“I’m good, how are you?” I ask, stepping aside so she can head up to the building.
“I’m good, and God is great,” she tells me, her smile honey-sweet. “You’re in for a good sermon today. Bishop was on point this morning.”
“Great, thank you… for the heads up,” I say, a little awkward. I’m grateful when she ducks into the building.
I’m not going to stay for the main service.
I haven’t exactly prayed in a while. In the fallout at camp, everything I spewed to Mrs. Patricia was a weave of truths and lies. I walked away unscathed, and at the time, that was all that mattered. If I pray about what happened, ask God for forgiveness and guidance, I don’t know what I’ll do if He guides me away from Hannah, away from what I spent most of camp being drawn to. I prayed at camp, and getting closer to Hannah felt right, like God put her in my path for a reason.
Then everything changed, and I’m not ready to confront the possibility that Yasmin and Jameson are right, that I’m wrong, and that my relationship with God changed too.
Dad waves me over, and I have no choice but to oblige. I greet members who recognize me and shake hands with a few deacons before they leave.
“Good service?” he asks.
I start to turn, hoping that we’re finally going to walk to the car. When he doesn’t move to do the same, I say, “Yes. Ready to go?”
“You don’t want to stay for the main service? Mom will be here soon; we could all go together.”
I don’t want to sit through another sermon, one potentially calling me a sinner, and watch my parents nod along in agreement. I don’t want to risk running into Mrs. Patricia, or Jameson, or Yasmin.
“I… I’m still a bit tired after yesterday,” I reason, “and I figure I can study the scripture we reviewed in Sunshine Saints at home.”
“When I get home, you can tell me all about it then,” Dad says, not missing a beat. He pulls his car keys out of his pocket, swings the loop around his finger, and hands them to me. “I’ll get a ride home with Mom.”
I’m shocked. Even though I have my license, I rarely get to drive myself.
“Yes, sir,” I say, giving him a hug. “Thank you!”
“If you want, you can drive to the workshop tomorrow too.”
I pause, pulling apart and looking up at him. “What workshop?”
“The College Essay Workshop. Your mom signed you up for it a while ago.”
“A while ago…” I repeat, racking my brain.
“Tomorrow at six o’clock you have an essay workshop here, in the main building. It’s okay if you don’t have much prepared, the volunteers will be able to help you. And who knows, maybe you can compare notes with your friends,” Dad says, smiling. “Anyway, I figure since I’ll be off, you can take the car and drive yourself.”
Dad goes back into the church and I walk to the car in a bit of a daze. I completely forgot about the workshop.
Jameson and Yasmin will be there, I’m sure. Despite all my artful dodging, I knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid them forever. I just hoped I’d have a little more time, or that I could avoid them until I left for college and perhaps run into them over a year from now when the Incident is long behind us.
But no. Lucky me, I get to drive myself into the lion’s den.
MAURICE:Hav u heard of a place called Lulu’s?
CLARITY:Yeah, it’s rly good froyo.
MAURICE:Wanna go with me?
CLARITY:When?
MAURICE:In 20 minutes?
CLARITY:Sry, can’t. Have a church thing 2nite.
MAURICE:All good. Hav fun!