Miles In Their Shoes.

12

After buying the lock I skipped the rest of school and went home. Yeah, Nick's tutoring was helping greatly but I needed the day off.
I spent the day sleeping and using my phone, waiting till it was time for my shift at the Mrs. Keene's cute place. I barely saw Joey and even if I did, we didn't really speak. We just kind of moved around each other. Carter was just the most interesting kid ever. I still hadn't received a drawing from him.. I was a bit disappointed.

                                  X
I had just finished serving the last table, I smiled but when I turned the smile fell off my face. It had been a brutal day. Even more brutal considering what happened at school earlier. I can't believe she said that to me.
I sat down and sighed heavily. My head was down so I saw the Birkenstock as they approached me. "Hey Lacey. You look upset. Here, I drew this for you"
He hands me a paper and I see a cartoonized version of myself looking sad with flies around me. A caption " why the long face?"

I laughed so loudly and hugged him. It was a nice surprise. He squirmed in my hug and I let him go.
"Thank you Carter, I shall add extra fries to your burger for your next order"
"Thanks. That'll be awesome" he walked away happily. I thought I was the only one who put fries in my burgers but I had found a twin in Carter.

"Why the long face indeed?"
I turned to see Joey leaning over the counter and looking at me intensely.
" what, now that I've been publicly embarrassed you want to talk to me?"
He shrunk under my gaze a bit. "sorry, I'm...what do you teenagers call it again?"
He pretended to think.
I lifted an eyebrow. Why was he doing that, it was sorta my thing... In my head.
" proud, quiet.."
He shook his head
" I'm a bit shy but we've been working for a bit. I guess we can be friends. Hi I'm Joey and you are... "
I rolled my eyes with a smile
" You know who I am"
" hi, 'you know who I am'. That's an interesting name you've got"
I laughed again as we started to talk. Okay. Maybe the day wouldn't end too badly. after all.

                               X

Emery Parkes was suspended for a week.
She didn't call or text. I didn't see her around her house. It's as if she had just vanished.

Soon everyone forgot the egg and tree incident as preparations for the school dance went underway.
Abby didn't forget though, when she wasn't making lovey faces at Kendall, she was throwing me evil looks.
Honestly, I didn't have time for her troubles.
I followed Nick's tutoring sessions carefully, I studied in the Library more to up my grades.
I worked dutifully to get more money and hang out more with Carter and Joey at the shop

And I also worried about Emery. Even after everything.