She brushed her hair carefully, made sure her clothes had no speck of dirt, dust, or the slight appearance of a wrinkle in them, and her shoes to be so polished that light can bounce off of it effortlessly.
"Wow, you look exquisite!" I beamed at her, "Where are you going?"
"To church," she fixed her jacket's collar in between the words that flew past her lips, "my mother always made sure that when we went to church, we'd be so put together."
"I hope you have a peaceful time," I nodded at her and went to her bookshelf. "Mind if I read one?"
"Sure. Hey, can I ask you a question?"
"I think that should be your senior quote. You've said that simple line to me at least a billion times," I chuckled, "but yes, you may."
"Do you believe in God?"
"Sometimes," I shrugged. "What about you?"
"Sometimes." She nodded slowly, "I find the thought of Him to be true, up to the brim and past it. Other days, when I look at the world and how there are innocent children dying because of disputes between countries and how such ravaging diseases exist, the question arises as to why? Why would someone let such horrible actions happen without placing effort to stop them, if they have the power to move mountains? And I've noticed that whenever my heart sinks low, or when life claws at me, I always find myself praying to Him, asking please don't do this to me. There is always this inner conflict inside of me. I don't know how to explain it. It isn't like I follow the teachings of all of the concepts found in the Bible because I certainly disagree with more than one. I'm just a person who sometimes is spiritual and religious and sometimes, the skeptic in me starts analyzing things. I don't want to be pinpointed to a single label because that's not what I am."
"I know you aren't and that's what's brilliant about being the person you are. You're not defined by societal or religious expectations. You form your own connections with any person you want, whether they're floating on clouds in Heaven or walking right beside you. Remember that, okay?"
"Okay," she smiled at me.