A/N: This is one I have been working on for, literally, years! It's mostly prewritten, just a couple chapters left on the end, so I wanted to go ahead and get it out there and get some feedback. You'll probably notice as the story goes on, the change in writing.

Also, I do want to speak to the religious themes: they're honestly not meant to offend anyone. If they do, I apologize, and recommend you not continue reading the story.

Well ... hope you enjoy! Oh, and remember to review!

A cool summer breeze blew through his dark curls, and he felt a warm rain drop fall on his arm. He let her words sink in as more drops followed. Knowing there was really only one thing he could do, he got into his car and started it, dialing his fiancé as he drove away.

---

“What a great concert, eh? I’m so excited about the shots I got.” Selia put the lens cap back on her camera and put all of her equipment safely away in her camera bag.

“As usual. As for the shots you got, you did get more than just Malakye, right?” Taryn teased her cousin.

Selia stuck her tongue out in reply. “So I have a little crush, big deal.”

“Selia, it’s more than a crush. You have been in love with Malakye since you realized you were attracted to him at all. And it’s only been six months.”

“I am not in love. It’s honestly just a little crush. And anyway, he’s five years older than I am and I am not in love, thank you very much. I can be normal around him. We wrote that song together, remember?”

“Yeah, and I heard everyday how well you two got along and how excited you were when he referred to you as his friend.”

“Okay, enough of this conversation,” Selia said as they got into Taryn’s mom’s van. “Are you going to Matt and Caitlin’s wedding on Saturday?”

“Yep, are you?”

“Uh-huh. My mom is dropping me off at the church and then I’m riding over to the reception with Landon.”

“Yeah, I’ll meet you at the church, and I think I’m riding with Landon to the reception too.”

“Awesome.”

Selia bid her cousin and aunt good night and went in to bed, Malakye’s face floating in her mind the whole time.

--

“You look great,” Selia complimented Taryn. “Cute skirt.”

“Thanks, I like your dress. Trying to impress somebody?”

“Hush. Let’s go sit.” The girls found a seat in the sanctuary and the ceremony began. Selia felt a little bad, but her eyes were on Malakye, Matt’s brother and one of the groomsmen, most of the time. His dark hair and sparkly blue eyes were too much.

She hadn’t always been attracted to him. At first, he was just a cool guy that hung out with the youth group. But then, last Christmas, she and Taryn were talking about him and Selia found herself in love. He had helped her write a song for a friend who was moving away, helped her get it recorded onto a CD and everything. Selia thought they were getting to be friends more than they were acquaintances, but his relationship with Molly, an older girl from the youth group had interfered. For the last couple weeks since then, she had pretty much kept tabs from a distance.

At the reception, the maid of honor and best men gave their speech, everyone ate and then it was time for dancing. Selia danced with several of the guys from her youth group and had a great time. It was almost time for her to go when Malakye approached her.

“Selia … may I have this dance?” he asked.

“Um, sure.” She took his hand and he led her out onto the dance floor as Lonestar’s “Amazed” played. Selia smiled as he put his arms around her, and sang the words to her, softly in her ear, as they danced.

“Selia?”

“Mmhmm?”

“We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah, sure. Why?”

Malakye shrugged. “You’ve just been a little shady lately.”

“Things have just been hectic, I guess,” Selia replied.

“So we’re cool?”

“Definitely.”

The couple resumed the dance, and this time Malakye pulled her closer. Selia caught Molly’s eye over Malakye’s shoulder; if only looks could kill, the older girl might just have had her way.

--

“Hey man, I really appreciate everything,” Matt said as he hugged his younger brother.

“Anytime,” Malakye replied, hugging back. “Have a great honeymoon.”

“Yeah, we will.” Matt checked to see that Caitlin was still saying her goodbyes. “I saw you dancing with Selia.”

“So?”

“So … did you say anything to her?”

“No, why would I?”

Matt gave him a look. “C’mon, Kye. We talked about this. Did you decide you don’t feel anything for her?”

“I don’t know, Matt,” Malakye sighed. “She’s so beautiful and funny and smart and talented. I just … she’s fifteen years old. It would be the church scandal of the century.”

“Hey, she’ll be sixteen in a few months.” Matt saw that his joke failed. “You don’t decide who God chooses for you.”

“I know, it’s just-”

“Matt, sweetie, you ready?” Caitlin called.

“One second, honey.” Matt turned back to his brother. “Pray about it, okay? We’ll talk more when I get back.”

As Matt headed off to his honeymoon, Malakye was left alone in the parking lot, wondering who he would share his nuptial experiences with.

--

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, and soon a year had passed. It was the end of the school year, and that summer Selia was turning seventeen. Everything was supposed to be great, but it wasn’t. Her parents had separated a few weeks before, so Selia spent a lot of time at Taryn’s house. Everything with her parents had been happy, and then, suddenly, her mother loved another man. Her outgoing personality diminished and she drew into herself, not sure who to trust anymore. She kept this to herself at youth group, telling everyone she was fine, and doing her best to pretend that it was the truth; Taryn was the only one who knew what was going on.

One Sunday night, Selia wandered outside and sat on the ground between the parking lot and the grass. She looked up at the sky and tried to get her head straight. It didn’t work. As strong as her faith was, it was really being tested now. Everything familiar was being taken from her; she prayed to God as the tears fell down her cheeks, begging him to help her understand.

She didn’t realize how hard she was crying until she felt arms encircle her from behind. She turned and buried her head into the person’s shoulder, letting everything out. She said nothing out loud, but kept praying in her mind. Her pleas for understanding were now mixed with thanks for whoever this was that was holding her, telling her that everything would be all right. After about ten minutes, she had calmed enough to wipe her eyes and look to see who had helped her.

“Malakye …” she whispered.

“I know Taryn usually helps you with stuff like this, but she and Andy look like they are in a pretty intense conversation. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, it’s fine. I actually didn’t even hear you come up behind me.”

Malakye nodded. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Only if you can keep it to yourself.”

“It’s a promise.” He sat himself down beside her, prepared to listen.

Selia took a deep breath. “It’s my parents. My mom left my dad for another man about a month ago. I know it could be worse, but it’s like … for me, this is the worst. I don’t know how to handle it. I feel like I’ve been betrayed, almost. You know? For the last seventeen years, they’ve been happy, always seemed so in love, and now … it’s all gone. Nothing is familiar anymore, and it’s like … if I can’t trust my parents, who can I trust? And I just don’t understand it either. My father is a good man. He works hard, and he’s never denied us anything he could afford.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know what to tell you. Nothing like this has ever happened to me. I do know what it feels like to be at your worst though. I know how cliché this sounds, but you just have to let go and let God. This happened for a reason, Selia. Maybe it’s one that’s just hard to see, or maybe it’s one that doesn’t exist yet, but there is a reason.”

Selia nodded. “Thanks, Kye. I really appreciate it.”

They stood up and he hugged her. She hugged back, tightly, as though hanging on for her life. Ironic that it was Malakye who was there for her that night. She pulled back to say something to him, and found him staring into her eyes.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Malakye replied, shaking his head. “It’s nothing. I’ll see you Wednesday, okay?”

“Sure. Bye.”

--

Selia packed everything up at the end of her photography class. It was her last class of the day, and she liked that the day ended so well. Occasionally, when she was having trouble with a print, she would be frustrated, but still she could relax in the dark room and just focus on her prints. As usual, she had worked past the bell on this day, and knew Taryn was waiting out front for her. As she was walking out the door, her teacher stopped her.

“I’ve been looking at your prints from your last few shoots; this is the same band, isn’t it?” Mrs. James asked.

Selia nodded. “South/Southwest. Um, some guys I go to church with have had the band for awhile, and I really like their music, so I take a lot of shots at their shows.”

Mrs. James closed the folder and handed a flyer to her student. “I want you to look at this. K42 Records, you’ve heard of them?”

“Of course. It’s the halfway point between nowhere and somewhere for music artists.”

“Exactly. They’re looking for someone to do promo shots of all of their bands. I want to put in some of your work; I think your shots are just what they’ve been looking for.”

“But college --”

“I’m not saying don’t go to college, by any means,” Mrs. James interrupted. “But your work is exceptional; I’m not at all saying that further training would ruin you, but for the work you’re looking to do, I think you’ll improve best with hands-on training.”

Selia folded the paper in half and promised her teacher that she would think about it. Going straight in to the career field was not something that she could complain about for sure, but she had plans for college and knew that her father was expecting her to go. Of course, getting a job with K42 would mean staying around town and staying close to her family and friends. She told Taryn about it right away when she got to the parking lot.

“Are you going to do it?”

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t be bad, staying around here, you know, being around you and my dad and everyone. I’ve just never pictured myself staying here after high school.”

“If you stay, Selia, there will be a reason. God doesn’t bring these opportunities up for nothing.”

“You’re right; I just want to do the right thing.”

“I know what you mean. You might as well submit your work to K42, just to see what happens. Then, if you don’t get an offer from them, you’ll know. And you‘ve still got all of senior year to decide about college.”

Selia thought this over for a moment. “That’s a good thought.”

“Yes, I know, I’m brilliant,” Taryn joked. Selia laughed with her, but felt more tense than she was acting. Once at Selia’s, Taryn pulled in to the driveway to drop her cousin off.

“Hey, South/Southwest concert Friday night. You in?”

“Of course,” Selia replied.