New Believers Of God

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Things remained strained between Holly and I after turning her down. She ended up skipping mass that Sunday to avoid serving with me, and neither her nor her friends would let me anywhere near their table on Monday. It was exactly what I had gone through with the guys. Now I had gotten them back at the cost of her trust.

At CCD, she sat away from me, and as soon as we were dismissed, she went running out of the classroom. Once again though, I attempted to stop her.

"Holly!" I called out.

Unsurprisingly, she kept on walking, now at an even faster pace.

"Holly please!" I called out again "I just want to talk!"

Like at school, I forced my way through the large herd of other kids as we headed down the stairs and out the door. But by the time I made it to the parking lot, she had already been picked up and driven away.

I knew she had every right to be mad at me. But I at least wanted her to understand my situation and forgive me for doing what I did. However, seeing how badly I hurt her feelings, I also knew that was going to take a lot more than just saying I was sorry. The problem is I wasn't exactly sure what else I could do to make it up to her.

Moments later, Ms. Crane exited the building as well and approached me.

"What's the matter?" she asked, "What were you chasing her for?"

Over the next couple minutes, I explained the whole story to her, the exact same way I had to Hunter, only now with me rejecting Holly added in.

"I see." she said, "Looks like you're in a pretty tough place, huh?"

Boy, did that sound familiar.

"I don't know what to do." I said back "I want to apologize but she won't let me."

"I don't think that's what you need to do." she stated, "I think instead, you need to figure out a way to reach some kind of agreement with both her and your friends."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you need to come up with a solution that can satisfy all of you. This way, no one will be hurt."

"What kind of solution?"

"You've got to think about that. It's up to you."

I felt like I was being given the same lecture all over again. Except this time, I knew how to better follow it. An opportunity I couldn't dare pass up, for my sake, for Holly's sake, and for the guys' sake.

"Thanks Ms. Crane." I told her "I'll try my best."

"I know you will Cole." she told me "I know you'll come up with something great. You're a good kid. Whatever mistakes you make doesn't change that. I'll see you next week."

She then walked to her car and drove away as well.

When I got home that evening, I took her advice to heart and thought even harder than I had before about what to do.

It seemed like such an impossible task, figuring out a way for all of us to be satisfied. I just didn't feel like there was such an option. Holly wanted me in Kentucky, and the guys wanted me at Wildside. How was I supposed to work with that?

After a while however, I got an idea that seemed almost ingenious. Instead of me picking between the two trips, we could compromise, and I felt the best way to do that was by inviting Holly to Wildside. I honestly couldn't believe how I didn't think of that sooner. It was the absolute perfect way to fix this mess. Sure, I may have had to do a little convincing. But in the end, I was almost certain she would agree. Her and I would be together, and the guys would be there too.

I knew it would work. I just knew it would.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind.