Russell walked out of his last class straight into Sal, accidentally knocking him over. Apologizing profusely, he helped Sal to his feet.
"It's fine." Sal brushed the side of his leg, looking surprisingly pleased for someone who just fell over. "You should drop everything you're doing to hang out with me right now."
Russell sighed. Sal did not understand the concept of planning ahead. Normally, Russell would cave in and spend an hour somewhere with him. Mainly getting Slurpees while worrying about the repercussions from his parents for his lateness. But this day happened to be a Thursday. "I can't today."
"But we have to," Sal said. "I realized that Tuesday was the four month anniversary of our first date, and we didn't celebrate it."
Russell put his hand over his forehead, then ran it through his hair. "We never celebrate that kind of stuff."
"I think we should change that. We need our date nights or else we will lose our passion for each other."
"Can't we do it tomorrow instead?"
"But today-"
"I have plans tonight."
Sal gasped, clutching his hand to his chest. "You have plans? You never have plans. What kind of plans?"
Russell had never told him about youth group, hoping he'd never have to. It was so embarrassing. Being dragged to church every Sunday was bad enough. Maybe he should lie and make up some other excuse.
"Are you cheating on me?" Sal asked nonchalantly.
"What? No!" Russell tugged the straps of his backpack. "It's just... You'll laugh."
"Good, I could use one."
Smart ass. Russell laid his eyes on Sal's lips, the familiar longing of kissing them coursing through his body. If only he could ditch stupid youth group to hang out with him. Find a private parking lot. Do things with him that the youth group leaders discouraged. God, the things he would do if he had the chance. If only he didn't have to worry about Pastor Dave mentioning his absence to his mother, he'd ditch it every week, and spend those two hours in a deserted parking lot with Sal. Maybe he would let him-
"Yo, my face is up here." It was then when Russell realized his eyes had traveled from Sal's lips to the front of his faded jeans. He looked back at his face. "So, what's the big joke?" Sal asked.
"I have youth group," Russell mumbled.
"Youth group? What's that?"
"It's a sort of church meeting where we sit around listening to adults talk about how awesome Jesus is."
Sal stroked his chin, as if pondering life's mysteries. "Jesus is pretty awesome."
"And every Thursday, for the past 5 years, I've been dragged to that hell hole."
Sal stroked his chin again. "Will there be food?"
"Yeah. They always have pizza, to lure the new ones in."
"Are guests allowed?"
Russell immediately saw where this was going. "No. You are not coming with me to youth group."
"But I want pizza."
"Then ask your parents to order some."
"But I want pizza with you."
Russell slid his phone up from his pocket to check the time. 3:10. He had to leave by 4:30. He looked back at Sal, who looked up at him with sad, rounded eyes, hands clasped under his chin. "Alright, fine. I need to drop my stuff off and check in with my parents, and I suggest you do the same."
Russell and Sal arrived at the church, Russell holding his Bible. Surprisingly Sal hadn't made any teasing comments about him bringing it. They stepped into the church and made a left turn into a room of tables and chairs. A group of kids, ranging from 12 to 15, hung around inside, talking and laughing. Russell stood at the doorway as Kelly, one of the group leaders, approached him.
"Good to see you again, Russell," she said cheerfully. "Who's your friend?"
"Sal. He's thinking of converting."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kelly." Kelly held out her hand, and Sal shook it. "There's still a few more minutes until we officially start." She looked at Russell. "Why don't you introduce your friend to everyone?"
Russell forced himself to smile. "Okay."
"She seemed nice," Sal said, as they made their way towards the young teens. Russell grunted, but didn't disagree. Her only crime was being part of Youth Group.
All his fellow members were bunched up with their friends. Another thing Russell hated about it. Everyone had a friend, or multiple friends. Russell only had himself. Not that he minded, since he had very little in common with any of them. But due to this fact, he stood near the side of the room awkwardly, running his thumb over the pages of his Bible. The members barely noticed him.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Sal asked.
"They're not my friends," Russell said. "I don't have any friends here."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"And who's this?" A middle-aged man with short, black hair appeared. Pastor Dave.
"My friend, Sal."
"Now, I can't hear you with your thumb in your mouth." Dave smiled.
Russell resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but removed his thumbnail from his mouth. "Sal. He's a friend from school."
"I'm considering converting," Sal said.
Dave beamed. "That's great to hear. What from?"
"Nothing. I don't have a religion."
"That's a shame," Dave said. "But hopefully that will change after tonight." Giving them another smile, he left.
"He seemed nice," Sal said.
Russell groaned.
"Alright everyone," Kelly said from the front of the room. "Everyone take a seat. It's time for prayer."
As if he didn't get enough of that prayer crap at home. Russell reluctantly sat down at the seat closest to the back of the room, Sal sitting next to him.
"Why are we all the way back here, away from everyone?" Sal asked.
"To be away from everyone. Do what the adults say, and don't ask questions or draw attention to yourself in any way."
"Now everyone, bow your head and close your eyes," Pastor Dave said. "Join me in prayer. Dear heavenly Father..."
Russell tuned the rest out, and peeked out the corner of his eye at Sal. Surprisingly, he had his head bowed, eyes closed, and hands clasped as though taking this seriously. Thank God.
"Amen," everyone said, signaling the end of prayer.
"Riveting," Sal said, turning to Russell. "I've never properly prayed before."
"There's no proper way to pray. You just say a bunch of crap in your head." Russell crossed his arms, watching Kelly pull out a stack of papers.
"Did you just say a swear word? In a church?" Sal shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."
"Crap's barely a swear."
"I've never heard anything worse than 'crud' come out of your mouth."
Russell suppressed a grin. "The worst thing I've had come out of my mouth is your tongue."
Sal turned a bright shade of red, and shoved him. Russell nudged him back.
"Is everything alright back here?" Kelly had made her way to the back of the room. She handed them two blank pieces of paper and pencils. "I really wish you'd sit closer to us, Russ. You're always so far away."
"Yeah Russ. Why aren't we sitting with the cool kids?" Sal asked.
"Everyone here is a cool kid," Kelly said in that cheerful voice of hers. "The good Lord loves us all equally."
"By that logic, the good Lord loves serial killers," Russell muttered as soon as she was out of earshot.
"Lighten up, cranky." Sal stood up from the table, and moved to a closer one. Russell reluctantly followed, and found himself sitting next to Jessie. The second oldest member, who always sat with Mickaylah.
"Wow, you finally decided to join the rest of us," Jessie said in a fake polite voice. "Are we good enough for you now?"
"Who's your friend?" Mickaylah asked, eyeing Sal in a way that made Russell's stomach tighten.
"Sal." He gave her a friendly smile. "I'm converting."
Mickaylah grinned. "I'm sinning."
Jessie's mouth dropped open, and the two girls bent their heads towards each other, giggling. Russell clenched his jaw.
"It's okay," Sal said, holding his head high. "We are all sinners."
Russell elbowed Sal, and leaned towards his ear to whisper. "What did I say about drawing attention to yourself?"
"Okay everyone," Kelly said from the front of the room. "We're going to do an activity now."
"Activity?" Sal's eyes shone as he gazed at Russell. "You didn't say there were activities. Youth group is awesome."
Russell chewed his thumbnail right as Pastor Dave walked by.
"Russell, get your thumb out of your mouth," he said, sounding tired.
"But it calms him down," Sal said. "Russell's got an anxiety problem."
"Shut up," Russell said under his breath, while everyone in the nearby vicinity turned to stare at him.
"Really?" Pastor Dave furrowed his brow. "Your parents never told me that."
"Because I don't have an anxiety problem," Russell said quietly.
"It's okay to admit that you do," Pastor Dave said. "This is a safe space for you to say anything that is bothering you. Any problems you are having. And then we can all pray for-"
"No one needs to pray for me. I'm fine."
"Something's been bothering you for a long time now, I've noticed." Pastor Dave gave him a concerned look. "I really wish you'd tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong."
"There's always something wrong. Why, I'm sure your friend won't mind sharing his troubles with us. Maybe that'll encourage you to speak up." Pastor Dave turned to Sal. "Do you have any worries troubling you?"
Sal stroked his chin, as though deep in thought. "Nothing I can think of. I'm pretty happy with my life right now. I'll be done with school soon." He glanced at Russell, the corner of his mouth tugging upright. "And I have an amazing... girlfriend I can't wait to move in with. I love her."
Russell bit back a biting remark at that.
"That sounds nice," Pastor Dave said. "But I do hope you don't plan on moving in with your girlfriend before you're both properly married."
Russell rubbed his forehead, hoping Sal wouldn't openly disagree with him.
"What's wrong with that?" Sal asked. "I love him and want to-"
"Him?" Pastor Dave frowned.
"What?"
"You said him."
"I did?" Sal adjusted his shirt collar. "I meant her. But anyway, I love her and want to spend the rest of my life with her."
Someone aww'd. Pastor Dave patted Sal's shoulder. "And I encourage you to. But you should marry her first. Couples living together before marriage leads to all sorts of temptations. Ones that must be saved until you are husband and wife."
Sal gave him a blank stare.
"You know..." Pastor Dave paused, like he was waiting for Sal to get it. As if he ever would.
"He means sex," Russell whispered to Sal.
Sal's eyes widened, and he held his palms out. "No, I can assure you. I would never think of such temptations, much less act on them."
"It's okay if you do have those feelings. God gave them to you. But it's important to wait-"
"No!" Sal clutched the edge of the table. "I will never have those feelings."
"Of course you will. And it's okay as long as you-"
"You don't understand. I do not experience that brand of sin."
"Okay." Pastor Dave sounded doubtful. "Regardless, your girlfriend does. She might try to sway you from that path. But if you marry beforehand-"
"If my... girlfriend tries swaying me, it's over." Sal shot a look at Russell.
"And what makes you think she'd do that?" Russell asked.
"Nothing does. I just want to make that perfectly clear so there are no misunderstandings."
Russell slapped his hand over his forehead.
"Your dedication is admirable. Everyone should take your example." Pastor Dave swept his arm around the room. "Let this boy be an inspiration to you all. You can fight your temptations. Overcome them. Your future husband, or wife, will be grateful you did. Because no one wants a soiled-"
"Wait," Sal interrupted. "Are you trying to tell us all that sex is dirty unless you have a piece of paper that says you're married and then it's suddenly wholesome and good?"
"Yes," Pastor Dave said. "Sex before marriage is an act of sin."
"That is slut-shaming, and I will not stand for it!" Sal pounded his fist on the table.
"They are sinners who have turned away from God-"
"They are people trying to have a good time. I thought you said this was a judge-free safe space where we can talk about whatever's bothering us. And this is bothering me."
Russell covered his face. Why did he let Sal come? He could be doing whatever lame activity Kelly had planned. And while sitting in the back of the room, away from everyone. But now everyone stared at the scene Sal continued to make.
"Jesus wouldn't care if I had consensual sex with my boyfriend." Sal held his chin high.
"Boyfriend?" Everyone whispered the word among themselves.
Pastor Dave frowned at him. Sal must have realized his slip up, but he played it off. "A-ha! That was a test. And now I know you're all homophobes too!"
Russell wanted to curl up into a ball and die.
"Jesus would be ashamed."
"Get out." Pastor Dave glowered at Sal, and Russell. "Both of you. Out. Now!"
"But what about the pizza-"
Russell grabbed Sal by the arm and dragged him out before he could say another word.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
