My Church Girl

Chapter 20

In the evening, Ava slumped at the dinner table with her family, her face etched with sadness and her voice lifeless. Her family, as always, remained oblivious to her inner turmoil. She pushed the vegetables around her plate not eating them, digesting the events of the day instead. Something had transpired in Mrs. Carter's office that had transformed Harper's mood. She could accepted and handled her girlfriend's aggressive side, but the indifference was unbearable. Dark thoughts swirled in her mind, gnawing at her with questions about this sudden change.

Her father, completely unaware that something was off with her, continued to bombard her with questions about the upcoming music competition. In his mind, she had already won and he got all the honors. Thar's why he scrutinized her every response, searching for any flaw that could jeopardize his vision of perfection and immediately pointing them out. His daughter had to be flawless, as always.

Suddenly, her eyes landed on a blue notebook resting on the bedside table near the door. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized it.

"Dad," she called, waiting for him to finish speaking, her fingers nervously tapping the table. "I think Harper left her math notebook here when we were studying today. She really needs it. Can I take it to her after dinner?" she asked, her voice filled with hope and a hint of urgency.

Christopher glanced at the notebook his daughter was pointing to and furrowed his brows thoughtfully. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he nodded . "Of course, Ava. It's important to help your friends," he responded.

Ava's eyes lit up with excitement. She could barely contain herself from jumping on the spot.

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After dinner, Ava, not wanting to waste any second, hurried to Harper's house, clutching the blue notebook tightly. She rang the doorbell, her heart pounding. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing David, who looked perplexed to see her at that hour.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, concern evident in his voice as he furrowed his brows.

"Yes, everything's fine," his daughter's friend replied quickly, catching her breath. She held up the notebook. "I just came over to return Harper's math notebook. She left it at my place earlier today. My dad allowed me to."

The elder men expression softened, and he smiled warmly. "She's upstairs in her room. You can go on up."

"Thank you!" The girl said and dashed up the stairs. She reached Harper's door and knocked.

Inside, the green-eyed girl was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. She heard the knock and called out, "Come in," her voice calm.

Ava opened the door and stepped inside, her heart racing. Her girlfriend looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. "Ava! What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting up quickly.

The blonde leaned against the door, holding up the blue notebook. "I brought your math notebook. You left it at my place," she said, her voice soft but steady.

Harper's expression was hard to read. "Oh, thank you," she said, then grinned, saying, "I didn't expect to see you until Monday." Her smile was warm, but there was a hint of something else in her eyes.

"You didn't want to see me?" Ava asked, feeling a pang of disappointment. Her voice wavered slightly.

"What?" Harper exclaimed, puzzled. She shook her head, her brows knitting together. "How did you come up with that?"

Her girlfriend walked into the room and sat on the bed, her eyes fixed on her knees. "You've been distant all day," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "I know you said you needed some time, but I couldn't just leave things unresolved and not see you all weekend. Please, tell me if I'm the problem. I felt something shift after we left Mrs. Carter's office."