I Miss the Way it Wasn’t: Part Two

Where on Earth is my other shoe? I wondered, as I flung boots and sneakers across the floor. 

“Zo, what are you doing?” My mom stood in the mudroom doorway, holding a bagel in one hand and her purse in the other. 

“I’m looking for my other pink shoe!”

“Just wear the black ones,” my mom said, sighing. 

“They aren’t the same.”

A lot had changed since last summer. Now I went to a different school than Duckie and all of my old friends. My mom got a new job as a manager at the souvenir shop, and she was never at home anymore. Dad had never been home much anyway, as he worked long hours and was often gone on business trips.

“I have to go,” she said, patting my messy hair down. “Don’t forget to–”

“Close the patio door when I leave,” I finished. “I know.”

“Dishes are in the sink,” she called through a mouthful of bagel as she disappeared into the garage. 

I quickly shut the patio door and laced up my one pink shoe. I looked around. No other shoe. I glanced down and saw a pink sneaker shoved under the corner of the black wire boot basket. After donning both shoes, I slipped out the front door, where my bicycle was waiting for me, leaning against the side of the house. This summer, I always rode down to main street to get a smoothie from Brook & Bean. 

Brook & Bean was a new coffee and smoothie shop next to the library, and they served the best strawberry lemon smoothie. It tasted like sunshine and sweetness. 

As I rode down the sidewalk, I saw a familiar face with a familiar grin. 

“Duckie!” I called. Duckie was riding around in his cul-de-sac with another boy our age. I pedaled closer and skidded to a stop in the cul-de-sac. 

“Hey,” he said with a small smile.

“Hi Duckie,” I said. “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good,” he said. He didn’t ask me how I was doing. He just looked at me like he didn’t know who I was. I suddenly felt very aware of my brown bear t-shirt and too-short leggings. 

“We should hang out sometime,” I said.

“Yeah.” Duckie gestured to his friend. “This is Jonah from school.”

“Nice to meet you, Jonah from school,” I said, giving the other boy a mock salute. He nodded slightly. “Oh, I’m Zoe. I live down the street. Well, down the other street. I’m sort of a celebrity around here, I’m sure Duckie has told you all about me.”

There was an awkward pause. And a blank stare. Why did I say that? A trickle of sweat ran down my neck. 

“Okay, well, I should probably go,” I said, feeling the awkwardness of the moment settle over me like an itchy sweater. I turned my bike around.

“Wait,” Duckie said. I turned back to him. Yes, I would love to hang out with you and your new friend!  “Can you call me Levi, please?”

My heart sank to the bottom of my chest. Levi? He was Duckie! He was always Duckie! That was our thing!

“Yeah. Sure.” I pedalled away without looking back, ignoring the sound of the laughter behind me as Jonah did some sort of trick Levi thought was cool. I felt a bitter taste in my mouth and a lump crawling up my throat. My heart ached with the realization that Duckie was forever dead.