Wow, im back already. This is my third update today. Ya'll seriously have to give me some props for that :D But all of the credit goes to you, I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for all of you fantastic people out there. Your reviews are all so amazing, both the public ones and the private ones you send me. Reviewing is the most important thing you can do as a reader, I think. I always review people's stories when I read them, even before I started writing. I wanted them to know that I truly enjoy their story and that they weren't just typing for nothing. Hopefully, you guys will continue reviewing for me! I appreciate them so so much. Well, enjoy! :)


Chapter 14

His alarm clock woke him up at 8:45 on Sunday morning and he had to force himself to get out of bed. Only then did he remember why he was getting up that early in the first place. He smiled and got up and went into the kitchen. His dad was sitting at the table, reading the paper,

"'Morning, Dad."

"Good morning, Ben."

He poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table. When he finished eating, he went to his room and changed into a pair of workout shorts and a t-shirt. He told his dad that he was going out for a run.

It was another warm day as he jogged around the neighborhood. Ben loved to run; while he was in basic training in Texas, they got up at 5:00 each morning and ran 5 miles. He also liked to lift weights; whenever he was mad or upset he would run or lift weights. It helped him release his anger or work out his sadness. He ran around the neighborhood, running past the neighborhood park and waving to people in their yards or on their front porches.

He ran yesterday morning, as well. He didn't see Allison yesterday; she had said she was going to spend time with her family and run some errands. He ran errands of his own; he went to Lowe's and got some parts to fix his truck. His transmission filter needed to be replaced and Ben knew exactly how to fix it.

Before he joined the Air Force, he worked as a mechanic in an auto and repair shop. He could fix almost any car or truck and he fixed cars as a side job when he was on leave sometimes. After he replaced the transmission filter, he went surfing for the rest of the day.

He loved surfing; his uncle had taught him when he was twelve and he had been doing it ever since. Yesterday, the parking lot was almost full and there were a ton of people there. Most of them were sitting in their beach chairs, trying to gain back the summer tans that the winter had taken away. There were children playing on the water's edge and there were about fifteen other surfers who had had the same idea he had. After he surfed, he went home and had dinner with his dad and then went to sleep.

He ran around the neighborhood for about forty-five minutes before he came home and took a shower. He went to his room and tried to pick out something to wear. He suddenly realized that he had no idea what he was supposed to wear. He didn't know if he was supposed to dress formally or casually. He didn't want to show up to a formal church dressed casually and he didn't want to show up to a casual church dressed formally. He decided to dress formally; better safe than sorry.

He picked out a pair of khaki pants and a dark blue button-down shirt. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 10:25; he had to meet Allison at 10:45 so he grabbed his keys. As he was walking out of the door, he realized he was sort of nervous. He didn't know why, it was just church after all, but he still had butterflies in his stomach.


He followed Allison's instructions and reached the church at about 10:40. He pulled into the parking lot and it was almost full. He finally found a parking place and parked and got out. He looked at the church and to say it was big was an understatement. It was a huge white building that looked more like a movie theatre than a church; he wasn't about to go in judging, though.

He looked at people walking by and saw that they were wearing shorts and short-sleeves and tank tops. He shook his head, thinking how bad he was going to stand out. He began to walk towards the front of the church; Allison had promised to meet him in the front so they could walk in together.

He approached the entrance and saw Allison standing there in a yellow sundress. He smiled and walked up to her. When she saw him she smiled and said, enthusiastically,

"Hey!"

"Hey."

"You look nice." He smiled,

"Thank you. You look nice, too."

"Thank you. Well, are you ready to go in?" He took a deep breath,

"Yeah, let's go."

The service was better than Ben thought it would be. The music as really good and, while they were singing, he looked at Allison out of the corner of his eye and watched her sing. He listened to her voice and thought again how good she was.

After they were done singing, they sat down and a young guy came out and spoke about upcoming events. He talked about the church's small groups and that they were holding an orientation for a program that helped people start their walk with God. Then, he announced that, on the upcoming Thursday, they were holding auditions for singers, guitar players, and drummers. He nudged Allison's shoulder and motioned up on the stage and she smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

When he finished talking, he asked everyone to pray with him. Everyone bowed their heads and, when he was finished praying, walked off of the stage and another young man came out and greeted everybody. Allison nudged his shoulder and whispered that he was the preacher.

He preached for about forty-five minutes. Allison was right; despite his age, he was one of the wisest people Ben had ever heard. He preached in a way that you could understand what he was trying to say. He preached about the story of Jonah and when he was done, he asked everyone to pray with him. When he finished praying, he thanked everyone for coming and sat it there would be people down at the front if anyone needed prayer.

Allison stood up and smiled as people began to file out. He followed her out to the front where he had met her earlier that morning and stood off to the side so people could get out.

"So, how did you like it?"

"It was good; really good, actually. I liked it a lot." She smiled,

"Good, I'm glad." He nodded and decided it as now or never.

"So, what are you doing later?"

"Nothing I don't think; why?"

"Well, I was reading the newspaper yesterday and I saw an article about the aquarium releasing a sea turtle they've been helping recover from an accident. They're doing it this afternoon and it's open to the public. I was wondering if you wanted to go. She smiled and nodded,

"Yeah, I'd love to." He smiled,

"Okay, it starts at 1:45."

"All right, that sounds fun. Can you give me an hour to go home and change though?"

"Absolutely, I have to change, too; somebody forgot to tell me that I could dress casually." She laughed,

"I know I'm sorry. I thought about it this morning while I was getting dressed and I felt really bad." He smiled and waved it off,

"It's okay. But there were more than a couple of people staring at me when I walked up."

"I can see why; you look handsome." He smiled,

"Thank you. Well, I'll pick you up in an hour." She nodded just as someone called her name from behind. She turned around and he saw a young girl that looked around their age come up to them and say, to Allison,

"Hey, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I was just telling Ben bye." She turned back to him,

"So, I'll see you in an hour?" He nodded and she said,

"Okay, bye, Ben."

"Bye."

He smiled as she turned to walk with her friend and he turned and headed back to his truck.


It took him about fifteen minutes to get home. He walked to his room and changed his clothes. Since it was a warm day, he changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He ate some lunch and watched a little TV. before he grabbed his keys and headed out of the door.

It took Ben exactly twenty minutes to get to Allison's house. He walked up to her door and rang the doorbell. He waited a minute and hoped she was home; there wasn't a car in the driveway. He started to ring it again when he heard footsteps behind the door. He heard the door unlock and she stepped out. She smiled,

"Hey, sorry I was back in the bathroom brushing my teeth."

"It's okay; I was worried no one was here since there's no car in the driveway."

"Yeah, my parents left this morning and took the car." Her expression suddenly turned sad and he knew there was more to it, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it.

"Oh, okay. Well, are you ready to go?" Her expression turned happy again,

"Yeah, let's go."

He smiled and looked at her; she was wearing a pair of capris and a light orange tank top and a pair of flip flops. She reached the truck first and he said,

"Oh, here, let me get that." He opened the door for her and she smiled,

"You're spoiling me, you know."

"It's okay. You say thank you every time. Plus, I like doing it."

"Thank you" He smiled,

"You're welcome."

They talked the entire way to the beach. She told him about her day yesterday and he told her about his. She started off by going to breakfast with her parents and then they went to her older sister's house in Wrightsville Beach and visited with her for most of the day before Allison had to leave and run her errands. She asked him what he did and he told her about fixing his truck and going surfing. He told her that he used to be a mechanic before he joined the Air Force.

They rode for a while and the radio played a whole list of songs that Ben and Allison both knew. She sung them all perfectly and, when the radio station cut to a commercial, he looked at her and smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing. I still say you should audition to be a singer. You should audition for the church; you would be awesome." She smiled,

"Do you think so?"

"I know so; you really are a great singer. I bet they would accept you right on the spot." She smiled again,

"Thank you. My friend that I was with today told me I should try out, too."

"See? I'm telling you. You should really think about doing it."

"I think I'm going to."

"Really?" She nodded,

"I think it would be good. I mean, I would be doing something I love plus I'd be helping out the church, too." She smiled,

"Exactly."


They rode together, talking and laughing, before they reached the bridge. She put her head down as they drove over it and, when they were over it, she looked back up. He still wondered why she was so afraid and she must have sensed what he was thinking. She laughed, obviously embarrassed,

"You must think I'm weird, right?" He shook his head,

"No, not at all."

She smiled as they finally pulled into the recreation center. As you turned into the parking lot, there was a big sign that had a couple of the aquarium employees on it, as well as a sea turtle that said 'sea turtle releasing this afternoon at 1:45!'

The parking lot was almost full and it took him a couple of minutes to find a parking space. He finally found one and he parked the truck. They walked across the parking lot and down the steps to the beach. There were little signs scattered everywhere, announcing the sea turtle releasing. They saw a big group of people gathered in two groups near the water and they headed towards it.

They were right in time; they found a spot amongst one of the groups and, a couple of minutes later, they saw a big group of aquarium employees charge down the beach with a huge sea turtle in their hands. Everyone saw them and started to cheer and clap. They made their way down the middle of the two groups of people and finally reached the water's edge and gently lowered the turtle into the water.

They watched her move her legs and slowly make her way into the open ocean. When she got deep enough, she moved her front and back legs and swam into the ocean. Everyone continued to clap and cheer, even after they couldn't see the turtle anymore. Eventually, when the clapping and cheering died down, the employees stood in front of the two groups and talked about how they had found the turtle on the beach and nursed it back to health for four long months.

When they finished, they thanked everyone for supporting them and thanked them for coming. Everyone capped again, and then started to part ways. Allison turned to him, smiling,

"Wow, that was amazing." He smiled,

"Yeah, that was pretty cool."

They turned and started walking back to the recreation center. While they walked, Allison looped her arm through his. He smiled and they continued to walk until they passed a man with a huge tattoo that covered his entire back.

"Oh man, I couldn't have a tattoo that big on my back."

"Yeah, my dad has one just like that." She looked at him,

"Tell me more about your dad." He looked at her and cleared his throat, thinking of something to say,

"Well, he was in the Air Force and he retired about five years ago. He met my mom while he was on leave in Elizabethtown. They got married about a year later and they had me a couple of years after that."

"Wow, I'd like to meet him someday."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, he sounds interesting." He raised his eyebrow, wondering how she could have come to that conclusion from what he had just said. He suddenly had an idea,

"Do you want to go meet him right now?"

"Now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Would he be okay with it?" He nodded,

"I'm sure he would."

"Are you sure?" He smiled,

"Yes I'm sure." She finally smiled as well

"Okay, I would love that."

"All right, let's go."


:) Hope you guys enjoyed it! I really think you'll like the next chapter :D Don't wanna give too much away, so i'll just stop here! See you guys tomorrow! And please, please review!