WALKING IN MY SHOES

37. As a friend

~ Zack's pov~✿in Madilyn's body✿

It's only been a day but ever since the mention of Alice I can't seem to get my emotions in check.

I've been distancing from Marilyn because everytime I see her I fear she might bring up Alice and I don't think I'm ready to cut open old wounds but that's not the only reason I'm distancing from Lyn...it's just that everytime I see her I get that warm feeling in my chest and I don't like it because it gives me false hope that someone might actually care about me, ' okay maybe I'm getting way ahead of myself'.

I'm feeling extra anxious today because apparently there was a change of plans and my dad is coming over for dinner tonight and I don't know what will happen and since I won't be there to see it makes me uneasy that Lyn would get to know more about my personal life.

I decided to go for a walk in the park because it might help clear my thoughts.

and to be honest I'm not sure which ones I was trying to clear the most.

thoughts of my dad?

thoughts of Alice?

...or maybe that small thought that I might actually like Lyn...' what am I saying?'...it's obvious I like her as a friend right?... right!... it must be, because it can't be anything else...she's in my body for goodness sake...it's clear I only like her personality.

'Ugh I have to stop acting like this, I blame my behaviour on Lyn's body'.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

~Madilyn's pov~✿in Zack's body✿

The weekend came sooner than expected, 'Not that I'm complaining, no school is a win...but is meeting Zack's dad?'.

There was a change of plans it seems like Zack's dad is coming over tonight with his new family instead of us going there and to say I'm nervous is an understatement, ' I don't even know why'.

I haven't really spoken to Zack since the day I punched Raymond, 'which was yesterday', he just seems a little... distant ' again Not that I'm complaining or anything...'

"Hey Zig Zag" Zack's little sister Zoe says walking into the room and sits at the foot of the bed.

'Zig Zag ?', I'm definitely gonna hold that one against him 'putting that in the blackmail bag'.

"uh hey...You need something?" I ask.

"So dad's coming over tonight...is it weird that I still don't know how to act around him and his new wife, I get that it's been a long time since he's left but I didn't really get to know him that well and everytime he comes to visit...it's just awkward" she says venting out, honestly I was so shocked I wasn't sure what to say, ' but I get how she must be feeling, from this temporary time that I've been living Zack's life I've learnt that his dad left when he was young which means his sister must have been even younger... I've also learnt that their dad doesn't visit that often...oh and that their stepbrother Raymond is a douche bag... so all of this must be a heavy baggage to carry'.

"It's okay to feel that way" I tell her soothingly while moving to sit next to her.

"It just feels like I don't know him and it feels like that every time he visits...it's like I never had a dad, he abandoned us for his new family, I'm just really angry at him and it's been 7 years but I can't get over it, everytime he visits and brings his new happy family over I can't help but be jealous because I keep thinking that could have been us. " she says bursting into tears , I grab her into my arms and rub her back soothingly.

"I know, I know...it's going to be okay, okay?..." I say letting her cry on my shoulder as I rub her back , I feel like this is not my place to say anything but I do feel her pain, sometimes the best comfort and support you could give someone is by just listening.

' And sometimes no words are good enough and all they need is a hug'.

so I did both , I wrapped her into a hug and let her cry on my shoulder, it was clear that she needed to get it off her chest and she just needed someone to be there for her.

"Hey...how about we go buy some ice-cream?...I'm paying" I ask after she Sobered down from her crying, ' as a girl I know that food fixes everything... well maybe not everything but it does take your mind off stuff and she looked like she could use some of that right now'.

"Yeah sounds... good" she says smiling up at me, I wipe her remaining tears and we get ready to go.

°°°
"Hey handsome what can I get for you today" the woman at the ice-cream shop says, I look down at Zoe and ask her what she wants before ordering my own aswell. I pay and we leave to find a nice area at  the nearby park to sit at.

"Hey, isn't that Marilyn" Zoe suddenly says pointing, I turn my head to see it was indeed me aka,' Zack '.

"Yeah" I say.

"Well aren't you going to greet her...or invite her over to sit with us?" she asks excitedly.

"I..I don't know maybe she's busy..." I say remembering how distant his been lately.

"Oh come on...she doesn't look busy...I really like  her, she's kind" she's says pouting, eventually I give in and walk over to where Zack is.

"Hey" I say.

"Oh hey" he says looking a little stressed.

"Is everything okay?" I ask concerned.

"Yeah everything is fine...what are you doing here" he asks shrugging me off.

"Well Zoe was feeling down because of your dad's coming to visit tonight so I took her out to get ice-cream in hopes of cheering her up" I say and I watch as concern and sadness flicker through his eyes before he clears his throat and masks it up.

"Is she okay now ?" he asks and I nod asking if he wants to join us, he reluctantly agrees and that's how all three of us happened to spend the day together.

it was fun we were all talking and making jokes, both brother and sister seemed to be feeling better.

'See?!.. food fixes everything and a little bit of company'.

I think all they really needed was a bit of fresh air to get their minds off everything and maybe also a little bit of bonding time.

_______________________________________
That's two pov's in one long and boring chapter, please bare with me 🥺🙏
anyways, I hope you are all well.
Thank you to all those who still read this book ✨🌺❤️ I appreciate you to no end because you have the ability to put up with my terrible writing and random updates...so thank you ✨

❤️❤️❤️~Lee