Not So Pure and Simple

Though nervous and surprised, Del replies he wants to remain pure because he loves God. Since his family isn’t actively religious and is testing church out, he’s learned that answering any question with “Because I love God” or “Because God loves me” works in every situation (12). Kiera replies that she loves God too and wants to treat her body like a temple. She quotes the Bible. Jameer, an honor roll and perfect attendance student, replies with one word: God. The minister explains they’re all undertaking a powerful journey with the eight-week Purity Pledge program. Afterward, Del follows Kiera, admiring her “hot” and “slim thick” figure.

At the end of the service, he wants to head to the lobby to talk with Kiera and her parents. He hopes to make a great impression before he asks her out. Jameer, Kiera’s next-door neighbor, runs to him and warns him against asking Kiera out. He says Del is “thirsty” and just like all the other guys who are obsessed with Kiera. Jameer warns that Del’s timing is bad because three guys already asked her to prom, and she said no. Since they don’t know each other well, Del questions Jameer’s motives. He says he wants Kiera to be with a good guy and would like his favor (warning Del to be patient) returned. Back with his mom, Del takes his folder of Purity Pledge materials and activities. Mom says she’s proud of him.

Del’s dad, who never joins them for church, is at home watching football. Dad and Mom share loving embraces and laughter, setting an example of love that Del wants to find too. Dad says his sister, Cressie, called. She is in her first year of college. Mom calls Cressie to check in, then lets Del talk with her. Del teases her about college classes, and she teases him about not having a girlfriend yet.

Del heads to work at Monte FISHto’s, a fast food restaurant. He’s a cashier, along with his classmate Mya Hanson, who works the drive-thru lane. Mya, who is shy, acknowledges to Del that they are both in the Purity Pledge group. She implies she didn’t think he was pure though. Del doesn’t know how to respond, and luckily his best friend, Qwan, enters the restaurant.

Qwan is “a ladies’ man” who believes in not getting emotionally involved with girls. He asks Del about Kiera, but Del explains it isn’t the right time although he’s in the Purity Pledge group with her. Qwan, exasperated, says that voluntary celibacy is a bad idea. He teases Del about the last time he had sex, which Qwan believes was two years ago when he lost his virginity at a group party. Del tells Qwan not to worry about him or his sex life.

At home later, Del looks at the permission slip for the Healthy Living class (sex education) at school. His parents must sign the slip granting permission for Del to participate in the lessons on safe sex and STDs. In the Purity Pledge folder, Del sees that the class will learn the exact opposite: abstinence is the only correct choice.

Before school the next day, Del’s dad calls him into his home office. He asks Del about the Purity Pledge since he’s confused that a “Rainey man” wouldn’t want to “get some.” Del offers an excuse about the class being volunteer work to help with college applications, but Dad believes he could pick any other type of volunteering. Del finally admits Kiera is in the program, and his dad understands. Dad is also happy it’s a free program since money is tight. Three years ago, Del’s dad gave him the safe-sex talk (and gave him a condom), and this is the first time they’ve talked about sex since then.

Del picks Qwan up in his car for school. Qwan keeps up with social media and explains the latest Kiera gossip on Snapchat. Del never uses his phone while he drives because he’d lose his driving privileges. Qwan says people are grieving Kiera and Colossus, and there was a “dumb rumor” they’d get married at graduation. Colossus used to give Kiera sentimental presents and take her out on nice dates, so Del and Qwan were upset that they had to step up their games. They see Angie Bell, the girl Colossus cheated with. They hear someone call her a THOT (that “ho” over there) in the hallway. Angie walks quickly by; she’s getting lots of hate on social media since Kiera is popular.

In their Healthy Living class, Del’s favorite teacher MJ (who also teaches English), explains they have a new curriculum that the physical education teachers didn’t all support. They’ll cover more topics of sexual health, contraception, and STDs this year—and Del realizes the change stems from the nine girls who got pregnant last year. The pregnancies drew attention from the local media, and the administration decided that the sex ed class was the appropriate response.

Later in gym class, someone throws a basketball that hits Del in the nose; his nose bleeds terribly. He worries Kiera saw him while others laugh, but she isn’t close by. Colossus has been begging her for forgiveness all day, but Kiera isn’t interested. After a trip to the nurse and cotton in his nose, Del is happy to be home at the end of the day. He masturbates to porn to relax.

Del drives to his first Purity Pledge class despite his doubts, and he wonders if he should just go home. Another car pulls up, and he hears a contentious exchange between Jameer and his parents. His father yells that the conversation “isn’t over,” and his mother quotes a Bible verse that Jameer finishes for her. Jameer walks over to Del, acknowledging that Del heard the fight, then asks if Del can take him home after the meeting. Del agrees, but he asks if Jameer could put in a good word for him with Kiera, since Jameer is her friend. Jameer doesn’t agree.

During class, Sister Vanessa asks who would like to lead their opening prayer. Kiera volunteers, but Del looks at social media while she prays. Kiera stares at him while quoting a verse about God’s wrath. Everyone else has their eyes closed while Del and Kiera stare each other down.

Sister Vanessa instructs them to make collages about purity. Though some people laugh, Kiera leads the younger girls to follow directions. They cut any images out of magazines that represent a pure mind, body, and heart. Del puts images like a man jogging, a car, and a business meeting on his poster. Jameer uses only letters he cuts out instead. Pastor Newsome comes in and praises everyone’s work, except Jameer, asking if Vanessa instructed him properly to use photos, not words.

At the end of class, Kiera asks Jameer if he’s sure about getting a ride from Del. Her attitude makes Del confront her. Kiera asks to talk to him privately; with passion and anger, she tells Del to leave the class. Kiera explains that she knows about his and Qwan’s reputation, and she won’t let him be a predator to the younger girls, who just see him as a cute boy. Del wants to retaliate that he’s not a womanizer, only Qwan is, but he just tells her she has it all wrong. Kiera storms off.

On the ride home, Del asks what he should do about Kiera. Jameer says he pissed her off because of his reputation with Qwan, but he can’t quit the purity class, or it will prove her right. Del argues, but Jameer asks him to prove he doesn’t go out on dates with girls every weekend; Del replies it’s complicated (since he’s just along for the ride with Qwan).

Del wonders why Jameer wants to help him, so he finally cracks and says he wants to make Pastor Newsome mad and that he wants information from the Healthy Living class. Jameer wants to know if wet dreams are normal, so Del tells him to just search for it on Google or Wikipedia. Jameer reveals he only has a flip phone. His parents have multiple safe searches on his computer. Del replies they’re strict, and Jameer agrees. Since Del is the only one in both Purity Pledge and Healthy Living, he can give Jameer the sex education info, and Jameer will help him get results with Kiera.