Where I Wanna Be (11 page)

On the pastor’s left, was their only daughter, Faith. While Eli stood up and applauded with the rest of the parishioners, he only focused on Faith. She was petite, probably just a few inches over five feet and yet her bearing made her seem statuesque. The pastel blue gown contrasted with her dark chocolate skin tone. Faith had her long black hair up in a ponytail and wore light makeup that complemented her. She smiled and waved at every person she interacted with. When her eyes landed on Eli, she winked at him before she moved on to another parishioner.

It seemed like there was a glow, an aura that surrounded Faith as she moved down the aisle. If Eli thought he was going to marry Faith before, he definitely knew it when he saw her in church.

Throughout the ceremony, Eli was focused on Faith. The way she interacted with people, how polite she was, how enthusiastic she was during some songs. When she got up to speak about her parents and being raised in the church, he hung on her every word. She had such class and dignity, being full of confidence and intelligence.

Eli was used to the hood-rats; the type female who wanted to have sex without even knowing what his last name was. He easily accommodated the women and quickly moved on to the next one whenever he got bored.

But Faith, though… Ms. Faith Sheppard, as she was introduced to the congregation… she was different.

Once the service was over, Eli hurriedly made his way to Faith and waited for her to finish meeting with other church members. The moment she was free, Eli found his opportunity and seized upon it. He casually walked up to her and smiled. “That was a beautiful speech you gave about your parents.”

“
Thank you.” Faith smiled. “I didn’t know you were a parishioner here as well.”

“
Normally, I’m not. I came here because my mother was invited by one of her co-workers.” Eli replied. “So this is your dad’s church, huh?”

“
I was born and raised here.” Faith looked around at the church. It started small, in a shopping center, and eventually grew to mega-church status. Her father was already televising on local cable TV for a broader audience. It was a matter of time before he made the rounds of the international religious networks.

“
I was wondering if I could take you out, sometime. I promise to have you home before your curfew.”

“
I don’t have a curfew,” Faith replied, “but I don’t date your kind.”

Eli could still hear Meredith’s words ringing in his ear when his mother confronted her about him and Simone. “My kind? What kind is that?”

Faith walked closer to Eli and wrapped her hand around his head, pulling him down to her level. Her lips tickled his ear. “The kind that’s bad for me,” she whispered.

Eli wrapped his arms around Faith’s waist. She felt so heavenly pressed against his body. She was a good girl and he was going to treat her as such, despite his lustful urges begging him to do otherwise. “I can be really good for you, if you let me,” he whispered back.

“
Mmm, mmm,” David cleared his throat, causing Faith to pull away from Eli. “Faith Marie, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?”

“
Sure,” Faith smoothed her hands over her gown and brought Eli to her father, “Daddy, this is my new friend, Eli D’Amato. Eli, this is my father, the Reverend David Sheppard.”

David eyed Eli up and down as he shook the young man’s hand. Had he not caught his daughter in a sensual embrace with Eli, David might have been impressed by him. Instead, he knew Eli’s type before Faith had to say a word—the type who would run wild with his daughter, having her stay out to all hours of the night, and possibly knocking her up before wedlock.

He was going to put a stop to Eli before Faith had a chance to. “Pleasure to meet you, son,” the pastor smiled.

He was already scoping her out. Well, attempting to scope her out. He really had no idea where to start.

Roth High School was big—a population of 2500 students from ninth to twelfth grade. Classrooms had at least forty students in them; some topping off at fifty. It was spread out over a city block and out of the three high schools in St. George, Roth was considered the best one due to a high graduation rate, national test scores, and its athletic program.

In later years, Eli would not care about any of that. He would tell his future children it was the place he courted their mother.

He was on a modified schedule during his senior year. He had taken so many classes and had more than enough credits to graduate early. But his mother was afraid Eli would be out running around in the streets and encouraged him to stay in school and graduate with his friends.

Now Eli had another reason to stay in school—the incomparable Faith Sheppard.

Had he noticed her before? Probably. He must have. There was no way a girl—a woman, really—with such class, style… the epitome of grace could go unnoticed. Maybe she was like a ghost, coursing through the school campus seemingly unnoticed and barely above a whisper.

Worse yet, Faith was in his class. She was a senior just like him. So Eli felt even more stupid for not noticing her. They probably had classes together. She had probably seen him in study hall. And yet, he had no idea she even existed until a few days ago.

“
You seem to be looking for someone.”

Eli was startled at the soft voice. He looked over and saw Faith beside him. She was wearing black frames and had her hair in a tight bun. Completing her look were jeans, a long sweater, and sneakers. She looked unassuming. She looked to blend in. She looked like… everyone else. It didn’t take Eli very long to figure out that was what Faith wanted to do all along.

“
I’m looking for you, actually.” Eli smiled. He offered to take Faith’s backpack and she let him carry it. “You already put some sort of spell on me.”

Faith smiled. She couldn’t tell if Eli was being sincere or that was the same line he used on many other girls. “How so?”

“
I never noticed you before and yet I’m carrying your backpack,” Eli glanced over to Faith. “I normally don’t do this.”

“
Why am I the exception and not the rule?” She asked.

“
Because you’re a good girl.” Eli replied back. “You’re different.”

“
I’m not naïve.”

“
I didn’t say that.” Eli defended.

“
I’m not gullible.”

“
I didn’t say that, either.” He smiled.

“
I’m a virgin,” Faith blurted. She immediately stopped walking with Eli. She silently cursed herself and closed her eyes tightly. Why did she feel the need to admit that information to Eli? Why would he care? Great. Now getting into her pants was probably a priority for him and she just gave him directions on how to do so.

“
That’s cool.” He quietly replied.

Faith opened her eyes. “What?”

“
I think there’s something nice and sweet about a virgin.” Eli shrugged. He had already figured Faith was a virgin but he didn’t want to make too many assumptions. He had heard too many stories of the children of preachers. “It doesn’t make me look at you any differently.”

“
I guess everyone is expecting me to be some sort of wild child because of my dad,” Faith explained. “I’m not innocent, but I’m not a slut.”

“
You’re explaining yourself to me and you don’t have to,” Eli replied, “I really wouldn’t care if you weren’t a virgin.”

Faith began walking with Eli again. “I thought most guys love being a girl’s first.”

Eli briefly remembered his first time with Simone. He had never been so damn nervous in his life. It was an experience he would rather forget and not repeat. “I guess some guys do.” They walked up to her homeroom and waited by the door. “So….”

“
So…” Faith repeated with a smile.

“
Would you like to have lunch with me?” He asked. “No hand-holding. No kissing. No hugging. I doubt I’ll even shake your hand.”

“
I’m a virgin, not contagious, Eli.” Faith corrected.

Eli smiled at his own foolishness. “I might hold your hand if you let me.” He replied. “Is that better?”

“
That’s much better,” Faith smiled, “and yes, I would like to go out to lunch with you.”

When lunch broke, Eli met Faith off-campus at the mall not too far away from the school. He paid for her meal and they conversed about everything under the sun. Within the hour, Eli’s point of view of Faith had changed. Maybe he thought churchgoing girls were innocents, prudish, and lived in a bubble. Faith was the opposite. She knew about current events, talked about her love for hip-hop and R&B music, and had a love for sports. She loved everything that had to do with hair and was eager to study to be a cosmetologist.

She was perfect.

Her name was Faith Sheppard but Eli knew she was going to be Faith D’Amato. He felt a strong pull from her he didn’t feel even for Simone. He couldn’t explain but he just wanted to be with Faith. Forever.

“
I think it’s time we should be heading back, don’t you think?” Faith glanced at her watch.

Her voice jerked Eli out of his daydreaming. “Um, sure.” He smiled and gathered both trays to put them away. He then led Faith to his car and they headed back to school. Once they arrived, they sat in the parking lot for a while listening to music in a comfortable silence.

“
I would love to date you, Faye,” Eli broke the silence when one song ended.

It was a nickname Eli would always call her, and Faith fell in love with it immediately. “We only spent an hour together, Eli. You don’t know me.”

“
I want to get to know you.” He persisted. “I know you’re a traditional girl and I respect that. But I just want to see where this goes, Faye.” He grabbed her hand and lightly rubbed it with a thumb. “Is there something wrong with that?”

Little bolts of magnetic energy zapped through Faith’s core as Eli rubbed her hand. “I told you, you were bad for me.” She shook her head.

“
How am I bad for you?” Eli purred. “I’m just talking to you.”

“
You’re causing emotions within me that are not good,” Faith looked over at him, “have you ever heard of the seven deadly sins?”

Eli was very familiar with the sins. He currently had a penchant for lust. “Go on.”

“
I never had to deal with any of the sins because I always kept to myself. I never had a vice. Some of my friends drink; I’m not into that. Some of my friends smoke; I’m not into that, either.” Faith explained.

Eli had a feeling where Faith was going with the next obvious sin on the list. “There’s one you’re not mentioning…”

Faith smiled at Eli. Just as she contemplated how much she wanted to reveal to Eli, the bell signaling for class rang. “I need to go to class now, Eli.” She got out of the car and gathered her backpack.

“
Wait a minute,” Eli rushed to her. He stood close to her and softly caressed her cheek. “You’re not going to tell me what sin is making you curious?”

Faith sighed. “You already know, Eli.”

“
I told you, Faye, I won’t do anything that will make you uncomfortable. I’ll respect your boundaries.”