Tonight

Chapter 16

Dianne sniffled, brushing the rogue tears off her cheeks as she ducked under the tent flap that led into the shared bunk area she and her friends were staying in. She hoped with all her might that Oti and Amy would be anywhere but in their corner of the tent, but her heart sank as she saw her friends huddled together on a bed, giggling over something on their phones in the early daylight. Avoiding eye contact, Dianne shuffled in, immediately reaching for a pair of pajamas to change into and ignoring the silence that had descended over the room.

"Er, Di?" Oti's soft voice interrupted the silence as Dianne let her wet skirt and bra fall to the floor with a less-then-lovely squelch, pulling on a baggy tee and joggers in their place.

Ignoring her friends, Dianne climbed into her bunk, pulling the duvet up over her head and turning away from them.

"Dianne," Amy spoke, her voice a bit sharper than Oti's. Dianne remained silent. "Dianne, where have you been?"

"Leave her alone," Oti hissed, while Amy grumbled to herself. "She clearly doesn't want to talk."

"I just want to make sure she's okay," Amy whispered, "She's been with Joe Sugg all night...she looks like a complete mess...what if he did something to her..."

Dianne rolled her eyes under the covers, slightly hating herself for wanting to defend the boy who had just broken her heart, but nonetheless pulled the covers down and glared at her friends, "Will you two kindly shut up?"

She watched as Amy and Oti watched her in shock, their eyes narrowing as they took a good look at her tear stained face. "See," Amy nodded, "I knew it. Joe did something to her."

"He didn't do anything to me," Dianne rolled her eyes, turning her back toward them again, before adding under her breath, "Besides break my heart."

"What was that?" Oti questioned, causing Dianne to curse her unbelievable hearing.

"Nothing," Dianne sighed, turning back over to look at her friends who were still staring at her, concern etched in all their features. "I'm fine, seriously. Just exhausted."

"Oh no," Amy interjected before she turned away again. "You can't show up half dressed, soaking wet, crying, holding handcuffs that were previously attached to you and a rock star, and say you're fine."

Oti nodded in agreement, "We know you're not fine."

Dianne groaned, reaching up to rub her tired eyes, before realizing she was still clutching the handcuffs in her hand. She hadn't even realized she had taken them in to bed with her. Dropping them onto the duvet as if she'd been burned, she stared at them, the memories from the last 16 hours flying through her mind as she relived every angry exchange, flirtatious glance and passionate kiss she and Joe had shared.

"Dianne," Oti stood up and sat down on the bed next to her, curling up and laying her head onto the pillow. "Are you okay?"

Dianne took in a shaky breath, the question catching her off guard. She wasn't okay, she knew that. She wasn't okay in this moment, and she felt like she might never be okay again. Shaking her head back and forth, she let a soft sob rip out of her throat, dropping her head into her hands as she felt both Amy and Oti wrap their arms around her, hugging her tightly.

---

"Bro, what the fuck was that?" Caspar's voice sounded a million miles away to Joe as he stood still, staring at the side of the tent Dianne had just disappeared through. Wordlessly, he turned around, looking back toward Caspar who was staring at him incredulously.

"And I repeat," Caspar continued, "What the fuck was that? Did I just hear you right? Did you just say you don't want to lose Dianne?"

Joe nodded, still at a loss for words as he walked over to the bed and sat down heavily.