#ILoveYou #YouLoveHer

#ChurchGoingBoys

Tia

"When did you get back?" my father asked Mich after the Sunday service, which she surprisingly attended.

She smiled, her perfect smile at him, and replied, "A couple of weeks ago". And then she added without missing a beat, "Sorry, I was busy and wasn't able to come to church."

"That's okay. Well, we hope to see more of you," my father replied.

"Of course. Pretty soon, you'll get sick of me," she replied.

Which is funny, because she was never big on Church in the first place. She likes to believe in an informal church- which means, that as long as she has faith in God, and prays every so often, she's guaranteed a spot in heaven. I'm not entirely sure if she's on the right path.

"Never," my father replied. "We missed you. It's been too long."

"Not nearly as much as I miss you guys," she replied. I'm a little glad she generalized that. Because it would be a bit weird if she said that she missed my father. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't. Just as much as she doesn't miss Church.

"I miss being part of a community," she added. Right, I thought that was what she was running from in the first place.

The suffocating little bubble, she had said.

"We should all get lunch," my mother suggested.

"I'd love that," Mich replied with one her another of her smiles, while Nate just nodded.

Lunch with my mom, my dad, the love of my life, and the love of his life... This is going to be awkward.

And even more awkward when your mother asks the love of his life, "So, did you find a boyfriend?" I guess, mothers are obligated to ask such questions to embarrass you, but hey at least she's the one being put on the spot and not you.

And she just laughed, and replied, "Of course not, guys around here are so much better".

I glanced at Nate, as he took a big gulp of water.

But apparently not good for you either.

"True," my mother agreed. "You should date a church going man..."

Mich, I'm assuming, and I stopped listening to my mother's speech. Nate, however, seemed rather attentive.

"I would not ask for anything less," Mich replied.

Yeah right. As if she goes to church enough, to expect a guy to do the same. Besides, I think only the thickness of his wallet matters to her.

I sometimes wish Nate didn't match her criteria so much.

"I should introduce you to one of members of Tia's Praise and Worship group," my mother, going in for the kill.

This time, Nate coughed, and I swore I saw Mich kick him under the table.

Mich laughed again, "That's okay, I don't have time for a boyfriend right now." I don't have time for anyone other than him, more like.

"But-" my mother started, before my father interrupted her.

"Alright, alright, stop putting Michelle on the spot, she just got back," my father said. "Besides, I've been eyeing Ben for our Tia-"

"Dad!" I couldn't help myself.

Nate and Mich just exchanged looks, and then Mich smirked at me.

Can this lunch be over already?

-

Although Ben was the reason why Nate agreed to go to church with me.

"Remember the Praise and Worship guy my parents' were trying to pair me up with?" I asked Nathaniel a couple of months ago.

He scrunched his forehead, trying to remember.

"Turns out he has a crush on me," I continued. It's a bit weird telling this to my crush. But my crush also happens to be my best friend. And also happens to be a boy. Boy, as in boy friend.

"Of course he would, you're adorable. Who wouldn't?" he asked with a smile.

You? "Anyway, apparently he only joined the group, so that he can be close to me."

He laughed.

"It's not funny."

He put on a straight face. "Well, what's wrong with him?"

He's not you? "I don't know," I replied. "Nothing, really..."

"But?" he cut to the chase.

He's not you.

"I... don't know," I answered honestly. "It's just a little awkward, I think."

He laughed again. "You call that awkward? What about me?"

If only, his question referred to his obvious knowledge of my crush on him. But no, he means her. He always means her.

"You are super nice."

"Your way of saying pathetic?" he asked with a sigh.

Please, can you go back to my topic? To the hopeless puppy following me around? And not continue about Nathaniel being her hopeless puppy.

Seriously, Nathaniel is like the dog Hachiko... still hanging around even if his master left a long time ago, and is never coming back.

I sighed and said, "She's not coming back." And even as I was saying it, I regretted it.

"She will... eventually. She'll get tired of being alone all the time and want to move back to somewhere with people who cares about her."

And I laughed. Michelle? Tired of being alone? No way.

"We have known her for quite some time. She doesn't get tired of being alone," I said.

And I just nodded.

"So about that Church guy, so how are we going to get rid of him?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

I grinned.

"You can come to Church with me," I answered. Mission accomplished?

"And I will stick to you like glue," he replied with a grin.

Yup. Mission accomplished, alright. Hit two birds with one stone. Keep the imaginary Praise and Worship guy at bay, while keeping Nathaniel close.

My dad insists that I only date Church going Christian boys.