"We cannot change the past, but we can start a new chapter with a Happy Ending"
~ʜᴀᴩᴩy ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ qᴜᴏᴛᴇ.

•••

He sat there, with a blank expression, watching every mouth seated move, he wasn't quite getting what their discussion was. Instead, all his thought drifted to where Joanna might be. He knew she was just making up an excuse with the Cherry thing, but why? So I won't go with her? Probably?. He thought.

Or she's with him....

He came with another assumption but he didn't want to think about that, so he let his mind stick to his first opinion. Besides, I think she hates me...

"Son, so what do you think?" Joanna's Dad halted his thoughts, "Err yes, yes" He said without reckoning, making it known to The Jones, his mind was somewhere else. "Ah, nevermind that, I'm sure you would agree with me anyways" He smiled, then faced his clients, "So that is that Mr. Kapoor, it is agreed then, we would shoot the advert, Mishael and my daughter would be doing it...... And for that new face, you'd need for the movie, I'd try and see if I can get one. No need for worries"

"Thank you, Mr. Jones, the contract is all yours, we would like to take our leave now if you don't mind" The man in a white shirt, purple tie, and a grey suit, said, with a wide grin as his blue eyes shown bright with joy. He stood tall with his head high, hair sleeked and brushed to the back. He couldn't have gotten a much better person to offer the contract to.

"Ah, I don't mind, but you have to take this box of cookies with you, sorry we couldn't offer you anything," Jones said politely, delighted with the way things turned out, handling the box as his client took it gently, nodding his head in approval.

"It's no problem, Mr. Jones, it's strictly business. Thanks for this, goodbye" He said, walking with his assistant behind him, out of the house, leaving The Jones with wide grins and of course Mishael with a confused and lost look. What ad? With Joan? He thought, this should be interesting, His confused look turning softly to a smirk on his face.

"Hey Family!........ Arrogant" Joanna​ entered through the front door, as she drops her car keys into Elve's right palm, glared at Mishael -what is he still doing here- before finally turning her gaze to her parents. "Guess I missed something," She said, noticing the delighted faces, "So, anyone talking? Bossy?" Now she was really curious. "Princess, dinner first," Her Mother, with a glint of delight in her eyes said, as she turned to her. Later, she signaled to the butler who had been standing in front of her, waiting for instructions.

He quickly understood what she meant as he signaled to the two maids to help him out and they began to place the food from the kitchen, which they had prepared earlier, on the already half-set table for the family dinner. They all sat in the sitting room, as silence filled the room, waiting for the maids to finish up.

Since it was an awkward silence, "So where exactly were you, Joan?" Mishael decided to break it. He leaned close to Joan -as they were seated on the wider couch -and half-whispered. "Sometimes I wonder if you are dumb, where were your ears-?" She stated, whispering back as she made sure she looked straight at her parents, we don't want them getting the wrong ideas, but was interrupted.

"Don't give me that crap of an excuse, I know you didn't go for any shopping if you did, where were the shopping bags? You didn't want me to go with you right? That's fine......but....where were you?"

"I went out for a stroll, yes, I didn't want you with me, yes and how's it your business with were I go? So now you would tell me where to go and where not to go?" She wanted to say it loud but she couldn't, considering her parents were just right in front of them.

"Yeah, I think I deserve to know, you're mine" He blurted out, his face flushed as he realized what he had just said. "I-i'm.....-"

"What did you just say?" She asked confused, thinking she had started hearing things, she pretended to clean her ear with her index finger and asked again. "Err, I didn't mean that... I mean we are friends, right? So I deserve to know, right, but is you don't want to tell me it's fine" He returned to whispering calmly, suppressing his emotions.

"Oh..... Right we are friends?" When did this happen, oh God I don't want to be friends with Mr. Arrogant She trailed off, turning her gaze to him as she thought quietly, then turned her gaze back to her parents "I went to-"

"Dinner is served, madam" one of the maids announced, cutting Joanna off. "Come on children, you can chat later, dinner first. Mrs. Jones said. The family moved from the sitting room to the dining room. "Will you stop dragging your feet on the floor?" Mishael asked frustrated. "What's it to ya-" Mishael interrupted her by placing her on his shoulder. "arhhh, put me down! Fool!" He ignored her attempt to free herself and put her on the chair, so she was seated. Everyone laughed except Joanna, he had the look that could kill.

"You-" she was about to say when the sweet smell hit her nose, her face softened into a wide grin. I'm not done with you yet Arrogant. She saved her revenge for later, right now, food was more important to her, as they all sat in the dining table, each chewing and savoring every bite of their food, they had chicken pasta and salad.

Mishael decided to look up for the first time since they'd started eating, his eyes caught Joanna's gaze. Had she been watching me? His lips twitched upward to a smirk as he mouthed, "take a picture, it'd last longer" softly and quietly, as he looked at her, she was seated opposite him. His body jolted, from the impact of the pain on his leg, Joanna had kicked him and quickly covered up with a smile.

He looked at her again, his smirk turning to a frown. As he decided to do the same -"is anything the matter?" Mrs. Jones said, halting his plan, "you look like you could kill a cat" yeah if I get that chance. "Err, nothing ma, the food is just really tasty, reminds me of my mom's, she was- It's been long I had homemade food" He said as he dipped his head low to stare at the food on his plate, it wasn't a lie, the food did remind him of her at the same time he didn't want to remember.

"It must be really hard for you son,"

'Yeah' he muttered, still not daring to look at anyone, Joanna had a surprising look, how did I miss this tiny detail about him? Here I was thinking his life was perfect. She sighed, finishing the last pieces of steak on her plate before pushing back to stand.