Earth Daughters [girlxgirl]

Chapter Two

A/N: I apologize if I offend anybody with my perception of Christianty (I deliberately do not specify any specific branch of Christianty in this book for that reason). Please keep in mind that these viewpoints are largely based on how my family's religion affected me at a very crucial turning point in my life (which actually did start around age 16), and it involves a lot of bitterness, largely due to my own bisexuality and growing awareness of what is truly "right" and "wrong." Thank you for respecting that. =)

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~CHAPTER TWO~

After the service finally, finally drew to a close, my heart began pounding nervously. It wasn't that I was shy of making new friends—I was great at that—but I had never been this interested in someone before, and right at that moment I didn't even care that it was “wrong” to feel this way about someone. Lately, I was too exhausted from trying to fight what came naturally.

Then again, none of these feelings even mattered because she was probably straight. Couldn't stop me from crushing, though.

Slipping from the pew, I hurried towards the door where I was hoping Stormie would be waiting for me, only to be called back by my mom.

“Heather!”

With a groan, I rolled my eyes and turned, giving her an annoyed look that asked, What?

“Shake hands with Pastor Statton,” she ordered pleasantly, her full rosy cheeks pulling up into a smile as she turned to do just that with the older man. Her blonde bun jiggled on the back of her head with the vigorous force of their shaking hands.

I wanted to roll my eyes again, but the warning look that Mom shot me over her shoulder had me shuffling forward, scuffing my shoes along the carpet to childishly show my unwillingness. Why was it so important to do this after every service? It's not like he did anything for me today, besides try to make me hate myself. 

“Sister Caroline,” Pastor Statton addressed my mother. “So good to see you again. Praise God!”

“Praise God, Pastor,” my mom returned jovially, making me cringe. It all sounded so routine, like none of it was really heartfelt. In a way, wasn't this taking God's name in vain if their heart wasn't in it? If they were saying it just to say it?

“Sister Heather,” he greeted me with a smile, grasping my hand and shaking it energetically. It took everything in me not to immediately pull away from his hot, sweaty palm. “Praise the Lord!”

I nodded, refusing to participate in this routine nonsense, which I was fairly certain an almighty God definitely wouldn't care about. Thankfully, an older woman smelling too strongly of perfume was right there to take my spot, so I quickly slunk away and speed-walked towards the door, hoping that my mom wouldn't call me away again. 

I bit my lip as I neared the sanctuary’s exit, slowed down by a hunched figure who seemed to walk at half a mile per hour. Good grief, lady! Immediately, I felt bad for mentally rushing her along—she was ancient, after all. Still, that didn't stop my feet from tapping impatiently as I practically danced in place.

“In a rush, Hetty?” the old woman asked, turning slightly to offer me a faintly yellowed grin.

I smiled sheepishly. “No, ma'am. Take your time, Sister Benson.”

Impossibly, she seemed to slow down even more. Maybe I shouldn't have offered. But then I saw that her intentions were to walk next to me so that we could talk, and right as I was about to groan inwardly at the added delay, she asked me, “Have you met my granddaughter? She's about your age, I think. Fifteen.”