sinner

"Come on dude,

just smoke a little."

Jesus wasn't sure his father would

approve, 

but then again,

he was tired of wondering

what his dad would 

think.

He took the blunt and 

inhaled deeply.

His friend, Judas, 

was watching curiously. 

Jesus held his breath

and released the smoke

in a white puff,

like a natural.

"Dude, are you

sure you haven't

done this before?"

Jesus grinned, took another

swig of Smirnoff.

Suddenly

Judas nudged him. "Hey,

look over there. I think she

likes you."

Across the fire pit,

between cawing

tipsy 

small town teenagers,

sat a girl with

fair hair

and droopy eyes.

When she noticed Jesus 

looking at her,

she stood up 

with her eyes on

him

and began

to dance,

the light of the flames

dancing on her

skin.

Jesus watched her

intently,

the coals stirring.

He swore he could

hear music,

fast and

heated.

She motioned to him

with her hips.

"Dude," Judas breathed

in awe,

"she wants you."

Without a second

thought, he 

stumbled to her

blindly,

tunnel vision obscuring

everything 

besides the lamb-like

face and

creamy skin.

She took his 

hand and

led him away

from the hoots and

howls of

the circle of

drunk kids

christening

the freedom of

youth.

"I-

I have a car,"

he managed,

jingling his dad's car keys

in his trembling

fingers.

She smiled 

wordlessly,

let him guide the

way.

As he slid her

panties off,

which were even softer

and prettier

than he imagined,

he remembered he

hadn't really

expected this.

"Hey, I don't have

any condoms."

She studied him intently

for a moment and

then shook her head

silently,

the halo of hair

shimmering 

in the dim slanted

moonlight.

Jesus sighed,

began to berate 

himself internally,

until a deep soft 

kiss pulled him

back to shore. 

"I don't

mind," she said.

She smirked.

"By the way, 

since you didn't

ask,

my name is

Mary."

He blushed,

embarrassed he forgot

to ask

in the rush of the

moment.

Then he kissed her and

forgot about it.

After that night,

he never saw her

again.

He asked Judas about her,

but Judas just shrugged.

"I don't know, dude.

She doesn't go to

our school so

I haven't seen her

either.

Actually, last I heard,"

he said,

his voice lowering to a

conspiratorial whisper,

"she got an abortion

and her family moved

away 

out of shame."

"Oh," was all he

could say.

His chest felt like a

desert,

his lungs shriveling into

dust

with each inhale.

He was pretty sure he

loved her

more than he had

ever loved

anyone.

Judas clapped him

on the back.

"Don't sweat it,

dude.

That's just how it is

in a small town 

like this."

Jesus knew he was 

right.

In a small town

like this,

everyone pretends to be

a saint

and scorns

the so-called 

sinner,

even though they're 

sinners 

just the same

in the eyes of

God.