A simple life: Book 4

Chapter 7: A Different Perspective

That evening, Asa prepared himself for the night ahead, not knowing what to expect from Chloe and her friends. He didn't stretch his thinking too far regarding her friends, but some thoughts did come to his mind about Chloe herself. He had learned a little about who she was from the few times he spoke with her. And it was clear to him that she was the kind of girl most people deemed reckless. But her personality was a bit unorthodox.

As a result, he couldn't come to grips with what she wanted from him. And even though Asa felt a little leery about her, he kept an open mind. He remembered that Sophia had encouraged him to make friends. And because of that, he was determined to try despite his past experiences with people. But was Chloe the right person to try and make friends with?

When Chloe and her friends pulled up in front of Asa's apartment building, it was Chloe who came to the door and knocked. She knocked loudly, which startled Asa fiercely. But he got his wits together and answered it. "You ready for the time of your life?" she asked him after he opened the door.

Asa appeared a little subdued and shrugged. "I suppose," he said.

"Well, ready or not," she giggled. "This is happening! Let's go!" She then unexpectedly seized and pulled at his hand, and the two hustled down the stairs to join the others. The car Chloe's friends were in was an old Cadillac; though not in the best shape, it was still a classic. The people—Chloe's friends—were all quite different. There were two boys and three girls. The guys had this laid-back vibe, dressing elegant and sleek, while the girls seemed more outgoing and energetic, dressing more modern and edgy. Studying all of them, Asa couldn't help but feel a bit out of place among them and a little awkward. "Guys?" Chloe announced as she and Asa approached the car. "This is Asa. Asa, this is the guys."

Asa greeted them with a slight nod. They, however, each addressed him with a "What's up?" or a "How are ya?"

"Alright," Chloe said afterward. "Let's get going."

During the car ride, Asa was a little uncomfortable. These people were nothing like Sophia and her friends, and I will tell you how. They spoke about things that didn't seem important at all. They brought up things like past college parties and breakups; they complained a lot, which Asa couldn't help but notice. But what unsettled Asa the most was their sex-related conversations. It was subtle, but however unpretentious it might have seemed, he could tell they were trying their best to keep it as casual as possible, even Chloe.

But even with these disturbing conversations, Asa was no stranger to such talk and kept his mouth shut even when they would ask his opinion. However, when they asked him much more sensible questions, Asa answered them. They asked him basic questions like his life before college and where he grew up. He didn't get into detail about the answers but did tell them where he was from because they all noticed he had a British accent.

Finally, as they arrived at this "cool" place, Asa knew right away his first impression of them was right on point. What they talked about wasn't just talk. It was who they were. The building they pulled up at had loads of people standing out front, and you could hear the music coming from the inside, outside the building. Asa knew now that Chloe and her friends were party-goers, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to join them.

"Oh, come on," Chloe said, pulling at his arm. Asa was still seated in the car and didn't move or say anything despite her pleading. "Come on, you'll have fun!" Chloe said again. Asa hesitated, feeling out of his element, but decided to give it a chance and followed Chloe inside the building.

All the while, miles away from where Asa was, his girlfriend was seated at her desk at home doing homework. Sophia was in silence (her mother wasn't home), and looking at the warm glow of her lamp inspired her to pull out her journal. She loved to write, as you already know, but tonight's words had a different twist than her usual scribbles. You might even say they weren't hers. It was the words of a prayer for Asa. They gripped her heart so tight that she didn't resist. She also didn't question why she felt this way. Sophia just obeyed and did it. As she poured out her heart in prayer for her boyfriend, she had a big smile cross her face and could feel the Spirit surround her.