Take Me To Church

Chapter Two

The dark screen of the computer sat before me, tantalizing me, taunting me. My eyes wander to the clock on the wall, eight minutes until Niall picks me up to watch soccer training. I have to move fast. Louis' words from health class echo around my head as the thick-screened desktop flickers on, the opening screen shows.

Oh Gosh, what could the password be?

I tap my foot against the hardwood floorboards, fingernails between my teeth. As I tear bits of my nail away bit by bit I search the desk for any signs of a clue. That's when I spy a pink sticky note covered in my mother's handwriting sticking out like a sore thumb among the baby blue walls of the study in which the house computer is in.

For10ve1sGoD.

I shake my head and type it in. I can practically hear Louis scoffing at it. A smile creeps onto my face and I force it down as the computer approves of the password and lets me into a home screen with a picture of a cross glowing. I click on the Google icon and it takes me to a dark screen with a colourful Google in the middle.

I swallow and with shaking hands type gay into the search bar.

Gay, adjective, 1. sexually or romantically attracted to people of one's own sex (used especially of a man.) 2. light-hearted and carefree.

Eyes wide, I catch my reaction in the reflection of the screen. The blood rushed into my cheeks as I remember Louis saying I looked innocent doing that. What did he mean? Mentally shaking myself of thoughts of Louis, I delete the last search and slowly search up rape.

My eyes skim over different News articles about women in suits and politicians. My face drains and I feel faint as my gaze lands on one about a priest. A form of sexual assault to which is nonconsensual, forced, and illegal. My brows furrow and I feel like I can't breathe, my eyes prickling hotly. I blink and close the webpage, shutting down the computer. I leaned back in the chair for a moment, lip between my teeth.

A loud knock sounds and I frown at the clock. Niall's twenty minutes late.

"I'm coming!" I call and shuffle down the hall, slipping my jacket over my shoulders and sliding my shoes on. I throw my bag on my back and open the door, smiling wide. "You're late..."

My face falls at the crystal eyes in front of me, dark fringe brushing his eyebrows, unstyled. "Ur," He stares at his shoes, "Hi. You didn't show up and neither did Niall so..."

"Why are you here?" The words fall before I can filter them.

He shrugs, "Checking you were still alive. Haven't missed out on watching a training session since three years ago. Bit weird."

I snort, scuffing my shoes against the floorboards, "I have so."

The corners of Louis' lips turn up into a small smile, "No, I've seen you. You even came that day half the team wasn't there because of that cold that went around the school and they were all sick. I think you were too, Niall practically hid you under blankets and jackets. Plus you were all pale and your nose was red and shit."

I sigh and chew on my lip as I look up at the ceiling. "Okay, maybe you're right. I wonder where Niall is, did you check on him?"

Louis shakes his head, "No, yours is closer to the pitch."

That was a lie. Why'd he lie?

"Oh. Okay."

Louis' neck turns pink and it flushes up to his cheeks. He looks a lot less dark and mysterious with slightly sweaty hair, a white football uniform with red stripes, and white worn-out football shoes.

"Anyway. I should get back to training." He murmurs, turning away and walking down the stairs of my front porch.

"You... you skipped training?"