Page 51 of In This Moment
Across the room she spotted the pizza.Good. A distraction.“Let’s get food.” She glanced toward the table stacked with Domino’s boxes. Kids swarmed around it.
“I’m not really—”
“Wait.” Cami started walking, she looked back over her shoulder at him. “I’ll get you a piece.”
Her steps were too fast and she didn’t wait for Jordy to tell her what kind of pizza he might want. She couldn’t wait. If she stood there another minute with him looking at her that way she’d start falling for him again. Dreaming about kissing him. Or about a time when their parents wouldn’t think the worst possible thing was for Jordy and Cami to date. But that definitely wasn’t going to happen.
Not now. Not ever.
•••
DWAYNE BROWN GRIPPEDthe steering wheel of his brother’s car.
Okay, so he didn’t ask to borrow it tonight. Who cared? His brother had taken a ride with friends and gone to Ohio. Some debate club meeting. Dwayne rolled his eyes. His brother was always trying to show him up. Prove he was the better of the two boys.
He didn’t have to try hard.
Dwayne was a mess-up. He’d always been a mess-up.
This year was the worst—everywhere except the football field. Out there he was the best linebacker in the city. Gonna get a scholarship. That would show his momma and brother what for.
That’s why he’d started going to the Bible meetings. Bunch of his friends had been going since last year, and truth was, the dudes were really changed. Sam didn’t drink anymore. Like, not a drop. Allen was getting passing grades in all his classes.
Dwayne had asked Allen about it at the beginning of the school year when they were sitting at the cafeteria. “A Bible group is helping you in school?” Dwayne had laughed. Mostly because he was uncomfortable. “How’s that even possible? Like, what do you do? Sit around asking Jesus to help you with math?” Another laugh. “Sounds like sissy stuff, man.”
“Shut up!” Allen stood up and stared at him, real angry.
Allen’s eyes got all squinty, and for half a second Dwayne thought the guy was going to hit him. Allen was a lot taller. And bigger. An all-county lineman, so he could’ve, no problem. Would’ve knocked Dwayne out, first punch. But then Allen’s face relaxed.
A lot.
Allen sat back down and took a bite of his burger. When he looked at Dwayne again, Allen had eyes like a kid. Like he didn’t have a worry in the world. And right there he explained about faith and the Bible and math. “I’m a child of God.” He raised his eyebrows. “You are, too.”
Dwayne wanted to laugh. He was hardly a child of God. Allen mustn’t know him that well. But Dwayne kept quiet.
“The Bible isn’t just another textbook. It’s a letter from Jesus to us. When I read it, it’s like...” Allen smiled, and let out a quiet breath. “It’s like God wrote it straight to me.”
An uncomfortable feeling stirred in Dwayne’s stomach. “How’s that help you with math?”
“The words in the Bible... they’re not just words. They’re alive.” Allen didn’t look embarrassed. He seemed to really believe this stuff. Allen paused for a minute. “Like, there’s this Scripture that says, ‘I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.’ ”
Allen patted the backpack beside him. “Even math. I remind myself of that every time I sit in Mrs. Barron’s classroom. Next thing you know, I’m remembering the formulas and stuff.” Allen took another bite. When he was finished with it he looked hard at Dwayne. “You only get one life, man. At least give it a try.”
The memory stopped there. Dwayne turned left on Briar Street. His stomach felt tight and he could almost hear a voice in his head.
Turn back. Don’t go this way, My son. Go home!
So strange, the voice. He had heard it before. Especially the third time he went to the Bible group. That day he sat with Jordy. Most of the time, Dwayne and Jordy didn’t talk. Jordy was one of the good kids. Good grades. Good dad. Good looks. It was all a little too much.
But that day when Dwayne walked into the auditorium, Jordy looked right at him and smiled. Like they were the same kinda dudes. “Over here,” Jordy called out.
Dwayne looked behind him, just in case Jordy was talking to someone else. But he wasn’t. So Dwayne took the seat next to Jordy. “Can I tell you something?” Jordy looked at him. Right in his eyes.
“Sure.” Dwayne squirmed a little.Where’s this going?he thought.
Jordy smiled. “I’ve been praying since last year that you’d come to this.” He smiled and gave Dwayne a light smack on the back. “You’re not a thug. I heard some of the guys on the team call you that.” He paused. “It’s not true.” Jordy grew quiet. He clenched his jaw. “You want the truth? You belong to God. It’s time you figured that out.”
He wasn’t a thug. Dwayne had liked that. And when Principal Quinn spoke that day, he talked about having a hero. “Everyone has a story. And every story needs a hero.”
