Seven.

The drive out of the estate was quiet, and I spent it thinking through the Sir Henry's words. I inhaled Keith's scent for the thousandth time, and wondered again what products he used. The guy smelt immaculate.

I decided to correct his earlier statement.

"The church use the offerings to build more churches enabling the spread of the gospel to other places. They also use the money to open up foundations for orphans, widows, single parents that are struggling, and the less fortunate. We aren't paying any form of rent in the houses, and we were given cars as appreciation for the way our parents have helped in the development of the church. And I'm sure most of the houses in the estate were given to homeless people. Be grateful to God, and the church Keith".

All he did was hum after my long explanation. I waited patiently for him to say something, but he didn't and showed no sign that he was going to.

A slight frown made its way to my face. "Aren't you going to say something ?".

He stared straight ahead.

" What do you want me to say ?".

" Why don't you like the church ? ".

" Did I say I didn't ?".

" You don't have to say the words".

He blew his cheeks out.

"The church is just a business, and the people benefitting are the pastors and anyone who can increase their profit. That is the only reason we were given houses, cars, and getting paid. Because our parents are fetching them more money".

" It's not a ...".

" The only people staying in that estate are pastors and their families", he cut in. "The other houses are empty. The house you're currently staying in, was empty for years before you guys came. But there are homeless people in the church, even people that sleep in the church, giving their last penny as offering to in quote God. Do you know how many people come to only the headquarter church here ?".

He paused briefly, before he continued.

" These people make millions of dollars in just one service in just the church here. Do you know how much money they make from other churches globally ? They're driving the latest cars, wearing designer clothes, buying private jets, hell ! They own universities that are too expensive for members to attend. The founder is one of the richest pastors in the world".

" Don't defend them if you don't know anything ", he finished.

I rubbed my arm. " They're foundations Keith, and they have to pay the teachers for ...". I stopped talking because there wasn't anything else for me to say. The things he said were messing with my head.

" Do your research on those so called foundations. People are so blinded by the church, that they don't even know if they're serving God or the church anymore", he hissed the last sentence..

I kept silent. His words ... His words made a lot of sense.

My parents were so consumed by the church they didn't even know what was going on in my life.

Were they serving the church ?

Were we serving the church ?

"The only thing my parents care about is the church. The woman that had raised me was Grace, the help while my birth mother was still alive", He paused, shaking his head. "I don't know your story, but I know it's not so different from mine".

I whispered, " It isn't".

Silence stretched between us for a couple of minutes.

"Regardless of what's going on in the church, I think everyone's just trying to serve God", I told him. I've heard similar stories like that about other churches. To me everyone should serve God the way they could, and he will judge the rest.

He didn't say anything.

"Do you believe in God ?", I asked.

"I don't".

I bit my lip before questioning, "Why ?".

"Where is he ?".

" In heaven".

" Where is heaven ?".

" Up in the sky ".

" Have you been to heaven Eva ?".

" No".

" Then how do you know it's up in the sky ?".

I stayed silent.

"Exactly ". He made a turn. " How do you expect me to believe in someone I can't see ?".

"You might not be able to see him, but he sees you. He knows you, and he talks to you. You just have to open your heart to hear him. He exists, but you have to believe he does".

He scoffed." I did once, and I learned the hard way that none of that heavenly bullshit is real".

He stretched his hand to the radio, and increased the volume of the faint music that had been playing. I didn't need goggle to tell me that he didn't want to continue talking.

I leaned against the seat, and stared out the window.

***

I dropped the sanitary pads in my shopping basket, and my eyes moved to Keith who was checking out a product I couldn't see properly from where I stood.

He had taken me to three places already, and we had spent hours shopping for everything my mom had written on the list.

She had called me through Keith's phone some time between that, and had told me not to worry about clothes. She said she and Mrs Johnson were going to a boutique after they were done with church stuff and they would get clothes.

I was beyond grateful for that.

Keith hadn't said a word to me since our talk in the car, and I'm shocked to say I didn't like it. He was either burying his face in his phone, or talking to the girls that flocked around him everywhere we went.

My thoughts went back to the words he said earlier. He didn't believe in God. It wasn't unusual to hear people say that, but I knew there was so much to his reason and I was itching to know.

His head whipped to my direction, and his eyes met mine.

My eyes widened, and I looked away quickly grabbing the nearest product in front of me. My heart began racing when I heard footsteps approaching me. I squinted my eyes to the instructions of what I was holding, at the same time not seeing anything.

His heavenly scent filled my lungs as his shoulder brushed against mine. My heart beat sped up the more. It was beating so loudly, and hard that I was sure he could hear.

I couldn't understand it, my heartbeat only sped up this way when I was nervous, and that was only when I had to sing in front of the church. And the reason was because, I was scared I would mess the song up.

But around him, I wasn't scared. There was nothing to be scared of. Was I nervous ? Yes, he made me nervous.

Why ? I didn't know.

"I thought feminine washes aren't really good for women", he said, finally talking to me.

" H ... Huh ?", I stammered, facing him.

He had a faint smile on his pink lips, and his eyes looked more grey as he jerked his head to the product in my hand. I looked down at the product in my hands and the first thing I could read was 'Your pussy will thank you'.

My cheeks heated, and I looked down at my feet that were really starting to hurt.

"Doesn't it fuck with the pH balance of down there, or something like that ?", he continued.

"I ... I wasn't going to get it", I defended, dropping the product back. And I also wasn't going to discuss vagina health with him.

I started walking, and he followed after his subtle chuckle.

Two girls standing ahead of us, who looked about my age were looking at Keith the way our church members stared at the table of free food my mom always organized for university students at the end of each month.

They giggled, and spoke to each other in low tones, battered their obviously fake eyelashes at him, but we passed them without Keith even noticing they were there, or he pretended not to see them. Most definitely the latter.

I was surprised he had ignored them. He hadn't ignored the other girls that had tried to get his attention.

Were they not his type ?

What was his type ?

Why did I just ask that question ?

"Your name is really unique. I know people bearing Eve, or Evelyn, but I've never met an Eva before", he said, now walking beside me.

" It means forever", I explained.

"According to my mom, I'm the symbol of her and my father's undying love for each other", that made me scrunch my face when it reminded me what they had to do to bring me into this world.

Keith laughed, catching on.

"Do you want to die a virgin Eva ?", He asked.

" What ? ", I asked looking at him.

"Anytime anything related to sex comes up, your body freezes up, and you look like you want to wash your ears with holy water", he explained.

" Oh !", I blushed and my eyes hit the top of my shoes.

"Did I say I was a virgin ?", I asked.

Why did I just say that ?

I turned to him, my breath stuck in my throat, and his intense eyes trailed down my body heating my flesh.

"It doesn't need to be told. It's written everywhere ", he said laying emphasis on every.

My cheeks heated even more.

"It's not a bad thing Eva. I think it's cool. You're sixteen right ?".

I shook my head, " I'm eighteen".

"Eighteen ?!", The shock was prominent in his voice.

I nodded.

"Damn now that's unique", he said, "I have never met any eighteen year old virgin before, hell ! I've met only two virgins in my life ".

"And after meeting you they lost it ?", I asked without thinking.

I tensed, a bit scared I had offended him.

He laughed, "That is very correct".

I laughed as well.

"Are you not allowed to have a boyfriend ?", he asked.

" I'll have one when I'm ready for marriage ".

His brows rose. " That's impressive".

"The joining of a man and woman is sacred, but it's sad that doesn't apply to this century. Fornication has taken over the world, and that isn't what God ordained", I preached.

" So you expect your husband to be a virgin too ?", He asked.

I nodded firmly, " Absolutely".

He chuckled.

"What's so funny ?", I inquired.

The amusement didn't leave his eyes.

"Do you think your father was a virgin when he married your mom ?".

I nodded, and he laughed.

"He was ", I defended.

He nodded in sarcasm.

"When you get back home, please ask your father that question".

" I will, and when he confirms what I know is true, I will come back to tell you", I said confidently.

" Your father wasn't a virgin Eva, and if I'm correct, which I know I am, you will do anything I want for a full day", he said.

I scoffed, " And if I'm correct which I know I am, you will do anything I want for a full day".

He smiled. " It's a deal".

"You should follow in his footsteps", I continued.

He stared at me.

" The joining of a man and woman is sacred".

"Are you asking me to stop fucking ?".

I dropped my basket on the ground to show how serious I was.

"I am telling you to stop. It's a sin".

He glided closer, and my body froze when he leaned close to whisper.

"That Eva, is a sin I will happily keep committing".

" Why do you not believe in God ?", I asked, my heart beating crazily in my chest. I could feel his body heat, and there was this buzz that kept passing through my body.

He moved away, repeating his question from earlier.

"Where is he ?".

"That isn't why you don't believe".

He scoffed, and walked away.

" Pick your basket Eva", his voice trailed.

At that moment, I heard a voice in my head, just a whisper. It told me he was my assignment. Us being neighbors, this shopping spree was planned.

This whole thing had already been written, and orchestrated in heaven.

God made us find each other in the perfect way, so I could make Keith see him. Make him believe in him.

I smiled at the new revelation.

***

My family and I were currently having dinner, and I squinted my eyes in the direction of my father.

He turned to me, almost choking on his food at the intensity of my stare.

"Is everything alright Eva ?", He asked coughing, before he reached for his glass of water which he downed in three gulps.

"I'm fine", I replied, and proceeded to play with my plate of rice.

" Eva are you okay ?", My mother asked.

My eyes moved between the both of them before I rested them on my father.

"Were you a virgin when you married my mother ?", I asked.

He looked taken aback by my question.

" Eva eat your food", my mom said.

"But I want to know", I pressed.

" Eva please eat your food ", my mom repeated.

"Father speak the truth and the truth shall set you free", I told him.

" Eva that is between my husband and I !", My mother fired. " Eat your food".

He cleared his throat. "Eva eat ", he said dismissing my question.

Which meant he wasn't.

I stared in shock at the him.