Obliterated

Chapter 29

Lexi

February 4th, 2017 | 2:00 pm

Lexi had been avoiding people like the plague. First, Macy, who had left dozens of messages for her trying to get her to come back to therapy. Lexi didn't want to talk to Macy, not after what she had done. Lexi just went and did her drug test once a week. Monica and Victor had been worried when they found out that Lexi wasn't going to therapy anymore, but at Liam's suggestion, they offered to find her a new one instead. Dr. Pierce seemed very nice but he was no Macy, even Lexi had to admit that.

Second, she was avoiding Maeve, she kept trying to apologize to Lexi. However, Lexi was having none of it. She just wanted Maeve to leave her alone. One thing had begun to come clear to her out of all of this mess, Austin still cared for her and that was killing her.

The last person she would be trying to avoid was Austin, however he seemed to be avoiding her at all costs. So she didn't really have to do anything. He refused to even look at her these days. So, Lexi had basically given up. She didn't know what his problem was, but Lexi had enough of her own issues to deal with as it was. Liam kept encouraging her to worry about herself for once and so Lexi was finally trying to let go of Austin. Besides, Austin was the least of her problems.

Today she was meeting an atheist. It had occurred to Lexi that in her search for a higher power, she hadn't listened to the other side yet. So, today she was meeting up with some guy she met online. It sounded as suspicious and dangerous as it seemed, but Lexi sensed the man was nice enough. His name was Mark Potter, he was a blogger who often wrote about religion, the world, and atheism. When Lexi saw he lived not too far from here, she explained her situation and thoughts and asked him to meet up with her. He had accepted and now Lexi was joining him for a cup of coffee downtown.

As she waited for him to arrive, Lexi thought more about what she had gathered about religion so far. She definitely believed in something. She had been exploring so many different religions but she couldn't understand, she was hoping to get more perspective at the very least.

Lexi then looked up and saw him. She waved at him and he noticed her. He had dark hair and a beard. He was wearing rounded glasses and a sweater vest. Lexi thought he looked just like how she envisioned a college professor. He sat down across from her and Lexi greeted him.

"Hi Mr. Potters, I am so grateful you took time out of your day to come talk to me," Lexi said.

"Oh of course, and please call me Mark," he said, taking the coffee Lexi offered him. "You have such a way with words, I have to admit, I was intrigued by what you wrote to me."

Lexi was stunned. "Really?" she asked.

He nodded. "I have always been an atheist but in my thirty years, I have never read such a thought provoking email. You seem to really understand philosophy and theology."

Lexi blushed. "Thank you," she said. "I guess I just want to know more about your side of it all."

He nodded. "You want to know how I know I am an atheist."

"Yeah," Lexi said. "I want to know how I am supposed to figure these things out and while I'm on this little spiritual journey, I need to consider all sides."

Mark nodded but then sighed. "The truth is no one is one hundred percent sure if God is real or not, there is and isn't real proof on both sides."

"So what's the answer?" she asked.

"Have you ever read about Pascal's wager?" he asked.

Lexi nodded. "Pascal said that a rational person should believe in God because if God does not actually exist, the person will have only lost some pleasures of this world, but if God does exist, that person will get infinite pleasures in the hereafter and avoid infinite suffering in hell."