Mixed CD's

Workin’ Gal
1) How Great Is Our God?-No Sweeter Name
2) Jesus Loves Me
3) Hosanna-No Sweeter Name
4) I Am Free-No Sweeter Name
5) What Faith Can Do-Kutless
6) Healing Hand of God-Jeremy Camp
7) Love Never Fails-Brandon Heath
8) More Like Falling In Love-Jason Gray
9) Our God-Chris Tomlin
10) Adoration
11) You Are My Lord
12) How He Loves-David Crowder Band
13) Always-Switchfoot
14) Until the Whole World Hears-Casting Crowns
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Pastor Bill led me around the church, showing me where the bathrooms are, the back area, the worship rooms, and of course, the children’s church.

“How about I let you set up in here and then I’ll come back and check on you later?” his gentle voice asked.

I nodded my head and placed my acoustic on the ground, “That sounds fine,”He gave me a quick nod and then left the room.

I gently touched the desk and looked around at the colorful walls. The little chairs were seated in the middle, not too many, but still enough to make my stomach squeeze with nerves. With a sigh, I turned around and took my guitar out of its case, and sat down on the small stage that was in the front of the room. My fingers shook a little as I strummed a few chords, my eyes closed as I sang quietly.

“You have such a nice voice,” was what startled me out of my thoughts.

I quickly jumped, placing my guitar on the floor next to me, “Uhm, thanks,”

Pastor Bill smiled at me, “Do you like it here?”

“Oh yes,” I grinned, “I’m real happy that you asked me to work here, I can’t believe it,”

He shook his head “It’s no problem, I’m glad that you moved down here, we’ve been trying to find someone to fill this spot for a while now,”

I smiled, my hand still on the neck of my guitar, as I slowly stood up, “So, is there anything else that you might need?”

“Not for today. Just make sure to be here by 9:30 on Sunday morning, then you can let me know if you want to continue, or do Sunday evening.”

“I probably will,” I laughed, “I’ll see you then,” I quickly shook his hand then grabbed my guitar and exited my new work.

++

I put my seatbelt on and scanned the directions that I wrote the night before, trying to remember the order of the street names before I took off. I turned around a corner, entering a nice sub-division. A smile was on my face as I sang along with the radio. My eyes squinted as I looked at the hood of my car, smoke was pouring out.

“Shit!” I yelled, quickly pulling Melvin over and turning the car off. I got out quickly, and ran my fingers through my hair. I popped the hood open, using my sleeves to make sure that I didn’t get hurt again, and stood back, letting the smoke file out. With a sigh I looked at the engine, “What the fuck Melvin, are you serious? I don’t have the money to fix you,” I mumbled, glaring at the machinery before me.

I tried moving a few things around, smiling as the smoke stopped. I slammed the hood shut before getting back in the car. But he stalled. And stalled. No matter how many times I tried turning him on, Melvin just wouldn’t start.I bit my lip before popping the hood again and jumping out.

“Melvin, you fucking suck,” I hissed as I looked back inside the car. I just stared. And stared.
There is nothing that I can do, and I know it. So I yelled, and kicked Melvin’s tire. “Gah! After all the fucking money that I put into you, you just break down as soon as I get to Texas?” I yelled, kicking him again, “Melvin! I’m breaking up with you!” I said, slamming the hood down again.

“Uhm, excuse me, do you need any help?” a male voice asked. I quickly looked up, and my mouth dropped open.

In front of me stood a tall male, his red hair stood up in many different directions. His lips were pulled up into a smile, though I’m not sure if he meant for it or not. Sunglasses shielded his eyes as he stood without shoes on. His short sleeved striped shirt hung tightly on his torso, and a pair of skinny jeans gripped onto his thighs.

“No, Melvin just broke down,” I rolled my eyes “Unless if you want to kick him too, that’d be cool,”

He chuckled quietly and shook his head, “I’m good.” I smiled back and crossed my arms,

“Well, do you need to call a tow truck or something? I could let you use my phone.”

“No,” my smile turned into a polite one, “I have my phone,” I gestured towards my car.

“Oh, okay,” his lips turned into a deep frown, “Well, I guess I’ll go back inside then,” he waved and turned around.

I watched as he walked back up his walkway, and slapped myself in the forehead, “How can I be so stupid?” I groaned, quickly opening Melvin’s door and pulling out my cell phone.
I turned it off and quickly walked up to his house and knocked on the door. I bit my lip and looked down, trying it make it look like I was about to cry when he answered the door.

“Whoa, are you okay?” he asked, quickly ushering me in his house.

I guess I did a better job than I thought.

“My phone died,” I whispered, holding it out in my palm.

“Is that all?” he chuckled, pulling his blackberry out of his pocket, “Here, use mine.”

I gave him a small smile and took his phone into my hand, “Thanks,” I whispered.

God, I’m good.

He just nodded his head, his red hair flinging in a few places.

I quickly called Ben, groaning when he didn’t answer. “What a jerk,” I said into the phone, “Answer when you’re amazingly awesome cousin calls you on someone else’s phone!” the red head let out a chuckle, “Anyway, my car broke down, I’ll probably call you as soon as I hang the phone up. Thanks for the kitten!” I clicked end, “He didn’t answer cause he’s a jerk,” I laughed, “Can I call him again?”

“Go for it,” he smiled.

Oh God, I think even his teeth are perfect.

I dialed Ben’s number again, and grinned when he picked up on the third ring, “where are you?” he asked before I even said hi.

“Uhm, excuse me, where am I?” I asked the man.

The red head chuckled and told me his address, which I quickly relayed to Ben. “Okay,” he sighed, “I’ll call you a tow truck and then I’ll be there to pick you up when I’m done with work.”

“When do you get off?” I asked, biting my lip, I don’t want to bother this really hot, nice guy.

“In thirty minutes,”

“Okay,” I said and ended the phone call, “He said that he would call me a tow truck,” I said to the guy.

“Okay, sweet,” he smiled, “I’m Caleb, by the way,”

“I’m Jimmie,” I smiled, handing him his phone.

After a while I looked down at the floor and sighed. “Uh, I think I should go grab my things from my car,” I said after a moment.

“I’ll help,” Caleb said, snapping his head towards me, “I mean, I don’t want you to have to do everything by yourself, this must suck.”

“Me and Melvin were homies,” I sighed, frowning.

“Melvin?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, “That’s what I named him! After the guy I bought him from,” Caleb chuckled and led me outside. I noticed that his eyes lit up with I unlocked my back door—no matter what my mom said on Melvin being a piece of crap, even though he kinda was, I wasn’t going to leave my doors unlocked and risk someone stealing my stuff—and pulled out my guitar case. “You play?” I asked, setting it down on the grass.

“Uhm,” he chuckled, “Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I raised my eyebrow but continued to grab stuff from my car. “Mixed cds!” Caleb yelled, grabbing a few of them off my passenger seat.

“Yeah,” I said, blinking at him slowly, “I don’t have an iPod, so I always make some mixes. Old school ‘yo,”

He laughed and pulled out my big cd case, “Are all of these mixes?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, grabbing the case from him and setting it down, “Is there like a problem with that?”

“No, no!” he said, putting his arms out in front of him for defense, “It’s just I’ve never seen so many mixes.”

“I can’t bring myself to throw them away. I’m like the worlds biggest pack rat,”

After all of my stuff was out of my car, we both grabbed some of it and headed to the house. It was weird, me letting someone else grab my mixes, but for some reason, I knew that nothing would happen as he carted them into his house.

“Do you wanna listen to one?” he asked, picking up a random mix.

“Uh, what one is it?” I asked, hoping to not be embarrassed about it.

He raised an eyebrow as he turned it towards him “It says ‘Jimmie is Cool’”

I could feel the blush forming on my cheeks, “Uh, yeah that should be fine,” I said, “It can’t be anymore embarrassing than the title,” I mumbled.

Caleb smiled and put the cd into a player and hit play, “I love this song!” he yelled as Non Diary Creamer by Third Eye Blind blasted through the speakers.

I let out a little laugh “Yeah, my friend Dylan told me about it, and I had to put it on there,” he grinned at me and sat down on the couch, quickly inviting me to do the same. I sat down on the other end of the couch, and turned to face him.

We talked about a few random things, a grin on both our faces the whole time. I was so lost in the converstation that I almost jumped out of my seat when the doorbell rang.

“Oh!” I squeaked, “That must be my cousin,”

Caleb frowned as he looked down, “I better get your mixed cd back,”

“Oh, you can keep it,” I smiled, “I have the track list still on my computer, gah. I’m such a pack rat,”

He chuckled and nodded his head, “Thanks,”

“No problem,” I started to grab my guitar case and my cd case.

“Could I get your number?” Caleb blurted, “Uh, jus-just so that I could, uh, call you…to make sure that you got home okay.”

A small smile formed on my lips, “yeah, that’d be cool,” I answered. He handed me back his blackberry and I quickly typed my name and number into it.

“Thanks for helping me out Caleb,” I said, wrapping my arms loosely around his torso. He returned the hug and I grabbed my stuff and quickly ran out.