Chapter 8: The Faith Test
1047 Words
The cafeteria was buzzing with energy, the usual lunch rush filling the air with laughter, clinking trays, and the excited chatter of students eager to unwind after the morning classes. The large hall was divided into different groups—the diligent scholars in one corner, the sporty elites in another, the gossiping girls occupying the middle, and, of course, the admirers of Dylan Harris, scattered all around, stealing glances at him every chance they got.
But today, there was an underlying tension in the air. A strange, unspoken expectation.
Dylan walked in with Josh beside him, his confident stride unshaken despite the whispers that followed. He had planned this moment perfectly. Today was the day. The moment Hannah Carter would no longer stand so sure of herself, no longer hold her head high with that quiet, unshakable faith.
Josh, however, wasn’t thrilled about it.
“You’re seriously going through with this?” Josh muttered under his breath as they stepped inside, passing a group of girls who giggled and whispered as they watched Dylan.
Dylan smirked, brushing off the question. “I told you, Josh. This isn’t just a game. This is something bigger.”
Josh sighed. “You mean your pride?”
Dylan shot him a look. “No. I mean the truth.”
Josh exhaled, shaking his head. He wasn’t blind to what was happening. Dylan was doing everything he could to convince himself that Hannah was wrong, that her God was nothing more than a fairytale. And if he couldn’t shake her belief? Then he’d break it.
Across the room, at a small table near the windows, Hannah sat with Lorie and their newest classmate, Jack Terence.
Lorie was animated, full of curiosity as she asked Jack endless questions about where he came from, why he transferred, what he thought of the school. Jack, with his calm and confident demeanor, answered effortlessly, his easy charm drawing attention from the girls around them.
Hannah, however, was quiet. Not because she wasn’t interested in the conversation, but because her mind was elsewhere.
Dylan.
She hadn’t seen him properly since the hospital. She had wanted to check on him after his injuries, but something in her held back. Maybe it was the memory of his harsh words, his relentless doubt toward her faith. Maybe it was the unspoken challenge in his eyes that unsettled her.
But now, as she sat in the cafeteria, she didn’t have to wonder about him anymore. Because the moment Dylan Harris walked in, she felt it. That shift in the air.
And then, something unexpected happened.
Instead of heading to his usual spot, Dylan turned.
And walked straight toward her.
---
Hannah’s hands froze over her tray. Lorie stopped talking mid-sentence, her eyes widening. Jack, who had just taken a sip of his drink, paused, his gaze flicking to the approaching figure.
Dylan moved with calculated precision. Each step slow, deliberate, as if he was walking toward something he had already won.
The entire cafeteria noticed.
The girls who usually admired him held their breath, watching intently. Some looked at Hannah with envy, others with curiosity. What was Dylan Harris doing walking straight to Hannah Carter?
Lorie swallowed hard. “H-Hannah… what’s happening?”
“I… don’t know,” Hannah whispered, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest.
Then, Dylan stopped right in front of her.
Hannah slowly lifted her gaze.
Dylan was so close. Too close.
For the first time in a long time, Hannah felt small under someone’s stare.
And then, Dylan placed his hands on her shoulders.
---
A collective gasp rippled through the cafeteria.
Hannah’s heart pounded against her ribs.
Dylan’s touch was firm but careful, as if he was trying to control the effect he had on her. His eyes—deep, unreadable—locked onto hers.
And then, he spoke.
“Hannah Carter.”
His voice was clear, confident—loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I’ve been fighting this for so long… but I can’t anymore.”
Gasps. Whispers.
Lorie’s hand flew to her mouth. Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Hannah? She felt like she couldn’t breathe.
What… was he saying?
Dylan dropped to one knee.
Screams erupted. The cafeteria exploded in chaos. Some students laughed in shock, others screamed like they were witnessing a real-life drama unfolding before them.
Dylan took out a small box.
It looked like a ring box.
Hannah felt the color drain from her face.
This is not real.
“Marry me, Hannah.”
---
Silence fell again. The kind of silence that felt deafening.
Hannah froze. Lorie looked like she was about to faint.
Jack’s fingers curled into a fist.
But Dylan? He was calm. Too calm.
He held up the box, but when he flipped it open, inside was not a diamond ring.
It was a cheap, plastic ring.
Students gasped, some whispering to each other in disbelief.
Hannah’s heart twisted.
Dylan’s voice was slow, deliberate. Cruel.
“You said your God is real. You said He has a plan.” He tilted his head, watching her reaction. “So prove it to me, Hannah.”
Hannah’s breath hitched.
What?
“If you really believe, you won’t say no,” Dylan continued. “Because if you say no, it means you don’t trust His plan.”
It hit her then.
This wasn’t a confession.
This was a test.
A mockery.
He was trying to use her own faith against her.
She felt every pair of eyes in the cafeteria watching, waiting, judging.
If she said yes, she would become the laughingstock of the school.
If she said no, Dylan would twist it against her.
Either way, he thought he had won.
But Hannah… she would not break.
Slowly, she smiled.
Dylan’s smirk faltered.
Then, in the softest but firmest voice, Hannah took the plastic ring… and placed it back in his palm.
She curled his fingers over it gently, holding his gaze.
“You want proof?” she whispered.
Dylan stared.
Hannah’s eyes were clear, unwavering.
“Then wait.”
The entire cafeteria held its breath.
Dylan… had no words.
Josh watched, stunned. Lorie exhaled sharply. Jack, for the first time, smirked.
Because for the first time, Dylan Harris wasn’t the one in control.
And he hated it.
- Writer
