The Minister Ch. 03

She sighed and then said "Well I guess I better start at the beginning. I sort of need some advice so you probably need to know the whole story." She paused and when it became apparent he wasn't going to say anything she continued. "So it started when I went on a date with this guy, Heath. He was really sweet and charming and I really like him. We had practically a perfect date, like the movies you know? Anyway, he walked me home, kissed me and then said goodbye. Everything was going smoothly and I was pretty happy. Then came the complication. A few days earlier I had met this guy, at first I thought he was a bit creepy because he was older than me and I don't have any experience with people much older than me. So I thought he was creepy, but then, he insisted on walking me home and... well he was sort of sweet. You know, mature, interesting, worldly and nice. And man, was he hot. This is kind of weird talking to a Minister like this." She stopped.

Derek was smiling to himself about what she had said, he knew she was talking about him. She felt the same way. He decided that he was slipping, he had had no idea she was into him. Back in the day he would have been on to it right away. Hell, even when chicks liked him in the church he picked up on it right away. She was the only one he had missed. He had thought she hated him.

"I guess you aren't really talkative huh?" She said, deciding to continue despite his lack of response.

"Well anyway, after I met him, I ran into him a few times and well I started getting annoyed. I thought he was stalking me or something. Then the other day, not four days after I had met him, I come home from school and he's been waiting outside my building for two and a half hours just so that he could apologies and we could be 'friends'. It was probably stupid but I got angry. I've never really admitted this to anyone, not even myself, but you're sworn to secrecy so I guess I can tell you. I got angry because, well, I liked him. It hurt my feelings to think that he honestly just wanted to be friends."

She paused again, seeming to be regathering herself. Derek was having a huge emotional conflict. He had honestly had no clue she had felt like that. He could feel tears welling in his eyes and he felt stupid, like a little kid. If only he had known.

"I went up to my apartment and I was pretty upset. After a while of moping, I made dinner and then, just as I was about to sit down and eat, there was a knock at my door. He had knocked on every single door to find me." She laughed a little. "I was still pretty annoyed I guess but I invited him in for dinner." She sighed. "We talked for hours. I mean Heath, he was great, but this guy. I've never ever met anyone in the world like him. But I can't be with him even if he feels the same way which I'm pretty sure he doesn't." She sighed again.

"But I do." Derek thought. He wished he could kiss her right there, hold her and tell her that he wanted to be with her. Stroke her hair and tell her that nothing else mattered so long as he could just hold her and be with her. But he didn't. He just sat and said nothing.

"For reasons I can't tell you, I mean other than him being way older than me, we can't be together. After we talked for hours he... he kissed me. I've had a kiss more real like... wow. It was like there were sparks flying and shivers down my spine. When I kissed Heath it was just so... flat. I'm sorry, I'm getting side-tracked. He pulled back and he left. He said he couldn't do it and he just... he just left.

I didn't know what to do. I knew we couldn't be together but it felt so right. The next day I skipped school and finally by the end of the day I had decided what to do. I thought that it should be Heath and I. You know, he was just so charming and sweet, I thought that was how a perfect high school relationship is meant to be. Like a fairy tale or whatever. So I thought I should, how do I put it, reinforce my feelings for him. So I..." She sighed. "I called him. He came over-

Derek swallowed. He didn't like where this was going.

-and well we got drunk. I wanted to. It was wrong but I wanted to so that I could get that other guy out of my head and just have a normal relationship with a normal guy. The way everyone else does. I was drunk and feeling sorry for myself. We had sex. Sorry I'm so blunt, I know this is a church and all but we did. We got drunk and had sex. It was terrible too. He was rude and rough. I don't even know why I am saying this. I guess it's just what I've been thinking and now that I'm finally getting it out I can't control myself. Afterwards he just left. He didn't even spend the night... said he had 'work'. Pfft, just like every other jackass. I can't believe I let his fake charms and perfect first date slip right past my guard." Ivy sounded like she was about to burst into tears.

Derek wanted to hit something. Or more specifically, someone. Heath. Derek felt like punching the wall. He probably would when Ivy left. This all could have been avoided if he just could have controlled himself. He never should have gone up to her apartment. He never should have had dinner with her and he definitely should never have kissed her. She never would have called Heath then. She never would have gotten drunk and slept with him. None of this would have happened if he could have controlled himself.

Suddenly Derek didn't want to punch Heath as much as he wanted to punch himself.

"Look, minister" Ivy said, her voice shaking. "I know you don't talk much but, I really need some advice. I don't know what to do. Please. What do I do?" She asked.

The words slipped out of his mouth before he could do anything.

"Follow your heart Ivy." He said.

There was silence for a second.

"Derek? What the hell! You listened to all of that, knowing it wasn't for you and said nothing?" Ivy was angry now, her voice still shaking.

"Ivy I- "he started.

She interrupted him "You jerk! I guess you aren't the genuine nice guy I thought you were! You knew I didn't want you to hear any of that! You should have told me it was you the moment you saw me! You jerk!" She yelled.

Before he could say anything she had climbed out of the confession box and was running down the aisle of the church.

"Ivy! Ivy, wait!" He yelled after her.

He scrambled out of the box and took off down the aisle after her without a second thought. He pushed out of the huge church doors and the cold wind hit him like an icy wall. He was freezing and he was wearing pants and a coat. He couldn't imagine how could Ivy was, wearing nothing but tights and a tank top.

"Ivy! Wait, please!" He called out into the darkness.

He looked around, frenzied, trying to spot any sign of her. He knew he was going to lose her. He looked around one more time before making a decision. He took off down the foot path in the direction of her home. His pant legs turned damp and muddy as he ran through puddles. The icy air burned his lungs, but he didn't stop. He had to find her. She was obviously struggling as it was, he didn't want her doing anything else stupid. This was all his fault; he should have just stayed away.

By now it was 11.00pm and the first of the drunks were stumbling out onto the streets. The beginning of many more to come. It wasn't safe during the day, let alone on a freezing cold night at this hour. After about five minutes of sprinting it started to rain. He ignored it. It dampened his hair and rolled off his jacket. He was about to give up, sure he had lost her, that he had made a wrong turn and she was alone in the darkness. Cold, crying, alone. But then he saw her.

She was sitting on a bench beside the sidewalk, under the light of a street lamp. She had her head in her hands, her wet hair hanging in strings as he shoulders shook. Derek felt his heart skip a beat. She was crying.

"Ivy" he said softly.

She looked up. Her bare skin was covered in goose bumps and her lips were almost turning blue. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her close.

"Go away. You weren't meant to know any of that stuff." She said, sobbing.

He kept walking towards her, slowly.

"Ivy- "he said again.

"I said go away!" she yelled. Another fit of sobs raked her body.

Derek bit his lip. He wanted to cry too. Seeing her so sad and sobbing made him want to cry with her. He shook his head. Afraid his voice would crack if he spoke. He slowly sat down next to her, holding her arm as if he was afraid she might try to run again.

"I said go away" she sobbed weakly. She didn't mean it now though. She slowly leaned against him, still sobbing.

Derek took his coat off and wrapped it around her. He pulled her close to him and held her. He didn't know how long they sat there, just holding each other as they rain poured down around them, but at some point the rain stopped and they both fell asleep.

It was the most peaceful sleep Derek had had in years and when the sun rose in the morning, he woke up, looked down at her and just smiled.