The Barefoot Girl

Chapter 7

I decide not to walk to school with Natalie the next day. I feel bad about it, but I also don't want the two of us to walk in awkward silence or get in another fight.

I was going to text her to let her know but I didn't know how to say it. "Hey I don't feel like talking to you," somehow didn't seem like it would end well.
Plan B. We do have a system that says if one of us is 10 minutes late to our meeting place, we're either sick or running late, so the other should just go on ahead. Well, looks like today, I'm "running late."

However, when I arrive at school, I find that Natalie's not even there. Katrina's leaning against the wall across from our lockers. I walk up to her.

"Hey, where Natalie?"

She shrugs. "Guess she must be sick," is the reply. I simply shrug.

"Ok."

We may be in a tense situation right now, but I always hate school without Natalie.

I go through my morning schedule, wishing I could just go back to bed. When I walk into the cafeteria for lunch, I see... Natalie with Katrina.

I don't think twice. She must've been at an appointment. I'm so relieved she's here.

I sit down next to her. "Hey!" I say, trying to act like yesterday didn't happen. "Did you have an appointment?"

She glances my way. "Umm... Yeah," she mumbles.

I chuckle awkwardly. "That's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Her head jerks up suddenly. "Yeah no, of course it's not," she says, also laughing awkwardly.

I eye her, confused. She seems so on guard and defensive. Is she still mad at me after all? Is something else going wrong?

I shake my head as if to clear the thought. I'm just imagining things. I hope.

     ____________________

After school, Natalie has to make up a test she missed 1st period. So, I walk home alone. Lunch hadn't gone as I thought it would. After our awkward exchange about her appointment, we'd been quiet and made awkward small talk. I was expecting a debate about this God her and Katrina claimed to believe in. I had kinda hoped it would happen. I wanted to be able to make my mind stop overthinking the concept of God...

I decide to go talk to Genevieve. I'm set on becoming friends with her and finding out more about her.

I walk over to find her swinging around the lamppost again. When she sees me her smile widens.

Gosh, it's cute when she does that.

"Hi Bridget."

"Hey," I respond.

I look down at her feet. "Where do keep all the shoes you get?" I ask, trying to appear as casual as possible.

"Oh," she waves her hand dismissively, "Never mind that."

I look at her curiously.

Her smile weakens a little.

"Don't worry, they... They're being put to good use I assure you."

"Do you give them away?" I ask. I'm embarrassed I'm interrogating her so much, but I'm terribly curious.

She looks at me, then the ground and shrugs. "Yeah."

"To who?"

I just can't keep my mouth shut can I?

She shrugs again. "To those who need them."

"Don't you want to keep at least one pair for yourself?"

That's when she looks me straight in the eye and says, "There's  always someone worse off then me. They need shoes more than I do."

We stand in silence for a moment. Then she says, her eyes twinkling, "Besides, I've always felt more free when my feet are bare!"

I laugh, but only to be polite. In truth, I'm feeling more confused than when we started talking.

"And you," I say smiling and reaching into my lunch box, "You need this chocolate bar more than I do."

Her face lights up. I hand it to her and walk towards home.