If the Shoe Fits | ongoing

11 | pumps

  ➳ Dedicated to @JazzyIzBlue for the between cover above! I absolutely adore it, thank you! If any of you guys wanna make covers or banners, please email me skylarrosen19@gmail.com with your wattpad username so I can give you the proper acknowledgement and thanks :)

// There are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems //

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1 1

p u m p s

AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, I wasn't able to run far enough before literally bumping into Stella Cardenia herself around the lobby corridor. It seemed like these days, no matter how much I tried, I wouldn't be able to escape my troubles.

Bending down to pick up the items that had fallen out of Stella's purse, I quickly held them out to to her, trying and failing to avoid her scrutinizing gaze. Eventually, I did end up facing her, my face stoic as my eyes dared her to bring up the elephant in the room.

After a few seconds, she sighed, her hands taking the items in my grasp and shoving them back into her purse. Slinging the brown, slouchy bag around one shoulder, she offered me a weak smile. "I heard what happened from one of my nurses and rushed over as soon as possible. I really am sorry about what happened."

I blinked and slowly nodded back, clearing my throat. "Yeah... so am I."

"As much as I am glad I found a familiar face here," she through her hands up and looked around at the busy hallway, "shouldn't you be with your family instead of milling around?"

My hand immediately flew to the back of my neck, rubbing it as I tried to think of an appropriate answer. "Actually, I was just leaving." I half smiled, hoping to convince one of the few people that truly could read through my lies.

Her face clearly showed that she didn't buy it,  eyes narrowing as she opened her mouth to admonish me. But before she could, a familiar voice rang from behind her, and my heart thudded frantically as I glimpsed the last person that I thought I would bump into her.

"Aunt Stella, I told you to wait for me...," Eric's voice trailed off as we made eye contact. His eyes looked a little confused but then shined in understanding, as he connected the dots that had been laid out for him. "Brielle, right? Jack's sister? We bumped into each other at the nursing home a few weeks ago."

I rocked back and forth on my heels, tucking my hair behind my ear when I couldn't think of anything to say back. "Oh yeah...."

He smiled warmly before turning back to Stella. "So you ready to go on up to see Jack's family?"

Stella's eyes brightened as she looked at Eric and then back at me. "Actually why don't you join me later? Brielle over here was just saying how much she could use a cup of coffee and it wouldn't be right of us to leave her alone in a time like this. Why don't you accompany her?" She bit her lip as I shot her a quick glare, clearly knowing that wasn't my plan at all.

Eric turned back to me, his lips lifting up as his eyes met mine. "What do you say Brielle. Can I join you?"

My gaze softened as I reluctantly realized it would be rude to say no. "Sure, why not."

His smile stretched even wider as he came to send next to me. "Well then," he began, "after you."

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We ended up sitting at table near the windows, coffee in my hand and hot chocolate in his. As we settled into our respectable seats, an awkward silence prolonged between us before I finally broke it, taking a tentative sip from the hot drink.

"You don't like coffee?" I began, setting my cup back onto the table, deciding it was still a tad too hot to drink from.

"Actually no, can't stand it. No one in my family drinks it so I never really got into it, I guess." His eyes trailed to some of the other people in the room, smiling faintly as he spotted a mother and baby duo laughing together before snapping back onto me as I replied.

"It's the opposite for me. Everyone in my family drinks it and have drank it for as long as I could remember." My gaze went to my cup as I turned it around on the table, slighting playing with the lid as I continued. "One of my earliest memories is watching grandpa make coffee as I ate pancakes on our kitchen counter. I was always fascinated as I watched him pour the steaming liquid into his favorite cup after the machine gargled, never once making a mess."

A sad smile had began to form as I remembered the moment like it was yesterday "Of course now he can't even remember how much he used to like coffee...," I bitterly said wiping a tear that had unknowingly trailed down my cheek.

My head lifted back to Eric as he grabbed my hand on the table, squeezing it quickly in comfort. "That's okay. At least you're here to honor those memories."

A wide smile stretched on my face as I realized the truth behind his words, and he blinked multiple times, his eyes in sort of a daze as he stared at me. He slightly shook his head, standing up as he drained his leftover hot chocolate. "Anyways, you ready to head on up?"

I finished my now lukewarm coffee, standing up as well, and nodded. "Yeah," I smiled, "I'm ready."

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A / N

hey guys! another update on time! i'm on a roll and have so much inspiration; this is so great.

this is actually the longest chapter I've written for this story so @ all of the people bugging me to write longer chapters... it ain't gonna get longer than this. it's called a SHORT STORY for a reason guys. anyways, this is actually my favorite chapter I've written so far so I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! eric is gonna be showing up a lot more so prepare yourselves!

as always, VOTE and COMMENT and click that FOLLOW button if you liked this chapter! i always love reading your thoughts and opinions so please give them! i love talking you guys, and of course, giving you guys virtual hugs :) also, thank you for 35.5k reads! I didn't even expect a thousand reads, let alone 35 THOUSAND! i love all of you guys and appreciate you so so much. next update will be Wednesday so stay tuned!

love always

xo skylar