have to. ‘Wait for Love’ isn’t a religious group. It’s all about wanting to save ourselves for that special someone.”
“That’s cool.”
Did I just say that? And did I sound convincing? What’s weird is no-one has actually asked me if I’m a virgin. They just assume it. I wonder why? Maybe I give off a virginal air.
“Hey, over there,” says Rachel looking over her shoulder and bringing me back from my thoughts. “Guy and Jana.”
My head spins around in double quick time and I see them walking toward us. I reach up and slide my hand down my hair in case it’s sticking up as it’s a bit windy. Guy’s been really nice to me since that first morning. We get on so well. Though I’ve missed him this last week because he’s been at on some football camp.
“Hi guys,” he says when he catches us up. I swear his gaze lingers a few seconds longer on me than on Lori and Rachel. Or is that wishful thinking? Maddie always says I have a vivid imagination.
“Hi,” we all say in Unison.
“Glad you decided to come,” he says to me.
Me too. Me too. Me too. This is going to be the best evening ever. But I don’t want him to think I’m keen. Guys like him are used to girls running after them. I’m going to play it real cool. Let him think I’m not bothered whether he’s there or not.
“Thanks.” I turn away and follow Lori toward the entrance to the Bedford Center where the meeting is being held.
“Hey Suzy,” he calls after me. “Wait for me.” I glance over my shoulder and grin.
“Hurry up then,” I say, making a concerted effort to refrain from punching the air.
He jogs over to where I’m standing and we walk through the entrance and make our way toward the private room at the back where the meeting is taking place. Guy holds the door open and I walk in front of him into the room, where I come to an abrupt halt.
Holy crap.
Take me home now. The room is packed. As in so full it’s standing room only. There’s got to be way over fifty kids here probably closer to a hundred. All sitting in rows on wooden seats and facing a small stage at the front. Where’s this low key affair Lori promised?
“You okay?” Guy whispers in my ear.
Okay, as in will I get over the shivers racing up and down my spine caused by his closeness? Or okay as in there’s no way on earth I’m pledging anything in front of this amount of people?
I swallow hard. “I’m not sure. I didn’t expect to see so many here.” I lean back against the wall, welcoming the feel of its support. Guy stands next to me on one side and Lori, Rachel and Jana on the other.
“It’s a great turnout,” Guy says. “We don’t normally have this many. I think it’s because we’ve been giving out leaflets at St Bartholomew’s School. I recognize some of them from there.”
He must really be into this virgin stuff if he goes around trying to convert other students. Though I suppose convert isn’t the right word. You can’t convert from not being a virgin to being a virgin. Apart from in special cases, obviously.
“So that means there’ll be a lot of people pledging tonight then.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
That won’t be so bad then, because I can hide behind someone else and no-one will be able to spot the guilty look on my face. That’s if I decide to take the pledge. I really haven’t decided yet. And that’s the truth. Though I must admit to being swayed by Guy.
“Hi everyone,” says a man standing on the stage, who Guy tells me is Jamie the President.
Something else I couldn’t believe. The club is run by a full committee with elections, fund raising and all those other things committees do. Not that I’ve ever been on a committee before. Or belonged to a club for that matter. I couldn’t see the attraction, despite Rosie’s attempts to convince me otherwise. Still, that’s in the past. I’m open to anything now. Sort of.
“Good to see you all. Sorry there aren’t enough chairs. We’ll fix that for the next meeting. Okay, hands up the new people.”
Standing where we are I get a full view of everyone putting up their hands and so gingerly put mine up too. I am not comfortable with all this.
“It’s great to have you here at ‘Wait For Love’.