Love, Hate & Everything Between

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 2

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
|Cowper|

Sᴜɴᴅᴀʏ, Tᴏʟʟ ɢᴀᴛᴇ, ᴄʜᴜʀᴄʜ ᴏғ ɢᴏᴅ ᴏғ ᴘʀᴏᴘʜᴇᴄʏ,
Cʟᴀʀᴇɴᴅᴏɴ

11:43 ᴀᴍ

Taylan's POV

The church service is now in full swing. The heavy growls and grit of the vocal powerhouses on the choir engulfs the church heatedly, almost like you're being thrown into the fiery furnace.

I'm standing next to Tems, beating the tambourine as we dance and sing. The choir's rendition of Jai Kingston 'Jesus in the Middle' is a bop I tell you.

Is like the drums, keyboard....breddaaaa

I glance around the church every now and then as the congregation gradually increases. People are even on the outside, making me wonder...

Den a suh much people today?

The choir kicks it up a notch- with Auntie Sharlene as lead singer, the praise is mighty and intense yow.

I look around again, this time it seems every one is in a place of their own.

Bodies are moving

Feet are moving

Hands are moving

Mouths are moving

The holy ghost a move mi sista

Bredda

Uncle- anything yuh be

It's just so evident and while I'm observing all this, it seems no one else is, as aware as I am.

While noticing what's going on around me, Tems and I lock stare and I give him a knowing look before breaking eye contact.

Tems lives here in Toll Gate from what I've come to understand.

Tall, dark skinned, full lips, diamond studs....that sort of energy.

He never usually talks to me but these days, he does and often too.

It's a frequented topic that I'm too stuck up and I act all high and mighty-at school and I'm not even surprised if it has been said at this very church.

But I'm not the very talkative type

Nor am I the on scene skin teeth mengkeh

I like to observe and just 'watch e pree' as Owen likes to say.

Even in Sunday school which I missed today, I don't talk much. Those my age and a little older rarely talks to me, especially the girls.

The guys now...mussi true daddy a di pastor mek dem nuh too talk up to mi.

I really don't know what else to say, believe me.

But if Tems can repeatedly spark a conversation with me- however minimal, it's proof enough that I'm definitely not stuck up.

He's twenty something- early twenties I assume. Tems is short for Temar.

He used to be at church every now and then because I remember seeing him in the back bench a couple times.

But he's here more often and he doesn't sit in the back anymore- maybe the middle or somewhere but he's always within my sight.

Like he's never too far from me if you get what I'm saying