She stayed awake all night, practicing in her room, until her eyes became weary, her eyelids heavy, they flickered slowly, she pushed her guitar aside and closed her eyes, fell on her bed, allowing the sleep to overtake her.
Next morning, the alarm rang, her head wiggled, without looking, her hands roamed; searching for source of their irritation and switched off the alarm. She flipped herself, her back on the mattress and yawned, muttered under her breath. "Stupid Robby" she blamed Robby for her lack of sleep.
Solana then dragged herself to the bathroom, staggering like a zombie, she awkwardly walked with bags under her eyes. Lethargically, turned the flauset, water flowed from the tap. "Thank Goodness for modern plumbing" 'If I hadn't transmigrated, I would still be drawing buckets of water from the well, early in the morning.' 'Tough life' she sighed.
Solana walked down the stairs, with a light bounce in her steps and a pleasant smile on her face. Still in her nightgown, she headed to the kitchen, her eyes suryed and saw Dad behind the counter. She noticed, he was formally dressed. 'Maybe, he is going to work?' Solana tapped her finger on the table, said "What's the occasion? Are you going somewhere?"
"Today it is Sunday, don't you know? Church." he said, pouring the coffee into the mug and handed it to her.
Solana wondered what the church looked like now and how much had it changed in the 21st century? curious, Solana said "Can I come?"
Puzzled, he raised a brow, said "Are you sure? normally you don't like, to go to church."
"And didn't you say 'I don't believe in God?"
Solana's eyes twitched, her nose wrinkled. 'I never said that! Back in my century, I did believe in Jesus, the God of the Roman Catholic church, and after transmigrating to this world, I now firmly believe in God! I don't get it, why didn't the previous Solana believe in God?'
Solana calmly replied "Yes, I have said those words before because I truly didn't understand him or anything spiritual at that time. But now, I have decided to give it a chance. So, can I please come to church?"
Henry bewildered, he looked at her strangely and said "Fine. Then you better dress up fast, I will be leaving soon" "I can't find a reason to argue" he mumbled, then he suddenly, exclaimed "Mom" excited, he dialed his phone. He lifted his head off the phone when he realized Solana was still in the room and sheepishly smiled. "Sorry" he awkwardly ran away.
Solana ignored and ate her breakfast quickly and rushed to her room. Inside her closet, she pushed the clothes on the rack, while she scanned them, tried to find something appropriate for Church. 'Where are the veils or the head scarfs? I checked everywhere! What should I do? Maybe, I don't need one, since time have changed many things!' 'Oh, this is a good one!' She changed into a modest white sundress with blue florals, the hem stopped below her knees. She hummed, styled her hair into a braided ponytail, with flowery hair clips, locking them in their place. Solana added light makeup to cover the bags and then choose a matching bag and accessories.
When she went down, she shouted "Dad, I am ready let's go!" she waited and wasn't able to get a response, she searched for him. She heard the car horn, 'He was outside the whole time' she sighed and rushed out.
Inside his car, he shouted "Get in and don't forget to lock the door, I kept the keys on the outdoor table." Solana did as he said and hopped in, closing the door shut.
The cool air hit her face, from the rear mirror, Solana saw his gentle smile. 'He seems to be in a good mood!' the car moved, she looked out and observed the road.
An hour later, car drove through the Church entrance, vertically parked the car and got off.
Solana paused, a white structure towered over them, with wide, rustic window and a cross on top. The architecture resembled a bit of a medival church, with a few incrinate designs and workmanship. She followed behind her father, a pastor was preaching on the pulpit.
"Today, I will be talking about the victory, lets see what the word says?" the pastor preached in the background.
'Wait! why didn't Dad do the sign of the cross before entering?'
Solana studied the interior, it had a huge cross on elevated platform, with rows of benches aligned around it. 'Where is the priest? Who is this guy? He seems to be explaining the scriptures.' Solana wanted to ask her father a question, without looking, he predicted and softly said "I know but not now, questions later"
"Shh" Henry hushed, they quietly seated themselves, five rows from the stage, Solana listened for a while.
She felt a stare, turned her head sideways, her eyes searched and landed on a familiar person. A couple of rows behind, on the right hand side, her eyes grazed his buzz hair and focused, it was Jacob. 'What is he doing here? I didn't know he was a Christian too.' Jacob tilted his head, for a brief moment, their eyes let. Caught by surprise, Solana flustered and turned her head away. Solana pretend to listen, she sneakily glanced at Jacob, he was seated with his family, with Mr. John Coleman next to him. He caught her again and smiled, waving his hand to say 'hi'.
Solana lightly smiled before concentrating on the gospel.
-------
The meeting end with a prayer, some silently walked out, others stayed and mingled with other members of congregation. Solana's father, said under his breath "Come let's go!" They solemnly exited and walked down a flight of steps. A bright sun hung in the blue sky, casting his light, a warm ray touched, caressing her gentle features; her locks shinned and bounced along to her gait.
While she strolled to the parking lot, a hand tapped her shoulder, she looked behind and shrugged. A second later, a hand tapped her left shoulder, she glanced back and found nothing; sighed. Her head turned, her nose grazed against his, was taken aback by a pair of eyes and jerked her head; took a step back.
He said "Hey" and chuckled.
Her face scrunched, quickly calmed herself, she said "Hi Jacob!"
Jacob had his hands in his pockets, said "So, what's up?"
Solana glanced ahead and saw her father talking to his friends.
Solana absentmindedly said "Good"
Jacob said "It is great to see you again, but I never seen you at church before!"
Solana said "Oh, that's because I normally don't go with my Dad"
"I see, I am also not a serious believer, but the reason I am here because of my dad. Ahem... he forces me" Jacob nodded and said
"You mean Mr. Coleman?" Solana asked.
"Yeah, he can be really terrorfying sometimes... once he was so pissed, he chased me around the house with a belt in his hands when I came back home" He said, then laughed.
"Why did he do that?" Solana said.
Jacob controlled his laughter and said "Cuz, I used his car without his permission and went to my friend's party.... and I was way past my curfew, guess what time I came back?"
Solana thought for a while and said "I don't know, maybe nine o'clock"
"Nope, at six in the morning"
Solana gasped. "What?"
"Yeah baby, I am a bad boy" He smirked, bobbed his head, while he swaggered.
Solana giggled, amused, she said "I don't think that's something to take pride in?"
He shook his jacket, said "Well, Chicks dig bad boys!" and winked.
Solana raised a brow, unable to comprehend the meaning of chicks. 'I never knew chicks prefer bad boys but don't they eat grains? Is there a double meaning? which I am not aware.' she faked a laugh.
Jacob noticed her bewilderment, he said "Don't you know what I mean by 'chick'?..."
Solana nodded. "It is a slang, for girl"
"Oh" While they were chatting, "Hey, Solana"
A voice came from afar, among the crowd of church goers. The people parted, making for the boy with black hair, shouted and ran towards them.
He stopped in front of them, bended his back, with his hands on his knees and panted. He raised his sight, his earthly eyes glowed when he saw Solana and then changed into a murky water, his expression hardened and asked Jacob "Who are you?" his tone reflected his malice.
Jacob said "What's with that attitude? Dude, Chill!" he stepped back, his hands out, distancing himself from Robby.
'Don't tell me he is jealous?' Solana shook her head, folded her arms and watched them in silence.
Robby was about to say something, from the corner of his eyes he saw Solana's disapproval, he calmed down and shifted his mood like the shifting wind and said "Hey, I'm sorry dude"
Jacob said "It's okay, I am Jacob, you are Robert, right?"
Robby nodded "Solana's friend" he nodded again.
Robby said "Hi Solana, why are you here? didn't you say that you hate church meetings?"
Jacob squinted his eyes, his eyes darted between them, recognition dawned on his face and gasped while Robby conversed with Solana. He rubbed his chin, a few times he commented, feeling like a third wheel.
A man from far said "Robby let's go home!" Robby shouted "Yes, Dad" Robby looked at his shoes, shyly said to them "Okay, my Dad is calling me, I got to go!..."
Solana said "GoodBye" and Jacob next to her waved as well.
He slowly walked away, softly said "Bye"
Bored, Solana titled and saw her Dad with Mr. Coleman and his family. She sighed. Jacob said "Why don't we wait there?" he pointed at the stone bench under the tree. They both sat, Jacob said "By the way, did you get a chance to listen to my CD?" breaking the silence.
Solana went stiff, her nose wrinkled, before she mouted her words out, Jacob stared into her eyes and seriously said "You didn't, right?"
Seeing her cover blown, Solana nodded and said "How did you know?"
Amused, he chuckled "It wasn't hard for me to know, you eyes told me the truth!"
"What?"
He said "Yup, like Shakespeare said "The eyes are 'the windows to the soul' And I could see everything."
Solana blinked, she looked at her thighs, said "I'm sorry, I was so caught up and busy with college admissions and auditions, so I didn't get the chance to listen to your music."
Jacob said "It's all right.... wait! why did you say auditions?"
"Auditions?" Solana blankly repeated.
Jacob said "A normal college has no auditions!"
Solana said "Oh, that's because I am applying for a major in music."
Jacob said "Oh, So that means you can sing and play music?"
Solana smiled and said "Why, Yes? I can do both"
Jacob said "Wow, that's amazing!" he leaned his head and spoke into her ear, he whispered "How does your Dad feel about this?"
His breath brushed her earlobes, tickling Solana, she laughed and pushed his head away. She said "Not so close"
"My Dad was fine with it and even went all the way to hire a music teacher for me"
"Really" Jacob said, Solana nodded with a smile on her lips.
"Aw, so lucky! My dad wants me to become a lawyer or a mechanic" Jacob said and frowned.
Solana said "Why?"
Jacob said "He wants be to become a lawyer like him. You know 'Like father, like son'!"
Solana said "What about the mechanic?"
Jacob comically said "Oh that's because he wants a someone to fix his car for free"
They both laughed, her Dad called them, she greeted Jacob's parents and made small talk with them.
In the car, seated at the back, Solana rested her head on window with a smile on her face and thought about what Jacob said, he had invited her to record with him in the studio. She closed her eyes and tapped her fingers to the music playing in the background until the car reached home.