When we were dropped off at the theater on Saturday we were early so Kelly and I decided to walk across the street to the college where they were hosting a Newsboys and Audio Adrenaline concert. We were jokingly looking on the ground to see if anyone had dropped tickets that we could use to get into the concert. While we were doing this a guy came up to us and asked if we wanted tickets. He said that he had extras and we could have them for free so we took them. I don’t remember what happened next. I don’t remember if Kendra was with us during the ticket part or if she was still at the theater. I don’t remember how the whole “we’re not going to the play, we’re going to the concert” convo went down. All I remember is that Kendra did not want to come with us to the concert and as far as I know she went to the play as planned. Kelly and I went to the Newsboys / Audio Adrenaline concert with free tickets given to us by a stranger when we were supposed to be at a play across the street.

Kelly and I had a blast. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we screamed, we praised, we prayed, we jumped up and down. I bought two cassette tapes (yes, cassette tapes). I don’t remember how long we were there, but it must’ve been long because we were the last ones in the building and we were able to get autographs from everyone in the band.

There are a lot of details I don’t remember about that night, like how we got home. I have a vague memory of Kelly’s brother, and a more vivid memory of my mom being really angry. Maybe it was both. This was a time before everyone and their 8 year old sister had a cell phone, so we never called our parents to tell them that we changed our plans. We honestly thought that we wouldn’t get into any trouble because we decided to go to a Christian concert. And God had obviously wanted us to go since he had blessed us with free tickets. Truly it was meant to be and our parents would understand.

Um, no. We were in big trouble, HUGE. Oh, I must’ve blocked out exactly what my mom said to me and exactly what my punishment was, but believe me when I say the message was clear. What Kelly and I did was wrong, I know that now. I didn’t even really know it then, even though the vein in my mother’s forehead should’ve been a clue. I just kept thinking “But it’s a Christian concert! I thought you wouldn’t mind!”. First of all ditching our friend was completely, totally, 100% wrong. We never should’ve left her and I can’t imagine how she felt being left there all alone. I certainly would’ve cried and tried to find a way home right away. That was terribly selfish of us. Second the danger involved in us going someplace we weren’t supposed to be when no one even knew about it, I shutter to think what could’ve happened.