In Her Shoes

Chapter 31: The Fake meets The Real

Even though I slightly felt guilty about using him as a punching bag, his words somehow managed to make me feel a little better. "How can you be so sure?" I asked dubiously.

H shrugged. "I just know. Now...I know we're having a bit of a moment here but...even if your fake parents let you hide out in the park forever mine are going to eventually want me home."

I chuckled and finally faced him. "Okay. I'm gonna have to face my doom sooner or later, right?"

He nodded. "Don't worry. I'm sure they cant be worse than your actual dad."

"Who's worried?" I joked putting my arm around him as we walked over to his bike. "Oh and uh...sorry by the way.."

He looked at me, the shock clear on his face. "What did you just say?"

I bit my lip, not wanting to say it again. "Uh...sorry..." I mumbled again. "I seem to have this bad habit of treating you like my verbal punching bag....you don't deserve it...and I'm...I'm sorry..."

He stopped and looked at me, his brows raised high is surprise. He crossed his arms mockingly, "I though real men don't say sorry."

I shrugged. "I'm a girl. This doesn't count."

He laughed and put his arm over my shoulder. "It's no problem, buddy."

We hopped back on his bike and headed off.

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"Hey do you mind if we stop at the grocery store along the way?" Aid asked when we were at a stop light. "I have to pick up some stuff for my mom."

"Dude are you kidding? We could take a detour around to China if it takes us longer to get there."

He laughed as he prepared to take off again. "All you had to say was no."

"Then hell no. Shop as long as you'd like."

He laughed again and we turned the corner and pulled into the store. We walked around until we found what his mom wanted, and made our way to the check-out stand. I was blabbing at something when Aid cut me off.

"...and then these two girls were just being total"-

"Yeah, yeah that's cool but Jesse isn't that your..."

I turned my head the opposite direction to see what he was looking at when I saw a very familiar man with his back facing us looking at some Altoids in the check-out isle. I squinted harder as I tried to recall who it was. Then, I gasped suddenly, dropping the sunglasses I was gonna have Aiden buy for me to cover my face.

"Dad."

Aiden turned to me quickly. "Shit Jess! Put your glasses on your fake dad"-

"I know my real dad"-

We both froze, and looked in both directions. My fake dad, and my real dad, were both heading to the same check-out aisle as Aiden and I.

"Shit," we both said at once.

"Hurry!" I whispered putting my sunglasses back on. "Turn around, Aid they both know you. No matter what keep your back turned and do not face them." We both faced front and soon both my dads were waiting behind us in line.

"Larry?" I heard my dad call. It was weird. I hadn't heard my real dads voice in a while and it made me somewhat happy I was more terrified. I knew there was no way he would be able to know who I was, but my dad was the only person besides Aiden who was really ever able to detect when I was lying and see through most of my schemes.