Not So Pure and Simple

Pointing out Sister Vanessa, Del hurries to grab everyone. He, Kiera, and Jameer get them all safely out of the auditorium. Angie refuses to leave to take them home since she won’t get in trouble. Thankfully, Cressie arrives and brings the group to the school’s gym to wait. Cressie and Del talk. She says that her professor sees their town like an Everytown and describes the audacity of complaining about pregnancies and then canceling sex ed when “religious zealots” get involved (267). Cressie says she has an anonymous source for her facts and is using her show to shine a light on similar situations across the state. Del explains he must get the kids back soon, or their parents will find out. Cressie tells him to wait, hurrying outside the gym. Qwan and Angie join them in the gym.

About 20 minutes later, Jaylan walks into the group for a private Q and A. Cressie asked her for this favor, so Jaylan answers their questions about thinking about sex and making tough decisions. Del asks how to move forward in a relationship that started rocky. Jaylan confirms he means how to go forward, not how to move on. She says to think about it because not every relationship has to be hard. Keira asks about hanging on to guilt and how to move on. Jaylan says to confide in a trusted friend.

With traffic due to a collision, Kiera suggests they text their parents that they are going out for pizza to discuss their purity project. They get pizzas to go and head to a spot in the forest Jameer knows.

At a lush forest near Green Creek, they enjoy chatting over their meal. The Burton twins admit the sloshing sound Del hears from Ralph’s backpack is boxed wine they stole from their pantry, so they have “communion” wine with the pizza. Jameer over-drinks, and Kiera takes two sips. Angie refuses the wine. When eyebrows raise, Del covers for her by saying they’re driving, and they both have water. When Angie and Qwan argue, the party ends and the group packs up and hurries to the cars. Angie and Del drop the kids off at the pizza restaurant agreed upon, where parents, except for Jameer’s, pick them up.

Jameer’s boyfriend, Ramsey, arrives instead to pick him up. Kiera is frustrated because they need to arrive back at their houses together, but Jameer begs her to cover for him since he’s done it for her before. Kiera asks how she’s supposed to spend time until then. Del takes offense, wondering if she wants to avoid him. Kiera hangs out with him as they go for a drive. When the topic of Colossus and Angie comes up, she explains that Angie said nothing happened though Colossus tried. Kiera was taught to forgive, so she stayed with Colossus, then got fed up. As Del drives , she asks about how he feels making the pledge but not being a virgin. Del considers telling her the truth but says they can make a commitment at any time. She agrees.

Del and Kiera plan to meet Jameer and Ramsey on a street near their houses so Del can take them home at the same time. They get to their waiting spot, but Jameer and Ramsey don’t show up. Del is offended that she doesn’t want to hang out while they wait, so he asks if she’s bothered because Jameer is late or because he’s with a guy. Neither of them has a problem with Jameer being gay, but Kiera is still annoyed. When Jameer finally arrives an hour late, Del is upset that he and Kiera aren’t getting along, and he thinks Jameer is ungrateful after Del “pulled off” the day and helped cover for him.

Del wakes up to a text from Tyrell for more shifts since the cook is out sick. He doesn’t respond, since he’s in a bad mood from the conversation with Kiera the night before.

At church, Pastor Newsome speaks of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Del has an unsettling feeling as Newsome claims someone has lied to them and corrupted their children’s thoughts and behavior. He chastises the kids for attending the Jaylan Talks event and blames Del in front of the entire congregation. Del can’t believe Sister Vanessa saw them at the talk and snitched.

After church, the other parents surround Del’s mom, scolding her. Mom rushes them out of church, disciplining Del about lying to his parents and putting other kids in danger by taking them somewhere without their parents’ knowledge.

At home, his father continues the discipline. Dad is on the phone with Tyrell, who is complaining about Del’s work ethic and refusal to take extra shifts. Dad negotiates a second chance at work, but Del gets into more trouble when he admits he has been tutoring, where he’s paid more. Mom and Dad take away his car, cell phone, laptop, and other electronics as punishment. He can only use the laptop for homework where they can see him.

Qwan tells Del about his conversation with Angie at the forest. She asked what kind of dad Qwan would be, and he responded that he’d be any type she wanted so she wouldn’t call him out on social media. Angie was right to get angry, he says. Thankfully, Angie got her period. Angie texted him not to worry anymore but to leave her alone because she doesn’t deserve to be treated badly. Qwan shares that he loves Angie and is working to redeem himself.

At work, Del talks to Mya about her mild punishment for attending Jaylan’s panel discussion. Mya’s mom talked to her and said she does more good than bad. They also talk about common interest in comics. Del read the Shuri comic, so Mya must read Batman, Del’s recommendation. Mya, like the others, blames Del for the road trip, but he knows he didn’t force anyone to see Jaylan.

With no other outlets, Del throws himself into school and work. Tyrell notices his work ethic, and he lets him work the drive-thru, which Mya normally dominates. Mason orders in the drive-thru, and Del is surprised and upset to see Kiera is in the passenger seat.

He texts Kiera later to check in and asks if they can be friends without Pledge. She agrees. Del also asks if she’s dating Mason, but Kiera responds that he’s just a good friend. Del holds out hope.

In the school’s gym locker room, Qwan says he has been begging Angie to take him back, doing chores for her, and making amends. Del overhears Mason bragging that Kiera is incredible in bed. Mason’s friends confirm they had sex, and Mason shares lurid details. Del, furious that Mason is slandering Kiera, punches him. Qwan pulls him back and settles everyone down. Del has a black eye from the fight.

In the gym, Del offers to drive Kiera home after school so they can talk about something important. She reluctantly agrees. When they meet, Del tells Kiera that Mason was bad-mouthing her. She’s shocked Mason said vulgar things. Though he thinks Kiera wouldn’t have had sex with Mason, he pushes Keira to tell him if she did. She finally admits she did.

Del, shocked and angry, confronts her about breaking the purity pledge, and he shames her for not knowing Mason would talk about her after they had sex. He asks her if the Purity Pledge is a joke to her since she questioned his reputation when it began. Kiera explains that she judged Del for not being a virgin because she felt guilty for her own hypocrisy; she and Colossus had sex, and she wanted to start fresh with the pledge. Del calls her a THOT, and she slaps him. When he drops her off at her house, Kiera slams the door and gives him the finger.

Furious, Del texts Shianne to come over the next day. She says yes.