1. The most non-conformist girl in our dormitory
2. Confidences, confessions, and advice
3. An intimate little gathering
4. Girl talk and a run-in with Standards
5. I just don't belong here

• (character chart)

1. Young Women's
2. Youth Conference
3. Saturday's Warrior
4. Brigham Young University
• Gratuitous Love Scene
5. Polygamist
6. Temple Wedding
7. Orem High
8. Bordeaux Mission
9. Exmo Conference

"Oh, not at all," I said. "In fact she gave me your phone number too."

"Yeah, she said you were asking about me," he said.

Yikes, I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Paige was the one who had brought up his name, but I was afraid he might take it wrong if I corrected him on this point. On the other hand, I hoped my supposed inquiries wouldn't make me appear too anxious or desperate in his eyes. I decided to go with something non-committal.

"We were talking about her article, and your name came up," I said.

"Well, anyway, as she may have mentioned, I'm coming back into town in a few weeks. I was thinking it might be fun to get together."

"Sure, sounds great. Do you have any particular plans in mind?" I asked.

"Not really," he said. "Maybe go to Jake's uncle's cabin again. Unless you have some other ideas?"

"Actually, I was kind of hoping that during your visit you would have some time to discuss something with me," I said. I was nervous about bringing this up, but I was dying to talk to someone about it. "Paige said that you used to be a member of the church but that now you don't believe in it anymore. I'm starting to think that I don't believe in it either, and I don't know anyone else who would understand."

There was a bit of a pause on the line which led me to believe that perhaps I had made a mistake in springing that on him just like that.

"Wow," he said, "I don't know what to say. I hope that you don't think that with my little scripture game the other day I was trying to pressure you to change your beliefs."

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"Oh, no, no, it's not that at all," I said.

"I'm sorry, maybe that came out wrong," he said. "What I meant to say was that I'd be happy to take the time to talk to you about your reasons for leaving the church, and mine."

"And what I meant to say was that you seem like a fun guy, and I'm sure we'll have a great time, and it doesn't have to be any more heavy than necessary."

He laughed. "Okay, cool, sounds great either way. The first evening I'm free will be the night of the tenth. I'll see with Jake if it's possible for him to get his uncle's cabin for that night if that's okay with you."

"Absolutely," I said.

"Wonderful," he said, "I'll be in touch with the precise details."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye, Lynn," he said, and I hung up the phone.

As the initial shock of what had just happened subsided, I found that I was nearly hysterical with delight. I was surprised to discover that I could have such an intense physical reaction to a voice on the phone, but there it was, the same urgent burning sensation as before.

I still wanted to go consult April's university brochures, but I didn't feel I could go immediately because I was too excited to sit still. I decided to go on a little walk around the outside of the dormitory.

I started to wonder what Paige would think of this new development. I supposed she would be pleased that Rex and I had a date planned -- as she had clearly intended -- but she might be upset to learn that the religion question had kind of gone in the opposite direction than what she had been hoping for.

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