Free Raina's Story by Lurlene McDaniel

made her heart soften. He still had the power to do that. “Let's sit.” They settled onto the plush sofa without touching. Shecould tell he had something else he wanted to say. Her heart beat faster and her mouth went dry. “Stepping back these few weeks gave me time to think.”
    “About what?” He was going to break up with her. She felt it in her soul. He had apologized and now he would sever them forever.
Don't cry!
She lifted her chin.
    “About what I want to do with my life.”
    She said nothing, tried to concentrate on keeping her breathing slow and steady.
    “I've been offered early acceptance to a small Bible college in Indiana. I'm taking it.”
    His pronouncement stunned her.
    “I've met all my high school requirements, except attendance—you know how they want us in the classroom for X number of days. My counselor, Mr. Dodds, got me a special waiver. I'm leaving right after Christmas.”
    “Y-you're not going to finish high school?”
    “Technically, no. The college has offered me a scholarship. By starting in January, I'll get a head start on the fall freshmen.”
    “What kind of scholarship?” Her lips could hardly form the words.
    “Biblical studies, with a minor in psychology.” When she said nothing, he added, “It's a new program for pastoral students.”
    “You're going to be a
minister
?”
    “That's what I'm trying to decide, Raina. Iwant to know if it's what I want to do for the rest
    of my life. I
have
to know.”
    “And if it is?”
    “Then I'll go to seminary after college. It's a long road.”
    And it was a road that didn't include her. “Holly never said a word to me….”
    “Holly doesn't know. Only Mom and Dad and a few teachers at school know. I just got my acceptance letter a few days ago.”
    “But you've been planning this.”
    “Not for long. The pastor at my church recommended me to the college. It's his alma mater and he hustled things through.”
    “And what about you and me?” she asked quietly, steeling herself for his answer.
    He was quiet, so quiet that she began to think he wasn't going to answer. “Do you know how long I've loved you, Raina St. James? Ever since the first time I laid eyes on you, when you were thirteen.” He answered his own question. “Holly used to talk about her friends at the dinner table, but I was a year ahead of her and who cared about my sister's little girlfriends? Then one day, you came over. You were wearing jeans and a tee with pink and blue flowers and your hair was in a ponytail, and you sat on the floor in Holly's room playing Scrabble with Holly and Kathleen.”
    Raina remembered vaguely. She hadn't goneover there often because Vicki had kept her in after-school programs when Raina had argued that she was too old for babysitters. Vicki worked long hours, and she'd refused to allow Raina to go home to an empty house. Holly had always talked about her brother, Hunter, but Raina didn't lay eyes on him until she was thirteen. “When I did get to come to your house, you were at basketball practice, or soccer or something.”
    He nodded. “Plus, I couldn't let my kid sister know that I thought one of her little friends was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.”
    He'd never told her any of this before. “That would have been uncool for sure.”
    He grinned. “Then you three left middle school and came to Cummings High. Mom made me take charge of Holly that first day. I protested, but secretly, I wanted to be hanging around when she met up with her two best friends. I was grumbling at her about having sister-dork duty when you came through the door and… and I thought my heart would fall on the ground at your feet.”
    Raina remembered every moment of that day, and how hunky she'd thought he was, and how much she'd fought to keep her opinion from Holly. Besides, by then she'd been burned by Tony and had sworn off boys. It had taken Hunter almost the entire school year to finally ask her out, and by then Holly thought it