“Yeah.” I sighed. Somehow, I’d completely forgotten about those rumors since I’d been away at school while most of them had been flying.
She checked her watch. “But it’s about to start, so let’s go.”
I nodded and followed her inside the first set of double doors. When she opened the second set of doors that led into the church’s foyer, I came face to face with Scarlett’s dad.
Pastor Caldwell’s brown eyes widened momentarily, and he staggered back a little when I stepped inside. But he recovered quickly and said, “Welcome to church, Hunter.” Then he offered me his hand like he’d done every time I’d come to church growing up, and added, “It’s good to have you back in our presence, son.”
“Thanks. It’s good to see you, too,” I said robotically as I shook his hand.
Did he know that I’d removed my name from the church records after our last conversation?
Was he thinking about that right now?
“Come on, let’s go find a seat,” Scarlett said when her father and I just stared at each other wordlessly.
So I released Pastor Caldwell’s hand and said, “Okay, let’s go.”
Scarlett led the way into the chapel, and as soon as I entered, a sudden silence fell over the crowd.
For a second, I wondered if the High Priest had entered the room. But after a quick sweep of the chapel, I realized everyone’s eyes were actually on Scarlett and me.
Or rather, they were mostly looking at me. Like I was some sort of prodigal son who had finally found his way back to Jehovah’s fold.
“They’re just happy to see you,” Scarlett whispered between clenched teeth as she smiled and waved at the members looking our way.
I doubted that they’d really missed me at all, since not a single person had even reached out to me when I’d stopped attending—none of my old Bible class teachers, or the kids in my age group—aside from Scarlett, of course. But if she wanted to tell herself that they cared about me, I’d let her.
Just as we were taking our seats on a pew near the front of the chapel, a little boy two rows back whispered in a voice I could hear, “Look, Daddy. It’s the guy you said was on Satan’s team.”
“Zachary!”The woman beside him, whom I assumed to be his mother, instantly pulled him onto her lap and covered his mouth with her hand to silence him.
And as the boy’s mother gave him a lesson about not saying rude things out loud, my gaze went to the man beside her who was none other than one of my favorite Bible class teachers.
Which I assumed meant that Brother Anchor had told his children I was one of Satan’s besties.
Nice.
“I’m so sorry,” Scarlett said, leaning close and setting her hand on my leg. “I can’t believe he just said that.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “He’s just a kid.”
Out of the mouth of babes, right?
“Still…” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
I looked straight ahead, just ready for this meeting to get over with. Or for the High Priest to at least walk onto the stand and distract everyone from the apostate among them.
But instead of the High Priest, it was Xander who appeared at the front chapel doors next.
He smiled and waved at everyone as he walked inside. Then after doing a double take at seeing me, he sauntered over to greet Scarlett.
“Hello, Scarlett,” he said, all smiles as he looked at my best friend. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Good to see you, too,” she said.
“I was just chatting with the High Priest a few minutes ago, and I think we’re all in for a real treat today.”
“He met with you?” she asked, her voice sounding surprised. “What about?”
