Hearts and Heels

20 // in which jen lets loose with her girls

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"My legs are tired."

"You'll live."

"How about now?"

Joshua merely sends an annoyed look on my way, not bothering to reply anymore. I groan, knowing that I can't keep up with his long legs anymore. It's been ten to fifteen minutes and we're still walking. Up till now, I still don't know where we're going. Soon enough, I know I'm also going to give up asking whether we've reached our destination or not.

We're in another neighborhood; one that I've never been before. Nevertheless, it's beautiful. This place isn't surrounded by tall residential buildings, crossroads, countless of stores, or traffic unlike the place where I live, which is purely in the middle of the city. In this quiet and peaceful suburban place, there are just houses after houses lined in one perfect street opposite to another. It almost feels like we're not in Chicago anymore.

"It's a lovely place," I comment. "I love the atmosphere here."

Joshua chuckles. "I know."

"You come here often?"

He nods in reply.

"Why?"

He momentarily glances at me, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. "You'll see soon enough."

Then, he takes a sharp left turn, stopping in his tracks. I fall in step next to him, and raise my head a little bit higher to have a complete look at the house he's staring at. Everything about this architecture screams 'classy' yet 'vintage' at the same time since it's covered in white paint with beautiful details painted in black. It's a two-story house that looks aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.

Joshua nods towards the entrance of the house. "Let's go."

Shocked, I still trail after him, taking cautious steps. The wheels in my head start spinning. Why are we going into someone else's house? Do I know this person? Even if I did, I would've known that they live in this neighborhood. So who exactly is he taking me to see?

Just as Joshua rings the doorbell, it clicks.

"This isn't your house, right?" I ask in horror, my eyes widening.

His smile stretches. "And if it was?"

My jaw drops. "You should've told me earlier that we're going to see your parents! I would've dressed more appropriately—"

"You look great."

"That's not—" I pause, sighing. "I'm going to kill you."

"Just be yourself. That's already good enough, trust me."

"What if she hates me?"

"Nah," he scoffs. "You're not hard to like."

I blink in surprise, and then look away with a frown. "I hope no one's at home."

As if on cue, the door swings open, and I feel my heart drop. A short woman with a bright smile is revealed. Assuming that this is Joshua's mother, I smile immediately. I just hope it doesn't look too forced.

She sends me a fleeting surprised look before latching her eyes onto Joshua, her smile growing. "Oh, my son," she says in a daze. "You're back home again."

As her arms open, he sweeps into her hug with a warm smile on his face. "Hey, mom."

She hums, pulling away after a few seconds. Then, she finally gives me a proper look that looks polite in every way. "Is this her?" she asks in a light and hopeful tone.