There Must Be Something More

33 | Where Do You Suppose You Belong?

I woke up with zeal. The plan God had brought me yesterday had clung to my mind like a butterfly cocoon. When I saw my mom walking out their bedroom, I rushed to her and raised my hands to stop her. She stopped, looking at me warily. The dark circles under her eyes were obvious as she stared at me.

"What is this again, Charlie?" she asked. "Did you do something bad downstairs that you don't want me to see?"

How bad do you think I am? I thought.

"No," I chuckled. "Just sit back and relax, Mom. I'll make breakfast. You know, for a change."

She stared at me, her brown eyes wide. She reached a hand and touched my forehead. She stared at me suspiciously.

"Who are you and what have you done with my son?"

I laughed. "Come on, it's not everyday I get to do this. I'll make breakfast. I'll call you and Dad when it's ready."

"You're up early and you offer to do the breakfast?" she said, walking back to their bedroom. "Must be my lucky day..."

I smiled, jogged downstairs and hurried down the kitchen. I had no idea how to cook. So I did a last minute check on YouTube and looked up how to make an omelet.

~~~

"It's not perfect, I'll admit," Mom said when she saw the breakfast table I had set up. She looked up at me and smiled. "But it's a start. Thank you, son."

"I know how you guys work so hard for me," I said, sitting across from them. "I had to return the favor, right?"

"Thanks, son," Dad grinned. "Did something good happen?"

Yes! I received Jesus into my life! I thought. I opened my mouth to say it, but then Dad's phone rang and he started to talk to a client. Mom gave me a subtle expression and ate her omelet. I knew she was upset he was taking calls while on the table. Mom had always been so strict about manners and etiquette, something I had a hard time learning growing up, but now, knowing the truth about the Lord and His goodness, I wanted to do good. I wanted to do what pleases the Lord. I wanted to do what was right for Him.

"That was Jessica," Dad said when he got off the phone. "She said we have a mansion from Mountain Springs to sell and a lot of people are willing to pay any amount for it."

Mom's eyes widened in surprise. Then she kissed Dad on the cheek and looked at me. "It really is my lucky day."

I know that was You, God, I thought. Thank You.

When breakfast was done, I immediately grabbed the plates before Mom and Dad could touch them and said, "I'll do the dishes. You guys get ready for work."

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Dad said.

~~~

The noise of the crowd reminded me that I was going to see Meredith and Samuel today. Students filed inside in messy places, chatting and laughing at stuff they talked about. I took the keys and stepped out my pickup. 

What am I going to say to them? I thought. 

"You're not getting away from us again!" I heard a familiar voice behind me. Before I could turn around to see, an arm wrapped around my neck and suffocated me into a headlock. I coughed and laughed when I jerked free. It was Calum and Amanda.

"Good morning, Borlock," Amanda said. "Ready for our weekly Wednesday pop quiz?"

I slapped my forehead. "Oh, man!"

Calum made a thinking face. "I wonder why Mr. Callaghan still calls it a 'pop quiz'. He does it every Wednesday! It doesn't pop anymore." Then he chuckled and elbowed me, snickering. "Get it?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "I didn't study either. I think a quiz is just a one big phony to scare students into studying."

"That's exactly what it is," I said.

"Doesn't mean I have to tolerate it."

"Hey, I have a better idea than talking about quizzes," Calum said, he put an arm around me and grinned. "Let's stop by the vape shop during free period. It's a great way to kill the time."

Amanda shrugged. "I'm down."

They both looked at me. I froze. What was I supposed to say?

My heart pounded. Suddenly the indistinct chatter of students from a few feet away sounded louder.

"I'm not down," I said. 

Amanda looked at me and scoffed. "What? You never say that, Borlock. Don't tell me you found Jesus and all that junk."

"More like He found me," I said.

They both said, "Charlie--" but I was already trotting and zigzagging between shoulders and backpacks. 

~~~

You're hiding from Amanda and Calum, I thought as I grabbed my World History textbook from my locker. And now you're hiding from Meredith and Samuel. Where do you suppose you belong, Charlie?

When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I saw how guilty I looked. I cringed.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I closed my eyes. I knew who it was.

I turned and Meredith waved a lemon-colored sticky note in my face. I took it. Forced to interact, forced to look down and read it, I read what it said: Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. ~Psalm 100:3

Where do you suppose you belong, Charlie?

"Charlie?" Meredith snapped her fingers in my face.

I looked up. "Huh?"

"You look spaced. Everything alright?"

I smiled. I sighed. "I belong to the Lord."

She grinned, nodded. "Of course you do!"

I smiled wistfully, stared at the Bible verse on the note. And then I leaned back on my locker. I watched as people strode by, unknowing of the beautiful truth of it all. And then I looked at myself, knowing the beautiful truth of it all, and still unable to do what's right.

"Something the matter?" Meredith asked.

I exhaled. I wasn't quite certain whether to talk about it already. The guilt was there, I knew it, but I didn't feel like it was the time to talk about it with someone else. I felt like I needed a time for myself.

"I'll tell you about it when I'm ready," I said.

Meredith stared at me warily, and then she nodded and gave me a wad of sticky notes. "You guys should really stop depending on me for everything and start making your own notes to hand out to everyone. That way, we'll inspire twice or thrice the student body!"

"Especially Samuel," I added. "He's the school president. The most influential guy in these halls."

"That is correct," Samuel appeared from behind us. He took a wad from Meredith and smiled. "I've always wondered why God gave me one of the highest positions in my school when all I've heard from my parents growing up was that I was never going to amount to anything. Now, I know why. God knows me better than anyone else--better than my own family. He knows He has given me a potential and knows I can make a big change. And now I see why. It's to bring people to Him."

"I'm proud of you, Samuel," Meredith said. "And most importantly, God is proud of you."

"Thank you, Meredith," he said.

I just felt guiltier.