My Boyfriend's Girlfriend

three

It was just past eight in the morning, and my dad was pulling the car into the parking lot of Barton Presbyterian Church. Being a committee member, most notably the treasurer, he liked to get there earlier than anyone in the congregation to make sure things were set up beforehand. I didn't see Danny's truck in the lot, so I assumed he wasn't here yet. I'd been waiting all night to see him and ask if there was anything bothering him that he needed to get off his chest, but it would have to wait until after our Sunday School lesson.

While my parents headed in the direction of the church office, I went downstairs to the education nook, which housed the nursery and teen center. The church was nearly one hundred years old, and had been remodeled several times since its opening in the 1920s. The "South Wing" was a great addition, since it was made up of the education nook and banquet hall.

I unlocked the nursery first, and got to work. I needed to set up the projector and couch cushions, so my kids all had somewhere to sit. I played a short biblical movie or show before every lesson, knowing I would have no one's attention otherwise.

I'd been teaching Sunday School on my own for the last three years, and Danny casually joined me sometime last year. He first would just sit in on classes with Aly, but eventually became my right-hand man. I loved getting to hang out with the kids during the service, especially during the longer sermons, but having another young adult with me was refreshing.

As I organized the pillows and cushions on the couch, I thought again about the text. If Danny were lying to me about anything, what would it be? Surely it couldn't be that bad. I thought more about the person wanting me to meet them today, and started to feel anxious. On one hand, I wanted to know who was behind the texts, but on the other, I worried about their motive to meet in person.

There was a knock at the door, and Danny walked in. He was wearing a green sweater that matched his eyes, and he looked like he'd just woken up and rolled out of the shower. "I didn't want to startle you." He smiled warmly. "What's on the agenda today, boss?"

"I was thinking something easy, like some Veggie Tales." I said, pulling a box of DVDs out of the storage closet. "I'm not mentally prepared for an in-depth class with children." I said, making Danny chuckle. I sat down with the box to comb through it and find the disc I needed.

"Did you see the photos your grandma posted of us online? They're so cute." I gushed, thinking about the picture we'd taken in front of the hayride that Linda had posted. Danny didn't use social media much, so I knew the answer would be no.

"I think I last logged into my account in June, maybe?" He chuckled, and I shrugged my shoulders, returning to the box.

"What's on your mind?" He asked knowingly. He could always tell when something was up with me, I loved - and hated - that about him. I inhaled deeply, and thought about my words before I spoke.

Danny came and sat beside me, ready to listen. I sifted through the box, trying to find any short season, and he patiently waited for me to talk.

"I've been getting these weird messages, and they're just unsettling." I said truthfully.

"What do you mean, like texts?" He cocked his head to the side, and I paused my search.

"Yeah, like texts. About you."

"What do you mean, about me?" He furrowed his brow, and worry crossed his face. "What did the texts say?"

"It was just so weird they came from an unknown number." I mumbled, more to myself than to him.

"What did the texts say?" He pressed again.

I shook my head and turned back to the box of DVDs. "They were just weird, it was probably nothing." I shrugged it off, but Danny wasn't averting his attention from me.