"I'd heard the story, but I never believed it until I saw her first love. Even at 60, he had a captivating presence that drew attention. They stared at each other for over 5 minutes, and I had to interrupt. Scoffing, I said, 'Hello, I'm Merida.'"
"Oh dear," said Reverend Father Thomas, looking at me like he saw my grandma. *He stared at her for 5 minutes, and then at me for 10 minutes*. I needed to interrupt again, asking him, "Am I that eye-catching to stare at?" He came to his senses and said, "Oh, I'm really sorry, my dear. You reminded me of your grandmother when she was young; she looked just like you. I was caught in the past."
*"You look just like your grandmother,"* he said, and it was absolutely true. I took after my grandmother; I never looked like my father or mother. To be honest, I only knew them in photos, as they died in a car crash. *My grandmother was everything to me*, and agony was never an option in my life.
"Moments passed by as I munched on a chocolate cookie in the balcony while my grandma Lucy and Reverend Thomas were having the time of their lives. I was lost in thought, wondering why I was even there. My eyes narrowed as I saw a car entering the gate, and the watchman hurried like President George Bush was on his way! My breath caught the instant I saw him – it was the very first day I saw him, and he looked like an angel.
"He was approaching me, and, well, you know how women are... I made sure I looked good, of course! I didn't run like a crazy person in love; I walked like a princess, holding onto my pride... only to lose it all when I caught a glimpse of his smile. His face turned towards me, and he said, 'Hello,' and that's it – my whole world blossomed with roses! Reverend Thomas was calling me out, but I didn't hear his voice; I was floating on cloud nine... in my case, surrounded by
*Finally, my ears perked up as Reverend Father's voice broke through, "Merida, are you here?"* I blushed under the serious gaze of everyone. *"Yes, I am,"* I stammered. The reverend continued, *"This is Kevin Hart. He'll be staying with us, and I expect you to be good friends. You'll both be homeschooled."*
*My heart sank* as the words hit me like a ton of bricks. *"He's going to stay with us?"* I thought, *"But wait, homeschooled?!"* My expression turned blunt as I struggled to process the news. *I wasn't sure if Kevin was someone I could mess with*. Why had he chosen homeschooling? *Doubts clouded my mind as I eyed Kevin warily*.
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