Something about her tone, something pointed, drew my attention. When I glanced up, my stomach clenched. Kiera did not have her head bowed, or her eyes closed. She stared directly at me.

My phone slipped from my hand, clattered to the floor. My neck craned, searching for any other witnesses. A few chins tilted in my direction, but all other eyes remained squeezed shut. Just me and Kiera, in an uncomfortable staring contest.

“Let us all be faithful to the vow we made before you on Sunday,” she said, sneering, “as Ephesians 5:6 states, ‘Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient!’ In your name we pray. Amen!”

Sister Vanessa’s eyes popped open, her smile crooked and confused. “My, that was certainly passionate. Amen.”

Kiera continued staring me down, and something stubborn in me refused to look away. Did others in the room see this? How could they not? Sister Vanessa definitely did a double take, though I was unsure what she read in the moment. I was unsure what I read in the moment. Whatever she saw, she felt compelled to beckon me over. “Del, would you come up for this next part, please?”

Helena, one of the younger girls, giggled when I stood. The sound became a contagion infecting everyone on the girls’ side of the classroom except Mya, who looked as confused as I felt.

Kiera crossed her arms tight over her chest, and she had the stern teacher’s look I’d expected from Sister Vanessa. Our Purity Pledge leader remained sunny while I dragged my ass to the whiteboard.

“Where’s your Bible?” asked Sister Vanessa.

“Uh, I left it in the car.” So that was a lie, in church. I didn’t have my own Bible. I always read from the old, cracked-spine copies in those cubbies on the back of the pews.

Something hard and angular pressed into my palm. Jameer stretched over our table to pass me his Bible. I took it, grateful.

Sister Vanessa said, “Can one of you find Psalm 51:10 while the other turns to Matthew 5:8?”

Kiera flipped her Bible open, leafed through a few pages. “Got it.”

I was still on the table of contents. “Which one did you do?”

“Psalms.”

“Sweet. Love those Psalms.” I struggled to find the book of Matthew—was that in the Old Testament, or the New? Sister Vanessa prompted Kiera to read.

“‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.’”

“Del?” said Sister Vanessa.

“Right. Matthew 5:8.” I was in the book, but overshot the chapter and verse. I flipped pages and tried not to look up, though all eyes were on me. “Got it. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.’”

“Excellent,” Sister Vanessa said. “Why do you think I asked you to read those verses? What do they have in common?”

The question was tossed out casually; anyone could’ve answered. Kiera said, “I’m sure Del knows.”