Comfy Shoes [A Josh Hutcherson Story]

Chapter 1 - First Day.

I looked at the list my aunt had left and it seemed a lot longer now it was only me house-sitting this year, my brother had left for college and didn't have time to come and keep me company. Don't get me wrong, I loved the house and the area but I was here for one thing alone, money. Every year for the past 6 years I've been coming here for 5 weeks of my summer while my aunt and her boyfriend and his kids go away for a while and I get payed a thousand dollars each time, crazy but she's so paranoid and rich and since my Dad left it's pretty much up to me to pay for college and these summers seriously help.

It was my 3rd day here this summer and my aunt had made sure to fill my time alone, she'd even given me a job in her shoe shop for a couple of the weeks I'm here.

Day 3: Open the curtains in morning and shut at evening.Water the plants. Sort the mail. feed the fish. dust. start Work at 10. Finish at 4. (UNIFORM IN YOUR WARDROBE.)

Great.

It was 9:15 and I'd already completed everything on the list but the shut curtains and work part. I walked up to the spare room which was practically mine and looked in the wardrobe to find a blue and grey striped polo shirt with the shop logo on and grey shorts and a new pair of the shop's own brand trainers. I put on the clothes and decided it best to set off.

"You must be India!" Squeaked the assistant manager of my aunt's shoe shop. The shop was called Trained and basically sold just trainers so I have no idea what this woman was doing here with bright orange skin, bleached blond hair and the tightest uniform I've ever seen.

"Yeah, I am." I said hesitantly as she pinned a name badge to my shirt.

"Great! Well as you know you're filling in for Cindy while she's away so you'll be on the till! You can work a till right?" She grinned as if there was only one answer.

"Yeah sure." I wasn't lying, my past few years of the Saturday job I have at a book store back home ensured I was till trained, now that might sound stupid but when you actually get in front of a till it's a lot harder than anyone thinks.

"Okay, this way, I'm Amanda by the way!" She grinned and ushered me to the till.

She showed me the basics and then left to see to new customers, there was only 3 of us in the shop. Me, Amanda and a girl names Kristie who spent all her time running up and down the stairs to the storage area the get shoes at Amanda's request. It was going great up until lunch time hit.

"Okay so I'm going on lunch now so you'll have to help people try stuff on and stay on till, you've still got Kristie on storage, Okay? Okay. I'll be half an hour, good luck." She grinned and walked out of the shop before I could even get a word in, crap.

I took in deep breaths telling myself not to panic but when a group of 3 20 year old boys walked in I felt my heart explode out of anxiety. They were walking in a V formation and the boy in the middle looked cocky as hell and his 2 friends didn't look that much nicer.

I fidgeted with the till and tried to avoid eye contact just praying they'd walk out any minute now.

"HEY! can my friend here get some help?" Shouted the one who was stood in the middle, next to him stood a smirking boy who looked really familar and another boy looking a little vacant.

"Er sure, what's the problem?" I asked as I scurried over.

"Do you have these in a 10?" Asked the familiar boy without really looking at me.

"I'll go check." I said taking the shoe and quickly showing it to Kristie."Size 10." I smiled to her and she took the shoe and went downstairs.

"Non left, sorry." She said and passed me the shoe, I walked back to the boys awaiting my unfortunately awkward fate.