The Preachers Daughter

Chapter Four

I watched as my father stood in the pulpit in front of our entire congregation, and preach the gospel like the hypocrite he is. Sweating and hollering how we must repent and live right, and he committed one of the biggest sins. I was disgusted. And even more so embarrassed. 

Everyone came up to me asking where my mother was, and I continued to lie in God's house and say she was at home sick. What else was I supposed to do? Telling the truth would only get my father put out of the pulpit, which will then put us out on the streets. I only have a few months left until I graduate, I need for everything to stay how it's been. I'll ask God for forgiveness later.

My phone vibrated in my purse next to me, grabbing my attention. I know it wasn't Annie because she's never up this early on the weekends. And she damn sure wouldn't be up due to last night's festivities. The number was unknown so I sent it to voicemail. Two seconds later a text came through. 

                                                         Come outside Zoy

I knew it was Zy'Air. I had text him last night and let him know I made it home but I received no response. I figured he had gave me the wrong number. Which would've been dumb since he was the one that grabbed my phone, I didn't ask for it. 

I looked up and saw that my father had reached a close and was sitting down cleaning his face. I took this as my chance to sneak out while he wasn't paying any attention. It was youth Sunday and all the younger ushers looked up to me. I flagged one of them down and signaled for them to let me out with a pleading look. Technically this wasn't the time for people to be walking around, but it's my only opportunity. 

She gave me a nod and I discreetly walked out of the side door by the musicians. Hopefully I wasn't noticed. I tried to walk as quickly as I could without my heels sinking in the grass to the front of the church. He probably won't even recognize me since the first time he saw me I was showing more than my mother raised me to show. 

"What's up, goodie girl?" He smiled at me and looked me up and down. "Check you out, lookin' holy ghost filled".

"What do you know about the holy ghost?"

"My mother raised me in the church".

"And what does she think now, seeing you out in the streets on a Sunday and not in a pew?"

He fell silent for a moment. "She died when I was eleven".

I softly gasped. Me and my big mouth. "I am so sorry".

"It's cool though. She ain't really fuck with me like that anyway".

A little girl flew out of the front door of the church and I knew service had been let out. If my father sees me standing here talking to Zy'Air he'd lose it.

"Let's get out of here".

I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the parking lot where my car was parked. I unlocked the doors with my car starter and we both hopped in.

"Where do you want to go?", I asked him.

"We can head over to my place if you want. My granny is making some dinner".

I looked down at my clothes, mad I didn't have something to change into. He laughed.

"Don't worry Zoy, ain't nobody gon say shit to you".

Yeah, we will see. 

I pulled out of the parking lot, avoiding the gaze of everyone staring into my car trying to figure out who I was with. I took his directions towards his house, my heart speeding up the closer we got. I've never met anyone's family before outside of Annie. First impressions are everything and the last thing I want is for someone to assume that I'm just some up tight female who wants to rebel against her father. Because Zy'Air has nothing to do with me not giving a damn what my father says. At least I don't think so.