ALANNA ✔️

Chapter Five

The best thing about Sunday was going to Church. The best thing about Church was the immense love Alanna felt being in Gods house. There was just something about the whole experience that left Alanna feeling euphoric. Whenever she saw the cross she knew that everything would be okay because there was a human being who suffered, bled and sacrificed His life for her. Nobody would ever do that for her and that's why she never missed church unless there was a very good reason to and even that was rare. Her parents were Christians and had raised her since she was small to love and believe in God. She and her sister had been going to Sunday school ever since they could walk and had graduated to Youth Service when they grew older. They always went to church together but now it was just Alanna like all other things they had been doing together.

Alanna had gotten up early that morning got ready and headed to church. She was dressed in an African print dress with a collared neckline that reached at her knees and white sneakers. She'd styled her short hair with gel to make herself look presentable and she liked it.

She got to church at eight am prepared for two hours of praise, worship, prayer and God's word. She sat in the third row and since there was nobody in that bench. Her church was big but there weren't many youths so they usually just sat on one column and even then you'd find one bench with one person or at most two. The second service which began at ten had a lot of people who filled the church completely.

Soon enough the service started and Alanna fell into it. It was only and her focus on God. Half an hour later she felt someone settle besides her but they were praying so she didn't bother to check and see who it was. After the prayers they stood to sing worship songs and the person seated next to her moved closer to her so their arms brushed together.

Alanna turned to tell them off but got tongue tied to when she came face to face with a grinning Ryan. She turned quickly to face the front her eyes wide in shock. She heard Ryan chuckle besides her and she stomped his foot and grinned in satisfaction when she heard him yelp quietly in pain. Suits him right. Sorry Lord but even some of your children need discipline, Alanna thought to herself.

She wondered why Ryan was there. They went to different churches, she was Anglican and he was Catholic. I mean faith is faith but still why would he come to her church instead of going to his. It's like she couldn't get rid of him no matter how much she tried. He was everywhere, school, at her home and now in her church. He was really going too far. Soon enough he'd start following her to the washrooms if she didn't put a stop to this.

"What was that for?" He hissed quietly.

"Shut up. We're in church." She reprimanded him and turned back to concentrate on the service.

Thankfully it was worship time so their little exchange had been covered up by the singing.

"What would God say about hurting His favorite son?" He asked again and Alanna rolled her eyes. It's like this boy didn't get the hint that she didn't want to talk.

She stomped the same foot again and he yelped louder making a few people look at them. She gave them an apologetic smile and they looked away. She turned to glare at Ryan who was hunched over in pain. That should teach him to be quiet in church unless talking to God.

"Okay fine I'm sorry. I'll not talk again." He said and she grinned in triumph.

She had been ready to stomp him again if needed to teach him a lesson.

"Good I'll deal with you after the service." She hissed at him and joined the rest in singing.

She tuned Ryan out and concentrated on the service. She had so many questions for him but she held herself back before she made a fool out of herself in front of all these people. She had grown up with almost everyone here being as they all came from the same area. Some of them even attended the same school with her but she rarely interacted with any of them. Just because someone went to church didn't mean they were nice, maybe their parents forced them to go. Alanna didn't want to risk going through what she did in school at church too. She wouldn't be able to bare it if Church wasn't safe for her anymore. There were still good people among the youth and those she was friendly with. They didn't hang out together but they always made sure to exchange pleasantries whenever they met. With the rest they just behaved like strangers to each other.