I said, “Huh?”

Chapter 2

“WHAT’S YOUR REASON FOR WANTING to remain sexually pure?” the friendly lady repeated, shoving the mic in my face. My stomach churned so loud I was afraid it’d come through the surround sound. Everybody in the place was waiting. Kiera included.

I leaned in and said, “Because I love God.”

Casual Churchgoer pro tip: know the appropriate answers. When you did something good, and someone asked why you did it: “Because I love God.” If you did something bad, and someone asked why you shouldn’t do it again: “Because God loves me.” If you threw a Bible verse on top of it, even better. I wasn’t so great at that, so I kept it simple.

My heart rammed my sternum in the silence that followed. A lone moth fluttered across the sanctuary.

Then, the church went stadium crazy. Claps, shouts, cheers. I wondered if I was going to get a Super Bowl ring.

“That’s awesome,” said the woman. “Bless you, young man.”

She moved on to Kiera. “And you?”

Kiera said, “I also love God. And I want to be sure I’m with someone who loves me the way He does before I give away any part of myself, because I value my body. My temple. First Corinthians 6:18 says: ‘Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits—’”

Her answer was comprehensive. Debate team worthy. She got those good chastity belt cheers, same as me, and the mic went down the line. Everyone’s answer was some version of what me and Kiera already said. Jameer Sesay was last to go.

He was a dude I only knew by reputation, his name and face mounted in the cafeteria under our class banner every grading period for Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance. Type of guy who said hi to teachers he wasn’t even taking classes with. I expected a State of the Virginity Address from him, but when asked the magic question, he gave the shortest answer. “God.”

By then, you could feel the end-of-service fatigue in the room; he still got the victory cheers, though.

The lady wrapped it up with, “Purity Pledge will be a ground-breaking, heart-changing, soul-enriching journey. At the end of this eight-week period—”

Eight? Weeks?

“—these young people will be ambassadors of God serving as positive influences for their peers and the community at large. The course culminates with our Purity Ball, where the parents, and any of you in the congregation who wish to attend, can bear witness as they pledge, before the Lord, abstinence until the day they’re married. I’m so excited, by—”

“Amen, Sister Vanessa,” Pastor Newsome said, reaching for his microphone.

She—Vanessa—lost her smile; she passed the mic. Newsome swept a hand from us to the congregation, giving us permission to return to our seats. Kiera broke formation first. Of course, I was right behind her, enjoying the view, because that dress, oh my Gawd. Kiera was what you’d call slim thick. There are whole Instagram accounts dedicated to booties like hers. How could I not follow her? And the rest followed me.