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Emma
The first soccer practice of the pre-season wouldn’t start for another twenty minutes, but most of the girls were already there, excited and anxious. They sat on the bleachers or stood in front of them, chatting nervously. Isabelle was regaling them all with tales of her exclusive soccer camp, where she’d learned how to do a flip-throw. Emma was completely certain that this was a lie and that Isabelle would never attempt a flip-throw in front of them.
She saw Jason DeGrave coming from a distance. She turned to look behind her, wondering where he was headed, but there was nothing behind her but trees. She turned back and watched him come. She hadn’t seen him since he’d gone down front at church, but she’d been praying for him ever since.
He waved in her direction, and she almost turned to see if there was a cheerleader behind her. She gave a tentative wave in return, and then he beckoned her over. She realized that most of the girls had stopped talking. They were watching the exchange. Nervously, Emma stood and brushed off the seat of her shorts, gaining some satisfaction from the fact that Isabelle’s mouth was hanging open.
She walked over to Jason, trying to look cool. “What’s up?”
He looked over her shoulder at the rest of the junior high girls. “You realize they’re all staring at us?”
She grinned. “You’re quite the spectacle.”
He laughed, and his dimples were wonderful. “Hey, I was thinking.” He looked sheepish all of a sudden. What could he possibly be feeling nervous about with her? “I’ve been trying to read my Bible, and it’s so hard. And there’s really no pastor to call.” He laughed, and she imagined how much he didn’t want to call Rachel or Esther. “I’ve looked for some answers online, but I’m only getting more confused. Anyway, I was thinking maybe you and I could do some Bible study, but then I thought that might be weird with just the two of us, so I was wondering if you knew anyone else who might want to join us. Thought maybe we could have a before-school Bible study once a week or something.”
She wasn’t sure how to react.
“Feel free to tell me that’s a terrible idea.”
“No, no,” she said quickly. “I think it’s a great idea. I’m not sure how much help I’m going to be. I only recently started really getting into the Bible myself, but we can certainly try. And I might be able to find someone else to join us.” She was thinking of Mary Sue, which was a little weird because she didn’t even go to school. “Probably be junior highers, though.”
He grinned. “That’s okay. My friend will probably join us too, but he doesn’t know any more than I know.”
“Okay, then. I think it’s a great idea. I actually live right in that big yellow house.” She pointed at Vicky’s farm. “Do you guys just want to come over there? I’ll try to get my mom to make muffins or something.”
He looked relieved. “Yes, that would be awesome.” He looked over her shoulder. “I still can’t believe all this Jesus stuff is real, you know?”
She nodded, even though she didn’t really understand. She could never remember a time when she didn’t know Jesus was real.
“I wouldn’t believe it myself, but something called me into that church, and when I got in there, I realized it was him. And he’s been calling to me ever since. I’ve never felt such purpose, you know?”
She nodded again.
He grinned broadly. “All right then. How about Monday morning? Get us ready for the week?”
“Sounds good.”
He looked over her shoulder again. “They are all still staring at us.” He gave her a scheming look. “Emma?”
“Yeah?”
“I am a junior and you are an eighth-grader, so I promise I’m not hitting on you.”
She froze. What was happening?
“And we might be stepbrother and stepsister soon anyway.”
She shuddered.
“But I think it would be super funny if I kissed you on the cheek right now.”
At first she didn’t understand. Then she remembered that Isabelle’s eyes were firing daggers at her back right now. She grinned. “Actually, I would really appreciate that.”
He laughed, and then, before she was even ready for it, he wrapped his arms around her in a real hug. He spun her a little to give her teammates the best view and then he planted a big kiss on her cheek.
She thought maybe her knees would melt, but they didn’t. It only felt like a friend’s kiss on the cheek. And that was okay. He stepped back, winked at her, and said, “See you Monday at seven?”
She nodded. “Make it six-thirty. And thanks, Jason.”
He looked surprised. “For what?”
“For ruining Isabelle Martin’s day.”
He laughed, and she turned to rejoin her team. Her heart was pricked by the knowledge that the Jesus in her wouldn’t want her to rejoice in Isabelle’s horror, but she still allowed herself to do it. Just for a minute.
