Chapter 2

Auria
    I'm fully aware that church to some may be their own personal hell, or so they think, because in reality we all know that they have never been. However, church to me is like sipping a sweet cup of hot chocolate, or perhaps tasting that delicious smoothie I've been dying to drink, despite the fact that I purchase it on the daily.
    You may think I sound like one of those pathetic "Jesus freaks," but you know what I think? I don't care. And yes, Christians do have fun. And no, I don't sit at home on a Friday night, nor do I spend my Saturday's at the Soup Kitchen.
    Now that we have all of that cleared up, allow me to introduce you to my life. My name is Auria Reynolds, and I approve this message.
    Sorry, I couldn't pass up that very tempting opportunity. Don't tune me out just because you think I'm cheesy and immature.
    As I was saying, I'm not going to bore you on all of my hobbies (that I don't have) and the things that interest me. I'm sure you'll catch on to all of those later. For now, I will speak about the main things that are going on, or should I say were going on. Because I'm not speaking in present tense here, this now becomes past tense. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I love telling it.

    I remember camp like it was yesterday. The amazing smell of the atmosphere, being fully aware that the refreshing lake was only a few yards away, waking up to absolutely knowing it was going to be a day filled with fond memories, and last but definitely not least, learning things that would change my life. But now, I was back at home, sitting in the church I grew up in.
    It used to be a quaint little church when I was younger, but five years ago we got a new pastor that had suddenly grown the church much larger than anyone ever dreamed it would. I loved that church. It became a part of who I was.
    All of my friends were surrounded around me, as usual, and sometimes we would pass messages that made us laugh. One time my friend Travis drew a picture of a scene in Spongebob Squarepants of the "Hash-slinging Slasher." It surprised me at first, but it was how incredibly accurate and similar the drawings were to the actual characters on the television that made me laugh out loud. I got a few glances from the adults, so I tried to cover up my laugh with a fake cough, which everyone knew there was no way that could possibly be real.
    But I tried my best to keep a straight face once I finished "coughing" because if my parents saw that I was goofing off, I was literally screwed. Oh, my parents. My family. Everything about my distraught house was horrific. However, for some reason, everyone outside my family thought we were perfect. Considering my dad was the judge of George County, people automatically assumed him to be a fair, nice guy. As for my mom, they thought she was the perfect housewife and nurse at the local hospital.
    Oh, and it gets better. My older sister Courtney was, in high school, the Senior Class President, Valedictorian, and Prom Queen. She was on the Homecoming Court, and the only reason she didn't get the crown was because a lot of band kids voted for the Saxophone player. And to top it all off, her boyfriend of now three years was the  quarterback of the football team. I mean, really? She was like a freaking movie.
    And then there was me. The girl who could only manage A's and B's because her parents forced her to take honors classes like Courtney. The girl who ran for Class President and somehow ended up being the class treasurer. (I really don't want to explain that one.) The girl who would never win Prom Queen because she wasn't ever considered to be the "it" girl. And also, the girl who never got a boyfriend because nobody wanted an anti-partier and the "good little church girl."
    "Oh, Auria? Yeah, she's pretty cool. Good girl, but I'd never date her."
    "She's just the girl I would take home to my mother, but I don't want that right now."
    "I want a girl who will GET NAKED."
    Yes, these were the dumb, immature boys at my high school back then. And yes, these were actual quotes that came out of their mouths. I had my sources.
    Settling for less and stooping down to their low level just wasn't going to cut it for me. So, I waited on God to bring me a good guy. I finally got over that I probably wouldn't find a boy in high school that I really wanted, so I focused on the things that actually mattered.
    All girls, listen closely: FOLLOW THAT PARAGRAPH. RIGHT ABOVE THIS ONE. IT WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. LEARN IT, LIVE IT, BREATHE IT.
    So back to my story, before I somehow managed to get completely off topic, I was sitting in church the day after I got home from summer camp, which happened to be my favorite place in the world. Need I say more? I don't think so. It just was.
    On this specific Sunday, none of my friends were passing any notes, which didn't happen very often, until I felt something fall on my legs very lightly during the middle of the preacher's sermon. It read, "Look who decided to show up." I recognized the handwriting belonged to Samantha, one of my best friends. Her eyes were pointing behind us, but I didn't want to cause distraction to the people around us. So, I ignored it.
    I felt the pressure on my legs again. I looked down and read, "Auria, it's Braydon Turner. He looks so weird."
    The name made my body tighten, but just as I felt it tighten, I forced relaxation. I didn't want her to think I was nervous or anything. Curiosity killed the cat, so I heard, and curiosity sure was killing the heck out of me, so I sneaked a peek.
    And there he was. Even though he looked older, possibly gained a few pounds in his face - or maybe it only became rounder due to age - I could always recognize that face anytime, anywhere. He had those silly large earrings in both ears. Not the diamond ones, but the big ones that looked almost like gauges, however they weren't. If they were I would be automatically turned off. His attire was very unusual. He still wore the skinny jeans I would always remember, but his shirt was one of those button down wrinkly shirts that pretty much showed that it was probably his only dress shirt. It was black with tiny white stripes that ran vertically. His hair wasn't the cute, long-tossed light brown hair I once remembered; it was now strikingly black and cut short - almost a buzz cut.
    Despite all of the odd changes, he was still as attractive as I could remember. His mother was there sitting beside him all petite-like, his father still absent like always when they showed up randomly, but there was a new member to their group: a girl. Not just any girl, but a girl that appeared to be clinging to him, locking arms. She had a purple dress on that was a tad too low-cut, and by that I'm trying to be as nice as possible when I say that, and her hair was in a messy Snooki-like pony tail. She looked very trashy to me, and maybe that's the kind of person Braydon had become, or so it seemed.
    I so badly wanted to talk to him, but there were no words I could come up with, no excuse to say hi, nor was there any question I could make up to ask him. I had nothing. You see, Braydon and I had a "thing" (is that the right word?) way back in junior high. I know it really wasn't a big deal, considering it was junior high. But a lot went down due to the break up, and after a few months of that embarrassing event, him and his family mysteriously stopped attending our church. He came back every so often, but it had been almost two years.
    Once the service ended, I quickly made my way to the back. The back was where some of the the exit doors were, so I hoped my friends would assume that's where I was headed.
    However, one in particular knew me better than that. "Where are you going, Auria?" April asked me.
    "The back doors. Where else?" I tried to play it cool.
    "Okay. I'm coming with you." Oh good! Fail.
    I was inching closer to him, only a few more seconds and I would have to make a choice: I could either keep walking, acting as if I never even noticed he was in the room, or I could walk right up to him, and gather up the nerve to say hello. But right then that trashy girl with the purple dress and Snooki hair noticed my eying Braydon, and she grabbed his hand.
    Oh, how I didn't like girls! Particularly this one.
    But, throwing all of those negative thoughts that were telling me not to do it, along with all of the reasons why I shouldn't, I actually did the unthinkable.
    "Hi Braydon," I heard my annoying, scratchy voice come up with last minute.
    He finally turned around, in my hopes of him knowing it was my voice, and relieved it was so. He looked as if he was taken aback and surprised that I actually said hello. But that freaky purple dress girl kept giving me the death look the longer I stood there. "Hey."
    After all of the nerve I put into those two words, he could only give me one? Boys!
    His mom looked thrilled to see me though. She smiled and gave me a hug, and I could feel the glare from the stupid Snooki girl even on my back side. If she didn't stop staring I was considering whipping down her overrated hairdo.
    As I finally walked away, and let me tell you, I was relieved, April nudged my shoulder and turned me around. "Um, hello, Auria? Did you even see his earrings and clothes?"
    "Yes," I answered casually, as if it was no big deal.
    "Then why . . . ?" She looked confused.
    "I thought it was necessary."
    "I don't know how you did it," she admitted after a long moment of silence.
    "Neither do I."