Page 10 of We Thought We Were Invincible
Gulf City Presbyterian was at the center of town. It wasn't the only church in the area, but it was the biggest. Stained glass windows adorned the front of the brick structure, giving it an air of opulence. Perfectly manicured lawn surrounded white pillars along the walkway from the parking lot to the front door.
“See,” I said. “We aren't late. People are still arriving.”
Neither Colby nor Kat responded as the large glass doors were held open for us. The greeter extended bulletins toward us and we thanked him.
“Colby.” Morgan walked up to us. Well, walking was probably the wrong word. It was like she bounced everywhere she went.
“Hi Morgan,” Kat said affectionately.
“Wait, how do you know Morgan?” I asked. “Was I the only one who didn't know about this?” I waggled my finger between my brother and the girl who was now holding onto his arm.
“You've been kind of wrapped up in your own stuff this summer, Cal.” Colby didn’t meet my eyes.
Was he right? I tried to think back on this summer, remembering only that I surfed when the waves came in and was with Jay the rest of the time.
I didn't have time to think on it more because Colby led us to a pew right behind Jamie and his parents. I slid in next to Kat, working hard not to notice the boy who was trying to get my attention in front of me.
“Earth to Callie,” Jamie whispered, earning a glare from his father.
“What?”
“Don't tell me you're reneging on our deal.”
I looked up and saw him staring at me like he actually cared if I backed out. Could we really be friends? If I declined to go on his quest for greatness, he'd have others lining up to take him up on it.
“I don't know what's in it for you,” I admitted. “Did Jay put you up to this? Ask you to look out for me or something?”
His expression turned confused and hurt.
“James Candice Daniels,” his father said. “If you don't turn around right now and shut your mouth…” He let the threat hang there and much to my surprise, Jamie did as he said, slumping in his seat.
The service started, and it was just like any other service on any other Sunday. Reverend Jones was a good speaker, but it never felt like he was speaking to me, like I could relate.
I zoned out and instead thought of Jamie. He'd seemed hurt when I questioned his motives, yet he had to see why I would. I've known him my whole life. We were even friends once. As we grew older, he stayed close to Colby and Jay stayed close to me. It'd been like that for years and I'd assumed that was how it'd stay. Usually, the two of us bickered like siblings.
If I thought hard about it, I didn't actually hate him, and the more I thought about it, I didn't know why I thought I did. Maybe being friends with him would mean this year didn't have to be as bad as I thought.
We filed out of the church an hour later. Colby watched as Jamie followed me.
For the first time, I got a look at the other side of his face and gasped. He had a nasty bruise that ran along his cheekbone.
“Jamie, oh my God.” I reached out and touched it. He winced, but didn't push me away. “I'm so sorry.”
“Tony had it coming.” He shrugged.
“I guess it's not the first fight you've been in.”
He was a known hot head. On the soccer field, in the school halls, at the beach. Pretty much anywhere he went, there was a chance he'd throw a punch.
“No.” He chuckled. “It's not. Look, I know it's weird, me saying I want to hang out with you, but we used to be friends.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“Do you remember two years ago, when Alex Terrel stopped bullying you?”
“Yeah, I always assumed Colby talked to him.”
“Terrel was not about to listen to reason,” he scoffed. “More like he had words with my fists.”
