Faithful Horizons

Chapter 14: The First Wall

The sound of lockers slamming echoed through the hallway as Ethan stuffed his notebook into his bag. He was one of the last students to leave, the usual flood of people already trickling down to just a few stragglers. It wasn't like he had anywhere to be, but the thought of sticking around school longer than necessary made his skin crawl.

He adjusted the strap on his shoulder and turned toward the exit, weaving through the clusters of students remaining near their lockers. A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Carter? That you?"

Ethan turned and immediately wished he hadn't.

Josh Langston leaned against a locker, his trademark smirk plastered across his face. Two other guys - probably juniors Ethan didn't recognize - stood nearby, laughing at something Josh had just said.

"Wow, it is you," Josh said, stepping closer. "Didn't think I'd see you here this late. Let me guess - detention?"

Ethan rolled his eyes, hitching his bag higher on his shoulder. "Just trying to get out of here."

Josh ignored the hint, falling into step beside him as Ethan walked toward the door. "Man, it's been a while. Are you still doing that art thing? What was it, sketching, or something?"

"Yeah," Ethan said shortly, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.

Josh let out a low whistle. "Still the quiet brooding type, huh? Let me guess, that church girl you're hanging out with hasn't fixed that yet?"

Ethan froze mid-step, his hand tightening on the strap of his bag.

Josh laughed, clearly noticing the reaction. "What? You thought people wouldn't notice? You've been sitting with her at lunch, right? What's her name - Grace?"

"What about her?" Ethan said, his voice low.

Josh shrugged, his smirk widening. "Nothing. Just seems weird, that's all. You don't exactly scream 'youth group.'"

Ethan clenched his jaw, his patience already wearing thin. "She's just a friend. That's it."

"Sure," Josh said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But seriously, Carter, don't tell me you're falling for all that Bible stuff. You're smarter than that, right?"

Ethan didn't answer, but Josh didn't seem to need a response.

"I mean, come on," Josh continued. "How do you even take that seriously? You've seen the way people use religion to control others, right? Or how they preach all this 'love and forgiveness' crap while judging everyone who doesn't agree with them?"

Ethan's jaw tightened further, the familiar sting of doubt crawling back into his chest.

Josh shook his head, chuckling. "Whatever, man. Do what you want. Just don't let her brainwash you into thinking all your problems will disappear if you pray hard enough."

Ethan didn't bother replying. He shoved the door open and stepped into the parking lot, leaving Josh'es voice behind.

But even as he walked away, the words lingered.

The park was unusually quiet that evening, the usual hum of joggers and dog walkers replaced by the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Ethan sat on the bench near the fountain, staring at the water without really seeing it.

He'd texted Grace earlier, and she said she'd meet him here. Part of him wanted to cancel, to avoid seeing her until the knot in his chest loosened, but it was too late for that now.

"Hey," Grace's voice broke through the stillness, and Ethan looked up to see her approaching with her usual smile. She carried a small thermos of coffee in one hand and a book in the other, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail.

"Hey," Ethan said, forcing a small smile as she sat beside him.

Grace handed him the coffee without a word, her gaze flicking to his face. "You okay/"

"Yeah," Ethan said, though the tension in his voice gave him away.

Grace tilted her head, studying him. "You sure?"

Ethan sighed, leaning back against the bench. "Ran into someone from school today. Josh Langston. He... said some stuff."

"Stuff about what?" Grace asked gently.

"About you. About church." Ethan's voice sharpened slightly. "About how it's all fake. Like people use religion as a crutch or an excuse to be hypocrites."

Grace's smile faded, and she nodded slowly. "I see."

Ethan glanced at her, the knot in his chest tightening. "What if he's right? I mean, there's so much about this that doesn't make sense. People claim to be all about forgiveness and love, but they judge anyone who doesn't fit their mold. Doesn't that bother you?"

Grace was quiet for a moment, her hands resting in her lap.

"Yeah," she said finally. "It does. A lot, actually."

Ethan blinked, caught off guard by her honesty.

"There's a lot about faith that people get wrong," Grace continued, her voice steady. "And there are different people who use it the wrong way - to control others or to make themselves feel superior. That's not what faith is supposed to be."

"Then what is it supposed to be?" Ethan asked, his tone sharper than he intended.

Grace turned to him, her gaze calm but firm. "It's supposed to be about love. Real love. The kind that forgives and heals and helps people grow. And yeah, people mess up sometimes, but that doesn't make the love any less real."

Ethan frowned, her words stirring something deep inside him,

"I get why you're frustrated," Grace said softly. "It's hard to see past the mistakes people make when they're supposed to be representing something bigger. But faith isn't about those people. It's about God."

Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, and Ethan glanced at her, noticing the flicker of pain in her expression.

"Doesn't it bother you?" Ethan asked quietly. "That people look at you and assume the worst?"

"Yeah," Grace admitted. "It does. But I can't let that stop me from believing in what I know is true. If I did, I'd be giving them more power than they deserve."

Ethan stared at her, the weight of her words fighting against the doubts swirling in his mind.

That night, Ethan sat on his bed, staring at the unopened Bible on his nightstand. Josh's voice echoed in his head, louder than anything Grace had said. He grabbed the Bible and shoved it into the drawer, slamming it shut.

For the first time since he'd started to let Grace into his world, he wondered if it had all been a mistake.

A/N:

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