Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (30 page)

I roll my eyes and look at Declan, “I don’t need your mini-sermon right now, D.”

“Yeah, you do, you need to get over yourself.
It isn’t always about you, Miley. I love you like a sister, but sometimes your self-pity gets old.” Garrett’s words sting as they pierce my heart. I know he is right tears slide down my cheeks and I nod. “Geez Miley, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He quickly says his tone a little softer now.

“You’re right, I need to look beyond myself and look at the bigger picture.” My voice cracks and I can’t lose it here right in the middle of e
veryone. I stand and make a beeline for the bathroom barely hearing Declan yell at Garrett behind me.

My hands grip the edge of the white porcelain sink looking in the mirror at my reflection. I didn’t even realize how heavy my heart was until the tears release. Garrett is right I have been looking inwards and not out. I wipe tears aw
ay with the back of my hand.

“God forgive me.” I pray in a whisper as I stare at myself
. My eyes are red from the tears. “Forgive me for looking at myself and not to you. Help me to look beyond me and see the hurting. Help me draw near to you,” as soon as the soft words leave my mouth I can feel an overwhelming peace fall over me. God has met me right here in the girl’s rest room at Cambrooke High. He truly is everywhere. After I reapply the makeup the tears washed off, I make my way out.

Declan stands right outside the door waiting for me.
“Miley I am sorry about Ga…”

“It’s okay.” I interrupt him. “I needed to hear that.” I now am able with God’s help to hold my head high. I feel
like I can take on the world. Or at least high school anyway.

“Are you ready for our last first day assembly then?”  He asks me with a smile. Every year each class has their own time in the auditorium with Princip
le Turner. He goes over the handbook which pretty much never changes. It will be boring hearing the same old rules for the fourth time, but at least it is the last.

Being in here shows me how much everything has changed since last school year. Declan and I sit in the back
, last year I would have been in between Hudson and Jess, Ethan on the other side of Jess. This year I am not even speaking to any of them. Jaylynn of course is sitting where I normally would be. It’s like I have been replaced.  I do notice Ethan. Alone. He is thinner than he was last year and his eyes have black circles around them. He looks like he could use a haircut.

I always thought Jess was popular because of Ethan, I guess it must have been the other way around. “Look at Ethan.” I whisper to Declan. “He looks….” I can’t find the word to finish the sentence.

“Disturbed?” Declan finishes.

“Yeah, definitely not the Ethan Chambers from last year.”

“Well, a lot has changed since last year.” He says. “Last year you were stuck up.”

“I was not.” I slap his arm as I laugh. “I was shy.”

“A shy cheerleader, right.” He speaks with sarcasm and nods. “Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

“I was shy.” I huff.

“Okay.” He lifts an eyebrow with a smirk right before Mr. Turner stands in front of the senior class and silences the steady roar of the visiting peers before going over the student handbook with us for the final time.

By mid
-September I am in a routine and am able to avoid Hudson for the most part. I have been spending time with Abby and I am grateful to finally have true friends like Abby and Declan. I am sitting beside Declan in our first period Government class when the bell rings for class to start.

“Attention
Cambrooke student body.” A voice announces on the loud speaker. I recognize as Shelby Price, our student body president. “Today marks the beginning of the homecoming activities we’ll start by announcing the court candidates.” I look down at my purple spiral notebook and begin scribbling all over it with my pen. I want to keep my mind focused on something else as all my old friends are announced. “First for the queens we have Jess Abrams,” yeah, that doesn’t surprise me any. She sits up straight places a hand on her chest pretending she is surprised as everyone congratulates her. “Miley Davis.” My pen stops and I look at Declan wide-eyed as he smiles at me. I shake my head and barely hear the girls in our class congratulating me now. Then Shelby says the final name, Jaylynn Sparks. This surprises me she is only been at this school for three weeks. My mind is a fog and the only name I hear for king candidate is Hudson’s.  This cannot be happening. That was my old life. I don’t want any part of it.

I glance over at Jess again she is giving me a death stare. There is no way I can do this with Jess,
Jaylynn and Hudson. I have been doing a good job avoiding them. I can’t be on homecoming court with them.

I make a beeline for the office as soon as class lets out. “I don’t want to be homecoming queen.” I gasp frantically as I open the door.

“Now calm down, Miley.” The secretary says to me with her rehearsed smile she uses on all the students when she is annoyed.

I slap my hand on the counter in between us. “How do I get out of it?”

“Um, well, I don’t know. I don’t think anyone has ever wanted to get out of it before.” She removes the pencil from behind her ear. “I will make a note for Mr. Turner and let you know.”

I smile politely and thank her before I head back out as soon as I am out of the door Declan is standing right
outside it. “Is it that bad?” he asks me.

“Yes, it is. I don’t want that life anymore, D.  I have spent the last three weeks avoiding it and now I am thrown right in the middle of it again. You realize how much I am going to have to be around all of them?
My two worst enemies and my ex-boyfriend.”

“Why give them the satisfaction of quitting?” he shrugs.

I let out an irritated sigh; I can’t believe he doesn’t understand. “I have to get to class.” I push past him.

Chapter 29

I
sit down on the futon across from Lexi. She is in a rolling office chair but not behind her desk.

“Miley, how are you doing tonight?” she asks me.

I bite my lip holding back the stupid tears. “Not good.”

“Want to talk about it?” her long earrings dangle as she tilts her head.

“I was nominated for homecoming queen.”

Lexi
leans forward with a smile. “That is great news.”

“Not for me.” I shake my head, “That was the old Miley, before I was a new creation.” I take a long breath. “And I am up against
Jaylynn, my old best friend, Jess and my ex-boyfriend is up for homecoming king. Declan doesn’t understand. I just want to bide my time there until I graduate.”

Lexi
is silent for a minute as she bobs her head. I was rude and short with Declan on the way to church tonight. I know he was only trying to make me feel better, but I just want him to understand where I am coming from and it seems like he isn’t even trying. “You think that maybe God has a plan in all of this?”

“I don’t know.” I sigh as I lean back.

“We don’t always have to know. We just have to trust him.”

“I guess I am hurt that Declan doesn’t support my decision to
drop out of the race.”

Lexi
listens intently. “Why do you think that bothers you?” she asks now playing with her earring.

“Maybe…” I look at the inspirational poster on the wall that states. ‘I can do all things through Christ.’ “I don’t know.” I take in a deep breath and I don’t even believe I am going to say this out loud.  “I think I
may have strong feelings for him and I thought he felt the same way, but he isn’t taking my side.”

“Just because someone disagrees with you does not mean they don’t love you.” She says. Who said anything about love? I just said strong feelings.

“I didn’t say I thought he loved me.”

Lexi
smirks and raises her eyebrows. “Right.”

I lower my eyebrows in confusion.
“What about me if I want to be with him, I am only seventeen.”

“I think you are close enough to eighteen.” She smiles. “Those
aren’t set in stone rules they are more like guidelines we set here to keep from a lot of unneeded drama. Besides if God tells you you are to be together who are we to tell you you’re not?”

“I just don’t want to get hurt again.” I whisper.

“Being scared isn’t of the Lord. I have known Declan for a long time, that boy is crazy about you, but you need to seek the Lord about him and homecoming. Both maybe God’s will.”

The minute I am in my bedroom my knees hit the floor I haven’t needed God to answer me anymore than I do right now. “God,” my heart thunders. “I don’t know what you want me to do. Please help me to follow your will. Do I need to tell Declan how I feel or is this just some passing crush brought on by all the time we spend together? Do you want me to back out of the homecoming race or stay in? I really want to back out, by the way.” I laugh. “However, I want to be in your will.”

“
I have called you for such a time as this. You have a destiny where I have placed you. You will be the voice crying in the wilderness
.” I hear the Lord say.

“Is the wilderness my high school?”

“Yes.”

After waiting in the silence a little longer I give up on my answer about Declan. At least now I know to stay in the home
coming race and I know exactly what I am going to do for the talent show.

“Come on you’re late.” A little girl giggles as she pulls me by the arm in a warm grassy field. Why are we in white dresses?

“What am I late for?
” I ask.

Her sweet giggles fill the room that we are now suddenly in it looks like the inside of a log cabin. “You’re silly. He is waiting for you.” She smiles a toothy smile and blinks her long black lashes over her pale blue eyes. She now pulls on me again and we are in another field this one is full of blue wild flowers. I feel her soft little hand let go of mine and when I look down at her again she is gone.

I spin around trying to figure out where I am. The blue wild flowers surround me as far as I can see. The cabin and the girl are gone now. I hear the low murmur of men’s voices in the distance. I follow the sound there is laughter in between the moments of talking.

F
inally, I see the two figures come into my vision. I approach slowly they seem nice and happy. I don’t feel like they are going to harm me, but I can’t tell who they are until I get a little closer. The man facing me I know is Jesus and the man standing in front of him is facing Him and still I can’t tell who it is.

The field disappears and we are now in a white room.  Jesus looks at me with his smile. “Miley.” He says adoringly. When he addresses me the other man turns around. My heart skips when I see
that it’s Declan. His face beams when he looks at me. “Come.” Jesus waves me towards them. Declan has something draped over his arm but I can’t tell what it is.

I take a few steps closer to them. “You’re beautiful.” I h
ear but cannot tell whether it’s Declan or Jesus.

“Your answer.”
Jesus says holding his hand out in the direction of Declan. Declan holds out the hoodie in his arms like he wants me to put it on.

“What?” I ask as Declan places the
hoodie over my shoulder peace flows over me like a rushing wave.

“Your answer.”
Jesus says again with a smile.

I am now aware the white dress I am wearing is a wedding dr
ess. Declan is in a tuxedo. “I’m going to marry him?” I look towards Declan. “Is that what you are saying to me?”

“Yes.” Jesus says w
ith a smile.

“But…I’m only seventeen.”

“Your ways are not my ways. I have a plan for both of you together.” He finishes before disappearing.

Chapter 30

~Declan~