layed every word he'd said to me over and over, holding onto the moment as my o

r the most part, he kept his distance. Yet, those small gestures were enough to keep

approached me as I was packing up my b

said, leaning casua

p, startle

ng a hand through his hair in that effortless way he always did. "And I was won

compliment. "Oh, um, sur

nother dimpled grin. "Thanks

thought he genuinely needed my help. He'd drop off his notebooks with a sheepish smile a

work you do for him?" Stephanie ask

" I said, though I

on. You're practically doing all his homewor

, though her words planted

r chair, crossing her arms.

said quickly, my

lmost sympathetic. "You're too nice for you

a stack of assignments, his ton

th," he said. "Y

se. He just walked away, leaving me standing

echoed in my min

lf that it wasn't true. Daniel wasn't

•

ings weren'

more intense with each passing day, as if

as we sat around the dinner table. "What

plied quickly, a

work and more time in the Word," he s

, Fa

r, bad company corrupts good morals. Focus on your s

oughts were miles away, circling around Daniel and

hing, with Father nodding along to every word like an eager disciple. Stephanie

members of the congregation. Stephanie herself would pass me amus

Stephanie would pull me aside and whisper abou

she said one Sunday as we stood o

eplied. "You k

not going to live under their roof forever.

me, gnawing at the

ernoon when Daniel handed me ye

said, not even botheri

y. Just a careless shrug, as if it were the most

he papers, feeling a stran

echoed in my min

t time, I co

ept in, I couldn't b

in too