Between Faith and Love

Closer

After dinner, Zephaniah led March upstairs to her bedroom, a cozy space filled with books, a few posters of nature scenes, and soft fairy lights strung across the walls. The atmosphere felt warm and welcoming, and March relaxed as they sat on Zephaniah's bed, chatting about school and everyday things.

As the conversation flowed, they both found themselves laughing at silly stories from their pasts. The more they talked, the more comfortable March felt around Zephaniah. For a moment, it was like everything outside the room—religion, expectations, and the pressure of fitting in—faded into the background.

Zephaniah tossed a playful comment, and March couldn't help but laugh harder than she had in a while. Their laughter slowed, and for a brief moment, silence settled between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. March looked up and realized Zephaniah was staring at her, their eyes locking in a way that made the air in the room feel thicker.

March’s heart skipped a beat. There was something in Zephania’s gaze—something curious and soft, like she was seeing her for the first time. And for a moment, March wondered if Zephaniah was feeling the same kind of connection she was.

The silence lingered, both of them still, just looking at each other. Neither spoke, but the weight of unspoken words hung between them, heavy and electric.

But before anything could be said, there was a gentle knock at the door, breaking the moment.

“Zephaniah?” her mother called from the other side. “It’s getting late, and March should probably head home now.”

Zephaniah blinked, the spell between them broken. She smiled softly, almost as if apologizing for the interruption. “I guess that’s my mom’s way of saying it’s bedtime,” she said with a light laugh.

March, still trying to gather her thoughts, nodded. “Yeah, I should probably go. My aunt’s probably wondering where I am.”

They both stood, and Zephaniah walked her to the door. As they said their goodbyes, March couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them in that quiet moment upstairs, something neither of them could quite put into words yet. But whatever it was, March knew it was only the beginning.

The next day at school, March and Jehwell sat outside under a tree, talking about random things—classes, homework, and the general dullness of school life. Jehwell, always full of energy, was animatedly sharing a story about a prank she pulled on one of her classmates when suddenly, Zephaniah walked by, her presence immediately catching March's attention.

“Hey, March. Hey, Jehwell,” Zephaniah greeted with a warm smile as she approached them.

“Hey, Zephaniah,” March responded, trying to keep her voice casual, though she could feel a slight rush of nerves.

Zephaniah's gaze shifted to March, her eyes bright. “I’m heading to church this evening. You should come.”

March blinked, caught a bit off guard by the invitation. She hesitated, knowing she wasn’t much for church, but then remembered that her aunt and uncle would likely be there anyway. After a brief pause, she nodded. “Yeah, sure, I’ll come.”

Zephaniah smiled, clearly pleased. “Great! I’ll see you there, then.” With that, she waved goodbye and headed off, leaving March sitting under the tree.

As Zephaniah walked away, March felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. She couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward Zephaniah, but she wasn’t sure how far she wanted to explore it. Just then, she felt a nudge on her side.

“Looks like someone’s got a date with destiny,” Jehwell teased, her expression full of mischief.

March felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly shook her head. “It’s not like that. She just invited me to church.”