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Grade
8

I tried running, I ran so fast, I didn't think I would be able to stop. She could hear those footsteps getting closer and closer, oh too close… I dreaded seeing those grey Nikes followed by his fellow Black and Orange Nike friends, then a Blue-Teal Nike at the end. I tried to push myself even faster but I couldn't run anymore. The trees and sidewalk I ran upon which was zooming past started to get slower, and slower, and slower, and slower. I turn to the side of the school, a familiar darkness encloses me, making me feel hidden. Kayla thinking they would’ve stopped now. She’s hidden from the world, they won't be able to find her. She thought wrong. I can hear their footsteps even clearer now as she was heavily breathing suddenly stopped, trying to hide us, this time it didn't work… Kayla tried running, but I just couldn't move, we were in deep this time.. As they turn the corner I first see their shoes, first the grey, next the orange and black, the the blue-teal. She starts cowering away. She could see those wicked smirks plastered on each of their faces as I start to get dizzy. The one on his right, cracking his knuckles, warning her of what's heading her way. The one on his left chuckling as he does the same making her flinch fiercely. Then he finally speaks up

“Well, well, well, you thought you could actually run from us? Outsmart us? Poor Kayla you are so DUMB!,” he says the last part quite loudly, while taking steps towards us with each word, each syllable he says. Laughing like a madman, he whispers ever so softly, “You thought wrong dollface.”

Two Hours Later

I awake in her bed, still upon her feet just as I was a few hours ago. I feel the bed dip and me flying through the air as I smacked the ground with an omfph. Feeling more weight applied to my soles as she takes me down the stairs slowly,seeing a familiar pair of Black Timberlands, hoping down the stairs more noticing that a familiar pair of orange and purple Nikes next to her, noticing it's her brother and sister, Vince and Anna, I begin to walk up to them.

“Anna? Vince? What happened?” she asked in the smallest voice, the smallest voice they've ever heard from her. With glossy eyes and sad faces they explained what happened to my poor Kayla. She looks quite distraught after finding this out. Why don't I remember this? she thought, then it came at her like a truck. When they threw the first punch it threw her into the wall, feeling her head she winced.

“Dustin came and looked at it, you have a minor concussion, nothing too bad, it's just going to be sore for a few days. So no school tomorrow.” Kayla released a breathe of air she didn't know she was holding after Anna clarified what was going on.

Then Anna interrupts her thinking, “Now cmon Moosey, let’s go make dinner. Oh and Vince? Call Dustin over for dinner.” Six tries later, spaghetti sauce splattered all over me, dinner is finally ready.

“VINCE! DUSTIN! DINNERS READY!” Kayla screams through the dining room hoping for it to be heard in the upstairs game room. Hear a bit of rumbling I see two familiar pairs of shoes, Vinces orange and purple Nikes and Dustin's Pink and Blue Nikes come flying down the stairs. Once we’re all seated, Anna brings out her specialty spaghetti mom and dad taught her before they left for Italy last summer. We eat something italian they’ve taught us every Thursday, calling it our Italy Thursday.

When everyone is practically done with dinner Kayla interrupts the scraping of forks and chewing through the air with another small voiced question,“Can we go to Candiee’s?” She looks up with a slight smile while everyone looks at eachother, smiles wider than ever before each one of them screams “YES” in unison. Making her laugh loudly, the others soon following.

We all pile into Anna’s truck, Vince driving,me shotgun on Kaylas feet, and Anna and Dustin in the back. While Vince decides to blast ‘Hotline Bling’, windows rolled down, they're screaming the lyrics laughing, they're crazy I tell you. Like, they sure are a good little group. Once they all arrive at ‘Candiee’s, the best candy shoppe around’ they sprint to the door, literally sprint. Kayla being herself, casually walks through the parking lot and up the stairs and stood there, in awe. If I were a person I would totally understand this. It's a two story candy store for crying out loud! Whose mouth wouldn't be watering right now? Then I feel myself moving again, Kayla looks for the others finding them surrounding a piece of paper walks over slowly, getting on her toes, squishing me in the process to see what they were looking at. She saw it's a list, not just any list, our candy list. Once a month we come here and stock up our candy supply. This was also another tradition Kayla, Anna, and Vince did with their parents. But ever since they're mom passed away and dad moved to Italy, he sends them checks. I miss those Black dress shoes, I used to see leave the door before me and Kayla walk to school. Or even those bright red heels her mom wore everyday because they were her favorite, or when Kayla would swap me out with her bright orange Nikes she used for running with her mom's purple Nikes, her favorite color. She never takes those shoes out now, They lay next to me at night, sobbing.

Once at the cashregister, done shopping, I hear the door open. I see the familar pair of shoes walk in… Kaylas bullies…  Grey Nikes casually walking up to me, with those Black and Orange Nikes, then followed by a Blue-teal Nikes. Hearing Kayla whimpers and Vince growl and step in front of me, a simple pair of Black and Green Nikes, my view that was once three pairs of shoes now being the back of my brothers shoes.

“What do you want now Zack?” Vince asks, spitting his name out like poison. Zack smiles and replies casually,
“Well, more of what do we,” He points to the owner of the Black and Orange Nikes, known as Peyton, then to the owner or the Blue-Teal Nikes, Xavier, then continues “Would just love and speak to our fellow friend Kayla. So if you’ll excuse us” That's Zacks and Peytons and Xaviers que to step up. I wish I could scream and tell them, make them stop somehow. That's when I see Black Timberlands in front with the Purple and Orange Nikes.

“You think you could get pass us? You thought wrong. Now I advise you to get your little scrawny selves out of here before serious issues occur.” Anna says, spitting the words out one by one, getting angrier and angrier as time passed. Her shoes reassuring me that weve got it handled. Then I hear Peyton speak up

“What are you gonna do princess? Sick your little boyfriend on us?”

“No, I’ll do this.” That's when we all watch Anna leap into the air and knock Peyton in the jaw, us hearing him breathe in a breath of air, hissing. But Anna’s not done. She then goes to Xavier, who tries to stop her which causes a loud snap to be heard and him fall to the ground clutching his arm. She moves so quickly we didn't even see her move to Zack, with him smirking it frightens Kayla, her not knowing what's going through his mind.

 

Zacks Shoes:

 

He smirks as Anna reaches him, I laugh and look at her Black Timberlands come towards us. Zack has admitted before that Anna is cute. Maybe that's the reason he bullies Kayla, just an excuse to see Anna. Zack looks down at me expecting me to move once she reaches us but I stay planted on this pale sidewalk. Looking up I see Anna punch him in the nose and hear a big crack and a crimson color start to run down his nose unto her shirt I gasp. She broke his nose! Looking at my fellow friend those Timberlands I haven't seen in ages we smile at each other, a real genuine smile. Hey! Our owners may not like each other but me and those Timberlands are close. I feel myself falling and being pushed under his thighs as he falls to his knees. Once I look around I start to feel dizzy, Hearing one last thing before I pass out

“Who's the princess now, Peyton?”

Kaylas Shoes:

 

Once we arrive home it's time to kick me off and go to bed. As she sets me down next to her grey wall and white door, I see those Orange Nikes be picked up for the first time in forever. She goes to her cream colored sheets and slips on a new pair of socks throwing her old, smelly ones on me. Man, if she could understand me right now, she would not be pleased. I then hear a slight creak of her bed and watch her get up and, jump a little? What is she doing? My goodness she's shaking the whole house! She finally stops then stretches. Ohhh! Now I know what she's doing! She's going for a run.  I watch as she steps passes me and I see a huge smile and Yippy from her Orange Nikes. Smiling I bid a goodbye and watch as they leave me in a dark abyss, enclosed with shadows, I feel myself get drowsy and slowly find myself asleep. Not being able to wait any longer for them to arrive.

The next morning I arise and see her Orange Nikes next to me again, sound asleep. Seeing kayla get up I know it's time for school, aka prison. Seeing as Kayla is already dressed and ready I feel myself getting lifted in the air and with an oomphf hitting the floor once more. Groaning on contact I get put on her stinky feet. Whew, child, you need to wash your feet after running. As she gets up one by one I get lifted in the air to get more pressure applied to my soles as she runs down the stairs.

“Morning losers” Kayla says as she stuffs her mouth with cereal and then bacon

“Excuse me? Vince! Mouth closed!! You too Kayla!! You pigs…” rolling her eyes Anna throws Kaylas backpack to her and grabbing the keys to her truck and leaves out that Cream door, Kayla watching her through the doors. Then it's Vince's que to leave. Watching those Orange and Purple Nikes zoom past me running out the door. But before closing the door he says to Kayla

“It’ll get better Kayla, I promise.” and that's when we leave, on our way to school there was no laughing, no stuff getting thrown at me, no nothing. Being cautious as I walk into the school, everyone was doing their own thing. There was no whispers, nothing in her locker, she starts to think this was because Anna beat the bullies up, or if they found out how childish it was. I wasn't complaining though, I don't think Kayla was either. When she arrives at class nobody cared to look at her. Putting her hood up and head down she moved to her seat.

“This is weird.” she mumbles to herself. She shrugs it one and goes along with her day

When we arrive home she runs into the kitchen hoping to see Anna there, when she doesn’t, she calls out her name. Hearing muffled sounds from the game room and someone scream “IN YO FACE LOSER” Kayla recognizes that voice. It's Anna’s. Running up the stairs she was right. I see those Black Timberlands and those Orange and Purple Nikes on the floor, Enclosing two pairs of feet. Following the feet are Anna and Vince, playing Mario Kart. Kayla lets out a long laugh and plop down next to them. Making me hit the carpet hardly. Oh Kayla would you please stop that!! Interrupting my laughter Anna says

“How was school?” I stop laughing and think for a minute

“Pretty good actually, nothing happened.” that's when Vince interrupted my thought

“Told you dollface.” Then I walk out of the room and go to sleep

 

Four years later; Kayla’s Graduation

Everything's been better. Of course I’m still Kaylas favorite pair of shoes. She's almost outgrown me, and I’m kinda falling apart. Kayla has gotten much stronger. Today is her graduation day, she's finally off to college. I heard her Anna and Vince talking, they're getting her new shoes, a pair of Black and Grey Nikes to be exact. That's when her old shoes will retire. I feel myself getting lifted in the air once more, It being forever since I’ve felt pressure on my soles. Getting closer and closer to the principle. Kayla’

 

s smile is so wide, she looks like my owner oh so much, but I mean it makes sense. I am her mother's shoes, red heels, her favorite.