A Cross To Bear

Young adult, christian fiction about a new girl in school who befriends another who is least like her in many ways.

"You ready for school?" She heard the words, but the heat made them barely audible.

"Not me. I'm ready for it to be over already."

It was another school year for students in this small Texas town. "Pure, simple country living" was Oak Hills' motto. Dirt paths were traveled daily to the grocery store, the barber shop and the combination post office/bank by its almost 500 residents. Elderly gentlemen gathered on each others' porches to play checkers, watch children play, and spit tobacco. The women enjoyed weekly quilting bees and loved to entice passers-by to come in and sit a spell with the aroma of a freshly baked apple pie cooling on the window sill.

Activities for children were slim; it was no surprise they happily anticipated cooler weather and the ringing of that first school bell.

Row after row of bicycles filled the vacant lot beside the school building. Squeaky new tennis shoes trampled green weeds, and chatter of summer memories drowned out the buzz of hungry, biting insects.

Chips of paint fell from the little red school house as teenagers rushed in and out of the frame structure, slamming the screen door behind them. It had been a long, hot summer with no hopes of rain for Oak Hills in sight.

Back-to-school orientation was exciting for some; boring for others.

"Got any gum?"

She turned to an unfamiliar face, heavily painted with eye make-up, lips an unnatural bright red.

Tessa Delaney had attended schools here since kindergarten and knew practically everyone. This girl was an oddity.

"I shouldn't think like that. It's not very Christian-like," Tessa said under her breath.

"Whatcha say?" the young girl pushed a strand of black hair from her eyes.

Tessa pulled a stick of gum from her purse and handed it to her.

"Randi," she said, smacking the gum.

Tessa offered a weak smile and turned back around.

How can a plain-Jane like me talk about Jesus to a girl like Randi? she thought.

She smoothed her pleated skirt with trembling hands. Why was she shaking? She wasn't scared, was she? She had had the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus and she had turned her back.

Still trembling hands moved up to adjust glasses and traveled down to the gold cross necklace. Her fingers felt its smoothness and Tessa imagined what that old, wooden one must have been like.

The cross was given to Tessa by her Sunday School teacher when she was five. She never removed it. She loved attending the small church on Sundays and planned to become a missionary.

"Hey, move."

Randi's voice jolted her.

As they filled the auditorium, Tessa saw familiar faces. Teachers and students alike greeted her with waves and chit-chat.

Standing in line for after-school clubs, Tessa noticed Randi in the corner puffing on a cigarette, a halo of smoke encircling her dark head.

After signing up for the Religion Club and receiving her schedule of classes, Tessa didn't have long to wait for her mother to arrive and pick her up.

During the short ride home, Tessa told her mother her disturbing feelings about Randi.

Mrs. Delaney smiled, "Sounds like you want to witness to her?"

Tessa nodded.

"But you don't know where to begin?"

Again the nod.

"Pray to the Lord," Mrs. Delaney suggested. "He will let you know when the time is right."

Her mother's opinion was highly regarded. Raising Tessa on her own after her husband, a respected deacon, was killed in an auto accident shortly after her daughter's birth was tough. Mrs. Delaney became the church secretary, taught Bible classes and inspired Tessa with her positive outlook and devotion to Christ.

Admiration for this woman gave Tessa a sense of peace. She was proud to call her mother as well as friend. She confided in her easily.

The first day of school couldn't arrive quickly enough. Tessa's blue eyes scanned the vacant lot. She didn't see Randi amongst the scurrying teenagers.

In the hallway her eyes flitted from face to face, ears listened for Randi's rough voice, her nose sniffed for her strong perfume.

Nothing.

In each class Tessa attended, she searched for Randi. She had read her Bible and written down scriptures that would enable Randi to understand her faith in the Lord.

At lunchtime the cafeteria was wall-to-wall people. No Randi.

Tessa sat at one of the long tables, opened the paper sack clutched in her long fingers and lay the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips and thermos of tea before her.

As she bowed her head in silence and folded her hands beneath her chin to say grace, she heard snickering.

"This ain't church, girl."

The voice belonged to Randi.

Hot tears welled up in Tessa's eyes. She was angry. How dare she? She could NOT get through to someone like that. But, she was also frightened. She closed her eyes tightly and lowered her head further. She was ashamed. Then suddenly, she remembered what her mother had said, "He will let you know when the time is right." Maybe it was now.

Tessa took a deep, cleansing breath, filling her lungs with air, her body with confidence.

"Randi?"

But Randi wasn't there.

Tessa's eyes roamed from table to table. She saw half-eaten hamburgers, crumpled napkins and spilled milk. She listened for a message from God but heard only the roar of what seemed to be millions of voices echoing in the cafeteria.

Concentration was impossible the remainder of the day. Tessa forced herself to enter classrooms, sit at desks in uncomfortable chairs, and turn still pages in thick books. Hoping Randi would bump into her in the hallway or be enrolled in her next class kept her going.

History was the final class of the day.

MR. SLADE was scrawled, almost illegibly across the top of the chalkboard at the front of the room. The large man behind the teacher's desk smiled at Tessa, a small gray mustache curling at the ends.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class. Idle talk ceased and seats quickly filled. All desks were occupied with the exception of the one directly behind Tessa.

"Hello, class, I'm Andrew Slade. We're here to study World History," the teacher said, adjusting his tie, excitement in his voice.

The door slammed and in stumbled Randi.

"Hey, teach!" She was laughing and trying to speak at the same time. She reeked of cigarettes.

She went to the empty desk, straddling the chair like a cowboy mounting a horse.

"Hey, Randi slapped Tessa hard on the shoulder.

"Glad you could join us ... uh?" Mr. Slade was struggling to be polite.

"Randi, man. Just Randi," she said between smacks and pops of chewing gum.

Textbooks were distributed, plans outlined for the year and a colorful slide show of Mr. Slade's summer vacation to Spain presented.

The bell rang ending class. Tessa quickly turned to speak with Randi.

She wasn't there.

Randi disappeared from the classroom just as she had from the cafeteria. But this time she left something behind. Her unopened textbook lay on the desk.

Tessa was distraught about Randi. She had no manners, no sense of time, no direction.

What could she do? What would JESUS do?

Randi came and went so hurriedly over the next few days that Tessa didn't have a chance for "Hello" much less witnessing.

Thursday Mr. Slade announced a test to be administered the following day.

Moans and groans erupted but soon subsided. Pens were put to paper, brains to work.

Halfway through reviewing the material, what sounded like a train ripping through the building emanated from Randi's seemingly lifeless body. She was slumped over her desk -- sleeping.

Would Randi ever pass the test?

Test day came. Mr. Slade passed out the papers, instructed they would have forty-five minutes to complete it, then signaled to begin.

Tessa scanned the questions, a smile spreading across her face.

I know this, she thought as she began filling in answers immediately.

She felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Move your hand, man. I can't see."

Tessa turned around. Randi was straining to see her answers.

"No," she whispered, "the Bible tells you you're not to cheat."

Randi laughed, "Yeah, right," and leaned over to the desk at her left as she wound a long string of gum around her index finger.

Tessa felt good. She had made the right choice, yet she still felt a pang of sorrow in her chest for Randi.

As her classmates departed the tiny room, Tessa looked around for reassurance.

Had she done the right thing? Maybe she should have offered Randi the help she seemed to so desperately need.

"Did you need something Miss Delaney?" Mr. Slade walked between the row of desks, now in disarray.

Looking up at the teacher Tessa began to cry. She poured out her heart to this man, not expecting him to understand or care.

"Randi is new in town, Tessa," the kind old gentleman explained as he wedged himself behind a desk. "She's from Washington and is rebelling because she's had to come to our little country town."

Tessa stared into this eyes, questions filling her mind.

"I've already had a conference with her parents. They feel she needs to go through an adjustment period. I tend to agree." He patted Tessa's hand trying to diminish her pain.

"And in the meantime?"

"In the meantime try to be a friend and above all pray for her," Mr. Slade smiled.

Tessa's attitude changed. She smiled and hugged her teacher. "Thank you. I will."

On the ride home Tessa discovered her cherished gold cross necklace was missing. She had unfortunate suspicions about who had taken it. She prayed for courage. She prayed for Randi.

Monday's History class brought Randi in, one side of her head shaved, Army-style. She was all smiles, the gold cross necklace dangling from her neck. It broke Tessa's heart to have her suspicions confirmed.

"Hey, how's it hangin', man?" she asked.

"I'm fine. And you?" Tessa replied weakly.

She held up the cross and shoved it in Tessa's direction. "You wouldn't help, so I took it," she snarled, hooking her thumbs into the pockets of her baggy camouflage pants.

Tessa stayed calm. "Jesus doesn't punish people who do wrong things. Neither shall I." She smiled and added, "Please enjoy it."

Tessa was comforted by the answer the Lord had provided.

After class, Tessa gathered her books and moved toward the door, her head lowered. She was still a little disappointed that she had not been able to help a "lost" classmate.

"Wait."

Randi grabbed Tessa's hand and gently opened the fingers. She placed the cross necklace inside the palm and closed the fingers back, insuring its safety.

Tessa looked into the dark tear-filled eyes and mascara-stained face.

"Tessa, what time's church start?"

Tessa smiled, her mother's advice echoing in her head. "He will let you know when the time is right."

Now it was time.

Author's Note

Please given an overall review of this short story. Thank you!
**This is a very early work of mine. Hopefully I have gotten better over time.