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Lili felt panic as she watched Jack's grandmother begin to walk away. Why was everyone leaving her alone with a boy? Where was the usual moral outrage that protected her from having to open up? Lili swallowed hard as she was again reminded that there was nowhere for her to hide and she forced herself to remain staring into Jack's eyes as he spoke. "It means a lot to a lot of people in this town," she answered him softly and hoped the hidden bitterness didn't seep into her tone. Her faith was very important to her but this church, not so much. There was too much corruption here; even her father, a very pious man, could not save everyone.

"I think that's all we have to do so um...bye," Lili trailed off and turned around only to smack straight into the table and hear an obnoxiously loud crack as her knee made contact with the hard wood. Her quick escape had turned into a very painful, both physically and emotionally, moment. "...Ow."

Jack's eyebrows raised and he had a triumphant smile on his face when Lili spoke again and he turned to his Nonna, with a look that said 'see?'. "Alright you win, just this once!" She told him and Jack smiled at her. "And no funny business!" She told him and Jack soluted her before watching her walk away.

"Yeah. It was my great great grandmothers recipe, my Nonna's been making it ever since I can remember" he told Lili, pulling more trays out of the fridge and unwrapping the tops so they could be set out. I think she's just trying to keep your parents happy, the church community means a lot to her" Jack didn't think it was a bad thing, it'd just been how she was raised so she didn't know any different.

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Lili was so focused on just not dropping anything she was holding, her nerves on high alert, that the sound of Jack's grandmother speaking startled her. She made an embarrassing jump that she prayed neither of them noticed and if they had, they were kind enough to not mention it. Jack's grandmother had a kind face - wrinkles were like a road map on her skin to the paths she had taken in her life. It was currently carved into an affectionate smile as she stared at her grandson and Lili couldn't remember ever receiving a look like that ever in her life.

It was bittersweet.

"You do make a delicious pasta salad," she smiled herself, unable to ignore her own instilled politeness. Plus, Jack had a point. It was one of the dishes she always tried to steal a second helping of when her mother wasn't looking. Lili finished up her task of setting up the cutlery and gave herself a break, folding her hands timidly in front of herself. "Is it a family recipe?"

Lili. That was a pretty name. Jack had seen her around at the church and knew she was the pastors daughter but that was about it really. She didn’t seem all that interested in talking so Jack just left her to be. He followed the lead and started opening plates and napkins to be set out and when he was instructed started pulling trays of food from the fridge.

“Don’t you even think about it!” “What?” He asked, turning around to find his Nonna in the doorway. “You eat me out of pasta salad at home and now you eat the church out of pasta salad too!” Jack gave her a wry grin “Oh come on Nonna, it’s not my fault you make the best pasta salad!” His Nonna smiled at him and Jack knew he’d cracked her. “Besides I was just showing it to my new best friend Lili!. Isn’t that right Lili?”

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He was talking to her. An attractive boy was actually talking to her and it wasn't just to borrow a pencil or to ask her if her friend was single. Lili was sure her cheeks had only grown pinker and she swallowed with difficulty. Why did she suddenly feel as if her tongue weighed a dozen pounds? "I'm Lili," she quickly mumbled back and didn't dare to look him in the eyes. That was too terrifying. Thankfully the way to the kitchen was a short distance away from the entrance of the church and they were joining a quickly banding group.

One of the other moms was separating the children, the teenagers, and the adults and Lili didn't know whether to be relieved she was stuck with only Jack and a sullen looking thirteen year old or if she suddenly craved to be mushed in with a bunch of hormonal, easily distracted group of her peers. Her lips remained pressed shut and she set about working, ripping open the pack of paper plates and napkins, hoping Jack would follow her lead and not force her to be social.

Jack spent the rest of the time during the service just paying attention to the service and joining in on the hymns he knew. He’d been coming to this church since he was little so it wasn’t a foreign place to him but it still wasn’t his favourite place to spend his Sunday morning. Still, now that he’d come he knew he wouldn’t be pestered to go again for a little while.

Just before the service finished, Jack watched as his cousins escaped out the door and his Nonna gave him a look. He wasn’t going to be trying that, especially since he knew his cousins would have it worse than having to stay at church a little longer once his Nonno got ahold of them. He waited until the church cleared out and then followed his Nonna where she was going, smiling at the Pastor’s family and shaking his hand. “Lovely service sir” He told him and smiled at the blonde girl he was with.

“I’m Jack by the way” He introduced himself as he and the blonde girl were paired up. She wasn’t bad on the eyes but he knew his Nonna would kill him if he was anything other than helpful today.

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Three male figures slumped into the church and Lili only vaguely recognized their faces. They were part of a large Italian family that frequented their church but she didn't know their names and they had never made an effort to reach out and introduce themselves. The grandmother often volunteered at various functions but Lili was usually placed in the youth groups. She spared them a passing glance but her attention was once more fixed on her father. She made a silent vow to keep her mother's usual disappointment of her further below the meter today, if possible.

When the service was over, Lili exited the pews and waited dutifully at the front doors beside her parents. They always greeted each church goer as they left, it was tradition and Lili's father prided himself on having deep connections with (almost) every one of his congregation members. She plastered on a practiced smile for each stranger, some more known than others, and it wasn't until the group of late comers were stopped by the stooped Italian grandmother that her curiosity was piqued.

"This is Jack," an affectionate, but stern, voice came from the weathered woman. "He's a late addition to the luncheon crew today. Where should I have him start setting up?" Lili pressed her lips together, trying not to stare at the attractive teenager. He was one of the cutest guys she had ever seen and her telltale blush was probably starting to spread across her cheeks. "He can work with Lili," her mother dismissively waved her hand. "Dear, show him to the kitchen."

"Yes ma'm," Lili murmured and she gave a quick glance to 'Jack'. "Um, just follow me."

Jack had had a feeling that going with his cousins to breakfast was going to be a bad idea but Paul had promised to pay and he wasn't about to turn down free pancakes at ihop. They'd all promised their Nonna they'd attend church and even though Jack was indifferent on turning up for it, he wasn't that keen on his Nonno's opinion if they were late. Dressed in a blue button down and jeans, Jack looked out the window as they drove. The service would have already started so Jack was debating just walking home instead of turning up late. He knew his parents wouldn't be happy with that so he just decided to suck it up and try and sneak in. No such luck.

Paul and his other cousins didn't seem to have the same concerns as him and so opened the doors rather loudly, standing in the doorway. Jack could feel all the eyes of the congregation on their group and being as he was in the back, he snuck to the side, pulling his tie around his neck and beginning to tie it up as he walked around to one of the pews and to stand next to his Nonna on the end. "You're late!" She told him quietly, fixing the tie he'd just done up. "Sorry Nonna"

His Nonna paid him no mind as she fixed his collar and Jack leant down slightly so she could reach. Part of him was a little embarrassed that she was doing it and the other part of him knew that she wouldn't care whether he was or not. "Where's your church shoes boy? You don't know how to dress nice in the house of God?" "Sorry Nonna" He said again, looking down at the nike's on his feet. "I should think so. You're going to help me with the lunch afterwards as an apology" She told him. "Yes Nonna" He answered her and when she was finally finished, Jack turned back to the front as the service continued.

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Another Sunday, another service. Lili fidgeted in her seat and she could practically feel her mother's gaze burning against her cheek. She cast an apologetic look at her before straightening up and training her eyes to gaze studiously at her father as he delivered his sermon. She was paying attention, honestly. She enjoyed church, she did. She loved singing along to the worship songs and she soaked in the peace that settled over her as the final prayer was delivered. She had been baptized in this church, participated in all the Christmas plays, and knew this building like the back of her hand as she had grown up in the pews and scampered around in the rooms as she was a little girl. She felt the same sense of safety in this holy place as she did sinking underneath the sheets of her bed.

It was just - she hadn't slept well the night before and Lili kept longingly thinking of other teenage girls who were still curled up like cats in the early AM of the last day of reprieve from school. She'd be here for another few hours as they were hosting a luncheon afterwards and Lili's mother would have no arguments that Lili would serve and assist in cleaning up. Sleep would not be an option until the evening and even then, Lili still had a history paper to write.

She wasn't aware her eyes were closing until an elbow nudged her in the ribs and her mother's green eyes were glaring at her. "Sorry," she whispered and was saved from further judgement as she heard the doors open and her head swiveled around automatically to see who had entered.

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blessedlili: i forget how the west was won, i forget if this was ever fun.