Jesus Freaks: The Prodigal (Jesus Freaks #2)(34)

“I know,” he replies half-heartedly. “But you guys do a lot of hugging for guy-girl friends, don’t you think? Like, would you be hugging her so much if you had a girlfriend?”

I laugh, but try to keep it to a minimum so I don’t offend Jonah. “So much? Jonah, bud, we’ve hugged twice. Yes, both times have been this week, but they’ve both happened when she’s been really upset. I’m just there for her. She feels really … alone.” I wince internally, hoping I haven’t given anything away.

“Just be careful, man.” Jonah claps my shoulder. “It’s so easy for lines to get blurred. If you want to date her, date her. If you want to be her friend, be her friend. But, if one of you thinks your relationship is something more than it is, then both of you will end up getting hurt.”

“You’ve known Eden for a long time, right?”

Jonah nods. “Like ten years, I guess.”

I stop at the entrance to our dorm. “And you mean to tell me that in the ten years before you two started dating you never once gave her a hug?”

His cheeks turn a little red, which he tries to disguise by clearing his throat.

“No,” he answers with a small grin. “Never.”

My eyes widen. “You’re lying.”

The thing about Jonah is, I know he’s not lying. He may not say much, but when he does open his mouth, nothing but truth comes out.

He shakes his head and opens the door to our building. “No I’m not, I’m serious.”

“How long have you liked her?” I challenge as we make our way up the stairs.

“Dude!” He cracks into laughter. I’ve flustered him.

“Dude,” I echo when we reach our floor.

Jonah sighs and growls a little. “You know how it is, man. I mean, we met at summer camp. Sure the girls had to all wear one-pieces,” his voice drops to a whisper, “but come on, I liked all of them at some point. At least I thought I did.”

“Why didn’t you ever hug her, though?” I press.

Jonah’s face turns from playful to thoughtful. “Come on, you know enough about Eden by now. A girl like her? I knew she had a full, bursting heart and I prayed about it like crazy. I knew that if she was the one for me, I would need to approach a relationship when I was ready for one—because she’s so intense about her love for God and her ideals of a partner … I just didn’t want to break her heart.”

“So are you guys engaged?”

He looks at me like I’m crazy and shakes his head. “We just started dating!”

“So you could still break her heart then, huh?”

He sighs. “I guess. And she could break mine, too. I know what you’re saying, man, I do. And I’m not suggesting a hug means you’re Kennedy’s boyfriend now. I’m just saying … be careful, okay? You know how fuzzy those lines can get. Then, before you know it—”

“There’s no way out,” I finish his sentence. He’s one of the few guys on this campus that knows my whole story.

“It’s not just about her heart,” Jonah finishes before turning for his room. “It’s about yours.”

After Jonah disappears behind his door, I shuffle toward mine. Just because I’ve given up on my own heart, does that mean I need to jeopardize someone else’s?





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





Booty


Kennedy.




Spending a Saturday studying for an Old Testament exam was about as exciting as you could imagine, but it paid off—a week later I received a well-deserved “A” on the exam. I’ve had a mix of A’s and B’s in that class, but they all come with extreme effort. I’m certain I wouldn’t work so hard at Yale or Cornell. I’d bet money on it.

If gambling were allowed here.

I’m almost bummed to be packing for the trip back to Connecticut for Thanksgiving Break. Almost. Despite the insanity surrounding everything with Roland, the last week has been relatively quiet. Jahara, Roland’s assistant, was able to push back any further interviews with the Today Show until Winter Break, allowing me the space and peace to finish my first semester here.

And, I feel like I’ve finally settled in here. Despite everything going on, I’ve developed a routine of work, church, and home—as my grandfather used to say. Roland’s last couple of sermons have been completely Kennedy-free, and he’s stuck to the sermon series he’d begun when the semester started. Hundred-percenters is what he’s encouraging the students to be. One hundred percent for Jesus, one hundred percent of the time.

While I don’t know if I have a percentage attached to my enthusiasm, my focus on God has begun to shift from viewing him as a spiritual overseer to Jesus—the human and divine God walking among humans. And, what did he say? What did he instruct? That view-shift from God to the human Jesus has begun stirring my relationship with him in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all of that, yet, but it’s there. Churning just below the surface.

“When does your train leave?” Eden asks, packing her purple duffel bag.

I glance at the time on my computer. “Later this afternoon. Maggie’s driving me to the train station soon. What are you all doing for Thanksgiving?” I ask of my roommates.