chapter 29

It's been 2 weeks since Blake and I started dating and things have never been better.

Mia was beyond excited when i told her about it and kept telling me how amazing she is as cupid's assistant. She and James have been stronger than ever and I'm expecting a call from them soon enough with news of a baby on the way.

Work at the restaurant has been smooth. Bailey hasn't tried talking to me again except the occasional glares and snares but I really don't care and as for Thomas, we don't speak.

Sadly, Debby's break would soon be over and she'll have to go back to college in a week's time but we're making sure all the moments we spend together as a family are classic.

"Mel, someone's calling!" Debby sings as I get out of the shower, drying my hair. She smirks at me while answering the call.

"Debby!!!" I yell running after her.

"Oh yeah! She just showered- she'll look dashing as usual!" she says to whom I suppose is Blake.

"Debby once I get you, you're dead meat." I yell still running after her in noting but a towel.

"In 30 minutes? Of course, that won't be a problem at all. She's sending you hugs and kisses." She says hanging up and smiling innocently at me. "Blake says, get ready in 30 minutes he's coming to pick you up. He also says he'll get the hugs and kisses in person." She says with a wink, while I glare at her. "You're welcome."

"You're lucky I need you to help me get dressed." I mumble while snatching my phone from her.

~~~~~

About 20 minutes later, I'm dressed in a fancy red dress that ends directly above my knees with black stilettos and jewelries. Debby helps make me up lightly with mascara, eyeliner foundation and red lipstick.

Once she's done, she whistles and directs me to the mirror- I looked dashing!

I grin at Debby as someone rings the doorbell- that should be Blake. "Thanks." I say, blowing her a kiss and grabbing my black clutch.

"Hey." I greet once I open the door. Blake's mouth hangs open as he takes in my appearance before snapping himself back to reality.

"Hi. You look... Magnificent." He completes after struggling to find the right word which makes me chuckle. "You look perfect. Shall we?" he asks, offering his right arm.

"Yes, we shall." I reply, walking with him once I shut the door.

DEBBY'S POV

I have to pretend I'm okay with them dating but I'm a hundred percent not in support. It feels like I'm betraying Dianna since I know Blake is Nicholas. I've been hoping she'll figure it out but she hasn't which I'm partly happy and partly sad about.

When she told me about Blake asking her out, I called him him immediately asking what the hell he thought he was doing cause it's going to make things worse when she finds out. It has taken all the power in me not to expose him but I don't want to see Dianna broken again- this whole situation is really messed up.

Whenever he comes around to take Dianna out, I give him a disapproving look silently letting him know he should tell her soon enough.

I have no idea if mum and dad know cause they seem cozy around him and I pretty sure if they know about it, they'd make him end everything immediately.

I groan into Dianna's pillow tired of thinking of the whole situation- The problem is Blake's and he better handle it sensibly...

DIANNA'S POV

It's presently 6:45pm- Blake had a meeting to attend to when we got to his office by 6pm and it would end by 7pm. He let his secretary know that I'm around and to make sure I'm comfortable here.

His office is huge and homey; not to mention the whole building- he works really hard for his company and it shows. I move around feeling everything he has here. There's a framed picture of us on his desk which makes me smile as my heart flutters.

'You do love him, don't you?' The voice that usually bugs me, asked for the umpteenth time.

That question scares me. Cause I have a feeling the answer is yes but I don't want to admit it. We only started dating two weeks ago- it's definitely too early to be in love with him.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when I hear a knock on the door.

"Yes?" I ask, walking towards the door. It isn't 7pm yet so it wouldn't be Blake and there's no reason for him to knock before entering his own office.

"Hi. Sorry to bother you." His secretary, Lisa apologized while popping her head in. "Could you please help me check the second drawer for some files? They have 'Damieno Ltd' endorsed on the front page." she smiles politely while I return one back.

"Sure." I follow her directions as I pull open the drawers. Going through a ton of files, I find Nicholas Blake Starks written on them- the name sounds familiar and I get lost in a trance trying to figure out where I've heard them before.

"Nicholas Blake Starks?" The English teacher called out as usual, taking the attendance. For some odd reason, she preferred calling all our names.

"Present." He answered, looking at me with a smile. I smiled back genuinely at the only guy who didn't think I was a loser and was willing to be my friend no matter the odds.

"Dianna Melissa Amore." She called after five other names.

"Present." I answered as some people snickered. I ducked my head a bit before glancing at Nicholas- he was looking right at me while mouthing 'don't mind them' which I nodded to, mouthing a 'thank you' back.

No, no. It can't be him! They are two completely different people.

I shake my head trying to sort out my thoughts till I spot something that makes my heart drop- the box. The box with the jewelry I had made. I take it out while opening it with shaky hands.

Nicholas...

Stuck- that's exactly how I feel. I can't move- I can't stand. I stare in shock at the jewelry I made years ago. I have no idea when I started shaking violently out of anger, disbelief, hurt and disgust; disgust because he deceived me... Again.

"Dianna... " I hear him call though I don't know how long I've been staring at the jewelry. He's probably within eyesight of the jewelry since he doesn't say anything again. "Lisa, leave." I hear him say before the door is shut.

"Dianna plea... " He starts, holding my hand but that only makes anger surge through me as I jolt and yank my hand away.

"Please what?!" I throw the box and jewelry as I look at him. "Please f**king what?!" I ask again. "You're Nicholas aren't you?!" I ask, saying his name with disgust- I can feel my eyes twitch in anger. He is obviously taken back by my rage as he moves back at first but tries to come closer.

"Don't! Don't even DARE. Don't dare come close to me... Don't touch me, don't call me, just get away from me." I yell getting my clutch from the couch frantically, unaware of the tears streaming down my face.

"Dianna please wai... " He starts as he holds me back. I turn around and slap him- hard.

"I said DON'T!" I repeat breaking free of his grasp, as I take in the image of him holding his cheek in shock. I shake my head, slamming the door on my way out.

Great! Just great!! Like the first time wasn't enough!!

I sit on Nich and I's usual table where we sat as outcasts. He could easily fit into the cool kids group but he stays with me and I'm really grateful for that.

It was quite odd he wasn't here yet- he usually gets here first. I shrug opening my lunch pack as I begin digging in.

Lunch time was almost up and he still wasn't here. I look around all the tables and my heart drops when I find him sitting on the cool kids table.

Maybe he's discussing an assignment?

I duck my head, eating silently. Whatever it is, he'll definitely tell me after lunch. I shrug it off despite having a bad feeling cause he never looked my way throughout our classes today and that wasn't like him.

Soon enough, lunch time ended and I spotted him walking away which made me furrow my eyebrows. Without thinking, I run up to him.

"Hey Nich." I call on reaching him while panting. "Is everything alright?" I ask, trying not to pay any attention to those glaring at me.

"Of course, why would you think otherwise?" He asks coldly, staring into my eyes which makes me frown.

"Well, you didn't come to the table today and you didn't speak to me during class." I say, playing with my fingers.

Suddenly, I hear him laughing which makes me look at him confused as other joined him.

"Grow up, would you?" He retorts, walking off with the rest. I watch him walk away in unbelief. I was hurt- really hurt and I tried not to cry but I thought he might have just been having a bad day.

I was so very wrong. After that day, the Nich I knew and was best friends with was gone. The Nich I witnessed was the one who bullied me too, laughed at me and made me feel inhumane. He made school unbearable the week he became a monster and I often ran to the restroom during breaks to bawl my eyes out.

I still believed he'd change. Whenever I saw the bracelet he made me, it gave me hope but the hope faded away when I heard he'd moved away- I thought everything would go back to normal again when he eventually apologized but he never did.

Long story cut short, I was stupid...

Awwww! So so... It's slowly coming to an end though. *sigh* 😁😁