Tinkering Hearts

Chapter Thirty-One

Sicre

Six years later

There's a kid in my car. She looks about five. 

I only left my car for five minutes to grab my daily caffeine. The next thing I see in my passenger seat is this little girl smiling with her two huge buck teeth. She has bushy brown hair and a dark shade of green eyes. 

"Who are you?" I ask, accusingly.

"Who are you?" probably-Hermione asks.

"You are in my car."

"Oh," probably-Hermione says. She takes a quick breath through her mouth as if she's about to give a huge explanation and continues, "My aunt is being annoying, mister. She isn't buying me ice cream from that ice cream van. She says my teeth will come late if I have one. I know she's lying. All those children are getting one and they've got teeth." She points to the ice cream van in Central Park.

"Where is your aunt?" 

"I don't knowww," she says, stretching her words mischievously. "Probably searching for me in the park."

"Oh my God..." I facepalm. 

"Can I get one ice cream? Pleaseeeee?"

"No."

"Pretty pleaseeee?"

"No."

She puts on a puppy face and looks at me with her cute little eyes. I think I saw them sparkle. Although I can't help but notice her face. She has a resemblance. The shape of those eyes and nose. The fierce demanour. She looks like... it can't be.

"Only one!—"

"ZOEY!" 

A lady is stomping toward my car. She's lean and stern-looking, probably in her twenties. She had shoulder-length brunette hair. She was in formal attire with a sheer top and black flared bottoms. One word to describe her would be elegance. She's also who many would describe as remarkably appealing.

The woman stops beside probably-Hermione's—Zoey's—window, bending a little, and knocks. I press a button on my left and roll down the window. 

"I don't know what to say," she laughs, a little embarrassed. The woman has a silvery, pleasing voice. "I deeply apologize. She simply ran off." 

"Oh, uh. It's alright." I push back my glasses. 

"She gave you a hard time?" 

I look at Zoey, her eyes pleading. "Not really. She's really sweet. Can I treat her to some ice cream?"

The lady glares at Zoey and Zoey sticks out her tongue. 

"We would be bothering you. And you might have plans. This kid's such a brat."

"HEY!!" Zoey exclaims. 

I laugh, "It's no biggy. I'm sure I can spare some time." Zoey and I get out of the car and she runs to my side. I smile and side-eye her aunt, who's glaring at her, walking with her arms folded. I can tell they don't get along.

Zoey gets a cotton candy-flavoured cone. I try to make small talk while she happily licks her ice cream.

"Are you supposed to be somewhere?" 

"I've got this book signing event I need to get to in about—" she looks at her vintage watch, "fifteen minutes." She turns to Zoey. "Quick, you little shit."

"Wow. You're some aunt. No offense."

She narrows her eyes at me, "You don't know half the trouble she pulls."

"I bet." We let Zoey enjoy her treat for a while. When it starts getting a little awkward, I speak again. "I didn't catch your name. You're an author, yeah? I might recognize you," I shrug.

"Oh? I go by Ada. Ada Lynn."

"Ada..." I can't place the name. So I shake my head and stretch a hand. "Pleased to meet you."

She shakes it and asks for my name too but a car halts in front of us breaking me off. The window rolls down and a middle-aged lady with a wrinkly and scary face gazes at us.

"Ada. Zoey. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU GUYS THINKING?!"

Ada rolls her eyes as the lady babbles on at how late they are to the event. Ada quickly grabs Zoey's arm and waves me a tiny goodbye with a small smile. "Look me up? We can grab coffee sometime."

I smile back and nod. Zoey shouts a thank you to me and I wave her goodbye. I watch as they leave, driving away. After a moment, I realize I'm still smiling and quickly let my face fall. 

Funny encounters.

My phone buzzes in my blazer pocket. I take out and see fifteen missed calls from my assistant teacher AKA a wannabe friend. 

Yash: UR STUDENTS ARE BLOWING SHIT UP!!!!
Yash: Dude, u wanna see ur beloved lab go down?
Yash: Where the FCUKING HELL R U?!
Yash: Alyssa set a few of ur test tubes on fire :)
Yash: Josh broke a pipette
Yash: GET UR ASS HERE RN U SHET
Yash: PICK UP YO GODDAMN PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!

I curse under my breath, hurrying to my car. I rev up the engine again and take the shorter route to NYU. I completely lost track of time and the students don't take that goofball Yash seriously. There's also supposed to be a surprise program in a while and I'm late. Yeah, fuck this shit.

. * ● ¸ .

A/N: So like.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What can I say? I had a writing splurge in these two days. As promised, there ya go.