Once the service had ended, I was feeling very stressed. It was so difficult for me to be the way God wanted. I had to say all the perfect things, at the perfect time, to the perfect person, in the perfect way. I had to look perfect, act perfect, and just be perfect in general. It made me feel bad, for being perfect on the outside but not on the inside.

After saying goodbye to my family, I got in my truck and turned up my music as loudly as I could. Somehow, the angry shouts of Billie Joe Armstrong made me feel a little more leveled.

As soon as I parked in the Taco Bell parking lot, I took off my tie and unbuttoned my shirt, then pulling on the spare t-shirt I had in the glove compartment, a black one with the words 'IT'S US AGAINST THE WORLD' on it in white. I took off my nicer shoes and put on my favorite sneakers instead, which I'd stashed under the seat.

It's almost like I'm living a double life, I thought to myself as I got out of my truck and headed inside.

Melanie was waiting there, sitting at a table. The stress from church was still making my stomach churn, so I ordered just a pink starburst freeze and sat across from Melanie.

She looked up from her phone, turning it off and setting it on the table to give me her full attention. "Hey, Tyler. How did it go?"

I let out a slightly shaky sigh. "Same as always. I barely got to talk to my family before it started."

"I'm sorry." Melanie gave me a pitying look.

I took a drink from my freeze. "How about you? How's your day been so far?" Now that I was away from church and with my best friend, I was starting to feel a little better.

"Not terrible. I went grocery shopping, but that's about all I've done, besides meet you here. I'm doing to Brendon's later." She sipped her soda, which had a straw but no lid. All the ice had melted. "What about you, any other plans for today?"

This was how Sunday afternoons went: Melanie would change the subject from church to distract me, and I would go along with it until I forgot about what was upsetting me.

"Josh is going to pick me up later. We're going to Frank's to play music."

Melanie raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you and Josh got along so well." I worried that she'd act upset or think that Josh was stealing me from her, but she smiled instead. "It's good to have friends."

But what if Josh wasn't my friend? The knowledge of what had happened when Josh dropped me off from the party was just on the tip of my tongue. I had to tell her.

"He kissed me," I blurted out.

A/N: EEEEEEE CLIFFHANGER

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Art credit to Meglm