So, how did it go?",Santiago said laying on the couch reaching for the remote on the table.

"It didn't go anywhere. But our appointment is tomorrow at 2:00",I said sitting next to him.

"You sure you want your ex representin you in court?"

"I don't but he's the best in town."

"I guess."

"You wanna go out?"

"Not really."

"Babe you've been cooped up in this house for three days now."

"I'm just comfortable here."

"Baby you need to get away let's go out",he said getting up.

"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere as long as we out."

"Okay But can we stop by Starbucks first cause I'm really in the mood for a ultra caramel Frappuccino right now",I said.

"Anything you want bae",he said bending over to kiss me on the lips. His kisses were so tender and light. I pulled his face closer to me and went for his tongue.

"Oh so this is what you want",he said in between kisses.

I stopped kissing him and said, "I love you."

"I love you too babygirl. Where'd that come from",he said with a chuckle.

"Here",I said pointing to my heart.

"And you say I'm corny",he said laughing. I got up and went to his room to change. I picked up one of the shopping bags laying on the floor in the corner of his closet and chose something to wear. Santiago bought all these clothes for me and I haven't even wore one. I really did need to go out more. I picked out a cute autumn sundress and my sandals. I took my hair out of the ponytail and ran my hands through it. I applied light makeup to my face and just stared at myself in the mirror for a minute to make sure I wasn't going out looking like I got hit by a bus. When we got in the car, Santiago turned drake's God's plan' up on the radio and let it blast through the speakers. A good 30 minutes later, we are entering the church parking lot. I looked around to see if this was a joke or something.

"You've got to be kidding me",I said under my breath.

"We here",he said turning the engine off.

"So you dragged me here..on a Saturday.. isn't church only on Sundays?",i said looking at him.

"No. Who told you that?"

"I don't know but I know you better turn this car around and bring me back home."

"You trippin",he said laughing and looking at me.

"I'll wait until your done praying to God or whatever your doing. I don't mind staying here."

"Babe stop it. There's a youth event here and I had to be here anyways so I brought you with me."

"You could've asked if I wanted to go."

"Why? So you could say no? C'mon we already late."

"No. YOUR already late. Santiago Rodríguez im so not playin with you, take me home",I said crossing my arms. When he saw I was dead serious, he got out the car and put his keys in the cupboard.

"If you want to leave, then you can leave. I'll catch a ride with one of the guys. I thought bringing you here would help you especially in the situation your in. But you know what they say, you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped",he said with a straight face closed the car door hard out of anger.

Santiago

I entered the church and stood in the lobby for a good minute before going in.

"Tiago, you going in?",the youth pastor spotted me and said.

"Yea in a minute."

I had to get myself together before going in. I didn't want to think my father was right when he said Khia is bringing me down the wrong path. I'm already not perfect, drinking, clubbing and smoking and Khia was not making it any better for me to want to be right with God. I'm trying to encourage her to get closer to him while she's pulling me away from him. I spent the past two weeks worrying about Khia. Only she was my priority that I spent 3 Sundays not attending church. I knew that if I had to choose, it would be God no doubt. It's hard for me to juggle my spiritual life and hers at the same time. Somethings gotta give. I went in the church made my way to the 4th pew up front.

"Now we have faith ministries in a praise dance. Give it up for faith ministries",Juanita (youth event host) said. Everyone clapped as the 4 young girls prepared themselves on stage.

"Wasup man? Haven't seen you in ages", corey said. Corey is another guy in our youth that usually deals with sounds in the church. He sat next to me and dapped me.

"I know I know. I gotta do better man",I said

"Where's ya lil lady? You didn't invite her?"

"She's held up at work man otherwise she would've been here",I said lying.

"Well wish her well for me",he said.

"Shh", an old lady behind us said slapping our shoulders. Corey and I made a face and chuckled. As the praise dancers started, the song played and it happened to be one of my favorite songs. Kirk franklin's imagine me played through the speakers and I took in every word and meaning of their dance. Mid-way through the song, I was surprised to see Khia walking up to where I was.

"Ain't that your girl?",Corey said looking at the two tv monitors ahead of us.

"Looks like her",I said. She came and Corey nicely got up to let her sit next to me. Although I was happy she came to her senses, I still was a lil upset with her cause it shouldn't take all that just to get her to come with me.

'This song is dedicated to people like me.

Those that struggle with insecurities, acceptance and even self-esteem.

You've never felt good enough, you've never felt pretty enough

But imagine God whispering in your ear letting you know that everything that has happened is now...

...gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(It's all gone, every sin)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(Every mistake, every failure, it's all gone)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(Depression, gone, by faith, it's gone)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(Low self-esteem, Hallelujah, it's gone, it's all gone)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(It's gone, all my scars, all my pain)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(It's in the past, it's yesterday, it's all gone, ah)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(I can't believe it's gone)

(Gone, what your mother did, what your father did, Hallelujah)

Gone, gone, it's gone, all gone

(It's gone)'

By the end of the praise dance, Khia teared up a little because the message of the song touched her let alone the dancers expressing it as well. The deaconess gave us a box of tissues. Seeing Khia break down during the praise dance, I knew I didn't regret bringing her here. I pulled her into a hug and had my arms around her during the rest of the event. I knew she needed this.

When we got home, it was a quarter until 11 and I knew Khia was probably tired. We hadn't said nothing to each other during the whole ride back home but it was cool cause now would be a perfect time to talk to her and let her know some things are gonna change with us.

"Alright babe. What happened today in the car, can't happen again."

"If you would've asked me, that wouldn't have never happened tiago",she said taking her sundress off.

"I mean you didn't know what my answer could've been. I'm just more mad at the fact that you didn't bother to ask me",she said. I let her continue to talk because I knew she was just venting.

"Alright babe. Here's the thing",I said looking into her eyes so she gets it.

"This relationship can't continue like this."

"What you mean? Are you breaking up with me?", she asked worried.

"No baby but this relationship has to change. Ima need you to get serious about God because im serious about him. Don't get serious with him for me. Do it for you. I'm a very active youth at my church, and I never miss a Sunday at church, I never miss a activity at church but now I am. It's not good for me personally cause I'm out here clubbing and smoking it up with my boys cause I don't have nobody to hold me accountable. You tolerate me and I don't want you to do that. We both should be encouraging each other to get closer to God not farther away. If I say I'm going to church, you should be down with that because you knew I was the church going type way when we was first going out. So things gotta change between us. If i had to choose between God and you, i would choose God hands down. And you should too, otherwise this relationship not gonna work and it's gonna break my spiritual life down & that's not what I need right now. So I'm having this conversation with you now and I'm giving you an option to leave if your not down with my lifestyle",I explained. She got real quiet and said, "i love you though."

"I love you too baby. But I love God more and you can either ride on this boat with me or get off",I said to her.

"Okay. I got it."

"You sure about this? It's not too late to back down."

"I'm sure",she said looking at me.

"Okay so that means tomorrow morning, we going to church."

"Yeah",she said laying on the bed. I kissed her on her lips and grabbed my towel to go take a shower.