The Girl With the Cross

Chapter 8: Sarah

  The first thing I do when I get home is walk upstairs. I go straight to my bathroom, turn the shower on the coldest setting. I step in and let the water numb my hot, red, sunburned neck.
  Once I'm refreshed, I go to my room and jump onto my giant blue bed. I fall into a deep sleep that makes me feel like a Disney princess and I drift away.

  I have a dream from the Holy Spirit.

  I'm at church, and Tyler is there. Could that be right? He's . . . praying? No, that can't be. But this dream is a kind of dream I have very rarely-- a very vivid one. Vivid dreams for me are the ones that usually end up coming true, but this is . . . this is not right. Tyler? Going to my church? No-- impossible.

  My dad pours a large glass of cold water on my face, waking me up from my deep slumber. I must have slept all through the night.
  "It's time for school! So, get ready and eat your breakfast made by the one . . . the only . . ."
  My mother walks in just in time to finish his sentence: "Me! I made your favorite; eggs and bacon in an English muffin lightly dipped in maple syrup. I made it just for you." She says, holding her dirty spatula and using it as a microphone. Egg remains dangle from the black material.
 
   I eat my breakfast, then share my fake dream. We almost always share our dreams from the night because it helps us start prayer and look into a deeper part of eachother.
   I shouldn't tell my parents my real dream -- they would be angry. I would be homeschooled just to stay away from him. I tell them that I was in a candy wonderland, giving a full detail, putting as much effort into this childish lie as possible. I get a sick feeling in my stomach as I speak.
  I hate lying.

  I drive Danie to school with her mom in the car this morning. Even though we're the same age, her mom doesn't trust her to drive yet. We don't say much because she's not a morning person, and neither am I.

  But once at school, I see him. My prince charming. I do like him, I really do, but I already told him last night that I'm not going through with this. It can't work.
  He wears a blue and white striped T-shirt with a pair of decent jeans today. He looks amazing, but I have to stay away. I start talking to Danie to keep my mind off of my biggest crush yet. Well, my only crush yet.
  "So, who is your homeroom teacher? I have Mrs. Nilegone. How do you even pronounce that?" I say, slowly, so I can try to say it right.
  "I have her too, but I stink at pronouncing things. I have an accent, remember?" She says, without content. I forgot she is from New Jersey, so she has a different accent, which makes it a little harder to say some words. Here in Florida, nobody really has a strong accent.
  "Oh, right. I have all the same classes as you. Can you come help me set up my locker?"
  She sees me looking towards Tyler, and tries to convince me to stay away.
  "Hey, Sarah, you're staring at him again. You need to stay away, trust me." She has a guilty voice.
  "Danie, you know you can tell me anything, right? Any secrets, anything, you can tell me. We are best friends now, and I hope it stays that way for a very long time. " I say with full confidence and a smile.
  "I know, but just, just don't judge me." She says.
  "Wouldn't dream of it." I say, beaming with curiosity.
  "Okay, Well, here it goes. My family and I are converts. We used to be, well, nothing. We had no religion. But now, we are fully-fledged Christians. Before that recent change, I was a target. A Tyler target. We kissed a couple of times, went to a few parties together, then he broke my little heart. I'm fine now, but I don't want that pain for you." She looks at me ashamed.

 "Jamie."
"Here."
  The teacher takes role call. She is pretty nice, it seems. After role she starts speaking in her french language and writing charts quickly on the board like I'm supposed to know all of this already. I use my colored pens to take notes as quickly as I can before she erases the board to write more. I glance forward towards Danie in the front just for a moment to see she is nearly asleep, but the teacher hardly notices. I now look over at Tyler, who sits in the row in front of me. I see he actually took good notes, but he is scribbling on a different piece of paper. He passes it to JC Nichols, who is apparently his best friend. They burst out laughing and JC crumples the paper. I get so bored I almost end up like Danie after our teacher stops writing so fast, but I pounce awake once I hear the bell.
  I feel Tyler look at me but I don't return the favor and he leaves the room before I do.