Grace Alive (A Christian Romance)

Part 9

Chapter 8

I made myself get out of bed and head toward the shower the next morning. I didn’t want to face my parents downstairs. If I waited long enough they’d leave without me; I could spend the gas today. I climbed into the shower and turned the faucet on, letting the water pelt my head for a few minutes, before I washed up for the day. Why did it matter if I forgot to tithe and just wrote a check the next time? To me it seemed so weird. Wasn’t time with God like different? Didn’t He say a day with Him was a thousand years? After a good half hour of just letting the hot water melt my frustration away, I got out and wandered into my room. I stared at my closet.

What did I want to wear today? I didn’t feel very motivated to look cute. I finally decided on a pale gray cotton dress that hung to my knees. It was very simple and plain, so I dressed it up by adding a long, sparkling, colorful necklace, turquoise earrings, matching bracelets, and my black boots. I untangled my wet hair and blow dried it straight, applying my makeup and glancing at the clock. Man. I was going to be late if I didn’t hurry! It was 9:30. I did one more glance in the mirror, grabbed my purse, and headed out the door.

The wind assaulted me as soon as I stepped outside; there went my hair. I managed to get my door open and flung my purse inside. I got to the church in just a few minutes and walked across the parking lot, noticing a group of girls around my age walking by, laughing, and chattering.

I overheard the name ‘Branson’ and tried to strain my ears to overhear what they were saying. Mostly it was just high squeals and laughter. Weird. Maybe I had misheard what they had said.

“My sister’s best friend used to date that guy hard core.” I overheard one girl say, with straight blonde hair, the wind taking away the rest of what she said. I came inside the building, the girls just behind me, their giggles drying up as they stepped through the front door.

I headed toward my row to find Mia, my mind still on the tiny bit of conversation I’d overheard. She was already there with Tomas sitting next to her, scowling. Had they been fighting again?

“Hi, guys,” I said, setting my purse down beside her on the row.

“Hi, Zoe,” she said with a half-hearted smile. Tomas barely looked at me.

“Hi, Tomas, how’s work?” I asked him the typical question he asked me. He mumbled some sort of reply, which I only heard half of.

“You’re kind of late, Zoe,” Mia said in a curt tone. I flinched a little bit. That was odd of her. She usually was the one who told me I was a freak for showing up so early for everything under the sun.

“It’s not ten. Church hasn’t even started yet,” I defended myself. It didn’t take much to set me off these days.

“How was the mixer on Friday?” She folded her hands over her lap, turning from Tomas, ignoring whatever issue they were currently having.

“It was…umm…okay, I guess. I only stayed for like twenty minutes.”

“Really? Any cute guys there?” She looked at her manicured fingernails. She was wearing a silver and black dress with a square neckline, a square silver pendant adorned her throat, and her brown hair was up in a side bun.

“No…just Jacob and a few other people who got conned into showing up,” I finished, and brought my attention to Mia’s eyes. Why wouldn’t she look at me? She seemed weird. I would have to get her alone later today and find out what was eating at her. Obviously, she and Tomas were at odds with one another.

“Oh, that’s a bummer.”                                   

With a wide smile, Pastor Mike got up from the front row, climbed on stage, and gripped his microphone.