Fake Me To Church

Twelve Years Ago

Part Three

"GiGi, come onnnn," Lane pleaded. "It's only a ten-minute walk to the mall from here..."

"Lane, it doesn't matter if it's a ten-second walk. We can't go to the mall after school. After that stunt at the hospital, my mom literally said I'm grounded until I'm thirty."

"Yeah, well mine said I'm grounded 'til Jesus comes back, but you don't see that stopping me."

GiGi crossed her arms. "Lane, are you even hearing yourself right now? Aside from the very real prospect of both of our moms murdering us, there's also the tiny matter of that huge taxonomy test tomorrow—you know, the one you said you'd study for last weekend?"

"GiGi, you know I can't study unless I get enough mall time. Mom grounded me on Friday, and I was totally planning to study on Saturday. But she said I couldn't go to the mall, so I like obviously couldn't study..."

GiGi just laughed and shook her head. "Lane Martin, you're unbelievable."

Lane sighed. "At least promise me you'll think about it..."

"Oh, I've thought about it, and my answer is no. You can go if you want, but don't expect me to come bail you out when your mom sends in a SWAT team."

"GiGi! Lane!" a squeaky voice screeched out from behind them.

Both girls turned to face the pint-sized kindergartener barreling forward.

"Hi, Irina!" Lane piped up. "How's it going?"

Her only response was to hug Lane's leg, then GiGi's, and then she plopped her miniature backpack down on the carpeted hallway floor and unzipped it.

"Look what I made!" she squealed with delight as she pulled from her bag a bright orange circle cut from construction paper. Thick strokes of a permanent marker had been used to draw lines reminiscent of the black strips on a basketball.

"Irina, that's so good!" Lane praised the six-year-old. "Is that for Sam?"

Irina nodded vigorously. "Mmhmm!"

"How sweet..." Lane cooed.

"Do you think he'll like it?"

Lane giggled. "Oh, honey, I know he will. Want me to give it to him? Me and GiGi are about to see him in fourth period."

"Yay!" Irina practically shoved the paper basketball into Lane's arms, then started jumping up and down.

Lane was gushing with delight while GiGi simply laughed knowingly, and the bell for class dinged amid the girls' revelry.

"Oh my gosh," little Irina gasped, frowning. "I'm gonna be late again."

"Honey, relax," Lane assured her. "Here. Let me walk you back to your classroom, and I'll tell your teacher you were just...learning from the big kids."

Irina looked unsure at first, but Lane's confident smile managed to quell her fears after a few moments. "Okay," she finally squeaked. "You're the best, Lane."

Lane held her hand to her heart. "Oh, sweetie," she sniffled in appreciation. "Be sure to say that around Sam, okay?"

"Yeah!" Irina screamed out. "We're all gonna be best friends forever!"

Lane smiled and rested a palm on Irina's shoulder, grasping Sam's gift tightly in her other hand as the girls traipsed together to the kindergarten rooms.

Best friends, Lane thought to herself. Irina, you have no idea.

She dropped the kindergartener off at her classroom, donning her best smile as she explained why Irina had "needed a little help" in the hallway before heading back to class.