Youth Group Popularity

Chapter 28 - Off To Church We Go

Amanda stood in front of me with her arms crossed and her weight shifted to one side. She scanned me up and down as she waited for me to say something. I grabbed my bed frame and ran my hands across it, it's cool surface become quite the comfort.

"Well?" I shrugged at my words, my arms wiggling because I let them go loose.

"Why were you holding hands with him?" She asked, disappointment definite in her eyes.

"It wasn't like that..." I mumbled.

"Are you insane? If Danny knew that you held hands with him-"

"Danny's not going to know. I don't like Parker like that anyways."

"You're not going to tell him? I thought you always told each other stuff like that. Plus, why is Parker even over here? He knows about Danny..."

"So what if he knows about Danny? And No, I'm not going to tell him. Last time I did that, it didn't end well." I ended the sentence by folding my arms.

"What? When did this happen?"

Oh yeah, I didn't tell her about that. I haven't told her or Preston a lot of things lately...

"I didn't tell you what happened on Friday and Saturday. And then what happened yesterday..."

"Okay, then tell me now," She said, her voice growing softer.

I leaned up against the bed frame and gnawed on one of my nails. I kept my head down as I selected the words I was going to say. Once I found them, I lifted my head and removed the nail from my mouth.

So I began explaining the story from Friday night and all the way to now. I told her every detail of what happened all the way from Lucas's drunkenness, to Saturday, to Monday, and then now.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when it happened..." I sighed.

"It's fine. I just had no idea that all of this happened," She looked away somewhere to her right. I could sense her disappointment in me.

"I know. I promise I'll have you be the first one I tell the next time something big happens," I held out my pinky to her.

She latched her own pinky onto mine but then something shifted in her face and she backed away. I gave her a confused look but smiled whenever she exclaimed, "I gotta pee!" Good, I was getting a little worried there.

"Then go pee!" I shooed her away.

* * * *

There was an awkward tension that filled the room as my mother walked through my doorway. It was about 10 at night and my Mother hadn't even put her purse or keys down before coming up to let me know I was in trouble. She sighed and set her purse down on my bed, tossing her keys inside.

"What happened?" She assumed casually, her tired eyes not showing a hint of anger.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my tone sounding too forced to be genuine.

She gave me a flat look and put her knees up to the skinny frame of her chest. This is something I rarely every saw: My mother being casual. She gets like this whenever she's exhausted.

"Just tell me what happened. I already know the gist of it. Your father told me that over the phone. By the way, he apologizes for not being able to visit today," She ended through a yawn.

I nodded, telling her I understood, but I kept quiet. I was so scared to talk to her about this! What would she think? What if she doesn't understand me?

"Elaine..." She warned.

"Ugh... Okay," I groaned, swiping a strand of hair out of my eyes.

I started the story all the way from Friday with Lucas. I feel like I've explained this a thousand times already. I didn't really leave anything out because there was no need to. It was all the 100% truth, but it killed me inside. I'm terrified of what she's going to say.