Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 54: Where is Maxim?

Chapter 54: Where is Maxim?

And her usually calm and easygoing sister looked really angered this time.

When she was young, Diana thought her mother loved them and one day, she would stop hitting them everytime she was angry.

Now, she still believed that the woman loved them. But her anger issues... There were times when she wanted to go against her mother.

The best? The woman would probably understand her point of view or at least she won’t raise her hand again.

The worst? Diana would be kicked out if her father did not back her up and she was not sure if her father would do that.

All these years, the distance between them has only been growing with him being busy with his work and her trying her best to stay away from her parents.

Daisy rebelling all the time was enough to tick them off and Diana did not know whether her tantrums would be tolerated too.

It might be cowardly of her to think this but she did not want to face such harsh consequences.

She was barely 19 and as much as she wanted to be like the female leads she read about in the fictional books, as much as she step out of that abusive household, she did not know if she could rely on herself to survive.

Rather than struggling to eat thrice a day on the streets like a beggar, it was easier to get hit once in a few weeks and live in the perfect fairytale. Wasn’t it?

After all, she was not a female lead and this was not a fiction where she could make money overnight and tackle every obstacle thrown her way.

The reality was harsh. People suffered and tolerated worse, didn’t they?

Diana pulled the blankets up and rubbed her eyes repeatedly with the soft material.

She turned to the side to turn the bedside lights off. Her gaze drifted off to the extra chocolate pudding kept on the coffee table.

She glanced at the ceiling and blinked a few times before she walked towards the coffee table.

She picked up the chocolate pudding and sat on the couch, huddling in a corner as she started eating, her gaze occasionally flicking towards her wrist.

...

The next day, Maxim did not show up at the university. It has been happening in a row. If he was around for one day then he was not around for a week.

And while Diana was good with writing the notes for him, what bothered her was that he needed a minimum attendance percentage to be able to sit in the exams.

In the end, she decided to visit his place.

’’Oh my, Little Ana, are you here for dinner with Maxim?" Maxim’s mother greeted her with a warm smile as she hugged her.

Diana swayed as the woman moved from left to right while holding her in a crushing hug, ’’I was actually here for him, Aunty. I—’’

’’That reminds me. Where is my unfilial son?"

As Hazel released her, Diana felt like her body had gone numb, ’’Aunty..." What did she mean by where is Maxim?

It was past 9 pm.

’’Didn’t he stay over last night at your place? Is he planning to stay there tonight as well? And he did not even tag along with you,’’ Hazel placed her hands on her hips, ’’But whatever it is, he should not have let you come out alone at this hour.’’

’’Oh... He... He sent me to inform you,’’ Diana blurted the first thing that came to her mind which was consumed by chaos, ’’We tried to call you but it didn’t go through and he has been busy with my assignments,’’ she made a face as if she was embarrassed.

’’You know I am more than happy that you are studying together. He just took a few clothes with him but I would not mind if he just takes his whole luggage and moved there to help you,’’ Hazel winked at her playfully, ’’I was just worried that you kids are not taking care of yourselves. He has been doing this for the past few weeks and he comes home, looking like a vampire. Are you pulling all-nighters?" There was some meaningful glint in the woman’s eyes at the mention of all-nighters.

But Diana could not dwell on it given her running thoughts, ’’Yes, we have been studying a lot,’’ she smiled.

’’Study. Study everything,’’ Hazel smiled, ’’How is Little Izzy? She hasn’t visited me in so long!"

’’Daisy left yesterday...’’ after we fought.

Diana was well aware that Daisy was right about a lot of things. But stating the obvious problems was one thing and finding effective solutions was the other.

While Daisy was short-tempered, straightforward, and impulsive, she was the rational one most of the time. So, Diana felt like they had found quite some balance in there.

Hazel gasped suddenly, ’’Look at me, I am talking to you in this hallway. Come inside—’’

’’Ah, Aunty, I need to leave,’’ Diana waved quickly, ’’I have to catch up to him.’’

’’Alright, ask him to give me a call before he comes home. I will leave the food for him before I leave for work.’’

Diana shouted a ’Yes’ without turning around to look at her.

As soon as she was out of the apartment building, Diana pulled out her phone and called Maxim again and again but the call did not go through no matter how much she tried.

And just like that, another sleepless night and she turned up at the university with even more evident dark circles.

It wasn’t until the last class did Maxim show up.

The squealing and giggling of girls in the surroundings ensured that.

Without giving it a second thought, Diana grabbed her bag and walked out of the ongoing lecture, which was a first-time occurrence in her life.

And true enough, credit to the excited squeals, it did not take her long to find Maxim cornered by a bunch of girls.