The Atheist Agenda

⋉ chapter ten ⋊

The library closed at eight, so the librarian kicked us out.

Under the darkness of the cool evening, Caleb hounds Ren with questions. "So, Ren, what do you think of Erica Wright?"

Ren's eyebrows furrow together. He hastily types something into his phone.

Caleb reads the text aloud, "She seems pretentious," He elbows me. "Ren's a smart one, eh?"

"Don't be weird." I mutter, inching away from his touch.

Caleb's phone buzzes as more text messages flood his inbox. "Um..." He reads. "I have never talked this much to anyone outside of my family and that's very scary to me. I'd prefer if you told no one about this situation."

Caleb chuckles. "I'll keep your secret, Mr. Chatterbox."

Ren takes in a deep breath, pulling his beanie further down his head.

"Have some sympathy." I say.

"Chill, I'm not going to expose him."

"Better not," I wink at Ren before playfully punch Caleb's arm. "Let's go home, I'll text you the next time we can meet to work on the project, Ren."

Caleb bows dramatically. "After you, m'lady."

Caleb and I live in the same neighborhood, so we walk together while Ren disappears down the trail in the other direction. "He seems pretty chill," He notes once Ren is out of earshot.

"Then why were you messing with him?"

"He can take it."

I sigh as we pad down the sidewalk. The sun melts into the horizon, a drooping blaze of orange and yellow.

"Hey, Nova. I ought to tell you something." Caleb's hands are shoved deep in his pockets, something he does when he's uncomfortable.

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

"Momma is definitely going to send me to atheist conversion camp."

"Wait—what?" I shout, halting in my tracks.

"Yup."

"Please tell me this is a sick joke."

He shakes his head. "I 'strayed' too far when I got sent to jail."

"You went to jail and refused to tell me?" My eyes sear with oncoming tears. "Erica was right?"

"I got into a fight with Miller, someone called the police, and Pops had to pick me up from the station."

I swallow the thick, suffocating knot in my throat. My heart is sinking somewhere dark and cold, somewhere I can't feel it. "You promised me."

He pulls at my arm. "Can we not discuss this in the middle of the sidewalk? Please?"

...

"Nova, I know I failed you, alright? I get that. But please, look at me." I whimper into a pillow while Caleb tries to console me from beside my bed. "Nova? Please."

I raise my head, my face moist with tears. "I'm going to be alone!"

"No, no, no. Because I have a plan. Momma says I'll finish the year at Trinity High and then they'll transfer me to boarding school in Utah."

"So?" I choke on a sob.

"So, I have eight months to convince them otherwise."

I sniffle. "So, what? You're gonna become the perfect Christian and your parents will suddenly change their mind?"

"Exactly!"

"You think your parents are stupid, don't you?"

"I think I want to stay in Trinity no matter the cost." He counters. "Listen, Saul or Paul, this guy from the Bible who persecuted Christians, became Christian in like a day, after he saw a vision from God. So, why not eight months?"

Oddly enough, Caleb's misuse of a Bible passage doesn't do anything to ease my worries. With him, you can't get your hopes up—no matter how much you want to. He entrances you with his fantastical plans but in the end, he's always reached too high, stretched himself too thin to succeed. And everyone who let themselves get invested in his emotional whirlwind are devastated.

Such is the curse of Caleb Caron. A boy who you can't resist befriending, but a boy who you can never rely on. "Okay."

"Nova, I'm going to figure this out."

"Alright. You've said that a hundred times."

He makes a frustrated noise. "Why do you fucking hate me all of a sudden?"

"I don't hate you."

"Doesn't seem that way," He snaps, heading for my door.

"Where are you going?" I ask. But he doesn't reply as he storms out.

When I realize he isn't coming back, I bury myself under my blankets, crying until I hear Mom's soft voice at the doorway. "Nova? I just saw Caleb leave. What happened?" The bed sinks as she sits next to my pitiful existence. She gingerly grabs the covers, exposing my glistening face.

"Caleb's moving away." I snivel. "And now I'll have nobody."

Mom sighs. "What did he do?"

"He got sent to jail and now his parents are sending him to some boarding school in Utah."

"Qu'est-ce qui se passe?" A deep voice asks behind us.

"Honey, your daughter is upset." Mom explains to Dad as he enters my room.

He crouches in front of me, his dark eyes filled with sympathy. "Ça va?"

"Oui, mais je suis triste parce que Caleb va partir." I answer, sniffing.

"Hmm...tu veux la glace?"

"Oui..." I mumble.

He pats my cheek, departing to grab a bowl of vanilla ice-cream because he knows it's my favorite. Mom narrows her eyes at him as he leaves. "Ice-cream is not a solution to everything, Komi."

"No, but it helps." He responds.

"Nova," She says to me. "When you have your own children someday, please don't try and solve everything by giving them junk food."