The Bet [Zarry AU] **UNDER EDITING**

8.1st Day Of School

Next day at 6.00 a.m. He woke up next to his cute and beautiful baby girl, still cuddling into his chest. He kissed her forehead and tried to get out of her hold, ever so carefully trying not to wake her up and went to the bathroom.

After taking a bath and changing into his work clothes, he went to his bedroom to wake his princess up.

He sat by her head and run my fingers through her curly black hair softly.

"Pumpkin, wake up princess", he whispered into her ear.

"mhm, but slweep dada", she mumbled into her sleep.

He chuckled silently and said, "I know pumpkin, but don't you wanna go to your school? It's your first day after all.", he said to his sleepy 4 year old daughter.

"yes", suddenly she beamed excitedly.

"Then let's go and take a bath yeah? I'll tell your aunt to give you one", smiling , he said.

"Dada not bath Zayra?", she asked sadly.

He instantly felt guilty for taking bath earlier unlike other days where he would bath Zayra and play with her in the tub. But he knew his daughter needed some extra sleep due to her nightmares last night and he too needed to get ready on time for his new teaching job at a highschool in Doncaster.

"I would princess, but dada have so many works to do, that's why dada can't bathe his princess today. But I promise, after dinner tonight, Dada and Zayra will play together in the bath tub like everyday. Okay?", he smiled sad at her daughter.

"With Yellow ducky too?"

He chuckled softly and nodded, "Yeah, with yellow ducky too"

She beamed with happiness and hugged her dada. He hugged her back.

"Okay now you sit here, I'm gonna go, ask Gemma to give you bath and make a yummy breakfast. Pancakes?"

Her green eyes lit up and she nodded. He smiled and walked out of the room.

He went downstairs only to be met with his sister, sipping a cup of coffee while reading newspaper.

"Hey Gem, good morning", he smiled at his sister while entering the kitchen ready to make the breakfast.

"Hey baby bro", she smiled cheekily as her brother faked annoyance at hernickname for him.

"Gemma, I'm not a baby anymore, I've a baby myself", he huffed as he started mixing the batter.

"Oh please, I know you love me calling baby bro", winking, she said.

"Ugh, I hate you"

"I love you too, baby bro", and she started laughing.

"whatever", huffing , he said.

And then they both started laughing.

"Hey Gem, would you ming giving Zayra a bath? I was kinda running out of time and goy ready and she needed some sleep. She again had nightmares last night. So could you?"

"Of course baby bro. I love having bath with my little niece. Girls time you know?", winking, she said.

"Okay okay", he held up his hand as a surrender.

She laughed and went upstairs for having a 'Girls' time", leaving Harry for making their breakfast.

After making her niece ready for the first day of her school Gemma and Zayra went downstairs to see Harry already waiting for them at the tables with their plates ready on it.

After finishing their breakfast Harry took Zayra's backpack and his car keys and went out of the door not before saying his sister a goodbye and that he had texted his mother before and she saying, she would be home after an hour or so from her night shift. His sister,of course said it's okay and bid her brother and her niece goodbye. And with that they left the house and drove to Zayra's school.

Leaving Zayra at school on her own was one of the most difficult things Harry had done in his life. He knew it's gonna be hard but he never knrw, it was gonna be this hard. Never knew, it was gonna be this hard to leave his daughter,whom he loved and cared for 4years and will continue doing till his death,  with strangers for so many hours. Though the school had tight securities, but still, his fatherly nature was overtaking what his brain was talking, to calm down and relax. He can't, he couldn't. But he knew, he had to... Just like before 5 years.

He didn't want to remember those memories,specially when it's his 1st day at work. He had waited for this day since his whole life.

He had studied hard. Stayed wide awake for most of the days. Dealing with his study pressure and a new born all alone. Got scolded at his work at the book store for falling asleep while at work, but just because of his polite behaviour he didn't get fired. He couldn't afford to , he had a child and had to look after her and all her expences. Sure he  had his family by his sude, but didn't want to put pressure on hir mother and his step Dad and besides, his daughter was his responsibilty. He had suffered so much, with the work,UNI, Zayra.. But everything payed off when he received his degree. That day was the 2nd best day of his life after Zayra's birth being the first. He had hugged his friends at UNI so tight that it left bruises on their arms. His three best friends, Niall, Liam and Louis didn't mind though. They had witnessed how much struggled he had done to get this degree in English. They knew if anyone deserved this degree the most, it was Harry. That was the first day after Zayra's birth, Harry had shed tears of joy.

No he can't let this all go in vain just by remembering those horrible moments and specially that horrible person.

So after taking a deep breath, wiping all his tears and calming himself down a little bit, he drove to his school where he supposed to be teaching English.

He was standing at the school gate and entered the school slowly. School was supposed to start in another 40 mins so it was still quite in the hallways. He collected his schedule from the office and went to his classroom which was empty for now.

Sitting, he scanned the classroom and let a breath escape his lips.

School. Where it all started. 'But no,everything has changed. I was a student back then. Now I'm a teacher. I'm not that person anymore who used to get bullied. I'm a strong person now. Everything has changed and it won't go back in the way it used to be."

But maybe, he spoke too soon.

Dated: 27th October 2016