AN: As I've written on other chapters and/or other fanfics that for my own peace of mind I'm trying to do one large update at the end of each month but I have a problem with being patient so sometimes I might break it like today. I have a master list of chapters that I'm going to be updating based on information collected on an Excel document and updated at the end of each month. So therefore the number of unique views for each of the latest chapters of my fics determines which fics I write and what order (with a few exceptions). Anyway. I hope you enjoy either way.

Chapter Five

Cher stared out of the window with the end of her pencil resting on her lip as if it were a lipstick tube. Her class had been all about different materials and textiles and the unique way of working with them. She knew about fabric blends and how to treat them in terms of wearing them and washing or rather dry cleaning them but it seemed fascinating to learn that there were different ways of handling leather depending on the thickness and the grade as well as how to handle the wool from different breeds of sheep. They were so particular and although in one way it didn't inspire her, she knew it was helping her.

In all of those books she had made herself read to expand her world view and vocabulary, these headstrong women always knew how to have a passionate and bold way of acting but in their experience during the novel, they picked up on experience and that's what made them see the true potential in their lives. If Elizabeth Bennet had never learned from her experiences about what the world of the rich had hidden, then she would never have ended up with Darcy. It was only if she mastered these technical information that she would get her own clothing line.

She looked up at the tables in the coffee house and saw that most of them were filling out. She was happy that she had grabbed one that was window adjacent. She closed her eyes and thought of things that would make her happy. There was shopping with Dion which was a must as soon as she returned. Then there was her father being proud of her. Then it was….Josh…

Josh telling her that he loved her. Josh saying that she was never really a sister to her and therefore if one day she became his wife it wouldn't be strange. Then there was Josh just saying her name. Cher. Cher.

"Cher?" Andy said as he knocked on the table and Cher blinked back to reality and turned to look in his direction. She smiled as she refocused herself. "Cher? Is it okay for me to sit with you?"

"Sure, go ahead," Cher said as she organized the area so she could give him half of the available table space. "I was just trying to think of the assignment."

"Can't help you there…well outside of office hours," Andy winked at her before glancing at the paper where there wasn't much there. "I can't show favoritism. However, I can try to inspire you. I think that the task was to design a matching outfit for men and women with minimal change."

"I still don't see why you can't wear whatever you want. I mean, a kilt is pretty much a skirt and people still wear those," Cher commented and Andy scoffed, trying to keep himself from spitting out any of the coffee.

"It would be best if you didn't let any Scottish people hear that…or any of the teachers. You should know that there's a difference between skirts and even the hemming of skirts. I'd think of each individual piece as a separate kind of clothing for your own safety," Andy said and Cher stared at him and sighed.

"I still don't understand why a guy wouldn't be able to wear a skirt if he wanted. I mean, women's bodies are more tailored for dresses but there are things that us women can't wear. I mean, I think it would be interesting to wear a tuxedo but that would be way weird if I did it in public," Cher rolled her eyes as she tried to think of something that she could use but it was dawning on her how prohibitive clothing choices were for men.

"You could still make it look cute," Andy told her and Cher rolled her eyes again.

"No. I don't think so. It would be a major fashion-don't for me. I mean, I suppose there are a lot of gay men in this industry but I wouldn't want to be mistaken for….never mind," she said as she shifted uncomfortably. She imagined what Christian would say to her now. No. She wanted to be as supportive for her friend as possible.

"So, what are your thoughts on guys? Do you have someone to amuse you?" he asked and Cher stared at him.

"You mean, do I have a muse? An inspiration?" she asked before nodding and blushing a little as she thought of how much closer she and Josh had become since she had realized how much she loved him. He was more mature than her but he had always moved at a pace that she was comfortable with. "I do. I do have a boyfriend who I love."

"Well, I'm not allowed to date students anyway," Andy told her before watching Cher. "He must mean a lot to you."

"Yes. He does," Cher blushed again and she looked down at her hand. She thought about how if this was Josh she was talking to, they might be joking around a little more. She could always be herself when she was with Josh, that was the great thing about him. He knew her completely and wasn't disgusted at all by what she might look like without the makeup or if she was goofing off instead of trying to improve herself. She wanted to be as smart as some of the girls he had dated but he would always tell her not to exert herself or change too quickly.

"Let me guess, older?" Andy guessed and Cher nodded. "Is he a nerd?"

"Kinda," Cher smiled softly. "His name's Josh," she said and Andy laughed as he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Isn't that the typical American name. I mean, you might as well say that his name is Justin or Tyler," he said and Cher flicked a random sugar packet at him. He laughed and she smiled but shook her head.

"Well, Josh is just special. He doesn't mind if I'm not wearing makeup and he doesn't need me to wear certain clothes or certain products and he encouraged me to come here and has been truly supportive through everything. He knows the bad side of me, the messy side of me, and he's still there for me. I'm just …really lucky to have him," Cher commented and Andy laughed.

"He sounds super lucky to have you. Afterall, if you were mine then I don't know if I could have you so far away from me. I think that I'd grow lonely without you, too lonely, I'd need something else to fill the gaping hole," he commented and Cher stared at him in a strange and confused manner.

"I don't need to worry when it comes to Josh about that," she said with a sigh. "Josh can occupy his time with other things and we're close. He's not going to find someone else to sleep with just because I'm not there."

"You miss him though, right?" Andy asked and Cher sighed.

"Dreadfully. I didn't even think my heart could ache like this. The longing is what I've read about in all of those fancy classic novels. I must sound like a silly, foolish girl," she said before laughing. "I've got claws though. I can show you that no matter how much like a fool I might seem when it comes to Josh, I've got claws and I can put up a fight."

"Growl for me?" he asked and Cher stared at him so he repeated, "Growl for me," he took a sip of his drink, "I dare you."

"You dare me?" Cher asked, "What are you fourteen?"

"Maybe," Andy said before putting his cup on the table. "Go ahead and growl," he said and Cher let out a small growl before laughing. Andy sat back and watched her. After a while he stopped laughing and his eyes just seemed to scan her as if memorizing her.

5.2

Josh was just sinking into a chair in his bedroom with a book when he heard his phone. He looked over at it before picking it up. "Hello, this is J-"

"Hey, b-baby," Cher smiled and Josh laughed at how she stumbled over that word a little. He really did miss her and he wondered what time it was for her to be able to call him like this. He was just glad that he could answer the phone. "How are you?"

"I am doing well. Lonely though but I can survive until you come back," Josh laughed as he put the book down and went to sit on the bed. He looked over a folder of Cher's work that she had left behind at her dad's. If she or her father were to look for it then he would return it but it just seemed nice to have something of hers to look at. It really did help him when he felt lonely. That and watching some more adult movies. Who needed a girl when you had one you were waiting for? "How are you? How are classes? When do I get to see more of your work?"

"I'll send you the project pictures when I'm done with them," Cher promised. "I do miss you too. I never imagined that I'd get lonely here but you just happen to be dreamier than all of these fashion models. It's torture that they are here instead of you."

"You really think I have it in me to be a model?" Josh laughed at that. "Maybe I'll turn into one of those people who in twenty-five years looks the same age or maybe even younger. I don't know. I've heard of those people existing."

"Maybe actors," Cher joked. "I still want to look like a good couple. It's not fair if only you don't age and then I'll have to go through a lot of work to look as good as you and the fact that my mother -" Cher shook her head as she refused to continue that sentence. She had her father's love and she hadn't really known her mother very well but the fact that she had died from a routine liposuction accident made her feel nervous about cosmetic surgeries.

"Okay. Well I am glad that I'm your muse anyway. I'd love to continue to be no matter how I might look," he said and could imagine Cher blushing as she exhaled.

"I was saying that to the teacher's assistant in one of my design classes," Cher said before pausing. "He said something about lucky or something," she said before hearing a pause on Josh's side. "Josh?"

"Wow," he said before smiling again since he knew he could trust her. People underestimated Cher all the time, he wasn't going to let that persuade him to do the same to her. "You might just be obsessed with me."

"Yes," Cher replied, "I most definitely am."

End of Chapter Five

Thank you to Migoreng for their review on Chapter Four