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Anael was genuinely still afraid of AJ after the experience with the glass. Brian had told Howie, Kevin, and Nick of the incident. Needless to say – they were not pleased. Anael found it quite embarrassing when all the boys consoled her about the accident. Everyone kept a closer eye on Anael with her interactions concerning AJ. Anael hated being watched like a hawk, but she enjoyed having company. Brian, Howie, Kevin, and Nick were delightful men. She loved them dearly.

“Boys! We’re canceling practice tonight!” Anael called out excitedly as she ran down the steps of large condo. Her body flushed with large amounts of adrenaline. She squealed in delight, hurrying to find them. They were still in Tennessee until Monday afternoon. Today was Sunday, and Anael had been frustrated that the boys had practice that morning so she could not attend church.

However, during lunch, Anael took a walk to explore her surroundings. She found a large church with a large youth department. Tonight, they were holding a Praise and Worship Concert. Anael couldn’t think of what she had loved more. Church was extremely important to her, and she couldn’t wait to see the praise and worshipped. She had loved the portions of singing praise and worship to God during her church experience. Singing had been her life for the longest time when she was still human.

“Why are you canceling practice?” Howie asked with a wry smile as Anael sat down beside him. She bounced her legs excitedly, causing Howie to laugh. All the boys had grown extremely fond of having Anael as their manager. She was at every practice, and had a musical background. Therefore, she helped them with dance steps, singing, and other parts to making the tour fantastic. Her sweet nature also made it easy to fall in love with her.

“I found something better to do!” she exclaimed with a bright smile.

“She’s up to something,” Kevin chuckled.

“What could be better than practice?” Brian asked sarcastically. Anael gave him a slight glare. He shrugged his shoulders and offered a genuine smile. Anael couldn’t help but laugh. Brian was adorable and very funny. His personality was just charming with the ladies.

“Church!” Anael declared proudly.

“Church?” Nick snorted, “That just means that I’ll be able to sleep more!”

“Nickolas!” Kevin scolded.

“This isn’t just regular church,” Anael explained quickly. She accepted Nick’s reaction. Many preachers had lost the passion for God’s word. If someone found it boring, so be it, but there were other ways to communicate with God. “It’s called Praise and Worship. It’s this huge concert. A band comes in and plays familiar Christian songs, and then everyone can sing along. It’s the greatest thing in the world! Please tell me y’all will come?” She offered a pout.

“Uh-oh, that’s the famous Grace-Anne pout!” Howie declared with fear.

“Please guys? I promise that you won’t be disappointed. You won’t get all hot and sweaty during this time! It’s just time to have fun and celebrate God. Please?” Anael begged quietly. If she didn’t have some source of communication with the outside Christian population, Anael would go crazy. She needed to find God’s people again. AJ had almost destroyed her feeling of united love with God. She needed a release.

“Why wouldn’t we come?” Howie teased.

“Because you guys were complaining earlier,” Anael exclaimed.

“That was just Nick! But, sure, I’d love to go,” Kevin said with a smile.

“I love praise and worship,” Brian replied eagerly.

“I don’t see any harm,” Howie replied.

“Fine!” Nick said, running his hands messily through Anael’s blonde curls.

“Where are we going?” AJ asked as he staggered through the doors. Anael’s nose crinkled as she smelled the odor of alcohol and smoke. She felt sick to her stomach at the smell. The boys lowered their heads in shame as AJ plopped onto the couch. Everyone dreaded announcing their plans to him. He was so critical and negative of Anael’s ideas. “I asked where we’re going,” AJ said as he burped loudly.

“We’re going to a praise and worship concert. It’s going to be so much fun. Are you interested in going with us?” Anael asked with hope.

“You mean a church thing?” he asked with disgust.

“Yes,” Brian announced proudly.

“No thanks,” AJ snickered.

“Why?” Nick questioned with confusion.

“I’m not a homo, so I’m not into the whole loving a big guy thing,” AJ said with a snicker.

Anael’s eyes grew bright with fury. How dare he ruin God’s good name like that? Didn’t he ever take time to read a Bible? Anael leapt up from the couch, unable to keep silent. “How dare you dash the idea of a Man who will be more powerful than you could ever hope to be! You are so closed-minded! If you would open the Bible once in awhile, you would know that God frowns on being homosexual also. But, you must not have a high enough I.Q. to realize that you can read it and find out!” Anael snapped rudely. She felt offended that AJ could believe such nonsense.

“Touchy,” he snorted.

“You are welcome to come with us, but if you think that I’m going to tolerate that, you definitely have a rude awakening coming,” Anael said, storming to her room. She slammed the door shut sharply when she heard the ringing of AJ’s laughter. She fell on the bed with exhaustion, wondering if she would ever really be able to reach him.

*~*~*

“You guys are just a great band!” Anael gushed happily as she stood on the stage during the intermission. She had gotten a wave from the lead guitarist, and he asked her to meet with him. Howie, Brian, Nick, and Kevin were waiting at the front of the stage while Anael talked. She was so enthused that the group, Blinded Glory, was there for teenage Christians. She knew the men in the band had a strong faith, and she wanted to express her thanks to them.

“We’re just glad you’re so into the music,” the drummer, Mike, laughed.

“I love praise and worship. It’s the best type of Christian music out there. I hope you do some of my favorite songs, too, although you’ve already done a lot of them,” Anael laughed, her honey blonde curls bouncing past her shoulders. Her sapphire eyes glowed with warmth, enhancing the intensity of her lovable personality.

“Which ones haven’t we done?” the lead guitarist, Josh, asked.

“Waves of Mercy, Holy, Holy, Holy, Every Move I Make, and a lot of others,” she answered with a faint blush upon her cheeks. Howie, Kevin, Nick, and Brian chuckled as the men in the band seemed to be extremely interested in her. They already knew that she had a fantastic personality.

“If we sing them, will you join us upstage to get the boys interested in singing?” Josh asked pleadingly. He wiggled his dark eyebrows, making Anael laugh with surprise. She hadn’t expected to be invited up. “You have a pretty voice, I could hear you singing with us.”

“I just possibly couldn’t–”

“Go ahead, Grace-Anne!” Brian whistled.

“You’d make a great addition!” Josh said with a fantastic grin.

“Please!” Mike screeched.

“Can I bring a friend?” Anael asked, submitting to the begging.

“Sure!” the bassist, Edgar, encouraged.

“Great!”

“We’ll start with Every Move I Make. Does that sound good?” Josh asked.

“Brian?” Anael asked.

“Me?” Brian asked with surprise as Anael yanked him up onto the stage. Kevin, Nick, and Howie whistled wildly as Josh eagerly set up a microphone for Brian and Anael. He winked at his band members as Anael whispered something in Brian’s ear. She watched him blush. “Grace-Anne, are you sure you want me up here?”

“Do you want to show God you love Him?”

“Always,” Brian replied as he heard the music gear up.

“Then show Him,” Anael answered, turning to look at Josh. He nodded with a bashful smile. Anael leaned back into the microphone as Brian already began to sing. She found her voice within her soul, and started her own harmony to match Brian. “Every move I make, I make in You/ You make me move, Jesus/ Every breath I take, I breathe in You/ Every step I take, I take in You/ You are my way, Jesus/ Every breath I take, I breathe in you.”

Brian’s eyes grew wide in surprise as Anael sang in his ear. Her voice was so heavenly. She was a siren among the gentle currents of the ocean waves, singing her tune to lonely sailors. Brian was utterly surprised. The softness of her powerful voice moved him. He watched his friends gaze at Anael in awe. Brian continued with the words, falling into a peaceful daydream with her singing. “Waves of mercy. / Waves of grace/ Every where I look I see Your face. / Your love has captured me/ Oh my God, this love, how can it be?”

*~*~*

AJ felt his body tense as he stood in the back of the church. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest. He couldn’t believe that he was actually standing in a church again. Sure, he thanked God for every award that Backstreet Boys had received, but he didn’t mean it. God had abandoned him a long time ago, so AJ abandoned God. The music thrashed against AJ’s heart, making it ache. Hesitantly, AJ reached up to rub his chest where his dark heart was located. He didn’t want to be here, but he remembered who had brought him there — Anael.

She had torn his soul apart in a matter of weeks. She was intangible to AJ. He could never have her, which drove him insane. She was so gorgeous, yet, untouchable. AJ felt his heart ache as she danced with Brian. Her smile seemed to brighten the entire room. She bumped her hips along with the beat of the music, dancing closer to Brian than imaginable. Brian tightened his arms around Anael’s shoulders, drawing her close to him. Anael gave an affectionate kiss upon Brian’s cheek, causing him to blush. AJ felt his soul grow dark – Brian was moving in on his territory.

AJ thought about hitting Brian squarely against the jaw. He felt his fists curl to heavy fists of fury. He was about to run to the center of the stage, but Anael’s voice caught him. He felt his heart lurch as her beautiful voice echoed into his ears. She sang like she was sent straight from Heaven. The soft calling soothed AJ’s angry soul. He slouched against the wall. She had been hiding her gift behind Brian’s singing. Brian’s voice called out in the song: “I will sing to / And worship/ The King who / Is worthy/ I will love and / Adore Him / I will bow down / Before Him / I will sing to / And worship/ the King who / Is worthy/ I will love and / Adore Him/ I will bow down / Before Him.”

During Brian’s slow melody, Anael’s voice burst out with a peppier beat. She swung her hips side to side as she closed her eyes. She held her arms up toward the sky, singing strongly: “He is Lord of Lords/ He is King of Kings/ He is mighty God/ Lord of everything/ He’s Emmanuel/ He’s the Great I Am / He’s my Prince of Peace / Who is the Lamb / He’s the living God/ He’s my saving Grace/ He will reign forever/ He is Ancient of Days/ He is Alpha, Omega, / Beginning and End/ He’s my Savior Messiah/ Redeemer and friend.”

Then Brian and Anael’s voices joined together in beautiful harmony: “He’s my Prince of Peace, and I will live my life for Him.”

AJ felt sick to his stomach as the song ended. Anael squealed with delight and leapt into Brian’s arms. Brian kissed her cheek fiercely and whirled her in a circle. Everyone applauded with delight and amusement. AJ shook his head, feeling the tears start to form in his eyes. He felt the real aching in his heart. He felt like he was in love, but now it was gone. Jealousy raged within his soul as he vowed to show her something. Then, without a second hesitation, AJ walked briskly out the door, turning farther away from God than Anael could ever had dreamed.