My Sister, Abby (Part 19)

I didn’t feel radically different after praying with Chad.  I wasn’t taken over by any strange spirit, I didn’t start dancing in the street, I just knew that I’d been heard and answered.  At the same time, I knew that I would always be heard and answered, and that thought made me so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling.

“He heard me!” I whispered to Chad.

His smile matched mine as nodded.  “I know.”

That’s when I froze.  “What time is it?  I have to get back home.  Nathan’s coming for dinner.  Hey, do you want to come with me?”

Chad shrugged.  “I’ll ask my, wait.  Who’s cooking?”

I laughed.  “Don’t worry.  My mom’s cooking.  It won’t be like Abby’s hamburgers.”

We were both silent for the duration of the shared memory.  Abby had fixed hamburgers for a cookout and seasoned them with so much salt that the people who could make it past the black, charred crust choked anyway.

“In that case,” Chad resumed, as if there had been no break in the conversation, “I’ll ask my grandmother.  If she  says I can, I’ll be over in half an hour.”

“Okay, sounds good!”  I tried to smile, realized I was already smiling so broadly I couldn’t look any happier if I’d tried, and tried anyway.  As we went our separate ways, I mentally prepared myself to walk into my house and face the two people who probably had the power to shoot me down from my high spirits.

Surprisingly, they were busy getting ready for Nathan to come and forgot to annoy me.  I made a mental note to ask Chad about this occurrence and told them that I’d invited Chad over too.

Abby immediately flipped out, of course, and ran upstairs to change.  She had already dressed to make a good on impression on Nathan, who everybody knew didn’t like her too much, so I wasn’t looking forward to seeing all her extra embellishments for Chad.  I put the thought of my mind though and took over her job of making a salad.

I had just shredded the carrots and scraped them into the bowl over the lettuce when Abby came back down in the same outfit she’d left in, but carrying three options.  Apparently she’d decided to use perfume as well, because the strong smell of some flower preceded her by a mile.

“Which one do you think I should wear?” she asked no one in particular.

I was too happy to be mean or ignore her, so I looked at each outfit she was holding and tried to imagine them on her.  I quickly decided that the best outfit was the most casual one and told her so.  She looked a little disappointed.

“Are you sure?  I really like this dress!”  She held up a dress that I wouldn’t have been caught dead in.

I pretended to consider the option, then came back with, “It’s a little too dressy for just dinner.  Besides,” I managed to come up with a genuine compliment, “that top would bring out the subtle blue in your eyes.”

She frowned, and I could tell that the compliment had her convinced I was setting her up.  I looked over at my mom for support.

She shrugged.  “You know I think you’re beautiful no matter what you put on.  You should wear whatever you want to.  I’m sure no one will mind.”

Abby smiled broadly, and as she ran off, I had no doubt that she would next appear in the revealing dress she seemed to like so much.  To be honest, it hurt that my mom would intentionally do something like what she just did.  I was genuinely trying to help, and she came back with sting after painful sting.  For one thing, my mom had never told me that she thought I was unconditionally beautiful.  The closest I’d ever come to hearing that was the one time she told me that with make-up on I looked almost pretty.

Then, she pretty told Abby that I was trying to set her up by not backing me up.  I gave Abby a compliment, and my mom dragged it through the dust and presented it as if that was all it was ever meant to be.  And to top it all off, she took my explanation for why Abby shouldn’t be too dressy and simply voided it.  She could have validated that no one else would be wearing anything remotely dressy, and she could have just not made any other mistake, but she went out of her way three times to let me know that my honest effort wasn’t enough and wasn’t appreciated.

So much for thinking they were going to be different just because I was.

While these thoughts played themselves out in my mind, I shredded cheese, cut tomatoes, chopped up green onions and multi-colored bell peppers, and poured croutons into the now diversely colored salad.  I tossed the salad with my hands while questioning my importance to my family with my mind.  I had just come to the conclusion that no one in my family really appreciated me, and if it weren’t for Chad I would probably just leave and they wouldn’t even notice when there was a knock on the door, and it opened.

“Anybody home?” Nathan called out, shutting the door behind him.

Just hearing his voice proved my conclusion wrong, and leaving my salad and pity party behind, I rushed out into the hall and gave him a huge bear hug.

“Hey, Jess.  How’ve ya been?” he asked, returning the hug.

I shrugged.  “Fine,” I answered.  “My friend Chad’s coming for dinner too.  It should be ready soon.”

He grinned.  “I’m not starving, don’t worry.”

I grinned back and suddenly my rollercoaster day was going uphill again.  unfortunately, I knew that as soon as it crested, I would be plunged back down, and it happened sooner that I’d expected.

Abby hadn’t shown up again since running upstairs to change, and I was starting to wonder what she was up to, but I remembered my pity party and quickly put the thought behind me while talking to Nathan about how life had been.  It wasn’t until the doorbell rang, I answered it, and Chad stepped into the hallway that I realized her game.

As I closed the door behind Chad, I heard someone on the steps, and next thing I knew, Abby had made her grand entrance.  She had sure fixed herself up, and she walked over to me so that Chad couldn’t help but notice the difference.

She’d cleaned up and put on a nice dress for him.

I was in the same shorts and t-shirt I’d been skateboarding in, but I was determined to not be outdone.  Smiling brightly, I led Chad into the living room where Nathan was waiting, noticing that Abby had quickly stepped to his side.

Let the games begin.

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

My Sister, Abby (Part 18)

“My mom just doesn’t get it!” I exclaimed one Sunday afternoon, joining Chad outside after lunch one day, exactly sixteen days before school started again.  He raised one eyebrow and rested his skateboard on his shoe.  He’d heard this spiel before, and he knew that I wouldn’t be done until I said so.  “She just doesn’t understand that just because I’m going to church doesn’t make me nicer to Abby.”

Chad still waited in silence.  I didn’t plan on adding anything, but the quiet started to get to me, so I finally came out and said what I was thinking just to break the silence.  “Well, I’ve gone to church with you for four or five weeks now, and you keep talking on and on about everything they say so I don’t forget it, but I don’t want to like Abby anymore.  There isn’t any difference in me since I’ve been going to church.  I haven’t magically become like you, and my mom doesn’t understand that.  I’m just not like that.  I wasn’t made to be a Christian the way your teacher keeps talking about it was I?” I ended somewhat ruefully.

Chad looked like he was about to burst, so I rolled my eyes and told him I was done and I wouldn’t rip his face off if he answered my question.  That was all the invitation he needed.  “Yes, you were, Jessie!  That’s all we’ve been trying to tell you all this time!  You were made to be a Christian.  Everyone was made to be a Christian.  You are one of the lucky ones that know how.”

I’d heard all this innumerable times in the past month or so, but something was different about today.  I ventured a couple more questions.  “I already told you what I know.  I know that I’m not a Christian and I’m not meant to be.  What makes you so sure that I am?  Why does everyone seem so sure that I am meant to be a Christian?”

“How do you know you aren’t a Christian?” he asked immediately.

“Because I’ve been around you and your friends long enough to know that I’m not the same way, so if you guys are Christians, I’m not.  Of course, it could be the other way around, couldn’t it?” I asked hopefully.

Chad shook his head slowly.  “No, we’ve had this conversation before, Jess.  You know how it goes.  Our attitude isn’t what makes us different.”

“Yeah, sin and forgiveness, blahdiddyblah blah blah,” I answered half-heartedly.  Something told me that I didn’t really feel that way anymore, and I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with that feeling.

Chad seemed to sense it too, somehow.  “Jessie, you’re so close,” he all but pleaded.  “Why don’t you just let go?  God will catch you, I promise, and he’ll never let go!  He’ll wrap in his arms and hide you close to his heart where no one can hurt you again.  He’ll be the Father you can feel proud about claiming.  He’ll never leave you, and he’ll answer questions you don’t even know you want to ask.  He loves you, Jess!  You know that.  You’ve heard in class just how much.  He gave up his Son so that you could become his child!  Why don’t you see it?”

I was silent for a moment.  “Chad, I’m not sure.  I mean, you were a Christian, and God let my dad hurt you!”

“But you started coming to church after that.  There was a very good reason!”

“And why would he let Abby come here?  Do you have a very good reason for that one too?”

“Not yet, but God sure does.  He’ll show you when it’s best.  Right now you  have to trust what he says, and later you’ll see the result and trace the reason.”

“Do you have a fancy church word for that too?” I asked sarcastically, trying to hide the slight glimmer of hope that his words were giving me.  There was a conflict going on inside me.  Part of me said that if Chad could get so excited over this, it must be something amazing, but then there was the other side of me that said that there was no way it was the truth.  The problem was, I didn’t know which side was my logical side anymore.

“We call it faith,” Chad said simply.  “Believing in something you can’t see, and trusting that God will work it out for good.”

“But this is terrifying,” I answered one of his earlier questions.  “What if I do decide to let go, and it turns out to not be real, and I just keep falling?”

Chad looked at me carefully.  “Jess, is that really what you’re afraid of?”

I glanced at him, scared.  “You keep saying that God will be my Father.  I only know one dad, and he’s in prison for trying to kill us both.  Can you blame me for be a little cautious here?”

“But Jess, while I know your dad is a jerk, God won’t be like your dad.  He will be the dad yours should have been.  That’s the beauty of it.  Believe it or not, you already rely on him.”

“I know,” I cut in.  I couldn’t have explained my strange conflicting feelings and moods if I’d tried.  “He makes and maintains oxygen and gravity and the orbit and the heat and everything.  He’s keeping me alive right now.”

“Do you actually believe that?” Chad asked, surprised.

I kept my eyes on the ground.  “If I weren’t entirely sure there was a God, it would be easier.  If he didn’t exist, he couldn’t do anything to me even if I did decide to place my entire self in his hands.  We’re talking about someone with enough power to crush me with a stray thought, though.  That’s what I’m really afraid of.  You’re going to say that there’s nothing to be afraid of, but then there’s that verse that your teacher used this morning.  It was something like, ‘Who can say what God’s thinking?’ and that isn’t exactly what you’d call comforting.”

Chad looked confused for a minute, then his face cleared.  I was surprised to find that I wanted to have my questions answered satisfactorily.  I really wanted to be able to trust a God who, according to last week’s lesson, never changed and could never be anything but good.  I didn’t tell him that, because I needed to hear his answer, and I was afraid that if he knew what was riding on it, he’d get too nervous to answer.

“There’s an answer to the question asked there, Jess.  I think it’s implied, but it’s saying, ‘Who except God can understand God?’  He knows exactly what he’s thinking, so he is qualified to describe himself, right?”

I could see where he was going, and I let my enthusiasm loose in my answer, shocking Chad.  “Yeah, he must be!  So all that stuff the teacher has said is God talking about himself, because he can.  He knows himself.  And if the Bible is just God speaking, then everything the teacher read has to be true, because God said, from that one lesson, that he cannot lie.  That means that it’s all true.  I really do just have to let go of myself, turn away from my sin, and ask God to accept me, like they say at the end of every class!”

A wide grin spread across Chad’s face as he recovered from his shock.  “Are you going to do it?”

Looking into his eyes, I could see that he knew I’d already made my decision.  Smiling back at him, I nodded firmly and was surprised to hear my voice come out in a hoarse whisper.  “Yeah, I’m going to do it.”

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

Well…That’s Embarrassing

Apparently, due to miscommunication between the two writers, two Thursdays were skipped in a two-week period where I was away from the internet due to the end of school/theatre production.  I had intended to arrange for Grace to try her hand at story writing, but unforseen circumstances changed things, and the result is two empty weeks.

A lot has happened in those two weeks, so please let me recap quickly.  First and foremost, I sort of starting listening to Brad Paisley, which I’m doing now too.  Next, I should mention that I also ended school with a 4.0 GPA, so Grace isn’t the only homeschooled overachiever, although she will be next year.  I’m not lowering my standards, but that point may be considered debatable after I mention that I’m going to go to a public school next year.  I still intend to be more of an overachiever than ever, and I’ll actually be able to measure it!

Also, I moved into a new house with my family, which I’m still adjusting to, because I have my own space now!

And, finally, we (as in my family) are on yet another run through of the Star Wars movies, so I’m going to watch Attack of the Clones.  Nothing like quality family time, 21st century version!

All the time, none of the conversation = beautiful online family relationships.  Right?

Stay random.  I’ll post later.  Promise!

~Ari

My Sister, Abby (Part 17)

“Jessica,” my mom said sorrowfully, sitting on the side of my bed later that night, “I’m incredibly disappointed by your behavior today, and I think that if you understood just how it hurt me to see you acting the way you are, you would change your attitude.”

This is a method that always went over well with my brother Nathan, who is looking into a career in acting, but I was made of different cloth.

“I don’t know why you always insist on backing her up.  Good night, I don’t even know why you let her stay here.  Don’t you remember who she is?  She is the reason you and Mr. Pierce broke up.  I mean, hello?  This is the child of your then husband and some other woman who is now in rehab for her addiction to the dope said husband bought for her.”

“Jessica, I’m not denying anything that you’re saying, but you have to keep in mind the circumstances that brought her to us.”

“I remember perfectly fine, Mother.  You’ve spent enough of your life picking up the pieces Mr. Pierce left lying behind him in the unavoidable path of destruction.  Stuck-up, better-that-the-world, count-on-me-to-steal-your-man Abby is not part of your responsibility.  Come on.  Your responsibility is to me and Nathan.”

“Jessica, I’ve almost heard enough of your mouth for one night.  I think you will realize in hindsight that you deserve being grounded.  I’ve never looked forward to school opening as much as this year, I’m afraid.”  That was when I realized that with all the time lost recuperating from the accident, our summer was flying by way too fast, but my mother continued on without noticing the effects of the unexpected bomb she had just dropped on me.  “It may be, of course, that you’ve always been like this but now that I have someone your age to compare you to I only notice it now.”

“Okay, do you not realize that this same model in every sense of the word has, on her word, dated every guy she’s ever met?  I thought that wasn’t the life you wanted for me, after your bad experience with my father.”  For some magic reason, the little voice was there now, telling me to not mention that her judgment hadn’t gotten much better since, but you better believe I was thinking it.  Actually, I was thinking that there were only six weeks left of summer vacation, but I would have thought that if I hadn’t been occupied.

“I think you’re just trying to put her in a bad light, and let me tell you, Jessica Lynn, I won’t tolerate it!  I don’t want anything of the kind going on in my house, and it disappoints me incredibly that my own daughter would be the one to start it.”

At this point, the injustice was infuriating, and I let it show.  “What do you think Miss Abby has been doing all this time?” I half screamed.  “All she does is undermine everything I say and do and, to use your own words, put me in a bad light.”

My mother stood up.  “I don’t like that tone, as you well know, young lady, and I believe you are just taking my words and using them again because you know that they mean something I don’t like, and you don’t like your sister.”

“I am not in kindergarten, Mother!  I know what I’m saying, and I mean every word of it!”

“I’m sorry you hate your sister so much, Jessica, but I cannot allow your pithy feelings to interfere with my business or my family, so you will just have to learn to deal with life as it comes to you.  You have offended and insulted you sister incredibly, and I expect you to apologize as soon as this week is up, if she even wants to talk to you again.”

“You mean there’s a chance she won’t?” I asked half sarcastically.  “Geez, Mom, that’s the best news you’ve given me all night!  And quit calling her my sister.  She’s only half my sister, and that half doesn’t even belong on my family tree anymore, so you can forget about the fact that I’m related to her at all.”

“No, Jessica, I can’t do that, because the truth, no matter how long you hide from it, will always be that she really is your sister.  If you weren’t so stubborn and unkind, you might actually get along very well.”

I just rolled my eyes and turned away from her, which she took, and rightly so, as her cue to leave.  “Good night, Jessica.”

“Not with her in the house,” I muttered in reply.  As soon as the door shut, I pulled my cell phone out from under my pillow and sent Nathan a message about how I was unjustly grounded again.  Unfortunately, my mother heard the chime when he answered, so shortly after reading his indignant response, I lost my cell phone privileges for the remainder of the time I was grounded.  I might go to church with Chad again just to get out of the house.  Again, I know, but why else would I go to his church?

Thankfully, Nathan said he would come pick me up on Friday, so I’ll have another reason to get out of the house.

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

My Sister, Abby (Part 16)

“You can be glad you have one day with him every week.  I won’t be jealous,” was Abby’s only comment.  You know those people who you can really tell when they’re lying (usually because their mouths happen to be open)?  It was like that.

“Yeah, right.  Well, you’d hate church anyway.  They all talk about obeying God, and you don’t listen to anyone.  Oh, and all the girls are friends with Chad.”  I may have neglected to mention that all the guys were friends with him too, but at least I wasn’t lying like she was.

“No, they aren’t!”  From the way she was bristling up, I was forced to wonder what all had gone on while I was all but unconscious.  “He would have mentioned them if it were true!”

I really couldn’t help it, but that little person that yells “NO!” right before you speak only shows up when Chad’s looking at me, so I said it.  “Well, he didn’t mention them because he doesn’t notice the difference between friendship and flirtation, believing that everyone is as nice as him, which is probably why he tolerates you.”

“Jessica Lynn Pierce, you apologize right now!”

“No way!”  I turned around and ran outside, slamming the door on the way.  I would love to stop doing this, but they keep making me mad, and then that little voice is always gone, and voila!  I’m grounded for good.  Well, I figured, I might as well enjoy the freedom I’ve got until Abby’s mom gets out here, so I took a long walk all around the neighborhood.  When I got back, Chad was outside, so I ran down and we hung out for a couple of hours, just chilling.  Neither of us really felt like skateboarding.

As Murphy decreed, Abby came outside after the two hours were up, just when the sun was starting to glare in our eyes from behind the houses we’d been facing.

“Hey, Chad, what’s up?” she asked.  Then, pretending she noticed me just as he turned around, she added, “Oh, Jess!  What are you doing out here?  You’re grounded, remember?”

Chad raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged.  “This is the first I’ve heard about it!  And Abby, if you call me Jess again, you won’t be speaking for a month.”

“Well, you know better than to be as mean as you were.  You’d think that church would have put you in a better mood, but no!  What’s the first thing you do when you walk inside?  Insult me, and try to make me jealous!”  She turned to a thoroughly amused Chad, whose expression surprised both of us.  “What’s so funny?”

“You,” he answered simply, standing up.  “After all the attention you get as it is, you really don’t have to try that hard for more.  My side’s starting to hurt, so I’m going inside.  See you tomorrow, Jess.”

“Oh, sure.  Let him get away with calling you Jess, but threaten me when I do the same.”

“It’s simple, Abby.  He’s being friendly, you’re being a brat.  Now you probably need to get inside.  Your mom doesn’t like you to be outside when it’s getting dark.”  That sufficiently shut her up until she spilled her version of the conversation to her mom, getting me grounded for a week.

 

 

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

My Sister, Abby (Part 15)

Except for the whole “Abigail” bit, the class passed pretty nicely.  Tiffany, or Tiff as she apparently prefers to be called, sat next to me, and I sat next to Chad trying to forget that I had a huge ugly scar on my face.  Even with all that make up, I was still incredibly insecure, especially when I realized that I had to use this much every morning, I’d be broke at the end of the year.  If I hadn’t been in church, I would have cursed at Abby’s dad once again, but somehow it didn’t feel right.

So now we were in the car on the way home, talking our hearts out nervously, both sweating and shaking.  “Do you think this will happen every time we’re in the car together now?” I asked during a lull.

“I certainly hope not.  I think we’ll grow out of it.  Besides, your dad’s in prison now.”

He might grow out of it, but I never would.  “Well, we’ve talked enough about my dysfunctional family.  Tell me about yours.”

“Dysfunctional isn’t the half of it.  I have no idea who my dad is, and my mom was being escorted to a rehab center last time I saw her.  I hear that she’s out now, clean, and married.  I haven’t talked to her, and she hasn’t called that I know of.  It all happened when I was about four, so I’ve really forgotten most of what happened.  Except for that part when she was being dragged, literally, between two guys.”  He said it like he’d had this conversation so many times it was just second nature.  I couldn’t imagine talking about anything that nonchalantly.

We talked about other random topics until we got back to our street.  His grandparents decided, with our help, to just park at Chad’s house and we walked back up the street to my house.  Of course, I regretted that as soon as I saw Abby standing at the end of the driveway as soon as we got half way up the hill.

“Chad!” she called excitedly.  “It’s so good to see you walking again!”  With that, she ran down the hill toward us.

“Um, Chad, you might want to move at the last second,” I said in an undertone.

He grinned at me and froze for a long minute.  Surprisingly, Abby stopped herself short while he was smiling in my direction, although it makes more sense now that I think about it.  She is unbelievable, really.

“How was church?” she asked somewhat impatiently.  “Did you have fun?”

Chad nodded in her direction.  “I’ve got to go back and eat.  I’ll be up later, okay?”

Since it was obvious that he was talking to me, I shrugged.  “Sounds good.”

Abby twirled around toward the house and stalked inside.  Chad sent me a questioning look, but I had no idea what her problem was either, so all I could do was shrug again.  I have got to be the lamest person he has ever met.  I’m half surprised he doesn’t just ditch me and spend his attention on Abby, who seems to never run out of new, entertaining antics just for him.

“Well, thanks for taking me,” I said.

“Thanks for coming,” he replied with his genuine smile.

“What, I wouldn’t back out on a promise!”  I said, pseudo-fended.

In response, I got the grin I’d been hoping for, tossed over his shoulder as he sprinted down the street to what would probably be a great dinner.  I turned away when I realized that I’d been standing in the same spot long enough for him to get to his driveway and quickly went inside to my own personal horror show.  Not that I thought that was what I would find inside, but just Abby was bad enough.

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

My Sister, Abby (Part 14)

I’ve got to admit, I was shocked out of my skin when Abby didn’t tag along.  I’m starting to think that maybe church might be a good place for me after all!  Chad’s grandparents aren’t so bad, you know, even if they did let my dad come into their house and threaten their grandson, who is looking pretty good after everything if you ask me.  Not that anyone’s asking, but I’ll answer anyway because somehow he managed to pull off the look I had to add twelve layers of cover-up to achieve.  And I don’t think he wears any make-up, by the way.  Not that I really thought that needed to be said, but whatever.  Jess, get a hold of yourself.

I think Chad just noticed how nervous I look.  I’m a little afraid to tell him what I’m really thinking, because he might take it totally wrong and not be my only friend for the next two hours.  It’s okay, it looks like he’s a little nervous too.

“Feeling alright?” I ask, hoping to get him to explain what’s making him so nervous, although I’m starting to think that it might be the fact that he’s worried I’ll ruin his reputation at his church.

He just nods.  Well, that’s not surprising.  It’s probably the same thing I would have done in his situation.  If I had people hanging around caring about how I cared, I would be tired of hearing that question too.  I quickly attempted amending any damage I may  have done to our friendship by my thoughtless question.

“I’m sorry.  I guess you’re tired of hearing that.  I wasn’t thinking.”  He shrugged.  Now I was getting a little upset, as if I weren’t already.  Was there a reason he wasn’t talking to me?  I considered a vow of silence on Sundays, but quickly dismissed the possibility when I heard his grandfather talking freely from the driver’s seat.  Then I quickly looked away from the driver’s seat and involuntarily glanced at the window.  I almost started hyperventilating when I saw the curve in the road coming up and shifted my focus to the ground by my feet.

Chad apparently noticed me at this point.  “Hey,” he began, then fell silent and closed his eyes while the obvious motion of the car told me were rounding the curve.

“Chad?” I asked quietly, being careful not to let my glance stray to the quickly passing, turning scenery, “really, buddy, are you okay?”

“Probably about as okay as  you,” he answered equally quietly.  His face looked positively pasty, and I had a feeling that I looked just as sick.  Then it hit me.  We were both thinking the same thing, of the same ride, of the same corner, of the last time we were both in the back of a fast-moving car.

I tried for a smile.  “Um, yeah, well I guess that’s all that can be expected, huh?”

He shrugged.

“Uh, Chad?” I ventured to ask again, because this was starting to worry me a little bit more than I was ready to admit.  “You aren’t really going to be sick are you?”

This time he managed a shaky grin.  “I promise I won’t ruin your dress, Jessie.”  That wasn’t what I’d been asking, but I figured I’d just have to take it.

Maybe he said that on purpose, because by the time we pulled into the church parking lot, I think both of us had prayed a little bit more than we ever had before in our lives.  The only difference was, somehow I didn’t think his prayers were hitting the ceiling of the car and bouncing back.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, smoothing down the front of my dress to cover my mental prep notes: Deep breaths, get ready to see the underside of a lot of noses, and don’t try to say anything spiritual if you say anything at all, because chances are you’ll mention the wrong ritual.  Don’t always follow along with their rituals, because you don’t have the spirit or the timing, and if they start talking gibberish, don’t join in because you’ll probably say something really bad in their own secret language.  I shut the door, turned around and managed a real smile at Chad.

He grinned his normal grin back at me.  “It’s a lot easier with your feet planted firmly on solid ground, isn’t it?”

I would ask if it was creepy how well this guy understood me, but no one would answer, so what’s the use?  It was the thought running through my head, though.  The church looked a little more modern than I had been expecting.  I mean, I hadn’t been expecting it to be made of logs, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the fancy sound system and all the guys in jeans warming up their instruments at the front of the room when we got inside.

I glanced at Chad.  “This is church?”

He nodded.  “We have our first class in the basement, though.”

I wasn’t sure what he expected me to say, so I tried for the honest, straight-forward, grimacing, “Ugh.  Steps?”

He grinned.  “No, my grandparents got escalators installed just for us.  C’mon.  It won’t hurt as badly going down anyway!”

There weren’t a lot of people in the big room we’d been in, and I’d been expecting us to be the only two people downstairs, but instead I saw about fifty other teenagers and heard more as we neared the bottom of the stairs which ended in pain and an actual basement.

As soon as they saw us, about half of them came running over to hug Chad, and I sort of hung out on the bottom step thinking, “Well, so much for Chad paying any attention to me.  Now I’ll hang here until it’s time to go back upstairs.”  From my vantage point, I could see that there was a stage set up down here just like upstairs, which made me rethink the whole “hymn” thing.  I was looking very interestedly at the different events showing up on the huge screen above the stage when Chad emerged from the huddle and looked back at me.

“Hey, guys, you don’t know my friend Jessie.  She was in the accident with me,” he added.  “She’s the other person you were praying for.”

If I’d been walking, I would have stopped short.  These people were praying for me?  I mean, sure, they looked like normal teenagers, but they were probably just as crazy as Chad and before I left, assuming they didn’t just pray for me to disappear, they’d all come up to me and insist that I join their cult.  Before I had the chance to process this, three of the girls came over to where I was still standing stock still.

“Jessie!  I’m so glad you’re alright!  We’ve all been praying for you!”

“Thanks,” I said, smiling.  That seemed safe enough, and no one looked or acted shocked, so I congratulated myself on safely maneuvering my first conversation with these people.

“You probably want to sit with Chad since he’s the only person you really know here, but is it okay if I sit with you too?”

Okay, let me just add in here, this is the most awkward situation I’ve ever been in.  I really wanted to say no!  I mean, honestly, I don’t know the girl!  However, I forced my mouth to accept the invitation, and smiled as nicely as I could.  “I didn’t hear your name,” I mentioned tactfully.  “I mean, I guess you already know mine.”

“Oh, I’m Tiffany!  And these are Maddie and Abigail.”

I glanced at Chad in time to see him cringe.  No way was I going to sit next to an Abigail!  And from the eyes she was making at him, it appeared the traits ran with the name.  It was going to be an interesting day!

 

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

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Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

To Be Announced…Announced!

I know, I know.  I couldn’t even take off all of April.  I’m totally addicted to writing!  Or maybe it’s just my lovely followers, *wink wink nudge nudge elbow elbow snort*

Whatever the case, I’m back early, and the weekly posts will continue as before with a few slight exceptions to be explained below, along with a little back story and the next excerpt.

I’m sorry we had to take this break, but Jessie and Chad were both busy recuperating from their traumatic experience, not to mention reeling from the shock of Abby coming to their aid.  It was much better to just leave them in peace.  Now that they’ve sufficiently recovered, however, and Jessie is paying her promised to Chad’s church, it would be cruel to hold back any longer.  So, without further ado, I’m finally announcing a title!

*Drum Roll*

Introducing, not for the first time, but for the first time under its new name, your favorite story, and mine, the one, the only…(at which point Humperdinck mutters, “Skip to the end!”)  Will you join me in welcoming (“Man and wife!  Say ‘Man and wife’!”)

MY SISTER, ABBY

No, I’m not introducing Abby again.  You know almost all about her already.  I’m introducing the title of the story, which is “My Sister, Abby”.  Abby, who  has been hanging around Chad constantly since he got out of the hospital, and who suddenly thinks that in this difficult time, with her dad in prison and all, maybe church is a good place for her to be.  You’ll find out about it next Thursday because I’ll be changing the post day to Thursdays, but, without further ado, “My Sister, Abby: Part 13”

 

 

It was a dark and stormy night.  No, really.  Well, not really, really, but in my mind it might as well have been.  My dad, or rather, Abby’s dad was in prison for more things than I can count, Abby wasn’t any nicer to me, although she was an angel to Chad, and my mom was angry at me because I wouldn’t forgive Abby for everything she’s ever done now that she called the police on her own dad.

I offered her a gold star, but that only got me stuck in my room for a week, which was really useless because I was already there under doctor’s orders.  The last thing I wanted to do was jump out of bed and run all the way to the high school and back.  From Abby’s daily reports, I knew that Chad was in about the same condition.

Now, though, was the last day I was grounded.  It’s Saturday night.  I’m going to church with Chad tomorrow morning, and I’m pretty sure I know how that will go.  If I’m wrong, someone besides Chad might notice that I’m there.  However, I expect to look like the only goof who doesn’t know any of their hymns or secret code words.  I’ll probably fall asleep while they’re all reciting their verses while Chad tries to get me to pay attention.  But honestly, they’ll just drone on and on and on.  I’m falling asleep just thinking about it!  But then, maybe that’s just the pain-killers.  Wait, no, it totally wouldn’t be the pain killers.  I don’t know where my brain is.

Sometimes it feels like the accident just happened and I’m reliving everything all over again, but I know that all of this happened a month ago.  I try to avoid looking in the mirror at the moment because I know I’ll see that scar dangerously close to both my right eye and my temple from where a piece of broken glass cut me while glancing past.

It doesn’t hurt anymore, at least not like it did.  I guess what I mean is that it doesn’t hurt physically.  Now I just have this obvious blemish all down the right side of my face.  I haven’t seen Chad, although Abby assures me he looks as adorable as ever.  It makes me wonder what exactly has been going on while I was under the weather and Chad was under the influence (of Abby, that is).

There’s almost nothing worse than being unable to sleep these days.  I can only see the worst possible situations.  One night, my dad breaks out of jail and murders us all in our sleep, which naturally ruins my rest when I do fall asleep.  Another night, Abby successfully turns Chad against me, and the only reason he ever wants to see me again is to tell me what he has now decided he really thinks about me.  Worst of all are the nights when all I can think is that the scar keeps growing and getting more and more hideous every second and by morning I look like Darth Sidious after fighting Mace Windu.

No matter the vision, I wake up in a cold sweat every night almost before I fall asleep.  Tonight is like any other, but now there are so many crazy possibilities for rejection tomorrow that it’s even worse.  I mean, what would happen if my dad showed up there?  And what if Abby decided to tag along?  Right now, the only reasons I want to go with Chad are the time I’ll spend away from Abby and the time out of the house I’ve been cooped up in for the past however long it’s been since the accident.   A month, right?

All that to say, if Abby came along, it would ruin everything!  Not that I have plans or anything, don’t get me wrong, but if I did, they would be destroyed!  Well, I do have plans, but they’re just to keep Chad out of Abby’s clutches, which I’ve been failing epically at lately.  Well, tomorrow’s gonna be another day.

————

Next part next Thursday!  Suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left in the comments below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

To be Announced (Part 12)

“We’ll be fine,” I assured Chad with a confidence I definitely didn’t feel.  “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“How do you know?” he asked, looking me in the eyes.  “For all either of us know, nothing is ever going to be okay again, and we’re going to die.”

“Oh, we can’t die tonight,” I managed to smile.  “After all, I haven’t gone to church with you yet!  How would I make it into heaven?”  Then, seeing he was actually about to respond, I quickly added, “Besides, Abby probably called the police as soon as she saw us!”

“You know you don’t believe that,” Chad whispered, which I would have taken offense at if it weren’t so true.  He was right.  I didn’t believe that, and we weren’t going to be okay.  I had an urge to ask him what he had been about to say about how to get to heaven, but I ignored it.  Heaven wasn’t a real place, and even if it was, I’d never make it there.

I repeated my statement after another second, with a certainty I was forcing myself to feel, just to prove to my dad that we weren’t scared, even though I was literally trembling all over.  “Abby probably called the police, and they’re setting up a roadblock now!”

My dad half turned around to look at me with disgust in his eyes before focusing back on the road for a sharp turn.  “Girl, you know as well as I do that Abby loves me too much, or hates you enough to never make a call like that!”  Then, as we rounded the curve to see flashing lights just up ahead, he cursed violently, asking me what I was thinking, saying something like that.  “No bother, it’s probably just a pull-over.  Just to be safe, though, both of you get down,” he ordered.

We had no idea what evil schemes he had planned to force us to obey, so we just crouched in the minimal space below the seat.  As he floored the gas pedal, I tried to scream, but no sound came out.  I could barely make out Chad’s features in the darkness, but I could tell that he was just as scared as I was.  I reached over and grabbed his hand tightly.

“I hope you’re praying, buddy.  There’s another sharp turn just past the police officer.”

He turned his head my way, and although I couldn’t make out his expression, I was sure he was about to assure me that his God, or whatever, could get us out of any situation.  Before he could say anything, though, we hit the curve.

This time, whipping around off the ground, the scream did come out, and it didn’t help a bit to know that Chad was screaming just as loudly.  I didn’t pay any attention to the sounds we were hearing, because I was sure they would just scare me more.  Of course, it was no good to try to hear the sounds, because all I could hear over the sound of my own screams was Chad.

Suddenly, everything came to a stop with a sickening crunch from the front of the car.  I remember grabbing Chad’s hand tighter, then my head slammed into the seat in front of me, I felt myself go limp, then everything was black.

After that, I remember glimpses of blurry faces and flashing lights; Abby’s face seemed to be there somewhere, which bothered me, but not as much as the fact that I never saw or heard Chad.

The next thing I remember clearly was in the hospital, and Abby was definitely there with my mom.  They both looked worried, and I felt bad for what I’d done to Abby earlier, but I attributed that to the medication they must have me on.

I tried to tell them that I was fine, but my tongue felt thick, and my mouth was so dry that hardly a sound came out.  It got their attention, though.  They rushed closer.

“Jessie!” Abby gasped, “I was so scared!  What happened?  I’m so glad I called the police!”

“Don’t think this gets you out of trouble, young lady,” Mom warned.  Apparently, now that I was awake, I was no longer hurt or in need of sympathy.  My head was spinning between being glad that I was right about Abby calling, and being upset that it really was Abby that had done that.

Then I remembered Chad with a start, and tried to sit up.  I couldn’t, but I managed to ask, “Chad?”

“He’s fine.  He’s in another room.  You both have pretty much the same minor injuries,” Abby assured me.  Of course she knew, I thought ruefully.  “Hey, truce?” she asked.  “At least while you’re too incapacitated for me to hit you for what you did to me yesterday?”

It was yet another shock that a whole day had gone by, but it was fairly understandable.  I pretended to fall asleep, and wondered about my dad, the one person no one had mentioned.  Sure, he had been about to kill us, but he was still my dad!  Then I wondered, with a slight shudder, if it was a premonition that made me talk about him in the past tense.

 

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Friday!  Title suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!

To be Announced (Part 11)

“Alright, Smart Guy, got any more ideas?  Stalling didn’t exactly work,” I said from the floor as the car seemed to actually slow down a bit for the first time since it had started.

“Wasn’t that your idea?” he retorted, taking the opportunity to actually sit up right on the seat for a change.

I followed his example, trying to ignore the fact that last time I did that, it got us into the predicament we were in now.  “Actually, my idea was to talk to him while you stayed away and called the police so that this wouldn’t happen!”

He shrugged.  “Somehow, I get the idea that it doesn’t matter.  We would both be here anyway.”

I rolled my eyes.  “But where’s here?  Really, Chad, where are we?”

“How should I know?  I’m not a GPS!”

“I should think not!  Look how lost you’ve gotten us!”

“I’m sorry, what did I do to deserve all of the blame for everything that’s happening?”

He was nice, so I told the truth for once.  “You were there, and I’m not wanting to blame myself.”

Thankfully, he didn’t make a big deal out of hearing the truth.  That’s really good, because I’d suddenly realized that being stuck in this situation would mean that we should try to be friends, not tear each other up continually.  Despite my realization, if he had shown surprise at hearing the blatant truth, I would have lashed out at him dramatically.

“So, are you saying that it really isn’t my fault that we’re sort of being held hostage by a nationally hunted criminal?”

He certainly had a way with words.

“Of course it’s not your fault, Chad,” my dad said soothingly from the driver’s seat.  “Now, it doesn’t mean that you won’t die as soon as I get enough ransom to make up the bail my lawyer will make sure they set it at, but at least you’re buying that much time for yourself.”

Chad swallowed hard.  Leaning close, he whispered barely audibly next to my ear, “This doesn’t make us an accessory to crime, does it?”

I shrugged.  “I could care less.  Both my parents want to kill me right now, but they’ll kill each other first.  I’m not really worried about what will happen to us when we’re safe.”

“My worry is that we might not be,” he confided.

*NOTE: All characters and events portrayed in this story are purely fictitious.  Any resemblance to actual people or events is entirely coincidental.*

———

Next part next Friday!  Title suggestions, names for various characters, or other questions, comments, or concerns can be left below, or you can e-mail me at the address on my contact page.

 

If you really love my work, vote for one of my poems on TeenInk!  Every little bit helps!