The Girl With The Ruby Red Converses

Chapter 7: You Never Know

~~~~Friday Morning~~~~

"Oh my gosh, Sam." My mom literally squealed as she gave me a giant hug squeezing the air out of me. "This will be your first date. Just think of how a wonderful couple-" and with that she dragged on and on about how wonderful it would be for me to have a boyfriend. Yes I actually brought up my “date” to my mom and of course I was slowly starting to regret it. Every second she kept talking about Tyler I wanted to explode.

It was Wednesday when he had asked me out and I, thinking he would take my rejection, and leave me alone was proved completely wrong the next day. All of Thursday he followed me around, trying to talk to me and get me to change my mind. I would have found it cute if borderline stalking was consider ‘cute’. The moment I went to school he wouldn’t let me out of his sight, so after eight hours of attempting to avoid him I finally agreed to go out on a date with him. After I said yes he left me alone, but it was weird because he was never there when I was actually paying attention to him.

“So what are you going to wear? Where are you going?” She bombarded with loads of questions not even stopping to take a breath.

“I don’t know.” I mumbled with a spoon of Fruit Loops in my mouth. For once I was just trying to eat breakfast and she was ruining my peace and serenity. She gave me a look of shock and shook her head. “Well you better starting knowing or I’ll have to give this boy a call.” She winked at me and I stood rolling my eyes desperately wanting to get out of this house. I really don’t care where, I just need my space.

“Well look at the time Mom. I better get going. Don’t wanna be late.” I took a sprint towards the door with my bookbag on my back and was about to open it when I was bluntly stopped by a hand. I closed my eyes praying she wasn’t going to bring “it” up again.

“Sam, how many times will I tell you?” I rolled my eyes and looked down at the subject of our matter. My red converses. “You cannot be wearing these shoes every day. Look how torn they are! How could you wear those in public?” Her voice rose in anger and I, being used to her constant bickering about my shoes, just nodded my head not really listening to her. They mean a lot to me and I don’t understand why she can’t understand that.

“Mom, I-” She opens the door and gestured for me just to leave. I walk outside and happen to see Gabby pull up in her convertible. With my bookbag slung over my shoulder, I hopped into the car closing the door hard. Taking deep breaths I turn to look at Gabby.

"Geez, Sam. What's wrong with you?" She pulls the car out of the driveway.

"Nothing."  I say bluntly

"It's the shoes again, isn't it?" she asked. I sighed and Gabby nodded understanding my issue. Some might call me crazy but those converses meant the world to me. I had gotten them the summer before ninth grade year as a gift from my dad. I never really knew what he did for a job but he was always traveling and when he got back from a trip he always had a gift. But the shoes had been the best gift of all them. They were specially made in Japan and had my name engraved in the bottom of them. Yes they were completely worn out but they reminded me of my dad everyday when I wore them.

Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to let them go.

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Tyler's POV

As James and I pulled up into the school, the first thing I spotted was Sam and her friend Gabby. Ever since I first saw, I couldn’t stop trying to find her. Something about her was different. She didn’t care about what people thought of her or how she dressed, which some days she wasn’t the best looking girl in school, and for that exact reason I kept trying to get to her but all she saw me as was a jerk. I guess she isn’t wrong though.