asks.
“Oh, he was great. He is so sweet. It’s just the topic was,” I lower my voice, “sex, and I was so self-conscious sitting next to him while they talked about all that stuff.”
“It’s awkward enough talking about that without a guy next to you.” Melissa leans over her knee.
“Right. So, Mel, you don’t have to tell me, but have you and Beau, you know, I mean not have you done it, but have you talked about it, you know, sex?”
Melissa’s flushed face deepens to purple. She looks around and whispers, “Lindsey, we were barely dating in the first place, and then we broke up, and then we got back together. Now, we’re kind of off again. His parents won’t let him date, even though we see each other at school and stuff during basketball season. Wehaven’t had time to even think about that! We’re too busy deciding if we’re a couple!” She looks at me sideways. “Have you and Noah talked about it?”
“No! I mean he hasn’t even tried anything. Which is great. He’s just kissed me, more like little pecks, which I loved. I’d just never really thought about the religious part of abstinence before, and last night really has me thinking.” I take a sip of water, so sweet and wet, sliding down my parched throat.
“Which religious part?” Melissa asks, switching legs.
“Well, Pastor Ed, he’s the youth pastor at youth group, was saying sex is a gift from God, and He wants us to take care of that gift. I’d never considered that before.” I normally don’t talk about God with my friends. Not that I avoid it, it just doesn’t come up, or maybe I feel uneasy. But I know Melissa goes to church, and it’s all so heavy on my brain today. A bead of sweat slides down the side of my nose and drops onto the floor. “It sounds hokey, but it kind of makes sense too.”
“Yeah, I guess I thought of the whole thing more as a commandment. You’re supposed to wait because that’s what the Bible says. I never thought about it as what God wants .” Melissa switches legs. “But abstaining because He wants us to makes more sense, actually.”
“Sorry, this is heavy stuff.” I roll my eyes as I zip my coat.
“No, it’s fine, really fine. It’s actually good. I’m glad we can talk about it. I’m glad you talked about it with me. And I guess Beau and I might face the issue someday.” Melissa tosses her gym bag on her shoulder.
I let that thought take a ride through my head. Will Noah and I have to face the issue? He’s a Christian too. He sat on the couch and heard every word Pastor Ed said, just like I did. He saw that match glowing in the silent room. I know what my stance is.I want to wait until I’m married. It’s the right thing to do.
Pastor Ed mentioned Christian teens wearing purity rings on their ring fingers as a symbol of chastity. I slip my thumb around the vacant space on my left hand. I imagine a shiny silver reminder of my promise to Jesus to stay pure for Him. I’ll have to look into it. Kristine would get a kick out of that! I can hear her now: “You know that’s your wedding finger?”
“I know.” I would keep her gaze.
“So, who did you marry?” She’d laugh, not in an evil way, but in a you’re-so-queer way.
“I didn’t. It’s a purity ring.”
“Pure of what?” Kristine would raise an eyebrow.
“You know, I’m saving myself for marriage.”
“Why?” Kristine would plop me down on her bed. “That totally hot hockey player is into you. Do you know what you’re missing? I bet he’d be fabulous. He’s clearly in good shape.”
I would hit her with a pillow.
CHAPTER NINE
I t’s Friday night, and I’m going over to Noah’s. I’m nervous and excited and jittery. I’ve never been to his house. I’ve never met his parents. Well, I’ve known who they are for years, from the neighborhood and all, but I’ve never formally met them and definitely not as Noah’s girlfriend.
Noah and I have barely seen each other this week, unless you count
“Oh, he was great. He is so sweet. It’s just the topic was,” I lower my voice, “sex, and I was so self-conscious sitting next to him while they talked about all that stuff.”
“It’s awkward enough talking about that without a guy next to you.” Melissa leans over her knee.
“Right. So, Mel, you don’t have to tell me, but have you and Beau, you know, I mean not have you done it, but have you talked about it, you know, sex?”
Melissa’s flushed face deepens to purple. She looks around and whispers, “Lindsey, we were barely dating in the first place, and then we broke up, and then we got back together. Now, we’re kind of off again. His parents won’t let him date, even though we see each other at school and stuff during basketball season. Wehaven’t had time to even think about that! We’re too busy deciding if we’re a couple!” She looks at me sideways. “Have you and Noah talked about it?”
“No! I mean he hasn’t even tried anything. Which is great. He’s just kissed me, more like little pecks, which I loved. I’d just never really thought about the religious part of abstinence before, and last night really has me thinking.” I take a sip of water, so sweet and wet, sliding down my parched throat.
“Which religious part?” Melissa asks, switching legs.
“Well, Pastor Ed, he’s the youth pastor at youth group, was saying sex is a gift from God, and He wants us to take care of that gift. I’d never considered that before.” I normally don’t talk about God with my friends. Not that I avoid it, it just doesn’t come up, or maybe I feel uneasy. But I know Melissa goes to church, and it’s all so heavy on my brain today. A bead of sweat slides down the side of my nose and drops onto the floor. “It sounds hokey, but it kind of makes sense too.”
“Yeah, I guess I thought of the whole thing more as a commandment. You’re supposed to wait because that’s what the Bible says. I never thought about it as what God wants .” Melissa switches legs. “But abstaining because He wants us to makes more sense, actually.”
“Sorry, this is heavy stuff.” I roll my eyes as I zip my coat.
“No, it’s fine, really fine. It’s actually good. I’m glad we can talk about it. I’m glad you talked about it with me. And I guess Beau and I might face the issue someday.” Melissa tosses her gym bag on her shoulder.
I let that thought take a ride through my head. Will Noah and I have to face the issue? He’s a Christian too. He sat on the couch and heard every word Pastor Ed said, just like I did. He saw that match glowing in the silent room. I know what my stance is.I want to wait until I’m married. It’s the right thing to do.
Pastor Ed mentioned Christian teens wearing purity rings on their ring fingers as a symbol of chastity. I slip my thumb around the vacant space on my left hand. I imagine a shiny silver reminder of my promise to Jesus to stay pure for Him. I’ll have to look into it. Kristine would get a kick out of that! I can hear her now: “You know that’s your wedding finger?”
“I know.” I would keep her gaze.
“So, who did you marry?” She’d laugh, not in an evil way, but in a you’re-so-queer way.
“I didn’t. It’s a purity ring.”
“Pure of what?” Kristine would raise an eyebrow.
“You know, I’m saving myself for marriage.”
“Why?” Kristine would plop me down on her bed. “That totally hot hockey player is into you. Do you know what you’re missing? I bet he’d be fabulous. He’s clearly in good shape.”
I would hit her with a pillow.
CHAPTER NINE
I t’s Friday night, and I’m going over to Noah’s. I’m nervous and excited and jittery. I’ve never been to his house. I’ve never met his parents. Well, I’ve known who they are for years, from the neighborhood and all, but I’ve never formally met them and definitely not as Noah’s girlfriend.
Noah and I have barely seen each other this week, unless you count
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