An Exchange

Chapter Nine - Sunday and Monday

Penny

At my first Sunday at church, I spent half my time with Giles, and the other half with Zoe. Zoe chatted away about her Australian cousins and her visits to Queensland where they lived. I enjoyed her company. She could put on a perfect accent that she learned by mimicking her dad. It was so amusing to hear it, and I loved feeling like I had someone who knew how magical my homeland could be.

Giles had agreed not to tell anyone about the party. “It’s no one’s business,” he’d said. “No one needs to know. It was a set up, so you aren’t at fault.”

My first Sunday turned out to be pretty fun. My peers seemed divided over whether they wanted to be my friends or not, but I was happy with Zoe and Giles who brought their friends to me. As I had spent most of the week with them at school, I had started to learn their names, but still struggled with a majority of them.

After church, Zoe and a handful of her girlfriends and I strolled around the chapel grounds chatting. We talked about boys and they teased Zoe about Seth, who apparently she had liked for the last year. As the girls slowly left us to go home, I found myself alone with Zoe, so told her about the party.

She listened calmly, and when I finished she said, “Dylan is famous for her mean streak. She won’t even let any Mormon’s on the cheer squad. I hope she doesn’t find out you're one, especially if you continue being friends with Ryan. Anything to do with him will draw her attention, so just watch yourself.”

“Would it be okay if I stuck with you and Giles more now? After being passed around all week and what happened the other night, I kinda wanna stick to one group, and a group I know is safe.”

She beamed, her eyes gleaming. “Sure. I hoped you’d want that, and I know Giles does, too.”

Jonas’ head popped out the door. “Penny! We’re leaving.”

Zoe wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so excited you’re here. Everything will be okay, I promise.”

“Thanks, Zoe.”

“Anytime.” She let me go, but squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”

*

Giles

I sat between Cassie and Sarah, waiting for our meetings to start when Jonas jumped into the pew in front of us, grinning from ear to ear. “So the date went well, huh?”

I looked down at my scriptures, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. “Yeah, we had fun.”

“Sarah, did it go well?”

I glanced up to see him staring at her.

She blushed and stuttered, “I haven't actually asked...”

Jonas turned back to me and punched my thigh. “Come on, dude! Spill! Did you kiss her?”

I narrowed my eyes. “No. That's ridiculous.”

He waved me off as he glanced over my shoulder. “Tell me later. Here she comes.”

Penny and his parents appeared at the end of the row and slid in next to Jonas. She turned to me and said hi before Jonas started bugging her. I watched her as she listened to him, smiling with an amused gleam in her eyes. Then as the meeting started, she turned and faced forward. I watched the back of her head, thinking how soft her hair looked loose. Then I caught myself and snapped out of it. I tried to focus on what was going on.

After sacrament meeting, Penny turned to me. “We're in the same Sunday School class, right?”

I paused, surprised by how pretty she was as her hair fell over her shoulder. “When are you eighteen?” I forced out.