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Later that night, Vayda sneaked in through her bedroom window, careful not to wake up her grandma. The smell of meatloaf hung in the air, and she desperately tried to stay quiet as she crept down the hallway to the kitchen. A loud creak sounded underneath her feet. She mentally cursed herself and continued to the refrigerator.

Sure enough, there on the top shelf was some leftover meatloaf Saran wrapped on a plate along with some instant mashed potatoes and green beans. A note on the top read:

Vayda Jane Moore,

You need to start coming home earlier, preferably before dinner. I’ll be talking to you about this later.

I love you,
Grandma

P.S. You’re going to church with me tomorrow, young lady. You need to find a good Christian boy!

Vayda groaned and rolled her eyes before quickly devouring the plate in front of her. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast, which had been over 12 hours ago.

She just doesn’t understand that we’re in love, Vayda thought to herself, lying in her small twin bed. Her room was nearly the size of a closet. The ceiling was water-stained, and the carpet, a rusty brown. I don’t wanna be with anyone else. I can’t be with anyone else.

She turned over to see the framed picture of her and her parents together at Disneyland. She had a Mickey Mouse hat on, and her mother had her in a tight hug. They were both smiling wildly happy, and her father was bent over with an arm around her mother and his hand on Vayda’s shoulder. She was only four years old, but she remembered it like it was yesterday.

Almost twelve years had passed since they left Vayda’s world forever. It was their anniversary, and they were headed home from a lovely night out together, dinner and dancing. Vayda was with her grandma, her mother’s mom, when they got the fateful call. It was pouring all evening. Apparently, her parents had hydroplaned and flown off the side of the road. Police figured the car had rolled at least six times before landing upside down at the bottom of the steep hill. Neither of them was wearing a seatbelt; they were dead by the time the ambulance reached them.

*******

Vayda woke up to her grandma calling for her to get up and get ready for church. “We’ve gotta leave in 15, Vayda Jane!” Vayda stumbled out of bed toward her closet to try and put something together to wear.

“Be there in a minute!” She hollered as she quickly tried to cover up the dark bags under her eyes with a bit of foundation.

“Wow, you look just like your mother.” Her grandma smiled as she walked into the living room. “Beautiful as ever…are those her clothes?” She asked as she gave Vayda’s outfit a once over.

Vayda nodded as she took a bite of a bagel on the kitchen counter. “And you gave me this,” she said, pointing to the Virgin Mary around her neck.

“Oh, yes,” She remembered. “That was my great grandmother’s…anyway, missy, we need to hurry up!” The two of them then hustled out the door and were on their way.

As they were driving, Vayda’s grandma decided it was the perfect time to confront her, when she couldn’t walk away. “Vayda,” She began. Her granddaughter turned to look at her as if to address that she was listening. “What were you doing out so late last night? Were you out with that horrible boy again? I was worried sick about you.”

“His name is J.D., grandma. And we were just…hanging out. He is my boyfriend.” Vayda started getting uncomfortable.

“Well, J.D.,” Her grandma paused, grimacing, “is not a good influence on you. I worry about your—”

“That’s all you seem to do, isn’t it? Worry about me?” Vayda interrupted. “You’re not my mom, so you need to get over the fact that I’m gonna date the people I want and not this Christian dream boat you have lined up for me.” She scowled and looked out the window, wanting to disappear.

“Now just a second, Vayda Jane,” Her grandma raised her voice but was stopped again.

“And stop calling me that. I hate it. I hate my middle name.”

“I was just going to say,” She sighed. “I want you to have a good relationship with God and with a nice boy who does too.”

“Whatever.” Vayda mumbled as they pulled into the church parking lot. She got out, slamming the door behind her and nearly running in, purposefully leaving her grandma behind.

A man at the entrance of the pulpit was handing out pamphlets indicating what the day’s sermon was to be about. Vayda took one and tried to seem polite, but she was still harboring anger toward her grandma. Almost immediately, she recognized her best friend, Gavin and his girlfriend, Jessie, sitting in the second row pews. She hurried over to them and sat down next to Gavin. “Hey, bestie!” He smiled and hugged her. Vayda returned the hug and then waved at Jessie. Vayda and Gavin had known each other for years, and they could tell each other anything.

“You look so pretty, Vay!” The brown-eyed girl grinned.

“Thanks, Jess,” Vayda reluctantly took the compliment and looked down at her feet.

“Wait until you see the new guy,” Jessie gushed, “He’s absolutely gorgeous!”

“New guy?” Vayda questioned. Gavin rolled his eyes and cleared his throat; Jessie tried to smile at him innocently.

“He’s not going to our school. Him and his mom just moved to a small apartment here so he could play sports. He’s homeschooled.” Gavin answered.

“Oh my gosh,” Jessie squealed. “There he is now.” She pointed discreetly in the direction of the foyer. Vayda glanced over as the “new guy” with a woman she assumed to be his mom, were walking in. For some reason, she couldn’t stop staring. Something was drawing her to him. What about J.D.? She tried reminding herself. Gavin snickered, and Vayda snapped out of her trance.

“What are you laughing about?”

“That you’re drooling over a guy you haven’t even met.”

“No, I’m not,” Vayda said defensively, and then turned around again to get one last look at the mystery guy. He smiled right at her, and she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Butterflies. She tried to remember the last time she felt like that around J.D. and drew a blank.

Pastor Dan stood at the front of the pulpit and grabbed a microphone, “Good morning, everyone. Before we get to announcements, I’d like for you all to meet a new addition to our church community: Mrs. Pam Tebow and her son, Tim.”

Everyone began to clap, and Vayda turned around to see the two newcomers behind her, standing up. Tim sent her a slight smile again, and she noticed his sparkling blue eyes.

“Pam is very interested to join the women’s Bible study and has also volunteered to help with the middle and high school youth groups. Young Timmy is a great football player and will be Nease’s starting quarterback this coming season. They invite us to watch him play in the fall. I know I will,” Pastor Dan chuckled, and the rest of the audience laughed along.

“I don’t think he’s your type,” Gavin whispered to Vayda. He’s right, she thought, he’s probably another a-hole jock just like the rest of them. So much for those blue eyes…

To Vayda, the sermon seemed to drag on forever. She felt like she had more important things to do, like getting to know Tim like terrorizing the town with J.D. He always hung out at her grandma’s house when they were at church. Vayda had given him a house key and just had him promise her that he wouldn’t touch any of her grandma’s things. He usually ended up raiding the refrigerator and vegging on the couch.

Pastor Dan ended with the Lord’s Prayer, told the congregation to enjoy the rest of their day, and assured he’d see them the next week.

As everyone herded out to the foyer, Vayda noticed her grandma had sat in the back. She ignored her gestures and kept moving. “Your grandma’s trying to get your attention, Vay.” Gavin said.

“What?” Vayda asked. In her clumsy attempt to turn around, she tripped and fell face first. Luckily, she was able to catch herself on one knee.

“Wow. Are you okay?” A hand reached out to help her onto her feet.

“Yeah, thanks a lot, Gav—oh,” She smiled awkwardly at the gorgeous boy in front of her. “You’re not Gavin.”

He laughed. “I’m Tim. You look beautiful, by the way.”

“Th-thanks. Vayda.” She said sweetly. Is that who I am? What happened to hard-hearted? I’m acting like a bowl of Jell-o.

“Nice to meet you,” He grinned. “Do you go to youth group here?”

“Uhhh…yeah, sometimes.” She lied. “Why?”

“Oh, I was just hoping I’d see you around here since I don’t go to Nease.”

“Why don’t you?”

He shrugged. “My mom just wanted our school to be more faith-based, and public schools are kind of a mess these days…no offense.”

Vayda was offended. He is just like the rest. He thinks he’s better than me. “Um, okay,” She said sarcastically and stormed off. She knew he was too good to be true.

“Wait, Vayda!” She heard him calling. Finally he caught up to her at her grandma’s car.

“Yeah?” She turned around. “What? I thought you homeschooled kids are too good to talk to us fucked up ones.”

Tim looked confused. “That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. I just wanted to get to know you.”

“I’ve got a boyfriend.” Vayda had immediately gone from nice, church girl to bitchy, full-of-angst teenager in no time flat.

“Vayda!” Her grandma was now by the car. “That’s no way to treat anyone, especially this sweet, young man.”

“Whatever, grandma, can we please go?” Vayda got into the car without another word. She looked in the rear view mirror to see her grandma and Tim talking but couldn’t understand what about. She was infuriated with him.

“Tell your mother, 8 ‘o’ clock!” She said as she opened the door.

“What the hell was that about?” Vayda asked.

“Tim and his mother are coming to our house for dinner tonight.”

“WHAT?!” Vayda nearly shouted. “What about—”

“Tonight, Vayda Jane.” Her grandma interrupted. “No J.D. I think that boy Tim could point you in the right direction concerning your faith.”

Vayda rolled her eyes and groaned as they pulled out of the church parking lot.