Untypically in Love: Cornered
Read the full story, chapter by chapter here.
Some names and events have been changed to protect the identity of certain individuals.
---------------------
Chapter Seventeen
Cornered
Chapter Seventeen
Cornered
I would have been happy to hide in the back of the room, secretly holding Matt's hand for comfort, but the class was small enough that only two rows of seats were even needed. There was no hiding from anything. Especially since the teacher made a point to have me introduce myself to the class.
During the lesson Matt and I wrote notes to one another in a small notebook I had brought with me (a tradition that still goes on today). Every now and again something in the lesson would strike me and I'd look up, suddenly intrigued.
"Jia," the teacher called my name. "Would you please read Ephesians 4:32?"
I panicked and tried my best to remember how to look through the scriptures. A girl beside me had her book open and handed it to me, being kind enough to point down at the exact verse, saving me embarrassment. I cleared my throat and read aloud, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
"Now what does that mean to you?" She asked me.
All eyes (those that were paying attention) turned to me.
I closed the book and handed it back to the girl to my left, contemplated a moment and looked up. "It means you have to forgive people."
"Yes dear," She smiled. "But what does it mean to you? Personally?" She asked me.
I looked up, my eyes turned to Josh and I quickly looked away. "I don't know." I said. "Forgiveness seems pretty important though."
Throughout the rest of the lesson every so often I would turn my attention to Josh, whose gaze never met my own. I couldn't look into my friends eyes once. I couldn't see anything. Couldn't make any assumptions to how he was feeling or what he was thinking. But at that moment, I knew I needed forgiveness.
Class dispersed after a short bell rang. Just before leaving, the teacher removed a small cloth that had been covering three small loaves of zucchini bread. One single bite was all it took to have me clear out my schedule for the following Sunday, in order to return - if for only the recipe.
I expected Matt to lead me to our next class or meeting, but he dropped my hand in the middle of the hallway as his mother approached with a grin.
"How was Sunday School?" She asked me.
"Educational." I smiled back.
"I'll see you in an hour." Matt said and then turned away, walking off with a group of boys in one direction just as I saw the herd of girls coming my way.
"What?" I panicked.
"For the third hour we separate. The older women go to Relief Society, and the younger girls like us," Sister Woodruff laughed. "Go to Young Women." She pointed. "I'd normally be in Relief Society, but I'm the secretary for the Young Women's Presidency." She said, patting a large bag she had brought with her, within it a massively large binder with a bright pink cover.
I felt nauseous. I hated being around other girls. I especially hated being around strangers without some sort of comfort zone. Matt was supposed to be that comfort zone for me today, and he had recklessly abandoned me without even a heads up. I had wanted to sit in the back of the room, hiding, but Matt's mother patted the seat beside her that was in the front row off to the left side of the room.
I sat down and looked around the room as girl after girl filed in, each looking in my direction as they took their own seats, chatting away with one another as girls so often did.
When the class began, the girls stood and recited a statement that they called a theme. Talking about things like faith, knowledge and integrity to name a few. If I took this simple information I received by coming to Church with Matt's family, it was easy to see why his parents reacted the way they had when they caught me sneaking out of his window. They were supposed to forgive. They were supposed to act in kindness.
"I see we have a visitor today," I heard the dreaded words come from the mouth of a short brunette woman with a bright smile on her face.
Oh no, I was going to have to introduce myself again?
Thankfully, Matt's mother didn't even give me the option.
"This is Matt's friend, Jia." She introduced me and I breathed a sigh of relief. "She's investigating the Church."
The final words of her statement seemed odd. Mormon jargon. Certainly I had come and wanted to learn more, but investigating sounded like I was there on business. Little did I know, the one word meant so very, very much. Investigating. The very echo of it practically flew throughout the entire Church building, where I assume on the other side, two young missionaries perked their ears up and said, 'Elder, did you hear that?'
I didn't pay much attention, and by my guess, neither did many of the other girls. But they talked about things like dating, having dignity, and the blessings of eternal marriage. I took note of those things. The woman who taught our class showed pictures of her wedding and my eyes were glued to the massive white castle they stood in front of.
"It's beautiful," I smiled.
"It's the Bountiful, Utah Temple." She replied, showing me a larger picture of her and her husband, where the temple was in full view.
"Kinda looks like the big building in downtown Salt Lake." I said. A few girls chuckled behind me.
"Exactly." The teacher smiled. "There are lots of temples," I was informed. "Almost one hundred in fact. We're getting our own temple here in Albuquerque next year."
The level of excitement in the room was confusing. What was the big deal over one building?
Class ended and Matt's mother confirmed that Church was indeed over. I half expected another surprise class waiting around the corner, but the only thing I saw as I followed Sister Woodruff, was two missionaries. Waiting.
Waiting for us.
"Hi," The shorter of the two said, reaching his arm out straight to me, shaking my hand before bringing his own back to adjust the large glasses on his face. "You must be Jia. Sister Woodruff has told us a lot of great things about you."
I smiled politely. "Oh I doubt that," I laughed.
"She said you're interested in learning more about the Church?" The other spoke up.
"Well, yeah I guess." I shrugged. "That's why I'm here right?" I smiled. No, I certainly wasn't there to try and suck up to Matt's parents in order to continue seeing him. Not at all!
"That's great!" Their enthusiasm was confusing me. "Well if you'd like to know more, we'd love to teach you about the Church." They said. "Do you have time after school for us to come to your house and we could talk?"
"Give me lessons?" I asked, putting pieces together.
"Exactly." They smiled.
I recalled the lessons I had received with missionaries at my sisters home. The lessons they had supposedly been there to give her.
"Can I ask," I paused. "Do you give these lessons to members of your Church too?"
Suddenly the young men seemed confused. "Not usually," they answered, not certain enough to give a firm answer. "Mostly missionaries talk to people who aren't members, but would like to know more about the Church."
My eyes went wide open. Tricked! I had been tricked! My sister had been a Mormon for ten years at least! She had lied to me about having missionaries there to teach her! They had come to teach me! I laughed out loud a little, mentally preparing to punish my sister for her devious, yet successful, plan.
"So when would be a good time to come over?" They asked.
A part of me wanted to brush them off. It wasn't that I didn't want to learn. But I didn't like being around strangers. I didn't like awkward conversations where questions were mostly directed at me. Especially since I didn't feel I knew the answers.
I also imagined what it would be like inviting these poor missionaries into my home. My home where my family might poke fun, or tease. I didn't want to do that. "Oh well, my aunt and uncle both work. They're not really home until late." I said, trying to let them down easy.
"Well then you can just have the lessons at our house." Sister Woodruff proclaimed.
I turned and realised that there was no escape. Literally. My back was pressed against the wall behind me. Two excited missionaries to my right, and Matt's mother standing to my left, all three waiting for an answer. What was I going to say? No?
"Sure?" I answered weakly, my voice cracking.
"That's great!" The two men said in unison as they pulled out their calendars and began working a schedule up with Sister Woodruff while I began searching for a way out, eager for fresh air.
Matt came around the corner after his class was let out, and as he saw me talking to missionaries, the expression on his face changed and he looked like he was ready to laugh. Without me ever needing to say a word, he knew what had just taken place.
"Missionaries are gonna teach me stuff," I said nervously, approaching him.
"I see that." He smiled smugly.
"Gonna teach you too," Matt's Mom said, looking over her shoulder at her son.
"What?" His face dropped. The humor in the situation fading fast.
"Jia's coming to our house to be taught and I think it would be a good experience for you to be there with her. You might learn a thing or two yourself." She gave him a stern motherly glance as she said the words.
"This isn't funny anymore," Matt said to me.
I grinned. "It's a little funny now."
I panicked and tried my best to remember how to look through the scriptures. A girl beside me had her book open and handed it to me, being kind enough to point down at the exact verse, saving me embarrassment. I cleared my throat and read aloud, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
"Now what does that mean to you?" She asked me.
All eyes (those that were paying attention) turned to me.
I closed the book and handed it back to the girl to my left, contemplated a moment and looked up. "It means you have to forgive people."
"Yes dear," She smiled. "But what does it mean to you? Personally?" She asked me.
I looked up, my eyes turned to Josh and I quickly looked away. "I don't know." I said. "Forgiveness seems pretty important though."
Throughout the rest of the lesson every so often I would turn my attention to Josh, whose gaze never met my own. I couldn't look into my friends eyes once. I couldn't see anything. Couldn't make any assumptions to how he was feeling or what he was thinking. But at that moment, I knew I needed forgiveness.
Class dispersed after a short bell rang. Just before leaving, the teacher removed a small cloth that had been covering three small loaves of zucchini bread. One single bite was all it took to have me clear out my schedule for the following Sunday, in order to return - if for only the recipe.
I expected Matt to lead me to our next class or meeting, but he dropped my hand in the middle of the hallway as his mother approached with a grin.
"How was Sunday School?" She asked me.
"Educational." I smiled back.
"I'll see you in an hour." Matt said and then turned away, walking off with a group of boys in one direction just as I saw the herd of girls coming my way.
"What?" I panicked.
"For the third hour we separate. The older women go to Relief Society, and the younger girls like us," Sister Woodruff laughed. "Go to Young Women." She pointed. "I'd normally be in Relief Society, but I'm the secretary for the Young Women's Presidency." She said, patting a large bag she had brought with her, within it a massively large binder with a bright pink cover.
I felt nauseous. I hated being around other girls. I especially hated being around strangers without some sort of comfort zone. Matt was supposed to be that comfort zone for me today, and he had recklessly abandoned me without even a heads up. I had wanted to sit in the back of the room, hiding, but Matt's mother patted the seat beside her that was in the front row off to the left side of the room.
I sat down and looked around the room as girl after girl filed in, each looking in my direction as they took their own seats, chatting away with one another as girls so often did.
When the class began, the girls stood and recited a statement that they called a theme. Talking about things like faith, knowledge and integrity to name a few. If I took this simple information I received by coming to Church with Matt's family, it was easy to see why his parents reacted the way they had when they caught me sneaking out of his window. They were supposed to forgive. They were supposed to act in kindness.
"I see we have a visitor today," I heard the dreaded words come from the mouth of a short brunette woman with a bright smile on her face.
Oh no, I was going to have to introduce myself again?
Thankfully, Matt's mother didn't even give me the option.
"This is Matt's friend, Jia." She introduced me and I breathed a sigh of relief. "She's investigating the Church."
The final words of her statement seemed odd. Mormon jargon. Certainly I had come and wanted to learn more, but investigating sounded like I was there on business. Little did I know, the one word meant so very, very much. Investigating. The very echo of it practically flew throughout the entire Church building, where I assume on the other side, two young missionaries perked their ears up and said, 'Elder, did you hear that?'
I didn't pay much attention, and by my guess, neither did many of the other girls. But they talked about things like dating, having dignity, and the blessings of eternal marriage. I took note of those things. The woman who taught our class showed pictures of her wedding and my eyes were glued to the massive white castle they stood in front of.
"It's beautiful," I smiled.
"It's the Bountiful, Utah Temple." She replied, showing me a larger picture of her and her husband, where the temple was in full view.
"Kinda looks like the big building in downtown Salt Lake." I said. A few girls chuckled behind me.
"Exactly." The teacher smiled. "There are lots of temples," I was informed. "Almost one hundred in fact. We're getting our own temple here in Albuquerque next year."
The level of excitement in the room was confusing. What was the big deal over one building?
Class ended and Matt's mother confirmed that Church was indeed over. I half expected another surprise class waiting around the corner, but the only thing I saw as I followed Sister Woodruff, was two missionaries. Waiting.
Waiting for us.
"Hi," The shorter of the two said, reaching his arm out straight to me, shaking my hand before bringing his own back to adjust the large glasses on his face. "You must be Jia. Sister Woodruff has told us a lot of great things about you."
I smiled politely. "Oh I doubt that," I laughed.
"She said you're interested in learning more about the Church?" The other spoke up.
"Well, yeah I guess." I shrugged. "That's why I'm here right?" I smiled. No, I certainly wasn't there to try and suck up to Matt's parents in order to continue seeing him. Not at all!
"That's great!" Their enthusiasm was confusing me. "Well if you'd like to know more, we'd love to teach you about the Church." They said. "Do you have time after school for us to come to your house and we could talk?"
"Give me lessons?" I asked, putting pieces together.
"Exactly." They smiled.
I recalled the lessons I had received with missionaries at my sisters home. The lessons they had supposedly been there to give her.
"Can I ask," I paused. "Do you give these lessons to members of your Church too?"
Suddenly the young men seemed confused. "Not usually," they answered, not certain enough to give a firm answer. "Mostly missionaries talk to people who aren't members, but would like to know more about the Church."
My eyes went wide open. Tricked! I had been tricked! My sister had been a Mormon for ten years at least! She had lied to me about having missionaries there to teach her! They had come to teach me! I laughed out loud a little, mentally preparing to punish my sister for her devious, yet successful, plan.
"So when would be a good time to come over?" They asked.
A part of me wanted to brush them off. It wasn't that I didn't want to learn. But I didn't like being around strangers. I didn't like awkward conversations where questions were mostly directed at me. Especially since I didn't feel I knew the answers.
I also imagined what it would be like inviting these poor missionaries into my home. My home where my family might poke fun, or tease. I didn't want to do that. "Oh well, my aunt and uncle both work. They're not really home until late." I said, trying to let them down easy.
"Well then you can just have the lessons at our house." Sister Woodruff proclaimed.
I turned and realised that there was no escape. Literally. My back was pressed against the wall behind me. Two excited missionaries to my right, and Matt's mother standing to my left, all three waiting for an answer. What was I going to say? No?
"Sure?" I answered weakly, my voice cracking.
"That's great!" The two men said in unison as they pulled out their calendars and began working a schedule up with Sister Woodruff while I began searching for a way out, eager for fresh air.
Matt came around the corner after his class was let out, and as he saw me talking to missionaries, the expression on his face changed and he looked like he was ready to laugh. Without me ever needing to say a word, he knew what had just taken place.
"Missionaries are gonna teach me stuff," I said nervously, approaching him.
"I see that." He smiled smugly.
"Gonna teach you too," Matt's Mom said, looking over her shoulder at her son.
"What?" His face dropped. The humor in the situation fading fast.
"Jia's coming to our house to be taught and I think it would be a good experience for you to be there with her. You might learn a thing or two yourself." She gave him a stern motherly glance as she said the words.
"This isn't funny anymore," Matt said to me.
I grinned. "It's a little funny now."
