So, this is after what had happened, a talk between Hope and Gretchen and how they can settle things before they lose what they have, and also some talk about what has gone down upon the Millers and they're dreaded actions. I wanna thank "Marvelomac1010" for this third part, even though it was supposed to be part of the previous chapter. Enjoy reading this everyone.

Family of Two.

Chapter 365: Pertland and Warwick.

(September 14. Royal Woods Middle School.)

The usual school day for everyone, and it seems like every student here is prepping for spending some time with the clubs they have signed up for, but someone there isn't in the good mood and that person is Hope Pertland.

She did hear the other day that Ryan Miller, along with his parents were caught and arrested and will be interrogated into telling the local authorities the hideout of their dreaded cherry destroying organization, and even FutureTech is in on this, but they believe that they're leads are something in Pennsylvania.

Hope doesn't care about that, and nor does she care about the others who she calls friends, because they all fell for everything that Ryan was, and what he truly wasn't. But what she doesn't wanna deal with, is her best friend Gretchen Warwick and even though they're both in the same mansion in town, she doesn't wanna interact with her.

Hope walks by some students, even Lincoln and Jordan and she doesn't even greet them and she continues to walk to her locker, and this concerns the duo, and as they walk by her, someone is watching her from afar.

Hope then goes to her locker and she opens it and then she sees this note fall out and she knows that this might be about. She picks up the note and reads what it says. "Meet me at Ketcham Park after classes." Hope knows who this is, and she doesn't wanna do anything with her.

But deep down, she wants to hear her out and understand what she's feeling after what went down, and so she puts the note into her pocket and she walks away.

Gretchen is the one watching from afar and she seems concerned about her best friend she feared of losing her and possibly not being the same as before. 'I really hope this works, and I hope she can come to the park later.' Gretchen then walks away down the other part of the halls.

Lincoln and Jordan see this and the duo are concerned. "Well, looks like the whole ordeal that Ryan Miller caused when he came ignited the whole conflict between two best friends" replied Lincoln. "We should leave them be, and inform the others as well."

Jordan nods. "Good call, I think we should let them handle this on their own, because who else to know each other well, then Hope and Gretchen. After all, they have been friends for such a long, long time and this seems like their own thing."

They continue down the halls, and then Jordan asks. "So, any word about the Millers? I really, really now hate those dang cherry haters."

Lincoln sighs. "No kidding, I'm in the same boat as you and so is my mom and everyone else, heck I even heard that Lola screamed in anger, and Lana had to calm her down. Also, the results of the Millers, Michelle told us."

"The trio are being interrogated on the whereabouts of their organization, so that they can put an end to it before it does more damage, and they're making sure they stay locked up and separated in the most secured sectors within a prison, with no means of escaping until they talk."

"They really wanna get this society and bring them to an end and I cannot blame them. Because it's not just cherries they wanna get rid of, they wanna try and remove all forms of fruits, until the peaches of Georgia would remain, and through this they believe that the society is in two locations."

"So, it's either somewhere in Pennsylvania, or somewhere in Georgia. They're not sure, but they will send reinforcements there to try and track, root and take down. Because the peaches from Georgia is the best evidence for them and finding the stranger who gave Jeff Miller the book, chances that the stranger was an informant or an ally within the town."

Jordan is surprised by this. "Well dang, looks like a lot of stuff around town is becoming alert to keep cherries safe." They continue down the hallway and they walk by Zach, Stella, Clyde and Chloe.

Zach seems less pleased. "Dang it, I thought for sure that Ryan and his parents were aliens."

Clyde, Chloe and Stella are so confused. "Umm, we don't know how to even respond to that" said Stella.

(Ketcham Park.)

This is where Hope Pertland has arrived and she looks around and she sees the person who left the note, her best friend whom she had a dispute the other day, Gretchen Warwick and she doesn't look happy as much as Hope is.

Hope walks over and she sits next to Gretchen by the bench and Gretchen is silent, but she has to let out what she needs to say, but Hope beats her. "I'm sorry…. Gretchen, I am sorry for snapping at you the other day and thinking that what you believed in wasn't a good thing."

"You are my best friend and I am your best friend… I should've been supportive with your choices and wait to see what would come next, and instead I snapped and said things I wasn't. I… You deserve a better best friend than me." Hope wipes away her tears and deep down, her emotions are telling her that her actions have made her choices bring consequences.

Then Gretchen holds her hand. "Hope, don't blame yourself. I shouldn't have snapped back and I should've helped calm you down, and I just…. I don't want the friendship we have to turn from bad to worse, and I don't want it to be ruined either. You mean the world to me, ever since we first met."

"I feel like a total fool for thinking that someone like Ryan Miller would like me, and heck I doubt it was even his last name, or even his dang real name! I should've seen this coming, and I should be sorry for doubting you and making you feel bad, and the words I spoke…. I don't deserve to be forgiven. I'm the terrible best friend."

Hope doesn't feel right hearing those words from Gretchen and she goes over and hugs her. "I don't want you to blame yourself, and I don't want our friendship to be ruined either! I'm sorry."

Gretchen returns the hug and she too cries from this and then Hope joins her and the duo have now rekindled their friendship together, but they don't know that Delilah Lewis Loud is watching this and she smiles at how well the whole thing is going.

'So, it seems like what Lincoln and Jordan said was true, the duo did have an argument the other day and now it's all okay again, and this all ignited when Ryan…. Wait, I wonder if we can visit him and if they can be allowed to slap him in the face!'

The duo then depart from the hug, and Hope wipes away the tears from Gretchen. "Let's not do this again, I don't wanna watch us stray away from each other, because we both mean so much to each other."

Gretchen nods. "Alright, I just… I will do my part to earn back the trust and forgiveness and…"

Hope places a finger onto the mouth of Gretchen. "It is okay, Gretch. You don't have to, because I forgive you…."

The duo just look to each other, but as they continue to stare, what happens next is all too sudden and the duo share a small kiss on the lips, and soon they depart and look to each other….. They have this small spark in their eyes, but then they realize what they did to each other.

Gretchen/Hope. "W-What did we do?"

Delilah is jaws dropped from where she is and she couldn't believe what she just witnessed. 'What the heck did they do?! Whoa! Did not see this coming, the others are gonna be blown off their socks when I tell them this! Wow!'

To be continued…

A/N: Well, it seems like Hope and Gretchen have made up and now the duo are friends once more, and as for the Millers? Well, they're not gonna be messing with anyone for a long, long time. This is a total alternate from the one from "A Sparking Relationship." I also wanna thank "Marvelomac1010" for the idea and concept for the rest of this, even though this was meant to be with the other half. Leave a review and tell me what you all think.

Date made: 7/28/21 – 7/29/21.