Cheryl above. Love Katherine McNamara! ❤

Zayn dropped me home after that and I realized I was pretty late. I tried to sneak in without anyone knowing but being the ever so smart parents, my mom came out of the kitchen scaring me in the process.

'Yes, young lady? Thank God it's a Sunday tomorrow. I would have not let you in this late.'

'Mom? You would just shut me out?' I asked her in disbelief.

'I think,' she replied bluntly, 'Anyways, to your room now. Try not be late again.'

I nodded and ran off to my room and watched as Zayn glanced at my window one last time before speeding out the driveway. My heart rate paced just by thinking of all the time we spent together that day. It was to be cherished forever. Was this a new start? Was this going to last forever?

I tried my best to shake off the thoughts of Zayn for sometime to concentrate on changing and going to bed. I was scared this divided attention would affect my studies.

Monday came fast, I wanted to dress up more than I usually do. I woke up with a bright mood, took a quick shower and changed into my denim skirt and a white loose v neck full sleeved top. I tied my hair into a loose French braid and pat my lips with a light tint before heading downstairs.

'Bread,' I say and Harmony passes it on, I spread some Nutella on it and devour it before going outside to wear my dad was opening his car door.

'Why isn't mom up?' I asked him.

'Sleeping,' he said, 'She is ill. Had a fever so I told her to stay in bed and we could go to the doctor in the evening. Although she says it's a viral but still.'

I hum in response before a car pulls up at the driveway. White Ford Fusion. Zayn? He got out from his car and I eyed him questioningly. He chuckled and took me by the waist planting a kiss to my cheek whilst my dad looked at him skeptically.

'Zayn, my dad's here you know. Behind the car,' I told him and he walked up to my dad and shook his hand, coolly.

'How are you sir?' he said and my dad nodded shaking his hand strongly jerking it in the process, to which I laughed giving him a acknowledging nod.

'How about you?' he asked and Zayn gave his formal 'very well' reply before he asked the permission to take me to school with him. I gave him a flat face before diving into the passenger seat.

'You could have told me,' I said and he smirked.

'What's the fun in that?' he said slyly, 'And weren't you surprised?'

I smiled and hugged him, 'Yeah I was surprised. Thankyou.'

He started the car and the engine booked to life. 'I like you as my girlfriend. These frequent hugs and all. I enjoy that.'

'Shut up, you sound like some sort of creep,' I told him and he clicked his tongue.

'Yeah, but you're never going to loose that sass, will you?' he said and I chuckled, shaking my head.

We got to school in no time and I kissed him one last time on the cheek before going to my Maths class and greeting Stacie on my seat. 'So, Ryder got back to his routine of being late again?' I asked her amused.

She sighed, bored, 'He just had to.'

'Speak of the devil,' I said and nodded to the door, where Ryder entered. Stacie chuckled and shoved me lightly, 'My brother is an angel,' she said like a monk and I couldn't help but snort. 'Right.'

I went through the first half of the day quickly before heading to the canteen to get my lunch. I carried my tray to our table where Bella was already seated beside Ryder and Felicity was gagging at them as they kissed.

I chuckled, 'Fel, stop,' I told her and she smiled, acknowledging me. I nodded in response and sat down beside her. But we had to stand up and go outside the canteen because of all the commotion that attracted the students like bees to their nectar.

'What's happening?' I asked a few people while shoving my way through the crowd to the centre of attention. I heard a few mutters of 'Minerva' 'roasting' 'Gabe' and my heart could be called the happiest place on Earth when I saw what was happening. The rest of the gang had already circled the two and I watched in delight as Minerva really did what they said.

'Minerva you better shut up,' Gabe whined like an idiot and Minerva snorted.

'Why? Are you scared?'

'What? That is ridiculous. Of course I am not scared of you. You're just an ugly mass of shit.'

'Hah, your ass must be jealous of all the shit tahy comes out of your mouth,' she said and Zayn whistled from the corner. I chuckled.

'Wow. The oldest comeback of the world,' he said folding his arms above his chest.

'At least I got one. All you got is calling people shit when your brain can't come up with something better. Like honestly, how can someone be so brainless. A five year old could come up with better,' she said sassily moving her hands in the process. She didn't look like Minerva, she looked like someone confident, brave and headstrong. Like my mom.

This time I whistled and Gabe gave me a killing look, earning a hard smack on the head from Zayn. 'Don't,' Zayn said warningly and I felt all those butterflies fluttering. Gabe gave him a challenging look and Zayn raised an eye brow. Minerva was out of the situation now, it was Zayn and Gabe. Because of me. Lol.

'Let's go guys,' he told his minions and I laughed out loud. Of course he wasn't fighting Zayn, he was scared of him. Everyone was scared of how good he was. Zayn put a hand around my waist pulling me closer and I smiled at him. I turned around to look at Minerva and my eyes widened by her previous composure back to place. She was fiddling with the hem of her shirt and fixing her glasses.

'How?' I asked in disbelief. Before she could answer she was engulfed into a big hug by Anna and Bella fist pumped her. 'That was so so so cool! I video taped it all!' she exclaimed and I chuckled.

'Look,' she came to me and I have her a thumbs up. 'Minnie, how?' I asked.

'Your mom,' she said sincerely smiling in deep thought, 'She taught me all those comebacks I can use as weapons.'

'Why didn't she ever tell me all of these?' I asked.

'Because, you are smart enough to search them up on Google yourself,' Kacie piped in and I shoved her.

'I am smart enough to come up with them from my brain. But that was like the awesomest thing I have seen Minnie. Keep that up!' I said and she smiled.

We all headed back to the canteen to complete our lunch. But Grace came rushing into the canteen and hastily ate from my tray. I raised an eye brow and she signed me to wait a minute.

'I am fricking hungry!' she said with a mouth full of food. After she ate her full, which is like the appetite of a little robin bird, she said, 'Mr. Garrison wants you in his office, Cherry.'

'Ohkay,' I said my hopes all raised up, 'Where were you by the way?'

'I was with Miss Cynthia. It's a surprise, I am not telling anyone about it,' she said and I rolled my eyes and got up excitement bubbling up in the pit of my stomach. I glanced at Felicity, grinning slyly and she frowned at me before I left.

'You called Mr. Garrison,' I said and he nodded.

'I want to invite you to dinner today Miss Jones, you may bring along one or two friends. I want you to make your offer in front of my wife. She wants to see you because you resemble Hannah. And she wants to consider adopting,' he said coming straight to the point. He looked like he was in a good mood.

'Yeah? Okay,' I said excitedly, 'What about you? She considers adopting, what about you sir?'

He thought for a minute, 'I would also consider adopting if the girl you're talking about is really like you said. I don't want some angel, who's perfectly good. But I don't want a brat either.'

'Sir, she lives in an orphan house. Selfless, kind and helpful. There is no chance for her to be bratty. Also, I may bring her along so you can meet her and get to know her.'

'Is she my student?' he asked.

'She is,' I said, 'But I won't tell you which one. It's a surprise. Not many people know she's an orphan except of her friends. Be ready to be surprised.'

'Okay,' he said heartily and my joy was immeasurable.

I waved him a goodbye before asking the timings and walked into the canteen to find it empty. The bell had rung and the second one was about one minute later. So I quickly ran to my class.

The day went by quickly and I told mom about Mr. Garrison and Minerva. She was over the moon about Minerva's progress.

'I didn't expect her to do that so soon,' she said and I grinned.

'But she did,' I told her, 'And it's all yours effort.'

'Minerva's like a child to me,' she said, 'It makes me delighted to hear about this. I am going to treat her this weekend. You can join too, Cheryl. And so can Alice.'

'Okay. Alice may have some plans for the weekend. But I will join you guys.'

We got home and mom told me i should wear a blue pastel skirt and a white shirt and light brown coat to go with. So I just gave on her advice and put it on.

I called Felicity to tell her to be ready, and that I was taking her somewhere. And I told her to wear  something casual. Doing my minimal makeup at seven in the evening, i put on my pumps and asked dad to give me a ride to the orphan house and then to Mr. Garrison's.

We got to the address he had directed and Felicity frowned at me.

'What is this place Cheryl? Who's house is this?' she asked and I gave her cheeky grin.

'We're at Mr. Garrison's. He invited me over for dinner just to spend some time with his wife because I resemble their deceased daughter. I happily agreed and he said I could bring someone with me so I decided on you,' i told her. She looked a bit surprised at first but nodded. I didn't want to tell her that I had told them about adopting her, or that she was an orphan. As as much as I had talked over with Mr. Garrison, he was t going to bring up the adoption talk here.

We dismounted the car, and after waving my dad a goodbye and telling him that I'd come home with Zayn, he went away. I had the ride back with Zayn sorted out.

'Let's go?' I asked and she nodded before I rung the bell.

The door was opened by a petite old woman who had red hair and hazel eyes just like me.

'Are we in the future? Because she looks like she's you, only older,' Felicity muttered next to me.

I gave her a weird look, and waved at the woman who was now staring at us with a clueless expression, I couldn't really make out the words she whispered to herself but I guess she said 'Hannah'. So instead of staring back, I said, 'Hello Mrs. Garrison. We're Mr. Garrison's students, he invited us. May we come in?'

A warm smile made its way on her face and she knowingly nodded, engulfing me in a huge hug and repeating that with Stacie, giving us the way to enter. The house was cosy and welcoming. It had a light lime green interior with wide patterns on the living room walls. She guided us over to the couch and we made ourselves comfortable.

Very soon Mr. Garrison came into the living room and I shook his hand, 'Hello sir, how are you?'

'I am very well, Cheryl,' I gasped lightly because it was the first time he had called me from my first name and it was a minor shock. He looked at Felicity and now it was his turn to gasp, she raised her hand for a shake but he kept gazing at her for a few seconds. I was almost scared that he would not like adopting her but then he shook her hand and started grinning.

I chuckled and relief washed over me. We talked for a while and Felicity didn't really talk about her being an orphan at all. It was good, this habit of her told people that she didn't like to be pitied. Good. But Mr. Garrison was interested in her personality and so was Petunia, Mrs. Garrison.

'So do you like sports?' Petunia asked. Felicity scrunched her nose, 'Not really. I would rather play board games.'

Petunia's eyes sparkled on this and I sensed that Hannah must  have liked board games too. Itold them that I wasn't really into board games. I really wasn't, I would rather play sports, wait, no play instruments.

'Your dress is really pretty, Felicity, where did you get it?' she asked. Felicity looked down and said, 'Someone gifted it to me,' she answered not letting them know who. Of course it must be Sarah, their house manager, and owner.

'She always knows I like yellow and blue. And chooses according to my style,' Felicity fed, smiling. Petunia nodded, expression light and I sensed a good understanding building between them. Good. They are going to be future mother daughter, I thought.

'Who is that in the picture?' Felicity suddenly asked looking at the back of the sofa, Petunia was beseated on. There she was, 'Wait, Cheryl is that you?' she asked dumbly.

'Of course not,' I whispered gazing at the picture myself. I knew Hannah resembled me but I hadn't realized till now that we were almost identical. There stood a girl with hazel eyes, exactly my shade, wearing a white dress shirt and skirt, her copper hair into a pixie cut that was the only different I found in our appearance. My hair were pretty long, she cut it short, fashionable.

'Oh my God. She looks exactly like you,' she exclaimed in a low voice. I shrugged, 'I didn't notice,' I admitted and Petunia stared at us both. I could see water building up in her eyes but a few light blinks and it had disappeared.

'That is Hannah, my deceased daughter.  She died in a car accident when she was your age,' she told us. My heart broke at hearing the same story from a mother and Felicity's eye brows crinkled in sympathy.

'I am sorry,' she stated and Petunia shook her head, 'No, it's okay. She decided to have a pixie cut after her seventeenth birthday. This one was taken at the church. So shall we have dinner?' she asked her voice brightening up.

'Sure, where is Mr. Garrison?' I asked.

She giggled, 'Oh I am not really into cooking so Gary does it instead.'

'I inwardly cooed at the nickname and the cuteness. How I love the couple's who break the stereotypes. Men cook too and rather deliciously.

Mr. Garrison had made amazing Garden Chicken Cacciatore with rice which we devoured. It was pure heaven. I had never knew such a dish with such a name existed but it was good, really good and I just knew I had to irritate my mom to force her into making this again.

'Wow, the food's really good!' I exclaimed. Felicity nodded and said, 'It's amazing.'
Mr. Garrison's lips tug up a bit and he nodded. Petunia told us he had changed a lot after their daughter's death. He used to be jolly and happy around his darling but got very quiet. He was an introvert like Hannah before too but they used to be really talkative in eachother's company. She also told us that though Hannah had took up greatly on her features, her persona was much more like Mr. Garrison. So were her favourites. And Felicity seemed to share the interests too so I thought it was a perfect match.

After dinner, we had Cheesecake and I rubbed my hands before digging in. Felicity chuckled and took a little slice out of the cake, and delicately cut into it through a fork. I watched as she ate her cake through small bites and tapped her napkin on her lips to clean them softly. Then she drew her chair back a bit signing that she was done. I was looking very carefully and my mouth had opened a bit which she closed lightly.

'What happened, Cheryl?' she said.

'Ummmm, God. I feel so insecure right now. You are so civilised. I ate so rushed and my full because the food is good and you are being a gentle princess without even trying.'

She chuckled, 'Cheryl, you looked as civilised as me. Just more fun loving, and bold. You don't have to feel insecure.'

Petunia was eavesdropping at our shushed conversation to my amusement and she chuckled. 'Felecity is just like Hannah. She was also very gentle without trying. Always mannerable, princessy, civilised,' she said, 'not to mean that Cheryl isn't. I literally didn't see any difference in both of your eating habits but I can tell Cheryl is much more like me.'

'Like you?' I asked hoping that she'll continue. I had always liked talking to someone who feels like talking to me too. I like talkative people. I like quiet ones too but with talkative ones, you don't have to make all the efforts for conversing.

'Ummhmmm. Outgoing, ambivert if not extrovert. A social butterfly. But Felicity's more like Hannah or you could say Mr. Garrison, gentle, quiet, composed and an introvert.'

'Wow. You've got experience. That is how we are. And that ambivert part was true too,' I complimented and she beamed at the praise.

'So how did you both meet? Mr. Garrison and you? Opposites married?' I asked igniting some old memories and hoping we'd get our hands on some stories.

'Mr. Garrison. I would just call him Gary so don't get confused,' she said and I added, 'I think that is kind of cute. A nickname.'

She smiled genuinely. She looked around and started in a low voice so Mr. Garrison won't hear her. He was in the kitchen doing the dishes and he wasn't talking too much either. That was like we expected.

'We both were on a vacation with our families. And it was a public resort at Miami. So our rooms in the hotel were beside eachother's. Now Gary might seem like a quiet and composed person but what can I say, people couldn't really control flirtatious behaviour around me. Specially when I wore my black and red dress at a dinner party.' She winked and I chuckled, she was obviously self loving and confident. And I liked that, staying with Bella, I had to say I was used to of that. And she was just joking of course.

'So Gary was twenty three at that time and I was twenty one. We used to steal glances at eachother before the party when we talked for the first time. But I knew I was drawn to him because Gary was pretty handsome at that time. And I could see him glancing at me every now or then too.'

I whistled and Felicity chuckled. Petunia blushed a bit, God, she blushed! 'So when we talked, even though we had pretty much idea how the other one was. By listening to my constant loud laughs whenever I was around, talking to people I had never met before, he knew I was social and extrovert. And by the book in his hands, and his conversation staying limited to his younger brother I knew he was shy and sensible. But we still started to talk and constantly clicked despite of our differences and interests. We became good friends and even after the vacation ended we stayed in contact.

'To a business trip with my father in Toronto, I met Gary again and he happened to be the heir of a major  business company that we were partners with. While I was here we started a relationship and soon fell in love when my father left me here to see the dealings. He proposed to me and I accepted, but the two companies fell into a conflict and my father was adamant on letting us marry.'

I frowned and she laughed, 'And then we did a thing that will shock you.'

'What?' I asked getting excited.

'We ran away,' she said and grinned. I gasped, and squealed. 'That is epic!' I exclaimed and she chuckled shushing me.

'Mr. Garrison is that brave and so romantic!' I said and she nodded.

'Wow. That blew my mind,' Felicity said coming out of her trance, 'I couldn't imagine Mr. Garrison to have such a dreamy love story.'

'I know right,' she said, 'Now don't tell Gary I told this to you. Hannah literally went laughing all over the place. She was pretty composed for a teenager but she couldn't help let loose and be social with a mom like me. So she was pretty social too.'

'It was lovely talking to you Petunia,' Felicity said, 'Cheryl should we leave now? It's getting pretty late.'

'Yeah, I'll call Zayn,' I said.

'I had this much fun after many months. The last time I had this much fun was with our neighbor last year. She was my friend and we had a party. But she moved away, sadly. I hope you girls come again.'

I nodded, 'Sure thing. We will, and I am going to invite you to my house too, and you'll have to come.'

'Of course,' she said and Felicity nodded smilingly. We both hugged her as Mr. Garrison came out and I could not help but smile at him mischievously. He didn't know we knew his oh-so-breathtaking love story. He frowned at me and we both shook his hand.

Zayn opened the passenger door and I slid in while Felicity went back. 'Hey Felicity, I didn't know you would be here.'

'Hey,' she said quietly.

He frowned at her and then looked at me, kissed my cheek and started the car.

'So who's house was this?' he asked.

'He didn't know?' Felicity asked and I shook my head.

'Mr. Garrison's,' I answered, 'I need to tell you so much about this dinner. And so does to everyone.'

Felicity chuckled, 'Don't tell Bella. Or the whole school will know.'

'Hey, it's my best friend you're talking about,' Zayn and I said at the same time and started laughing.

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