I joined everyone in the line when we faced the congregation. Reverend Jackson was about to talk when I stepped forward and nudged him to the side.
“Reverend and Mrs. Jackson joined us today in Sunday school to prepare us for our pledge of abstinence before marriage. I was honored when they asked me, probably the poster boy for the need for the pledge, to lead everyone in today,” I said.
It was clear that a few people agreed with my assertion.
“I wholeheartedly agree that waiting to have sex until marriage is the right thing to do. And I want to congratulate everyone who is making the pledge today. I think it is an essential expression of your faith.
“I urge the teens who are not up here to consider joining them; if not today, then when you are ready. God loves us all. He will accept your pledge when you’re ready, just as he takes you into his fold when you are baptized.
“God be with you,” I said as I turned to the teens, and then I turned back to the congregation. “And God be with you all.”
With that, I made my hasty exit to go join my mom in her pew. She grabbed my hand, and her expression told me she thought I’d done well. I glanced around, and everyone had smiles on their faces as the teens made their pledge.
I knew that after today, Sun and I were not going to go out again. We would remain friends, but she should have known better than to try to manipulate me. I might have to take her out one more time because I’d asked her out, but there wouldn’t be further dates.
◊◊◊
Chapter 14 – Valentine’s Day Massacre Tuesday February 14
Paul was driving Cassidy and me to school.
I hadn’t planned any grand gestures for Valentine’s Day this year.
To be honest, I found it more depressing than anything else. It reminded me that Brook was in Cincinnati, and we were no longer officially going out. I’d learned from my breakup with Tami that chasing someone who didn’t want you was a waste of time and energy. Not to mention the broken heart that came along with it.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t give Brook a call to just hear her voice, though. I could justify it as still being friends, or at least that was the lie I kept telling myself.
“Hey, Hotness,” I said and cringed.
Was I allowed to use my pet name for her now?
“I was just thinking about you. Word is you were out on a date Friday night and had a good time.”
Cassidy! I looked pointedly over at my little ninja.
“Did the rumor mill tell you what my date pulled Sunday?” I asked.
“No, what?”
“She asked me to go to Sunday school with her, and they ambushed me with a purity pledge.”
That seemed to make her day.
“Seriously? You?” Brook asked.
“Hey! Why couldn’t I?” I asked.
“You did break up with her, didn’t you?” Brook asked.
“We were never officially going out.”
“David,” she said sternly. “Even if you weren’t ‘officially’ anything, you still have to say the words to her.”
This side of Brook I hated, the part that made me a better man, even if it was hard.
“I’ll do it,” I reluctantly agreed.
“There’s something I need to tell you, too. I have a date for our school’s Valentine’s dance.”
“I’ll have my mom call Ian to give him pointers on how to talk to your date when he comes to pick you up,” I offered.
Her dad was a complete pushover when it came to intimidating young men.
“I’m a liberated woman. Did you not even consider that I might be picking him up?” Brook shot back.
“I suspected you might be into younger men. I’ll let Dare know that he still has a shot.”
She ignored my dig about her date being too young to drive.
“You okay with this?” she asked.
“Thanks for asking, but I don’t expect you to sit around and become a spinster. Go have fun tonight,” I said, surprising myself.
I guess must have been growing up because I really did hope that Brook found someone who made her happy.
“What are you doing tonight?” Brook asked.
“Going to Wesleyan and being the fifth wheel. Tim and Wolf talked me into getting a suite at the hotel where the dance is being held. Sarah said it would be worth my while.”
“Wolf is okay with you sleeping with his girlfriend?” Brook said to put a smile on my face.
She did get my sense of humor.
“I asked him,” I admitted. “I guess we’ll see tonight.”
“You sure he didn’t put Sun up to the chastity pledge?”
That caught me by surprise and actually made me laugh.
“I miss you.”
“I miss you too. Have fun tonight,” Brook said and hung up.
I guess I had gotten lost in my thoughts after I hung up because Cassidy startled me when she touched my hand.
“You okay?” she asked.
“No. Not really,” I answered honestly.
“I miss her too,” she said, and then added, “Brook’s just trying to move on. This guy tonight isn’t someone you need to worry about.”
“It’s okay. She prepared me for this,” I said to Cassidy. “But I can’t stop thinking that she might be the one that got away, that we might have made it for the long haul.”
“Nope,” Cassidy said, shaking her head. “You and I haven’t gone out yet.”
That made me feel better.
