New Believers Of God

CHAPTER THIRTY

Throughout the rest of that week, I kept what I had done a secret from the guys. I was too afraid of how they would react if I told them I agreed to go with Holly after having already agreed to go with them. I honestly didn't know what to do, but obviously knew I had to do something.

Eventually, I worked out what I thought was a decent plan. I told the guys I wouldn't be able to make it, my reason being that I had family plans. I figured they would take me backing out better than Holly, as long as they didn't know the truth. Sure enough, while they did seem disappointed, they took it well and were understanding at the same time.

Friday evening, we loaded onto a bus and departed from St. Margaret Mary's, Holly and I sitting together on the way.

It wasn't too long a drive. Maybe a half hour at the very most. But the two of us talked nonstop the whole time, hyping each other up about what to expect, while trying to take my mind off what I had done.

When we got there, I learned it was held at a large warehouse, much like the kind at Laurelville. Just as that had been, the whole place was filled with kids, in the same way a concert would be.

When it was time to begin, we all quieted down and Chester walked onto the stage up front.

"Evening." he said, "I'm glad to see you all here."

Once again, he held up the iconic ring.

"By now, I think you've gotten a basic outline of what this program's about. But there's so much more to it than just getting one of these. That's what I've come to show you tonight."

He then walked away, and within seconds a skit was coming into play.

Two High School aged teenagers, a boy and a girl, were sitting on a couple beanbags. Talking away.

"I had a really great time tonight Will." said the girl "You sure know how to make me happy."

"I'm glad to hear it Hannah." the boy said back "But I'm not done yet."

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"How would you like to have a little more fun?" he asked back.

I for one didn't know what he was referring to, at least not initially. I guess you can say I was more on the naïve side with this. But judging by a lot of other kids' reactions, I knew it must have been a rather touchy kind of subject, and soon figured it out. This was the pre-marital abstinence Chester was talking about.

"Will," Hannah told him "You can't be serious."

"Yes," he replied "I am."

"We can't do that."

"Sure we can."

"No, you don't understand. I can't"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not allowed to."

"Says who? Your parents?"

"No. My faith."

This wasn't like the skits they put on at Hangin' In. Unlike those, which were more comedic than anything, it actually delivered more of a message to us. That alone made it way more meaningful.

"Your faith?" Will asked her.

"Yes." she answered, "The bible says it's a sin to have sex before marriage. I can't go against that."

Just hearing the word sex was enough to startle me, not being a word I was quite acquainted with. I more so thought of it as a dirty word.

"Are you serious?" asked Will.