Chapter 8

For the next three weeks, Jade did her best to ignore Benjamin. At school, she strengthened her friendships with Aiden, Alex, Sam, and Lacey, enjoying the comfort and normalcy they brought to her life. At home, she played with her little sister, practiced her culinary skills, and tried to keep her mind focused on anything but him. She was determined not to let Benjamin and all the drama he seemed to carry with him consume her thoughts. Instead, she focused on what was in front of her, letting the part of her that longed for him grow quieter with each passing day. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t completely shake the nagging hope that he might be the one to break the silence, to come to her and say something—anything.
On the first Saturday of October, Jade decided it was time to stop procrastinating on her term paper about Georgia’s role in the War of Northern Aggression, more commonly referred to by the rest of the world as the American Civil War. Her history teacher had assigned the entire class a research paper due before Christmas on Georgia’s involvement in the war, leaving the topic open-ended for the students to interpret as they wished. For Jade, the assignment felt like an impossible task. Most of her classmates had grown up steeped in the history of the state, while her knowledge was limited to a few months of living here and summer vacations spent mostly at the beach. Today, she decided, would be her day to explore until something sparked her interest.
As she wandered through the park, Jade couldn’t help but feel a sense of disconnect. The North had long since moved on from the Civil War, but here in south, the echoes of the past still lingered. The state seemed engrossed in its own history, though even here, the past was slowly being left behind. She leaned against a metal fence, gazing out toward the sea. In the distance, almost like a mirage, stood Fort George—an island fortress that had once been a key stronghold during the war. It was hard to imagine that such a small, unassuming place had once been the site of so much conflict and bloodshed. But as fascinating as it was, Jade dismissed the idea of writing about it. Surely, it was the obvious choice, and her classmates would be all over it.
She turned back toward the park just as a horse and carriage clattered by on the cobblestone street, a modern-day tourist attraction that felt oddly out of place amid her thoughts. She tried to picture the scene as it might have looked over a century ago—two women in hoop skirts and floppy hats, perhaps, being pulled by a slave. Men in worn uniforms would have patrolled the streets, muskets in hand, ready for any sign of a Northern invasion. Jade imagined the mansions that lined the streets coming under fire, cannonballs tearing through the delicate facades, the trees that now stood so peacefully ablaze with flames. It was a world she could barely grasp, a way of life that had crumbled long before she was born.
She let the images linger in her mind, haunted by the contrast between the beauty of the place and the violence that had once threatened to consume it. The past felt closer here, more tangible than in the history books she had read in school. And yet, it was still just out of reach, a story she could never fully know.
As Jade walked through the park, she realized that the history she was searching for wasn’t just in the obvious places like Fort George or the crumbling mansions. It was in the people who had lived here, the ones whose lives had been forever changed by the war. Maybe, she thought, her paper didn’t need to be about battles and forts. Maybe it could be about something quieter, something more personal.
And maybe, in the same way, she could find a way to make sense of her own feelings, of the complicated mess of emotions she was trying so hard to bury.
For a moment, Jade let herself get lost in the past, imagining hoop skirts and muskets, mansions in flames, and soldiers marching down the cobblestone streets. The vividness of it all consumed her until she felt the warmth of someone’s breath tickle the back of her neck. A familiar voice whispered close to her ear.
“Lost in thought?”
Benjamin’s deep voice sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. A secret smile tugged at her lips—so, he was the one to finally break the silence. Since she had tested her willpower and held strong for three long weeks, she figured it was perfectly fine to talk to him now.
“I was, until you so rudely interrupted,” she teased, turning to face him. As she did, she took note of how his dark-washed jeans and black shirt contrasted against her white tank top and floral skirt. The two of them couldn’t have looked more different.
Benjamin shrugged casually, his usual smirk in place. “Well, since I’ve already annoyed you, I guess there’s no reason to stop now.” He leaned against the railing beside her, his arm brushing lightly against hers. His touch was brief, but it lingered in her mind.
Jade laughed despite herself, and he smiled back, the moment between them warm and easy. “What were you thinking about so deeply?” he asked, his voice softer now, more curious.
“Hoop skirts and muskets,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
Benjamin raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. “What?”
Jade blushed, shaking her head at her own awkwardness. “Sorry, I’m working on a Civil War paper for history class. I see all this history around me, but I can’t seem to find a topic that really stands out.”
“Well, lucky for you,” he said, draping an arm around her shoulders and steering her toward an old cannon across the street, “you’ve got a native to show you around.”
Jade hadn’t expected Benjamin to swoop in and offer to be her personal tour guide after three weeks of silence, but it was exactly what she needed. He seemed to know everything about the state, and as much as she hated to admit it, spending the afternoon with him was something she had secretly wanted.
He led her through the park, pointing out landmarks she had overlooked. There was the huge mansion that had been a wedding gift from a father to his daughter after the war, and just down the street, a beautiful townhome that still had a piece of shrapnel embedded in the roof from a Northern attack. With each story, Benjamin brought the history of state to life in a way her textbooks never had.
They walked past old cemeteries where Confederate soldiers were buried, through streets lined with preserved buildings that had survived the war, and eventually arrived at what used to be the old slave market. It was now a bustling flea market, filled with local artisans selling their handmade goods. He pointed out where slaves had once been held, how they were sold, and where they had eventually been set free. He painted a picture of a city full of beauty and grace, but with an ugly undercurrent of racism that, in some ways, still lingered.
Jade listened intently, absorbing everything he said. She couldn’t help but be impressed by how much he knew, by the way he spoke about the past with such vivid detail. After two hours of walking and talking, she finally asked, “How do you know all of this?”
He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “You pick up a lot when you live here. Southerners are proud of their history.”
“I guess,” she said, studying him closely. “But you describe it like you lived through it.”
For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes, a shadow of emotion that he quickly hid behind a smile. “Maybe I just have a vivid imagination,” he replied, his tone light but evasive.
She wasn’t sure what to make of his response. She had spent the entire afternoon trying to piece him together, to understand who he really was beneath the surface. And just when she thought she was getting closer, he would slip away again, leaving her with more questions than answers.
But for now, she decided to let it go. The day had been unexpectedly perfect, and she wasn’t ready to ruin it with more doubts.
“Thanks for the tour,” she said, smiling up at him.
“Anytime,” Benjamin replied, his voice warm with sincerity. “Let me know if you need any more help with that paper.”
She nodded, the ghost of a smile still on her lips as they turned to leave the park. Despite everything, despite the questions still swirling in her mind, she couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward him.
He breathed out a laugh, one that almost sounded like a sigh. “Do you actually believe that’s possible?” His squinted eyes caught hers at that moment, and Jade knew there was more to his question, some deeper meaning hidden behind the words. Her heart skipped a beat. Was it possible? Did Benjamin believe in something beyond what she could see?
“Of course not,” she replied, flustered. She quickly looked away, her gaze landing on an old woman sitting on a blanket nearby, weaving a straw basket. The woman seemed to belong to another era, completely out of place against the backdrop of zooming cars and the busy intersection. Jade tried to ground herself in the present, forcing her thoughts away from Benjamin’s cryptic question.
When she looked back at him, she wondered if he fit into this scene at all. His constant brooding made him seem older than he was, like he carried burdens beyond his seventeen years. She knew he had more on his mind than the average teenager, but was that enough to start believing in impossible things?
“Come on,” Benjamin said, nodding to the side, his dark hair slipping forward to shield his eyes. For a moment, with the piercing green hidden in shadow, she felt like she could finally breathe again. She pushed away the crazier theories that had been forming in her mind. “I want to take you to my favorite place in the city.”
They walked for a while, keeping the conversation light, careful not to touch on anything too serious. After several blocks, Benjamin stopped in front of a large building. Jade looked up in awe. Four round columns shot upward into a massive triangular frieze that reminded her of a Roman temple. But as she traced the architecture higher, she spotted the top of a steeple. The building, though immense, was surprisingly plain. Large wooden doors and sweeping windows gave it an austere beauty, unmarred by ornate decorations. The yellow-tinted stone stood out in sharp contrast against the vivid blue sky, and Jade tried to take it all in before glancing at the sign: Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church.
She was a little shocked. She had never figured Benjamin was the religious type.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said with a grin. “But it’s because of the view.” He started toward the entrance, and Jade had no choice but to follow. When she stepped inside, the sanctuary took her breath away. Massive white columns rose toward an arched ceiling that gleamed in the light. The marble floor stretched before her, leading her eyes past rows of ivory pews toward a towering stained glass window behind the altar. Sunlight poured through the intricate glass, casting vibrant colors that danced across the otherwise bare room. Jade’s gaze wandered upward to the balconies that lined the sides of the church, their carved mahogany creating a striking contrast against the white walls. When she turned around, her eyes fell on a grand organ that dominated the back wall, and she could almost feel the music echoing from its great pipes.
“Jade, come on.” Benjamin’s voice broke through her reverie. He stood beneath the organ, waving her over. “This is nothing.”
Curiosity piqued, she followed him to a corner of the church, where he began feeling along the wall. After a moment, what had seemed like solid plaster creaked open as Benjamin found a hidden latch. With a smirk, he pulled the thick door open and gestured for her to enter first, his arm sweeping out in mock chivalry. “After you, miss.”
Jade peered into the darkness beyond the doorway, hesitant. “Is this allowed?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Rules are made to be broken,” Benjamin replied with a wry smile, his words laced with challenge. Could she let go of her strait-laced mentality, just this once?
With a smile of her own, Jade accepted the challenge. She stepped through the hidden doorway, her heart pounding in her chest. The wooden staircase beyond was narrow and creaky under her weight as she placed her foot on the first step. She felt the light disappear behind her as the door shut, leaving her alone in the dim space with Benjamin following close behind.
As they climbed, the air grew heavier, dust swirling in the narrow beams of light that occasionally peeked through cracks in the walls. Jade tried not to think about the cobwebs that clung to the corners or the insects she was sure were lurking in the shadows. She focused on following Benjamin’s exact footsteps, trusting that he knew where they were going.
“We’re almost at the top,” Benjamin called back to her as if sensing that she had paused.
Jade took a deep breath and continued climbing, encouraged by the promise of finally reaching their destination. After a few more steps, the narrow staircase opened up onto a wooden platform. The space was filled with the towering presence of church bells, their polished surfaces glinting faintly in the dim light. A long rope hung through a hole in the floor, swaying slightly as if moved by an unseen hand.
Jade followed Benjamin through the maze of bells, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and awe. Finally, he stopped beside a large window and sat down on a cushioned bench. With a sweep of his sleeve, he wiped away the dust from the glass, revealing the breathtaking view beyond. Jade stepped forward and gasped.
“Wow,” was all she could manage.