1

"Foolish." a deep voice said, the man it belonged to leaning against a tree casually. His ankles crossed, as did his arms, and he turned his head to the man next to him. "I do not see how they can possibly believe worshipping shall save their souls."

"Perhaps they simply need something to place their faith in." the other reasoned. The first cocked his head, considering this possibility. A silence fell over the two as they watched the tall, catholic church and listened to the many layered choir sing loudly. The first sighed, launching himself off of the tree. Smoothly, he pulled a strand of beautifully blond hair out of his face with an elegant touch.

"I do feel a certain feeling of," his eyes were glued to the church, his arms fell to his sides and his voice remained even while he pondered. "Empathy, for them. For I too once believed that the Holy could-" The church bells had begun to ring, cutting off the man's sentence. He laughed happily and placed his hand on the other man's shoulder.

The second man, dark haired and leanly muscular, smiled adoringly at the first. "Shall we return, then? They will be expecting us."

"That we shall, brother. We would not want to keep them waiting." With one last glance toward the house of prayer, he scoffed. Looking the other man in his icy blue eyes, the first man began with a hatred clearly written in his voice. "Believe me, my love, when I tell you this: I will watch this building burn."

The unison words of the church echoed throughout the halls and high ceilings. Father Daniels walked down the aisle, smiling his warm smile and nodding graciously to those seated on the ends of the pews, his bible clutched close to his heart. His blue eyes looked to the stain glass window for just a moment before returning to his faithful followers. He adored them all, it was obvious.
My mother took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as he passed by our row, her hands still folded in prayer as we kneeled. I could feel his eyes scorching me, attempting to look into the real reasons I still came to church at all. He wouldn t find them, I didn t even know completely. The moment he left the sanctuary, I let out a small sigh. Though Father Daniels was a great and generous man, there was something about him that made me almost loathe him. My father had placed the blame in my authority problem, which had been present since I was a little girl. It would make sense that I would despise him for his high placement in society, though I couldn t let my mind wrap around that as the reason. I had given up on trying to figure it out long ago.

The people now crashed out of the pews like waves upon the hot sand of a beach, talking amongst themselves as they always did. I found myself watching them intently, absent mindedly. I rolled my eyes while a pair of ladies passed me, staring evilly. They knew. The whole church knew, but it didn t bother me at all. Why should it bother me? As I stood, I smoothed out my skirt and smiled at Greyson when he smiled at me. Pulling my hand up to his head, I laced my fingers into his hair and shook them around, laughing a little at his now unruly hair-do. Adelaide! My mother scoffed as she reached around me, pushing me slightly out of the way, and fixing her son s hair, locking it in place with a gentle pat. There. Swaying my hips slightly to maneuver out of the closely placed pews, my feet stepped onto the carpeted aisle taking us to the back of the church. The crowd moved slowly, as it did every Sunday morning. It had been like this since I was a child, it surely wasn t going to change anytime soon. "Oh, Marian!" a woman screeched from behind us. My mother turned around, her short, brown hair moved at the motion, sending the scent of her shampoo across the aisle. My father smiled as he got a whiff of it. "Are these your children?" Finally, as Mrs. Cantani pushed past my mother, I could put a face to the voice. Her graying hair was pulled back into a tight bun, a very traditional looking necklace hung casually on her chest outside of her dark blue dress suit. Marian smiled a half hearted smile and nodded, giving a simple mmhm while Mrs. Cantani examined Greyson and I.

"Hey, Mrs. Cant-"

"Ebony, darling, Ebony!" Mrs. Cantani said, touching my cheek with her chilly hand. I looked to my father, then back to Mrs. Cantani.

"Ebony." As soon as she got the response she wanted, she spun away from me, and was immediately down to Greyson's height, poking and touching him just as she had only moments ago with me, spewing words about how much he had grown, and how she had to have us over for lunch sometime soon. She quickly lost my attention as the doors came into view. I felt my father's elbow nudge my side. I looked up into his face, and he nodded towards the doors. I smiled and laughed a little, giving him an expression that told him I already knew. He laughed.

".. Though, he looks just like Gregory." Mrs. Cantani said thoughtfully, grabbing my father's chin and moving his face this way and that. "Hmm. Well, it was nice seeing you both, children. Marian, like I said, we have to get together soon. This town is too small not to be in touch. Gregory, I hope everything goes well at the office."

"Thank you, Ebony. You, too." My father said. His voice was cool, as always, nice and even. His salt and pepper hair matched Mrs. Cantani's, which made me laugh to myself. They all eyed me curiously, I could feel myself start to blush. My father's cheekbones were unusually high, very defined. His broad shoulders helped his height and weight in giving him that tough guy look that made him the apple of a lot of women's eyes in our tiny community. He wore informal clothing, even when going to church, and had his hands in his pockets most of the time. Not a complex man, though not simple, Greg Nyles was my favorite person to just sit with.

Mrs. Cantani hurried out the doors ahead of us, I followed close on her heels. The faster I would get out of that church, the better. I didn't hate the building, it was really just that, a building and hating a building would be rather ridiculous, in my opinion. Once outside, the cold wind blew my hair into my face. After a minute of struggling against nature to keep my dark locks of hair out of my eyes, I gave in and let them flail similar to Medusa's snakes. Greyson's little hand took hold of mine, and a giggle came from him after he caught sight of my alive mane. I scrunched my nose up, and shook my head at him. "You think I'm funny? Huh?"

"Yes!" he laughed. I scooped him up into my arms, and propped him up onto my hip while we waited, touching his nose and letting him swat my hand away. Finally, the crowd dispersed, and a path to the parking lot opened up. Quickly I seized the opportunity to find a way through the maze of people, running down the stairs of the church and onto the sidewalk below, making engine noises to amuse Greyson. He giggled, hiding his face in my neck until we stopped. His green eyes looked up into my own matching eyes, and he cooed. I kissed his forehead gently and put him down on the ground, to run to our parents who were only just reaching the bottom of the stairs. It was times like these that made me thankful I was not forced me to ride with them to church anymore.
I waved to them, curving around to walk away from the House of God to the familiarity of my black Magentis. Routinely, I unlocked the door from a few feet away, taking off my low heeled shoes and opening the door, throwing the heels into the passenger seat as soon as the door was ajar. My fingers fumbled through the many odd items attached to the ring of my keys, eventually touching the key that would bring my darling car to life. A feeling of relief rolled through my body at the sound of the engine and the tires gliding over the concrete below. I had always prided myself on the vehicle I had. Fairly new, leather interior, amazing stereo. The radio, set to my favorite oldies rock station, played a classic Guns 'n' Roses song. I beamed and began singing along, I knew every word like it was something I had said every day for the entirety of my life.

Today would be a slow day, I thought to myself. It was comforting to know that I didn t have anything set to do, that I could lounge if I wanted to, or I could simply not return home, and adventure for as long as I saw fit. 18 was a wonderful age, and I intended to live it as wonderfully as possible. At this point, I had no idea what thinking like that would bring.

The road stretched out in front of me for endless miles, everything still and calm. I had turned the radio off almost an hour ago. Music just didn't seem to fit me at the moment. The silence filled the air and left a feeling of serenity in its wake, which I loved. A sigh escaped my plump lips, they slowly curved upward. Everything about being alone on an afternoon drive alleviated me, yet destroyed me. Eventually, I would not be in my nirvana, I would be back to the same bad situation I am forced to live in.

I had obliviously driven to my best friend's apartment. When I truly noticed that I was sitting outside of the complex, I cut the engine and arched my back, reaching my right arm over the passenger seat and into the back of the car, grabbing the rugged duffel bag that waited patiently on the seat. The tips of my fingers touched it a few times before I was able to grab a hold of the strap and pull it into my lap. I grinned at the inanimate object, unzipping it to show the street clothes I kept with me at all times. I threw a few articles of clothing out of the bag, a pair of jeans, a purple t-shirt, and socks, and began shuffling out of the skirt that clung to my thighs. The many years of having to change in a car had turned me into a pro, I didn't even hit the steer wheel anymore. When I had the skirt off, I pulled the jeans to me. Sliding each leg into the correct places, the cell phone in my center counsel began to vibrate loudly. I quickened my pace, finishing with the button a few seconds later. My long arm moved over the car, grabbing the phone and bringing it up to see who was that was calling. The name flashed across the screen over and over. Lori Home Calling. "Hello?" I spoke into the speaker after pressing the answer button. I wedged the cell phone between my ear and shoulder, attempting to pull the other arm through the holes of the dress shirt while she replied.

"What're you doing just sitting out there? It's kind of creepy, you know."

I laughed. "Sorry, I'm changing really quick. Church." Realizing I couldn t multi-task, I pulled the phone from its resting place and turned on the speaker phone, placing it back in the center counsel. "I'll be in soon."

"Okay, hurry. There's this crazy show on the history channel Drew's got me watching." I scowled when she nonchalantly warned me her fussy boyfriend was visiting. I had accomplished getting re-dressed, I now searched for the pair of converse that I had worn out of the house that morning. They were where the passenger's feet would have gone.

"What's it about?"

"The fight for Heaven, or at least, that's what Drew says." She began to whisper. "Honestly, I'm not watching. I need something to distract me! Get in here!"

I snickered. "All right putting on my shoes. See you." She hung up. I briefly checked myself in the rearview mirror, and ran my hands through my frizzy hair. I scanned the door with my hand without looking, searching for the handle to let myself out. I forgot how stingy of a place Lori's apartment building was. Walking up the stairs, I was reminded by the webs and insects crawling about. I groaned, a crunch came from the bottom of my shoe. I wouldn't dare look. Room 201 came into view at last, I walked in without knocking.

Lori's home reminded me a lot of the typical college dorm. Tons of color exploded before whoever walked in, with the shag rugs of pinks and blues, bean-bag chairs in almost every corner. Drew sat on a black futon in front of the big screen TV, his feet placed on the glass coffee table in between the two pieces of furniture. I threw my car keys into the glass bowl on the buffet in the entranceway and took a left through the opened door to the kitchen. The stainless steel appliances gleamed in the sunlight coming from the window above the sink, Drew had cleaned, no doubt. Lori sat at the round, wooden kitchen table, her legs crossed and her fingers tracing the rim of her glass filled with iced tea. Her hair was pulled back casually into a loose ponytail. She probably hadn't been out of the house yet.

"Hey," I said, taking a seat across the table from her.

"Hey." Her voice seemed lazy, like she had just rolled out of bed. I considered the possibility, and realized she probably had. "How was church?"

"How do you think?" I could hear the sarcastic edge in my voice that I hadn't intended to be there. It made her laugh.

"That's true." From the kitchen, one had a straight view into the living room. I looked through the second door and at Drew, who still hadn't moved since I arrived. He didn't give me a greeting, nor would he until I struck up conversation with him. It amazed me how, after four years of dating Lori, he still couldn't get over his extreme shyness. Maybe that's why they worked so well, complete opposites. Like a negative charge and a positive charge, they just went to each other, cancelled each other out. The television volume was down to a reasonable level, though I could hear the words of the narrator. Lori must have seen that I was staring, she reached over and touched my arm.

"You still with me, Ad?" I was brought back down from my gaze, thankfully, I looked at my best friend. She flashed me a toothy grin, which I hesitantly returned. She rolled her eyes.

"Really? I swear, sometimes I think you and Drew were made for each other."

"Sorry" I apologized. I truly was sorry, I couldn't help but be drawn in by the images across the screen. Something about the combination of footage and the man's voice made me want to sit and listen. I didn't plan on talking to Drew at all, but I knew that if I wanted to watch, I would have to say at least something to him. Lori was disappointed, but she stood, taking me into the living room with her.

"Hello, Drew." I mumbled while taking a spot in the rocking chair halfway across the room from him. He looked at me with his always grumpy eyes, and nodded. For a man, he looked extremely feminine. His lips, about the same size as my own, were pouted. His nose curved up at the end slightly, somehow making his eyes look larger than they really were. Unlike most men, his jaw was curved very gently, and his neck wasn't particularly thick. His shoulders, one of the only manly things about him, were square, his posture perfect. Even if I didn't already know it to be fact, I would assume he was, or had been at one time, in the army.

"Hello, Adelaide." Drew was always polite. The only person I had ever seen him relax in front of was his beloved girlfriend, and my best friend. When she entered the room, his face lit up. It was apparent that he was trying extremely hard not to let himself jump up and embrace her. Instead, he settled for touching her arm as she sat down next to him. They exchanged a look, before she glanced over at me.

"What're we watching?" I asked. My eyes were on Lori, but the question was directed to Drew.

"It's about when Lucifer fell." He answered simply. Lori had opened and turned on her laptop computer, and typed away on the keyboard. The little clicking noises almost seemed like a low buzz, her fingers moved so swiftly and quickly over them. Every once in a while she would pause to catch a glimpse of the program that had captured both Drew and I. The hour that passed while I learned was one of the more valuable hours I had spent that day. It didn't go by fast, but it didn't really go by slowly either. I definitely hadn't spoken to Drew as much as I had during the show, and I realized that underneath it all, he wasn't that bad of a guy. I could see why Lori would be in love with him. She had fallen asleep cuddled up to Drew, her laptop at her feet. Gradually, he seized the computer away, and placed it on the glass table. When I looked at the clock on my cell phone, it hit me. I had been at their apartment watching these informational programs with him since 2:30, it was now 8:00 in the evening. I would arrive home, if I left that second, at around 9. I let my head fall forward, my hair falling around my face. I brought my hands up to my eyes and rubbed them roughly, then rubbing my temples. I sat there for a while, until Drew placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You're welcome to stay, if you'd like." He whispered. I looked up and saw that he had carried Lori into her room. I looked at him, he chuckled. "You're exhausted, to say the least. I know it's not exactly my place to offer, but I know Lori wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, you know I think I might." I went to stand up, but fell back down onto the rocking chair feebly. Graciously, he took my arm and helped me keep my balance while I stood. I smiled and nodded in thanks to him.

"Are you staying?"

"Probably. Do you want the second bedroom?" I asked. I motioned to the futon. "I can take the-"

"No, you take the bedroom. I'll just slide into bed with Mrs. Sleepy in there." He pointed his thumb toward the bedroom, I laughed. That wasn't funny, I must have been sleep deprived. A thud came from the floor, our gazes both fell. He sighed. When our eyes found each other again, he shrugged. "New tenants below us. I haven't met them yet, but Lori says they move things around a lot."

"Trying to find the right look?" I asked, trying to excuse the behavior of people I hadn t even met.

"Sounds more like they're just fickle." I acknowledged his idea, and walked around him, attempting to be as polite as I knew he would be to me. I turned and walked backward, keeping my front facing him. "Uh," I lifted my hands to my torso and clapped them together, my lips pursed and smiled for a split second before I dropped my hands to my thighs. "I'm going to go to sleep. Thanks, I mean, tonight was fun. Good night."

"Yeah, it was." He agreed awkwardly. "Good night."

I turned around, leaving him standing in the living room, walked into the hallway, and opened the door to the second bedroom of the apartment. It was simple, as it had been since Lori moved in. It kept the colorful theme alive, the bedspread a brilliant red with blue and tan stripes. The floor was wooden, stained beautifully. A few rugs were laid to the side of the bed that was pushed against the wall in the corner. A night table stood with its lamp turned off next to the headboard. A small dresser stood next to the only window in the room opposite the twin sized mattress. The looks of the room didn t really matter to me. All I wanted was to lay down, and sleep.

I quickly rid myself of the jeans that clung to my legs and hips, and rolled up the sleeves of the cotton shirt. In a moment's time, I had crawled into the comfortable bed, and curled up, clutching the blankets. Once in a while, the sound of furniture being moved in the apartment below would ring up into this room. I rolled over, and decided to ignore it. Soon, I was drifting to sleep.