Paige Rewritten by Erynn Mangum

to Texas.” He gives me a sympathetic smile. “Tough group?”
    â€œTough lesson.”
    â€œBetter that than the other. My guys must have been drinking Red Bulls all day. I finally told them I was going to make them sing karaoke during snack time, singing only songs about love, or they were going to sit down, shut up, listen, and answer the questions.”
    â€œYou told them to shut up and answer questions? Aren’t those mutually exclusive?”
    Tyler shakes his head. “You were that kid in school.”
    He holds out a hand and helps me up off the floor. “I think I saw Allison’s mom handing her a grocery bag full of Nutter Butters to bring for a snack,” he says quietly as we walk out the door. “Make time, Paige.”
    As a general rule, I prefer Oreos, but Nutter Butters are a very close second when it comes to junk food. Followed by Skittles.
    We hurry into the youth room and snag a few cookies before the senior guys’ group gets out. They are notorious for walking in this room, breathing in, and leaving the place completely void of edibles. One time I followed them in and one guy had even tried to eat Natalie’s pumpkin-scented lotion on a graham cracker.
    Boys are gross.
    â€œSo when is our next movie night, Paige?” one of the high school girls asks me, crunching a Nutter Butter.
    â€œYeah!” “Yeah!” “I was wondering that too!”
    Suddenly I am surrounded. A few months ago, we started an informal movie night at my apartment every so often. The girls wanted it to be once a week.
    I was envisioning more of a once-a-month thing, especially seeing as every time they come over, I have to spend the following Saturday morning cleaning.
    â€œNot sure.” I try to be all nonchalant about it. I once asked if anyone else wanted to host it but was quickly assured that having the movie night in a cramped apartment was way more cool.
    Ah, to be young and think crappy apartments are cool again.
    â€œWell, we should do it soon. It’s been a long time” is met by a bunch more enthusiastic “yeahs.”
    I finagle my way out of the mob and Rick walks past me, heading for the snack table. “You could be paid for that,” he singsongs as he walks.
    â€œPaid for what?”
    â€œAnd this,” he says, drawing the word out in a falsetto that makes the inside of my eardrums ache.
    â€œListening to you sing?”
    â€œNo. Movie nights. Nutter Butter consumption. Bible studies.” He crunches a cookie and grins at me. “The ever-changing and joyous company of Yours Truly. All a part of the job I am humbly offering to you.”
    So not only would I be teaching Bible studies that stab me in the chest, I’d be accepting a paycheck for doing so.
    I can’t decide if that makes it better or worse. At least I could afford EMS.
    Or the EMTs. Whatever.
    On Flashpoint they call them EMS. Any knowledge I have of emergency services is from movies and TV shows, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. I’ve never even sat in an emergency room waiting room before. Not for myself. Not for someone else.
    I think that is considered a good thing, no matter what country you’re in.
    â€œI’ll think about it,” I say, just to get him to change the subject.
    â€œYes! Thank You, Jesus, she’s thinking about it!” Rick yells, raising his hands in victory fists.
    Rick’s outbursts are normal. No one even looks in our direction. They just keep talking and eating cookies, chatting with their friends.
    â€œYou are obnoxious.”
    â€œAll a part of my joyous company.”
    â€œWhat’s she thinking about?” Tyler asks, coming over, holding a half-empty Nalgene water bottle. I always wished I was sporty enough not to look completely ridiculous holding one of those. Tyler looks good with it. I believe he can suddenly pack up everything he owns into a single backpack and start walking