He's Good Man, Obviously
Hanna sat on her bed tiredly. After spending a good time studying in the University’s library, wearing fresh sneakers she bought at the mall last week, with clean jeans going along with it, as the sky was clear and the sidewalk grasses were bright - she walked across campus back to her dorm and found herself relieved to have herself back. However, with the looming glare of noon strolling in, Hanna’s dorm seemed off - or was it her hair, she thought. With sudden nervousness, she feared she had forgotten anything school-related and rethought her day accordingly. Checking the bathroom mirror, her hair was styled exactly to her needs, so, it couldn’t be her presence of what she wore; turning off the light she walked to her bed and pulled out her backpack. The paper way at the bottom was spotted and she pulled it out to see. On the wrinkled paper was her schedule for her classes and she saw nothing out of the ordinary and placed it back in her folder. Checking through more plastic folders, all theology and science homework was complete, and no notification on her phone noted that she was missing any assignments. Is it me then, she thought depressingly. Maybe I’m the one out of place. At the University’s library, she couldn’t sit still as usual when studying and felt a lack of consistency, like when she thought her boyfriend was seeing a different girl, or when her father repeatedly left during midnights on weekends when she used to live at home with her parents. Thinking fondly at this thought, a knock came through the daydream silence - she jumped and quickly made her way over. Waiting until they knock again, she opened it with precise delicateness. Looking through the crack of the door she realized how dark her dorm is against the hallway; standing in front of her were two boys; blonde, clean, and nicely fit.
“Hello,” one began.
“Hello,” Hanna said, not knowing what she exactly meant.
“Hello,” the other boy said, and both boys looked at one another. Then, both smiles pointed at her. Both wore the same clean, white shirt buttoned down, with a name tag, silver, on the right side.
“My name is Lucifer, this is Jeremiah. Are you interested in learning more about the church of Jesus Christ?”
Hanna glanced behind her, seeing the poster of Shawn Mendes eyes behind the door, his face ripped halfway, staring at her wherever she walked. Maybe it’s the poster, she thought; I should take it down anyway - I don’t even listen to his love music anymore.
“Of course,” she said, “Anyone can spare a few seconds to pray.”
“Amazing,” Lucifer said.
“Wonderful,” Jeremiah said next.
Lucifer pulled out from his bag a stack of white brochures, holding them between his fingers as Jermiah pulled out his bible. Hanna opened her door wider. I have to be with Justin here in a few minutes, she reminded herself; Looking at her clock in the corner, she thought, does it have to do with him? Before the thought can reminisce, remembering tenderly she wanted control over something, Jeremiah began reciting a paragraph from the bible, and Hanna quickly, with good practice when her father used to lecture her about presentary during middle school; she stood still, eyes straight, and didn’t sway her body back and forth. Closing her eyes to listen, she became rather focused on Justin and rethought her day accordingly.
“Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit” Jeremiah began, looking at Hanna to make sure she was listening. “Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly and -”
Suddenly, a strong impulse, before Hanna could conceal what she thought, she quickly smiled, apologized for the interruption, thanked them for the prayer, and shut the door. She saw herself in the mirror of her bathroom when turning around - thus, she shut the door immediately. A strong excitement ran through her legs and she walked over to her desk to pull out a piece of paper and pen. Pulling out a chair, leaning down, swinging her hair back to avoid annoyance, she wrote: Dear Justin, I know this must be hard for you, and it’s harder for me too. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. You’re just not as ready as I thought, please forgive yourself.” Hanna rethought the prayer - “in their hearts they harbor deceit”, she whispered, with near wonder. She continued writing: Relationships can be weird for me and I do sincerely hope you find a better way to understand yourself. However, you still hurted me. And i’m sorry it’s come to this
Rereading, correcting a few mistakes, changing “hard” to “painful” and “yourself ” to “your doing”, she placed the letter in an envelope and slid it neatly behind her textbooks. Nicely placed so I’ll know I have it ready every day, she thought in relief.
Looking at her phone, the time read 5 o’clock - Justin was now on his way to pick her up to see a movie. She rushed herself to the closet, threw over her jacket, grabbed her keys and wallet, went out into the hall, down the stairs, and out the dormitory; and before she could press on, a text gathered her attention that said, “I’m on my way. Can’t wait to see you,” with a smiley face with a heart emoji at the end. She texted she was, of course, happy to see him too. Thinking of adding a heart emoji but already placed her phone back in her pocket; the thought of it setting in her nicely. Walking down the main street to be picked up near the library, she thought hurriedly, now gaining her sense of self back, at least I’m ready when it happens - if it does, I’ll be ready when this comes to an end. I wonder if Justin is doing the same to prepare. Thus, she was able to reclaim her anxiety for now. Then thinking: Justin is a good man, obviously.
