Page 16 of For I Have Sinned

Not a second passes before Amelia calls me and adds Vince to the line. “What’s up? How did it go?”

“Uhm—” I run a hand through my hair. “Not good. The last time we were here, the head priest had me sign something. I thought it was to join the church, so I signed it to make him and my parents happy⁠—”

My voice trails off, and my eyes begin to burn, but I blink them away when I hear Vince softly ask, “It wasn’t that?”

“No. It was a contract.” I sniffle.

“What kind of contract?” Vince asks, concern lining his voice.

“A contract to join their convent to help me get a closer relationship with God.”

Amelia gasps. “What the fuck?”

I sigh. “It was all my mother’s idea.”

“They can’t do this,” Vince states in disbelief.

“Well, they did, and I can’t leave. I tried to run out of here the second I realized what was going on.”

“Do we need to come up there and break you out?” Vince offers with determination.

“Doubt it would work.” I huff, opening the top dresser to find cotton underwear and bras. I pinch the fabric of the underwear and lift it until it’s eye level. “I’ll figure it out. I only have to stay here until my mother sees a change in me.”

“That will never happen,” Amelia points out.

“Right, which is why I have to be super convincing.”

I drop the underwear and close the drawer, opening the one below. The dresses are all the same shade of white, folded neatly beside one another. The thought of having to wear these every day sends a shiver down my spine.

“That’s if I survive this place.” I mutter.

“You’ll be fine. You are the Great Celine after all.” Amelia chuckles, attempting to make light of the situation.

As I open my mouth to speak, I feel my phone vibrate. Pulling it away from my face, I see that it’s a text from Catherine. I gasp and almost drop my phone as I quickly tap the message to read it.

Catherine

Ortega Publishing would love to interview you!

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.

“What?” Vince and Amelia ask in unison.

“That author texted me to say the publishing company wants to interview me.” My heart begins to quicken as my anxiety takes over.

“What shitty timing,” Vince says.

“Tell me about it.” I toss my head back, staring at the ceiling as tears well up in my eyes again. “What do I say to her? I can’t go to the interview because I am stuck in this place, but this is an opportunity I can’t pass up.”

“Maybe tell her that you had paid time off from Stanley that you are using. Say you are at the beach and will do it whenever you are back,” Amelia suggests.

“Amelia, you are a genius!” My focus snaps back to my phone as I begin to type out the message, but my thumbs pause. “I don’t know when I’ll be leaving this place, though.”

“Tell her you’ll keep her updated,” Vince adds.

“Okay,” I say, and begin to type out the rest of the text, reading it aloud for my friends to hear.

Me