Chapter 5 ...

I WOULD'VE REFUSED but do you know what? I've been playing a changed boy for a few days and I couldn't ruin everything then. In fact, that was the right time to prove to my parents that I was really a changed boy. I reluctantly stood up and went to the altar. At first, I was afraid of stepping on the altar. Our pastor was one of a kind. I've always seen him perform wonders on the altar and I've heard so many testimonies of the miracles of God through him on that altar. I feared the altar thinking I was not worthy to step on it.

I thought it might strike me with a thunderbolt once I stepped on it. Though I didn't believe in God but I feared the altar.

Throughout the walk from my seat to the altar, I was praying for forgiveness. That Sunday, I believed in God by force. As I raised my leg to step on the altar, I became more scared then I remembered our pastor would always say 'our God is a merciful God'. So I became bold enough and matched on the altar. Truly, God is merciful; nothing happened to me except for a courage I've never felt before that made me climbed the altar, picked the microphone and led the worship with Stephanie.

Everyone including myself was surprise on how I led the worship with much boldness.

"My boy," my father began immediately the service was over. "You did great today."

"I didn't know you had such an amazing voice," my mom added. "You are a very special child."

The word 'special' rang in my head and sang like a song in my heart. I felt so motivated. I had the intuition that they weren't exaggerating.

"Could singing be the gift in me that would make me special?" I asked myself.

Many other members of our church came out with their own encomium. They praised and blessed me. I felt so important and for some seconds, I felt like I was soaring in the sky. My head became as big as my father's.

I really thought Stephanie was going to be jealous but I was wrong. She wasn't. She was so happy with me .

"Joshua," Stephanie began with smiles as soon as she came out. "You have such a wonderful voice, you did really good today."

Stephanie has this attitude of always smiling. I haven't seen her frown for once. She smiled at me with that her heart melting smile and for once, I saw that Stephanie was beautiful. She was really pretty only that her dressing betrayed her beauty.

"Thank you." I replied. My mom spoiled the moment.

"You two will make a good team." my mom bursted out of excitement.

"You think so?" my dad added.

"yeah! What do you think Steph?"

"That would be good." Stephanie replied.

I was struck with dumbness. I couldn't believe my ears. Then in a flash I remembered the talent show.

"That will be great!" I shouted to the amazement of others. "That will be really great."

Seriously, I never wanted to have anything to do with Stephanie but right now, I got no choice, besides it would all end in two months not forever.

"That means," Stephanie began. "You will be coming to the choir club."

"Yeah!" I replied happily.

"In the school." She concluded.

"Yeah... Wait what?" I shouted. "The school?"

"Yes." She replied.

Again, the school left me with an electrocuted body. I remembered Stephanie was in my school but maybe in the lower class. I didn't want my friends to see me associating with Stephanie. They would so mock me. Oh no, I really do preferred it to be in church because no one would notice except on the day of the talent show which would last only a day and it would be over, or so I thought.

"Why not in the church?" I asked.

"Son, the school is okay," my father said. "I know very well you don't belong to any club in your school, so this is the opportunity for you to join one, but you can also be coming to the one in the church too."

My father was damn right; no he isn't, I was in a club, 'the women hating club.'

I thought about it the other way round; It would be best if I performed on behalf of the choir club of our school during the talent show, it would look official.

"That's a good idea," I thought. "I'm smart, I will surely find a way to do everything without any of my friends noticing anything. It's just for two months. But if apparently Henry hears about this, it would be a great catastrophe to my personality. I've not only broken a vow but broken it with a girl like Stephanie the holy."