“It’s really pretty,” Pike said, but was admittedly confused as to why Lin was showing her, why she seemed especially eager for Pike to see.
“Look at the circle, look closer,” Lin said.
Pike obeyed. A small inscription that read simply John 3:16 was in cursive at the circle’s middle. And of course Lin wanted Pike to see, because Pike believed in God, and so did Lin, but believing in God wasn’t cool anymore, and so Lin wanted to share with someone who would not say things like, “Oh, don't worry, I understand why it's easier to live with that belief, how helpful it must be to you,” that gross condescending tone, when truthfully Pike very much liked the idea—liked it more and more each day—the idea of just becoming earth, of helping the flowers drink and grow, of not having to worry about where she’d end up based on who she kissed or who she loved.
“Can I see?”
Lin showed Riley, who was never religiously inclined, but was polite all the same. Riley had a Coexist bumper sticker and good-smelling incense and brightly colored tapestries hung up all over her bedroom walls.
The drive was nice, the perfect night for all the windows down and the sunroof open. Aerosmith changed to Bruce and all three girls got suddenly quiet at “Atlantic City,” then loud and full in sound at