It all started that fateful day in June, when I was forced out of the comfort and decent temperature I might add, of my home. My mother nagged all summer how I needed to get away from my computer and into the fresh air because it was better for me or more healthy or some shit like that. Well not when it's one hundred fucking degrees of sheer death, but apparently that sort of argument finally didn't hold up with her, especially since I hadn't moved very far from my usual computer, bathroom, bed routine for weeks. She got on her mom voice and said it, Jean Kirschstein. She did it, pushing me into the dangerous territory of, if you fucking talk back to me I will slay you, tone of voice.
"Jean Kirschstein." she whined out, more like a dying bird if you asked me. "I've had it to about here with your laziness." She made a big show of exactly where 'here' was, flourishing her arm out to threateningly jab into my collarbone.
"If you don't move from that spot-" Yes a loophole I thought too soon. "NO, the property for the entire-"
"ENTIRE!?"
"ENTIRE DAY."
"MOM YOU GOTTA BE FUCKING KIDDING-"
"I will cut off the internet faster than you delete your browser history."
So there I was, just about melting on the sidewalk of the shitty town we lived in, hands deep in my pockets and trying to calculate exactly how many hours it'd be before I could get back to the sanctuary of air conditioned heaven. It couldn't be that bad right? I'd been walking around for a good while right? Looking at my watch told otherwise, a measly 30 minutes had past for what seemed like hours.
"I'm going to fucking die in this heat." I whined to myself, raising my hand to shield my eyes from the sun as I looked down the main street. Small Mom and Pop shops surrounded most of the street along with a grimy gas station on the right, a library next to that, and a church to my left. Weird layout, I know, the whole town knows. It's kind of a unspoken knowledge that kids always got cigarettes from the station and hide behind the huge library to smoke them. I should actually know, I used to be one of them. That is until it got to crowded with a bunch of kiddy wannabes and I hightailed it out of there. I'm not too fond of people.
I scanned my eyes over the huge wooden doors of the old church thinking how funny it was the only nice looking building around yet people go there to feel guilty about everything they'd done that probably made them happy. I try to shake the feeling of instant anger people would probably sling at me for thinking that, as if they could hear my thoughts. Just then the huge wooden doors of the church swung open and masses of people started filing out. Great. I think rolling my eyes. Walking by churches or religious people in general always got me the feeling of silent judgement you know? Or maybe I'm just paranoid. Against my better judgement though I slow down, looking at the groups of people filtering out and congregating by the entrance to talk about Jesus I guess or some shit. This is when I really should have just turned away. I'm serious, would've saved me a lot of trouble. I should have looked away, rolled my eyes again and cursed my mom for forsaking me in this heat. However, instead I lingered longer than necessary and ultimately earned the dreaded attention of the town's pastor, Erwin Smith.
"Why hello there Jean." Mr. Smith's voice came from behind me making me jump. He had a habit of catching people off guard, especially me it seemed. My mother always said that's why he was good as a pastor, you make real careful not to fuck around on his watch, you never know when he'll pop up and catching you sinning.
I whip around, and unable to really mask my displeasure I take a subconious step backward. "Erwin." I say, with a quick glare and quickly looking away. His eyes also felt like they could look right at my soul, picking right at all the bad things I did when I got bored late last night.
Without missing a beat he continued. "Say Jean you're about eighteen right?" He said sizing me up, literally looking down onto me. He was the sort of man to get straight to the point and it always threw me off.
Finally recovering I squint at him suspiciously. "Maybe. Who wants to know." I answered crossing my arms, hoping he wasn't trying once again to get me to go to one of the Young Adults and Christ lectures they hold sometimes.
"Fantastic." He gave me empty stare, but leaned back statisfed as if I had just agreed to go to the aforementioned event. Before I knew it unfortunately, Erwin Smith was guiding me further into the crowd of church goers, towards the huge wooden doors and then into the huge building. I had half a mind to scream "Help! I need a parent!" but the urge wanned when the cool air hit my sweat drenched face. I only let myself be relieved for a split second as the searing heat finally floated away but immediately stiffened as I realized exactly where I was and who brought me there. When my soul wasn't immediately ripped from my body to suffer eternal damnation, however, my gaze wandered over to the group of people lingering over in the first few pews. I also began to struggle from Erwin's grasp. As if I weren't struggling at all though Mr. Smith began to push me towards them again as his deep voice began to echo into the huge room.
"Jean I'd like to introduce you to someone new to our town, he's around your age and he probably could use some friends." Erwin looked down at me with his soul piercing eyes once again.
"Uh huh, right." I replied, unconvinced of his motives. This guy, was probably trying to get me to befriend one of his bible thumpers, to be a "good influence" on me.
"Yeah, you've got to be kidding me. I'm not interested in making friends." I started trying to escape his giant hand that had somehow made it's way around my shoulders now, pushing my forward. "Especially ones around here. Now let me go." I added extra venom to my voice in hopes he'd decide I wasn't worth the trouble. Unfortunately, Erwin Smith was a very determined man.
"Nonsense, he's a friendly boy." Erwin said in tone that told me to shut up, he had made his decision. This man had some kind of unearthly sense of authority. Damn pastor.
"Mr. Bodt." He called out and waved at the group. I glared at the group of suspects, as if just daring them to come forward. Most were younger than me and familiar, and shrunk back under my gaze. That's right, don't you dare- I began to think, but a moment later someone in one of the pews stood up, previously hidden by the kids surrounding him. As I watched him rise I cursed under my breath, noticing he was already taller than me. Erwin gave me a stare, and I became a tad self conscious, but also hoped that I might have cursed louder than intended, glaring back at him. The boy then turned around and as I expected my intended response of fuck that noise nope nope nope, my glare fell away. Heck, it felt like the floor boards, the church, even Erwin's iron grip on me disappeared in a instant. My heart jumped into my throat and suddenly the previously cool air became extremely humid. The boy before me looked up at Erwin with confusion until a split second later his brown eyes fell upon me. I resisted the urge to self consciously mess with my hair. His freckled face studied me for all of two seconds before his eyebrows unfurlled, breaking into the softest and genuine smile I have ever seen. Or at least that's what I thought at the time, being the complete idiot I am. I was transfixed by it before realizing he was coming actually towards us. Shit. This time I did mess with my hair, looking away and trying to act annoyed rather than nervous.
"Pastor?" The boy said as he arrived in front of us, his gentle smile remaining. He folded his hands in front of him, waiting for Erwin to continue.
"Jean." Erwin said, almost making me jump out of my skin, however I pointedly looked at the floorboards, the stained glass window, anywhere else. Man I wanted to punch him and bolt out the doors. However, Erwin is a much bigger and stronger man than I, and he pushed me in front of him, forcing me into the space between him and this mystery boy. Finally I looked at the boy again trying to intimidate him with a glare, instantly regretting it. That gentle smile bore into me, making my face heat up, my glare turning into a lopesided frown. Oh god. The boy had short brown hair parted lamely down the middle, freckles fucking everywhere, typical boring brown eyes, long sleeved button up shirt even in this god forsaken weather and themostperfectjawlineeverfreckledJesustakethewheel. I coughed, as if they could hear my thoughts and flinched at the hand he held out offering it to me.
"Nice to meet you." He soft voice echoed slightly in the church. I swear you could hear the smile in his voice.
"Uh, hi." I said, awkwardly and begrudgingly taking his hand for a quick shake, and hoping my hands weren't as clammy as I felt they were. After pulling my hand away it felt so tingly I wanted to just whack it against something hard for a few minutes. "I'm Jean." I looked away, and crossed my arm to avoid fidgeting uncomfortably under his stare. He probably thinks I'm weird. I think instantly embarrassed that I even cared. But again I looked up and found that ever present gentle smile on his lips, his head cocked to the side.
"Hi Jean." A shiver went up my spine as he said my name, and I coughed again, embarrassed at myself. "I'm Marco."
And that was really where it all started that fateful day, in the church I had barely been in previously. That day, hour, minute I met him. Marco. I can still remember what I was wearing, how my socks were mismatched and how the first time his gentle smile directed at me felt. How I hated the way my body felt like shaking just after seeing someone, never before feeling such instant attraction before.
I'd like to thank my mother, the church and Erwin Smith. Because thanks to them, this fateful meeting was able to occur.
I'd also like to tell them all to go to hell.