Take Me To Church

Chapter One

It was summer when I met him, on a Sunday afternoon. The grass was soft and the breeze was as warm as his smile. We laid back and looked up at the cloud filled sky, not knowing what was soon to come.

I went into church that same Sunday, listening to the priest and singing hymns. My mother made me and dad sit with his family. I hated my mother, she had narrow views and forced them upon anyone she could, but she introduced me to Leo and I don't think I can ever thank her for that.

"Joseph, this is mr and mrs Thompson," she told me.
"And their son Leo." I smiled and shook their hands. He was beautiful. I know that it was wrong to think that, especially in church, but I couldn't help it.

"Hi Joseph it's so nice to meet you, your mother has told me so much about you." I sighed as we started engaging in small talk, all I wanted to do was sit down.

"It's a pleasure." I continued chatting and being polite, casually looking over at Leo. He was talking to my dad about school, his tie perfectly straightened, jacket slung over his right arm as the heat poured in through the front doors. My mom wouldn't let me remove my jacket. She always said I would look informal and would be disrespecting the church by dressing down, but it was so hot that I almost disobeyed her orders. My hair stuck to my forehead, the humidity growing as more and more people piled into the room.

"You look pretty hot."

"What?" I jumped as Leo snuck up beside me.

"I mean from the weather." He laughed.

"Oh." I could feel my face getting hot as he looked at me.

"Wanna sit down? I think our parents finally left us alone."

"Sure." I smiled. Leo was nice. He had warm brown eyes and hair to match, it was in messy waves, unlike mine which was combed straight and had a part at the side. He had a lanky frame, but was still a little bit shorter than me. His black suit was sharp and pristine, fitting him perfectly. I felt small in his presence.

"Your sweating like crazy." He laughed again, loosening my tie. I shifted at his touch, wondering why he was so close and wondering why I didn't mind the proximity.

"My mom makes me wear the whole suit." I commented, nodding towards the bench that held his jacket.

"That's a little silly in this weather don't you think?" I just shrugged.

We sat through the service in silence, listening to the priest as he said his sermon. I couldn't stop thinking of Leo, he smelled so good and his knee occasionally brushed against my knee every so often. I know it wasn't on purpose but his touch was so soft, like he actually wanted to feel me and my warmth. I couldn't rid myself of his presence.
After church my mother asked me to accompany her and Mrs. Thompson for some coffee with the other ladies, and I was about to go with her until Leo stopped me.

"Actually Mrs. Green I thought Joseph and I could hang out, since we've been getting along so good. Do you mind if we meet with you after?" My mother smiled at him, and gave us her approval as long as we'd be back at my house in an hour. I got a little excited. No one not even me could have told her no like he did, but I suppose Leo's charm helped him in that situation. As we turned to head out of the church my mother gripped my arm.

"If your not back in your fathers house in one hour your grounded." She scolded me. I glanced over to see that Leo was almost out the door.

"Don't worry mom I'll be back."

"I don't like the way there raising that boy." She muttered, loosening her vice like grip. I shook her off and rolled my eyes, jogging lightly to catch up with Leo.

"Let's go." He smirked.


And that's how we ended up in the grass that day, his tie laying carelessly on the ground, mine folded neatly on my jacket which rested atop my stomach. There were trees above us which offered shelter from the blazing sun, but it was still so damn hot.

"Hey Joseph." I heard Leo whisper.

"Joseph." My eyes shot open.

"You fell asleep." He commented, leaning over me. I rubbed my face, hands running over my eyes to clear away any traces of sleep.

"Must be the weather." I commented. He nodded.

"Hey, you wouldn't tell on me would you?"

"Tell on you?" I asked, sitting up a little. Leo nodded, leaning back and pulling a carton of cigarettes from his pant pocket. I looked at him for a second, watching as he placed the white and yellow stick in his mouth. He raised his eye brows at me.

"This is between us, deal?" He mumbled with the cigarette still between his lips.

"Deal." I nodded, unsure of myself. Leo just grinned a little.

"Your a bad liar." He said, pulling it away from him and placing it back in the carton.

"I won't tell."I told him quickly.

"You sure?" I could feel my face getting hotter.

"Yea I...I'm just not the greatest at bending the rules ya know?" He smiled.

"Joseph there's not really any rules about a person smoking. Unless it's like, not in the car with a person who's underage or something." I was conflicted. I wanted him to think I was cool, but if my mother ever found out I would be dead.

"Which reminds me," he sat up a little straighter.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen." I muttered, thankful that he dropped the previous topic.

"I'm nineteen." He told me.

"You drive?" I nodded.

"Good at it?" I shook my head.

"Me either." He laughed.

"I have some trouble with speeding tickets."

"I go to slow." I smiled.

"Now why doesn't that surprise me." He laughed again, smiling back at me before laying down on the grass. I checked my watch, laying back into the greenery as well. We had about twenty minutes before my mother would force us, or me rather, to sit and talk to a bunch of really boring old ladies. They were the ones that always try to relate to you by giving you eighty year old candy and talking about their school days. I'd rather do anything else. I glanced over at Leo who was staring up at the trees, eyes squinted as the sun attempted to fight through the shade. He was hot, and I scolded myself for saying that ten times over, but it's what my mind felt and I could not shake the feeling. If mother knew she would send me to the priest, tell him that I was sick and needed immediate help. They would probably send me to one of those camps I heard about. One day I heard my mother and Evelyn, one of her coffee and gossip after church friends, say that a kid from St. Alfred's was sent to one of the camps for being ill. I thought that meant he had a cold when I was younger, but apparently it was because his dad caught him with another boy.

"Poor child." I heard Evelyn say.

"I agree, let's hope he gets help."

I closed my eyes, attempting to free myself from the memory. My head rolled to the side, about to look over at Leo again before I realized he was already staring at me. Even though I saw him watching he didn't look away, just had a puzzled look on his face as he studied my features. After a few seconds he stared back up at the sky again, closing his eyes like I had done moments ago. I looked up too, wondering why I was made with this illness while everyone else remained well. It made me angry, I would be forced to love people all my life and not get their love in return because they are not like me. They are not sick.