Indignant Heart

Chapter 14: Righteous Anger

I felt like crying. I felt like bashing a wall with a brick. Made of steel. Set on fire. The church walls, to be exact.

I was trapped here. How was I supposed to get home?

I couldn't breathe again. I was suffocating in my arms and no one understood anything.

"Naomi? Naomi, are you in here?"

I muted my whimpers and brushed the tears from my eyes as I blinked rapidly to adjust to the light. Avery was staring at me like I was some wounded animal that broke one of its legs.

"I'm fine, just leave me here." I croaked and tried to shut the door, but she prevented my brutal actions and came to sit down with me, closing the door behind her.

"Carter told me you were in here." She smiled half-heartedly.

He saw me?

"I came to see what was wrong." Her voice was soothing and sweet, like a patch of lilies. It almost caught me, but I held my ground.

"I said I was fine. Just leave me alone. I can handle it."

"Handle what?"

She was just like the therapist. Everything I uttered, every word that left my mouth, she tried to dig a deeper hole around me and get me to talk, to tell her what's wrong. They turned my answers into more and more questions; an interminable cycle. It never ended, not with anyone.

I felt a spaz attack coming on soon.

"Avery, get out."

The noise and rave came to a halt when his voice echoed in my ears. I snapped my neck toward the source to see his face masked with a stoic expression. His eyes held mine effortlessly.

"But—"

"Dereck is asking for you. They're about to start worship."

Avery seemed to hesitate. "What about you—"

"It's fine. I'll play at the next one."

His last words seemed to convince her enough to leave the room, but not before sending a reassuring smile my way.

I was stuck with him. Alone.

"So this is what you come to youth group for. To sit here and cry."

I snarled menacingly. The fire in my chest was being ignited and I couldn't tame myself.

"What the hell is your problem? Is it your job to insult me every time you see me?!" I growled at him, clenching my fists on impulse. I wanted to punch that nasty smirk off his face.

"Insult you? I'm only pointing out the facts, the truth that you don't want to see or hear." His teasing smile was long gone and in its place came a scowl that could send anyone running for the hills. But not me, not anymore.

"Are you kidding me? Every time! Every time you see me, you have something hurtful to say! You're trying to hurt me!" I panted uncontrollably. He was pushing me to the edge. "You're an instigator! You want to see me get upset!"

"You can call me by what I am; I'll only get offended if it's true." The easiness of his tone was intimidating. I was dealing with someone who knew how to control themselves, unlike me, a kettle on the verge of boiling over.

"And it's clear that you've been offended by everything I've said to and about you since we've met." He challenged, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "Which only means they have to be true."

"You don't know a damn thing." I bit back, my heart aching. Of course, he was right, but I wouldn't let him know.

He shrugged carelessly. "Maybe not."

I scoffed. "Some Christian you are."

My words seemed to start a fuse within him. He balled his hands up to his sides and took a threatening step towards me before I shrunk down. The fire in his eyes burned with passion.

"When it comes to Christians, you don't know a damn thing."

His words tumbled over me like boulders, crushing me in every way. I felt the guilt wash over me instantly, and I didn't know why.

"And when it comes to me, you know nothing." He continued, his voice echoing with dominance. "No one's keeping you here, so leave if all you're going to do is insult my religion and insult my family."

And with that, he dropped the key to the chains holding my bike captive and stormed out of the room.

~*~

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