When two paths cross

Twenty-Five

It was the next day and Dianne was getting ready for school. She was quite worried incase anything happened, she hadn't been in for about 3 week, 2 of them everyone was off for but as she took most of the last week of school off, she felt like she hadn't been in for ages. She knew she would be safe with Joe but she also knew that anything could happen.

"DOT, JOES HERE!" Rina shouted up the stairs to her daughter. Dianne walked down, holding her tie in her hand and looking as if she could fall asleep any second.
"Aww bless you, you look shattered." Joe said as he saw Dianne.
"Thanks, can you do this, I've not got the energy." Dianne said handing Joe her tie. He took it off her and helped her put it on.
"You ready to go?" Joe asked, Dianne nodded.
"Bye mum. Bye dad." Dianne said giving them both a hug and then headed out.

"How are you? Apart from tired?" Joe asked, he hadn't seen Dianne since she got back from Australia.
"Good, but I am still jet lagged. It normally takes me about a week to get over it properly." Dianne laughed.
"Bless ya, your very tanned though. You look gorgeous." Joe said giving her a side hug as they walked.
"Thanks. I missed you. My whole family know about you and all want to meet you. All 16 thousand of them." Dianne laughed.
"I missed you too. And I can't wait to meet them all one day, all 15 Joes aswell." Joe said making Dianne laugh. To Joe, she didn't seem that worried about going in which he thought was a good sign.

"Joey." Dianne said as they walked through the gates.
"Yeah Dot." Joe said softly.
"Can I stay with you now? And can you move next to me in form." Dianne said.
"Yeah of course, are you tired? Did you sleep much last night?" Joe asked her.
"No, I fell asleep around 12 and then woke up at 2 so I had about 2 hours of sleep and have been up since then. And back in Australia now it's around 4pm." Dianne said.
"2 hours, no wonder you look shattered. But yeah I'll stay with you, do you want to go into the canteen and we can get some food? Have you eaten yet?" Joe asked.
"No, too tired to eat." She said
"Well let's go and get you something. Even if it's just a piece of toast." He said, she nodded and they walked into the building. Dianne's friends were sat down so once Joe had bought Dianne some food they went and sat down with them .

"How was Australia! Your really tanned." Ashley said.
"It was really good. I miss it already." Dianne said.
"I'm sure you do, the pictures you put on the group chat looked amazing." Stacey said. "How are you Joe?" She asked.
"I'm good thanks. Just making sure this one doesn't drop off. Proper jetlagged aren't you little one?" Joe said, Dianne nodded. "Can you eat the toast please." Joe asked Dianne as she still hadn't eaten the food.
"I feel sick though Joe." Dianne said.
"Because your jetlagged, just the toast please Dot, even just half of it." Joe said, Dianne gave in and ate half of the toast.
"Do you want the rest?" Dianne asked Joe, he nodded and ate it.
"That's the bell, shall we get going to form?" Joe said, everyone nodded and got up. Dianne's friends weren't in her form but she was with Joe.
"I'll see you in Spanish D." Ashley said as they headed off their separate ways to form.

"Hello you two, Dianne it's nice to see you back." Their form tutor said as they walked in.
"Hiya miss. Is it possible for me and Di to sit next to eachother, she needs someone to keep her awake." Joe asked making Dianne laugh slightly.
"Of course, I'll move Heidi from next to you Joe to next to Toff, I'm sure she'll be fine. So Dianne how was Australia?" She asked, they were aware she had gone due to Dianne not shutting up about it on the last few days she was in.
"It was so good. I love being in Australia, it's home so it's amazing. I miss it so much already." Dianne said.
"I bet you do, you do look shattered though sweetheart, is jet lag killing you?" She asked .
"Yeah massively, I only got 2 hours of sleep last night." Dianne said, yawning as she said it.
"Oh gosh, just take it easy today. And if you need to go home, go home." She said, Dianne nodded.

"EWWW SHES BACK!" Toff shouted as she walked into form. Their tutor had walked out to go and speak to a different teacher so there was no adult in the room.
"Shut It Toff." Joe said, Dianne didn't seem to react at all.
"Can't the clown speak for herself. Should have stayed in Australia! We didn't want you back!" Toff said as she sat down in her seat next to Heidi.
"Toff leave it!" Byron said from across the room. Joe looked over at him and mouthed thank you.
"No I won't! She should have stayed in Australia! We don't want you here Dianne! Your not even listening!" Toff said, however as she finished, the teacher walked back in so everyone went quiet. Joe was still worried as Dianne didn't react in anyway at all.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked her, catching her out of her gaze, she just nodded. "You know, no one agrees with her. And I love you, so much." Joe told her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. I love you too." Dianne said back and then started looking at the sheet they had all been given.