Virgin Mary

Date With The Devil

The next month was filled with exams and final revisions for my graduation. We had two weeks left of school and I was excited to begin summer. I could spend more free time with Harry and I was anticipating it beyond belief. I had been dividing my time between church and studying for my final exams with minimal contact with him.

He came by and kissed me nearly every lunch and made every effort to tell me how much I meant to him. We hadn’t had the time or effort to try to have sex again, which I was silently thankful for – although one afternoon he fingered me and I had trouble walking back to class unnoticed. It wasn’t ideal not being able to see Harry, but we managed to make it work. When I went to church every Sunday and smiled kindly at Anne, she returned a knowing smile and the occasional wink.

I sat at my kitchen table sending a quick text to Harry when my mother came in the room. “Off your phone, we need to talk.” I waited for it to send before deleting the message history and placing my phone down. “So,” she said folding her fingers together and smiling in that condescending way only a mother could do. “I spoke to Darlene and she just had a wonderful idea about how to get you back in control.”

I scrunched my eyebrows together. What did she mean in control? “You have embarrassed and disgraced me darling.” She said pointedly, “I mean, it’s bad enough that I can see it, but now Mrs. Masters can as well and we are both very worried.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and let her continue.

“So,” she repeated, “we’ve come up with a solution, and you will obey it.” I felt my heart hammer and stomach knot. In my hand my phone buzzed, but it was thankfully too quiet for her to hear. “Darlene has a nephew that is willing to take you on a date.”

I couldn’t help it, my eyes bulged and I took in a sharp inhale of breath, “mum-”

Her raised hand cut me off as she continued. “His name’s Ricardo, he’s a very sweet boy. Good, Christian, a year older and attends a great church every Wednesday and Sunday. You have the date tonight. He’ll come by the house at six and take you to dinner. You’ll be home by nine.”

“But it’s a Thursday, I have school tomorrow.”

“Fine, eight thirty then.” She said smoothing down the left side of her hair and looking at me expectantly.

“I don’t want to go on a date.” I whined and she shot me a sharp look.

“Well, this is not about what you want, it’s about what you need, and you need to find a good Christian boy to spend time with during the summer. You leave for Manchester at the end of summer and I don’t want you to be led down the wrong path.”

I chewed my bottom lip nervously. “I won’t go down the wrong path though.”

“You did!” My mum said suddenly standing above me and knocking the chair back. “When you allowed that heathen to drive you home, kiss your lips!” She was screeching now.

“It wasn’t like that!” I said standing taller.

“He took advantage of you! Not to mention what you were wearing! I shouldn’t let you see Emma at all, you’re lucky I’m so forgiving!” I felt hot tears prick at my eyes. My mum was terrible, horrible, things couldn’t get any worse. “You have just over an hour to get ready, so I’d take a shower if I were you.”

“I don’t want to go.” I said standing my ground.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t ask. Now I am telling you that you are going and that is that.” I rolled my eyes and stalked out of the kitchen.

I called Harry and turned on the shower head. He picked up after the first ring and I heard him say my name softly. “What’s wrong?” He asked when I mewled his name pathetic. I took a deep breath and let out a small soft. “What’s wrong? What’s she done?” He asked angrily.