Page 38 of In This Moment
They wanted the chance at a jab.
Before she left school yesterday, she’d wanted to stand on the tallest building with a megaphone and tell everyone in earshot to back off. This wasn’t her fault. Kids wanted either to applaud her or silence her. They all had something to say. But she had only one thing she wanted them to know: She loved the Bible study club. Being part of the group had changed her life in every possible way.
But there was no megaphone and no tall building. So Cami simply went home, avoided her father—who had been drinking more than usual—and climbed into bed early. At least she could talk to God and ask Him how this had all happened.
And why it was happening to her.
Cami was still outside. She kept her head down, hiding behind a wall, waiting for the moment when she could hurry through the doors. She had one goal today.
Avoid as many students as possible. Especially Jordy.
But even as the thought filled her mind, she spotted Jordy walking with two of the football players. That was another thing. He hadn’t returned her texts or looked for her after school the way he usually did. Yesterday he wasn’t in the only class they shared.
So was he avoiding her now? Did he and Principal Quinn really think she could’ve had something to do with all this?
The possibility made Cami sick to her stomach.Help me, God... help me get the word out. This isn’t my fault. Please, help me, God.She leaned against the building and took a few quick breaths.
My peace I leave you, My daughter... My peace I give to you. Do not be discouraged and do not be afraid.
The Scripture verse settled in around the scared edges of her soul and whispered truth. Truth Cami desperately needed. She could walk in the peace of God, even if everything around her was falling apart. And she did not need to be discouraged or afraid. God was with her.
Literally with her. Right here at Hamilton High.
Cami took a slower breath this time. The thing was, she didn’t believe her dad on this whole thing. He was angry at Cami’s mother, yes. He thought any Christian man who would have an affair with a married woman must be a hypocrite and a fraud. Okay, Cami could see that.
Cami figured this was the only thing her dad could think to do about it, and now the whole matter had spiraled out of control. So crazy out of control that it didn’t seem like there was any way to undo it.
Because there was no way her dad could’ve really wanted national attention on this thing. People around the country were calling him an atheist and an antireligious zealot. Some supported him, of course. They publicly applauded his efforts. But lots of people were angry, wondering how Andy Nelson could stop such a good thing at a messed-up school like Hamilton.
Whatever was going to happen now, it was too late to stop it.
Except for explaining how she didn’t have a part in it all. She could do something about that, she could speak her mind and tell the kids at Hamilton how this wasn’t her doing. Today at the Raise the Bar meeting, Cami intended to do just that. God would be with her, she knew that for sure. Because she had already asked Him.
The club still met in the school auditorium. Principal Quinn would give a message from the Bible and talk about it. Then the students would break into smaller groups and share what the message meant to them.
Then they’d pray.
Cami guessed that none of the club expected she’d be there today. They probably figured she’d be sitting with her dad in some lawyer’s office dreaming up a way to destroy Hamilton High. As if she’d been a fraud the entire time.
The bell rang. Cami had no choice but to make her move.
She raised her chin and clutched her backpack a little tighter.God, be with me. Please. I can’t do this alone. Give me the chance to make things right. She pushed on the double doors and walked through the school entrance. Most kids were in class by now, but even then she caught a couple of them staring at her. Two boys pointed in her direction as she hurried to her English class.
One hour blended into the next, and Cami struggled to focus on her schoolwork. One thing kept filling her mind when she was supposed to be listening to a lecture in chemistry or geometry. All this time she had taken the school’s Bible study group for granted. As if this were the sort of thing that happened at most schools.
After all, so much good had come from it.
Students reading Scripture, talking about God, praying for themselves and their school... all of it had made a difference.
But since the story broke about her dad suing Principal Quinn, Cami had realized something. Most people really were against God. Or at least the loudest people were. They were all over Twitter and Facebook. Even Instagram. They made memes mocking Principal Quinn and Hamilton High and they were angry with the teachers for not blowing the whistle sooner.
Like they really didn’t care about all the good that had happened.
When school was over, Cami took her time getting to the club. She wanted to slip in once everyone else was seated, take a spot in the back row, where it was dark. So no one could see her or shoot angry looks in her direction.
Principal Quinn was already up front as Cami sat down.
“Today we are talking about forgiveness and grace.” He pulled his Bible from the podium and sat on a stool. “How many of you have your Bibles today?”
