Page 23 of For I Have Sinned

“Isn’t it crazy?” Esther stops, turning to face me. “We are grown adults, and our parents are still controlling our lives? I mean, I’m twenty-seven and look at me!” She sighs dramatically. “When will it end?”

“After this stunt, I plan on cutting ties with my parents once I leave here. Dragging me to church every Sunday, my entire life was one thing, but forcing me to stay in a convent because I’m not the daughter they hoped for? That’s it for me.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll go no contact with my dad after this is all over. He’s always been religious, but after my mom died, it got out of control.” Sadness overtakes her expression. “He’s never been the same since then.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologize, but don’t ask any other questions about her mother. I don’t want to reopen an old wound that seems to still be healing. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere we shouldn’t be.” She flashes a mischievous grin, which I return. “It leads to the staff bedrooms. We students aren’t allowed over here, but if there is one thing you need to know about me, it is that I am a rule breaker. I don’t ever go any further than this, though.” She looks toward the door leading to the bedrooms. “The reason I come here is to get some peace and quiet, and I know that Joanna and her minion wouldn’t be caught dead coming near this corridor. If I don’t sneak away and have time to myself, I’ll explode.”

“Understandable.” I nod.

Esther backs up against one of the walls, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. I give her this moment of silence because she needs it. We may be somewhere we’re not supposed to be, but this is her space.

My eyes leave where she is standing, and I look down at the door at the end of the hall. I wonder whether their rooms are like the ones we sleep in, or nicer. Who am I kidding? They are probably provided nicer things than us.

As my thoughts churn, the door I’m staring at opens, and my eyes widen with fear when Father Alexander walks out. I shift my gaze to Esther, who is now alert from the sound of a door opening and stares down the hall. When I look back at him, Father Alexander’s eyes are bouncing between Esther and me.

“Is there a reason you two are in this corridor?” he questions.

Esther goes to open her mouth, but I beat her to it.

“We just wanted a quiet place to talk.”

He keeps his movements slow as he comes closer.

“And the courtyard wasn’t an option?”

“All of the others were heading that way after class,” I lie. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we weren’t supposed to be back here.”

“But Esther knows.” He gives her a look of disapproval.

“Sorry, Father Alexander,” she says in an apologetic tone. “We will leave.”

She turns around, raising her eyebrows as she walks past me in a way that shows she’s annoyed we got caught, but when I go to follow, Father Alexander stops me.

“Celine, stay.”

Esther looks from him to me, and I give her a shrug. “I’ll be right behind you.”

With a nod, she rounds the corner and disappears. Inhaling a deep breath, I spin around to give my attention to him.

“You’ve only been here two days, and you are already sneaking into areas you shouldn’t be.”

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t know.”

He nods slowly, and his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you gravitated towards Esther.”

“Why?”

“From my time here, I’ve noticed that she has a habit of getting herself into trouble.”

“I see.” My hands find themselves behind my back, my fingers wrapping around my wrist. “And because you are afraid of me running, you are worried about me befriending the convent’s troublemaker.”

“I’m worried about you being in the wrong company while you are here to fulfill your needs.”

“My needs?” I tip my head to the side. “And what, Father Alexander, are my needs?”

His eyes search my face, dropping down to my dress briefly before returning his gaze to me. “Your relationship with God.”