Read The God Box for Free Online

her calls and wandered across the cafeteria. I watched him, curious who he'd sit with, but I wasn't able to see where he ended up. When I glanced back at Angie and Dakota, both were glowering at me."What?" I asked innocently."You know what." Dakota's gray eyes were smoldering."Why didn't you say anything?" Angie elaborated."Because he's right." I tossed down my chicken wing. "He is breaking up our group.""No, he's not!" Dakota argued. "Elizabeth's the one breaking it up."Angie clenched her jaw, not saying another word. I knew that meant she was angry. But what could I say? I focused on my chicken till the bell rang.After school, when I met Angie in the seniors' lot to go to choir practice, she didn't toss me her car keys. Instead, she drove.Halfway to church she said, "Can I ask you something?"From experience I knew that that question signaled the start of an argument.
    I sat up in my seat, bracing myself. "Yeah.""Why don't you like him?"Obviously, she meant Manuel. I took a breath and chose my words carefully. "It's not that I don't like him. I just don't want to hang out with him. And I don't think you should either."Angie stopped the car for a red light and gave me a sideways glance. "Are you jealous of him?"37"Jealous?" The question confused me. "He's gay! Why would I be jealous?""I don't know." She turned the car into the church parking lot. I slid down in my seat, irritated by the conversation. "He's bad news.""Well,"
    Angie said, "if you don't want to hang out with him, that's up to you. But I don't care if he is gay.
    I like him.""Fine." I gave a shrug, not wanting to argue anymore.After choir practice she didn't invite me over for dinner. When I asked if she wanted to come over to my house, she merely said,
    "I can't tonight. Thanks."Once I arrived home, I tried my best to put any more thoughts of Manuel out of my mind. I made my pa and me meat loaf and corn for dinner. Later that evening I was doing homework at my computer when an IM from GetReal_BeReah^i2 appeared:Sup? I hope I didn't screw up u guys 'friendship with Elizabeth.I stared at the message, debating whether to respond. I didn't want to encourage him. Finally, I typed, That's okay.Manuel replied at once: If u don't want to talk to me at school, just tell me.His words made me feel like a creep. Could he tell I didn't want to be seen with him? Our town and school were too small to truly avoid someone.
    Besides, even when I disliked somebody, I always tried my best to get along.My leg jiggled nervously as I told Manuel, Don't worry about it.I hoped that might end our conversation, but unfortunately, he seemed to take it as an invitation to friendship: Wanna hang out this weekend?My hands fumbled across the keyboard. I'm kind of busy with a concert at church.I waited, hoping he'd take the hint.38OK, he replied. Good luck with it. Knock 'em alive!I let out a sigh. Later, when I said my prayers and reviewed the day's events, one question Angie had asked kept reverberating in my brain: Was I jealous of Manuel?I still didn't understand why she'd asked that--and I had no idea what to pray in response.39

Chapter 8
    EVEN THOUGH I HAD TOLD MANUEL IT WAS OKAY TO TALK TO ME AT SCHOOL, I
    STILL FELT NERVOUS ABOUT IT. WHEN I GOT TO HOMEROOM THE FOLLOWING
    MORNING, I HUNG OUT AT MY LOCKER AND CHATTED WITH FRIENDS, WAITING
    FOR THE BELL TO RING BEFORE GOING IN TO SIT BESIDE HIM.My fears weren't groundless. As the week progressed, the stares and whispers about him multiplied:"Did you hear that new guy is gay} He said so himself.""Oh, my God! You serious? That's so gross\"On Friday afternoon when the final bell rang, I bolted out the door, welcoming the weekend.Saturday morning, I slept till nearly noon. Then I spent most of the afternoon doing homework and chores: laundry, vacuuming, washing Pa's truck...Around six, Raquel came over for dinner with Pa. After gabbing with her a while, I drove over to Angie's. Saturday was our regular date night. We almost always did the same