Breathe

Chapter Five - Youth Group Meeting

As James parked his car, he looked over at Opal. "It would mean a lot if you would at least act like you want to be here, Opal." He said as he turned the car off and unbuckled his seat belt.

"It would mean a lot if you would leave me alone at home. You better be glad I have...acquaintances here." Opal said as she unbuckled her own seat belt. "Can we please just get this over with?" She looked at James.

James didn't want to display how much her words hurt him. He looked away and nodded. "Let's go." He simply said.

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James and Opal entered the building, going to the fellowship hall. As they entered the room, some turned their heads. Everyone who did, looked at Opal in shock. Opal held her head down and tried to avoid the eyes that were on her. She hated being the center of attention. She was about to pull out her phone before she heard her name from across the room. "Opal!"

Opal didn't even need to look up to see who it was. She flinched when Ashtyn hugged her. "It's so great to see you!" She said excitedly.

"Nice to see you too, Ashtyn." Opal said as she slowly hugged her back.

"Ash, don't suffocate the girl on her first night." Angelica said as she walked over with Christine.

"First and last." Opal corrected in her mind. She was positively never coming back. She only came because she made a promise.

Ashtyn let Opal go and smiled widely. "I just know you're gonna have fun tonight, Opal. At least I hope you do."

Opal just simply shrugged as she saw most of everyone putting some chairs in a circle and standing in front of them.

"Looks like the youth meeting is about to start." Christine said softly as the girls started walking towards everyone else.

Everyone joined hands with the person next to them. "Would anyone like to pray us in?" James asked. A couple of people offered. "Okay, Tarrin, you can." He said to the boy a couple seats away from Opal. Everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Opal followed suit. Tarrin said a short prayer, some nodding their heads in agreement with him. He finished and everyone took their seats.

"Alright, so, as most of you have noticed, we do have someone here that's new to our youth group." James said, looking at Opal. Her face was already heating up. "Though we all know you, Opal, we always have newcomers introduce themselves and say something interesting about themselves."

"You have got to be freaking kidding me." Opal thought to herself. She mentally rolled her eyes. "My name is Opal Tinsley, I'm sixteen years old, I'm Pastor James' little cousin and..." Opal tried to think of something that no one really knew. "...I like to sing...to myself." She said with a smile, leaving a few people a little surprised.

"Are you any good?" Another girl asked Opal.

"I mean, I'd like to think so. I've never sang for others, so I'm not sure." Opal shrugged.

"Maybe you can sing for us tonight." James suggested.

Opal gave him a look that said "Watch yourself there." This made mostly everyone laugh, including James.

"Alright, alright. Now, we usually go around and ask how everyone's week has been. Opal, since you're new, you can just share how your day has been." James said as he and everyone else looked at Opal.

Opal absolutely hated this so far. She gulped silently and told basically about how she had a pretty regular day at school and went home to take a nap before she came there that night. When she was done, it went on to the next person, and so on and so forth.