah, the Kaminari's maid and also kind of our unofficial family, stood beaming beside a stack of elaborately decorated pancakes. "Congratulations!" she chirped, causing Kenji to spit out his coffee. Diana gasped while Denki squealed.
"Uh, what are these for?" I asked, my white hair practically bristling.
Hannah's grin widened. "For you and Diamond officially becoming a couple!"
My face flushed crimson, matching Diamond's, as we both vehemently shook our heads. "No, no, no," Diamond sputtered, her voice tight. "We're not dating. We're just friends."
Silence fell over the table, thick and uncomfortable. I sighed, the weight settling deeper into my chest. "I'm actually dating someone else," I added, not really wanting to share my personal life with them, but feeling that I had to do something to fix the misunderstanding.
The room felt slightly less awkward as everyone finally moved on. Hannah looked embarrassed, Diana and Denki slightly disappointed, and Kenji just looked utterly bewildered. The breakfast proceeded with a slightly subdued energy, the initial excitement deflating like a punctured balloon. We ate quickly, and soon I found myself in my car, Diamond beside me, Denki in the back. Me and diamond had a free morning due to classes being canceled so we just dropped denki off.
"So, this morning was… weird," I said, finally breaking the silence.
Diamond nodded, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. "Yeah."
"Want to go to Jewls?" I asked, knowing how much the mall lifted her spirits.
"Really?" she said, her face lighting up. "Yes! Please."
Jewls was a massive mall, and it wasn't just any mall. Diamond's uncle, someone who was always distant, built it for her when she turned three. No matter how far he was, no matter if they didn't talk for months, he always made sure to try his best with her. As we pulled up, security guards bowed to Diamond as we entered. Everyone here knew who she was, the young heiress of the establishment. We wandered from shop to shop, enjoying the feeling of normalcy, before settling at the café bar. We sipped on mocktails—blueberry for Diamond, strawberry for me—and laughed, talked, and just enjoyed each other's company. These simple moments of friendship were the ones I treasured most.
Around eleven, we headed back to campus for some training before gym class. Training was always a pain because we were usually prohibited from using our quirks, and today was no exception. It was just a basic fitness test – running, jumping, push-ups, all the physical labor. By the time we were done, I felt like I'd run a marathon, though there was a strange satisfaction to it. After hot showers, I stepped out of the locker room, and my blood went cold.
Diamond was pinned against the wall by Ryan, the school's resident popular jock. My control snapped, the years of Superman's power pulsing through my veins. I lunged forward, grabbing Ryan by the collar and landing a punch square on his jaw. He tumbled backward, his lip piercing and braces scraping against my knuckles.
"Anos, it's not worth it," Diamond said, her voice a calming melody, as she grasped my arm. My knuckles were bruised and bleeding, but I pulled myself away from Ryan. We walked away from the gym area, leaving Ryan on the ground.
We sat at a table outside, Diamond examining my hand with cool intensity. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle.
I sighed, shaking my head. "I don't know what came over me."
"You're always like this, Anos," she said, her eyes meeting mine. "So protective of the people you care about."
I nodded, understanding her words but not quite comprehending the depth of my reaction, not fully at least. "I dont know diamond, that was different..."
She sighed softly. "Because of everything this weekend, I can tell you're still thinking about it."
I fell silent, she was right, yet I felt as if I was just looking at a problem that my mind couldn't solve, something that didn't make any sense. I had no idea why the tension was making me feel so conflicted. I changed the subject. "Hey, I'm not going to make the fourth period. Can you tell Sensei?"
She nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. "Why? Is everything okay?"
I sighed. "Yeah, but I'm going to see a therapist." Her eyes went wide with surprise, but then softened into a mix of relief and pride.
"That's great, Anos," she said, her voice earnest. "I hope it helps, okay?"
"Thanks for today," I said quietly, packing up my things.
Diamond smiled, a rare flash of genuine warmth. "Yeah, anytime and thanks for putting that jerk in place."
I smiled back "Anytime." And with that, I left her there. I walked to my car, my head swimming with jumbled thoughts. Why did I feel this way? Why did the simple act of someone encroaching on Diamond make me react so violently? I did not understand, and hoped my therapy appointment would help.