Someone Worth Dying For

The Truth

"Celeste." Sam called as she looked for her new friend in the hallway. She walked down the hall slowly, making sure she didn't miss anything. Celeste might be hiding anywhere, and Sam wanted to make sure that everything was alright before she left her alone. "Sam, of course everything is alright. what would make you say that?" She spoke to herself. "Well, maybe the way she started crying before she ran out. Ugh! I swear, Kyle needs to learn how to be nice once in a while. Being as flat aand hard as a rock can only get you certain places. Celeste! Let me help. He-he didn't mean it. I promise, he was just a little upset. Celeste?"

"Go away. I don't want to talk. I'm fine." Celeste called from an alcove below the stairs to Sam's left. "Just leave me alone." Sam walked closer, slowly and steadily. SHe wanted to leave, but knew Celeste really wanted to talk. And she was the only girl who really undertsood Kyle. 

"Celeste, talk to me." She said and sat down on the stairs, giving her friend space. "I can help."

"No you can't." Celeste answered in a hurt voice. "Nobody can, because nobody cares." Sam nodded, saddened by the hurt in Celeste's voice. She took a deep breath and continued. 

"I care. And Kyle does. And so does God. If you won't let me help you, that's fine, but talk to God. Ask him for peace or comfort, or whatever you need." Celeste stood up with an angry and lost face. 

"THERE IS NO GOD. At least, not one that cares." She looked away. "Yours left me a while ago." Sam didn't let Celeste take a breath before rebutting.

"God doesn't leave anybody. People walk away from Him. Or worse, they never knew Him. Celeste, tell me what you're thinking, so I can ease your mind. Please?" Celeste shook her head. 

"Celeste!" came a loud voice from down the hall, and both girls looked in that direction. Celeste grabbed Sam and they hid together. "Celeste, Sam, where are you?" Kyle called out, as he jogged down the halls. Celeste and Sam watched him pass them in silence, and waited unitl they no longer heard his footsteps. 

"Kyle hates me." Celeste said, and Sam shook her head. "He does, I know he does. That's why he yelled at me. He hates me."

"You're wrong. Kyle is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Sometimes, he just doesn't know how to react. And, let's face it, you hurt him. But," she said with a lighter tone. "Did you see how he came almost running to find you? He cares, he really,genuinely cares-"

"Not about me." Celeste said so surely, that Sam got mad. 

"Look, Celeste. Kyle cares about you alot. Much more than I've ever seen him care about anyone. Kyle's the one who helped me through my hard times, and he would help you too. But, you don't need Kyle, you need God." Celeste turned away, getting angry at the blatent rebuke. 

"It's like I told you, there isn't a God. At least, not one for me." He eyes grew sad again. "I don't deserve one." Sam shocked her by nodding.

"Nope, you don't. But, He loves you enough to help you because He wants to. He cares about you more than any human ever could. And He is ALWAYS willing to help you. You just have to ask him."

"How do you know?" Celeste asked acidly. "You have no idea what I've been through, what I've seen or done."

"That's true." Sam countered. "But I know what He's brought me through." Celeste looked at her in confusion. "Now, I usually don't share this with ANYONE, but if it will help you, it's worth it." Celeste saw Sam visibly calm and steel herself before taking a deep breath. "Something bad...happened to me when I was younger, and I tried to kill myself. I thought It happened because nobody cared about me." Celeste saw tears forming on Sam's eyes, and stopped the urge to reach out a hand. She didn't know why she did that. "I thought it had happened because I was ugly and worthless. But, God," She said and took a deep breath between her tears. 

"God saved me. He told me that I was beautiful, and it didn't matter what happened, because it happened for a reason, to make me who I am today." Celeste nodded, and tried not to look or feel too sympathetic. Maybe Sam wouldn't like that.

"What," she asked slowly, and with a reserve that showed she would't push. "What happened?"

"I was raped." She said simply and Celeste gasped. "Yeah, and look at me now. I'm smart, confidant, and beautiful. Jeez, I rock! So, don't you ever tell yourself you're not worth anything or whatever lie you said earlier, because if God can get me past that, you have no excuse. And, that's proof that God is real, so you lose."

As the two got up and headed out the doors, Celeste thought about what Sam had said and shared. She wondered if Sam was right. Maybe she was, and maybe she wasn't. but, truth or not, Sam believed it wityh her entire being, and that was what caught Celeste's attention. Kyle seemed to be that way too, always talking about God and quoting Bible verses. What if they are right? What if there is a God who cares like that? Would He want me?

That night, she had a deep conversation with her parents, and decided that what her friends were talkingh about wasn't guessing or wishing, it was the Truth, and that's what she wanted. She went to sleep that night fearing that the God that was so awesome, people still talk about Him, would turn her away and tell her she wasn't good enough.