The Country Boy and The City Girl

(Still Jason)

I woke up the next morning to find my uncle passed out on the couch with a bottle clutched to his side. Figures. I knew he wouldn't quit completely right away, but the day after apologizing for it? I hated to say I wasn't shocked. With that I made my way to the kitchen, made some breakfast, showered, and got ready to pick up Daniella for school.

When I saw her come out of the front door wearing a fitted Beatles shirt and ripped pink denim shorts paired with black converse, my heart skipped a beat. Her perfectly messy blonde hair caught the Kentucky sunlight, shining like gold, and took my breath away. I loved her. There was no other way to explain it. Whipped? Awestruck? Addicted? None of them were fitting. I was a lovestruck idiot and I didn't want it to ever stop. I didn't dare tell her though. It was too soon to seem real...but I knew deep down it was.

"Morning," she blinked with a sleepy grin. I handed her a travel coffee cup and she sighed with relief. "You are an angel." I chuckled as she chugged the first few gulps.

"Did you not sleep well?" I inquired, concern swelling up inside me. Did my prom thing freak her out?

She waved it away as she continued to chug. She eventually took a breath and coughed. "No, no. I just forgot I had to work on my poetry project late last night." Then I really felt guilty.

"I took you away from your project with the stupid prom invitation thing. I'm sorry, Danni."

"Are you kidding?!" She leaned over and kissed my cheek as I drove. "Totally worth it." I half smiled and tried to keep my focus on the road. She was too cute for her own good.

"What are your poems about?" I gestured towards her papers. "Anything inspiring?" I teased with a wicked grin. She frowned and looked down at them.

"Doubtful. Everything serious turns out cheesy. And I have to read it in front of everyone on top of that. Awkward?: check."

"Let me see-"

"No way, nosey!" she laughed. "They're personal....kinda."

I wiggled my eyebrows up in down in curiosity. "Am I in them?" I watched as she got all cute and flustered like always. She didn't say any actual words, just stuttering and mumbling. A proud grin slowly crossed my lips. Before we knew it, we were both laughing.

It was moments like this that made me sure I was crazy about her...

Daniella's POV

"Since we had an extra extension on presenting poems, you all will present next week or two weeks after. Everyone understand?" Mr. Nathanael smiled. "Awesome," he finished. He got so excited when he had his coffee...

"I'm doing my poem about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," Amber stated to her inner circle sitting around her. They all nodded and smiled. "He is such an inspiration to us all. He loves everyone despite the fact that they do him wrong everyday." She paused and looked at me as she raised an eyebrow. "Some people should try and be more like him."
I tried to ignore her and the self righteous crap, but it was so hard.

"He who is without sin cast the first stone, Amber. I'm sure you and your little gossip Bible study have covered that verse."

I really didn't like her these days. The church had just had a revival and half the county put down their beers for a minute to get saved before heading back to the bar. Amber and her mama thought this town was theirs. All of their praying and soup kitchen newspaper ads did not fix the fact that they were gossiping and nasty people outside the church doors. I know I'm equally imperfect in God's eyes, but they made Christians in Asher County look so crazy and arrogant. I'm a Christian. Am I perfect? No. But I try to make being a Christian an all round thing the best I can. Do I always succeed? Heck no. I screw it up everyday. But Amber thinking she was above imperfection was what got under my skin...