"It'll Be Okay..." <3 "Only If You're There..."

Instructions

Ａｌｌｙ I collapsed into a front row seat of our church sanctuary, exhausted from youth group. All the friend drama and all the crush angst. I tucked my knees to my chest, finally letting the sobs release from deep in my chest. Everything. Friends who aren't my friends. The thought of it tore my insides apart. I thought he might've even... liked me. I pushed the thought away as soon as it came, not wanting to admit the feelings I had for Levi. Because there wasn't anything between us, and I just had to accept that fact. I sniffed, my thoughts wandering. /What if we can't buy the house after all? What if it falls through?/ My thoughts rampaged through my head, causing more sobs to emerge. The house we had now wasn't going to cut it for much longer. "Please, Jesus," I prayed. "Give me a sign that I'm at least doing something right." I cried out to heaven. "Please..." "Ally?" a voice whispered from behind me. "Are you okay?" I turned around to see Axell standing in the entrance to the sanctuary, leaning against the frame of the double doors. "Axell!" I swiped at the tears on my face, trying to hide the fact I'd been having a meltdown. "I'm fine. Just... I didn't think anyone was still here. I'm just waiting for my parents." "Yeah, they're talking to my dad," he replied. "Are you sure you're alright?" He approached the front row, sitting in the seat next to me. "Honestly?" I swallowed the coat of slime in my throat. "Yeah, I'm okay," My voice squeaked. I stood up and turned to leave, but Axell grabbed my hand. He looked me dead in the eyes and replied, "I know you aren't." His eyes were filled with such genuine concern that I couldn't help letting loose the tears that formed at the corners of my eyes. He guided me back to the chair next to him and just sat, holding my hand while I cried. And cried. And cried. He didn't talk. Didn't laugh. He just... Sat with me. Before I knew it, we were standing, and his arms were wrapped around me. And he didn't let go. I rested my head on his shoulder and just sobbed. He whispered in my ear over and over one sentence, but it was enough: "It'll be okay." When the tears wouldn't pour anymore, he still held me like that. And the strange thing was... I didn't mind. "Thank you, Axell," I sniffed, as he quickly went across the room to grab me a box of tissues. "For everything." "Hey," he wrapped me in another hug. "I'm always here." He offered a small smile. "Will you be okay?" "I will if you're there." I wanted to slap myself for making such an awkward comment, especially since Axell and I were just friends. I glanced down, noticing his hand was still holding mine. "Don't worry, Ally," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I like you too." He gave my hand a small squeeze. "But don't you dare tell Daniel I said that. He'd never let me hear the end of it." His voice was at its normal volume again. "Axell!" his dad called from the front doors of the church. "We got to go!" "Coming!" he called over his shoulder and turned back to me. "If you need me, you know where to find me." He pulled me in for one last hug before he let go and walked out of the sanctuary. One thing was for sure. No matter what life threw at me, with all the crazy friend and crush drama, it wouldn't matter. Axell was Jesus' sign for me. God had it all in control, and He gave me Axell to show me that. No matter what would happen now. "It'll be okay..."