Page 11 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Difficulttimes?

Sadness turns to anger. The pressure is still there, scalding my eyeballs. Moisture builds, but these aren’t tears of mourning.

These are tears of rage.

Not the first I’ve shed. I’m sure not the last.

There are so many things I want to say to Father Gabriel right now. Bad things. Blasphemous things.

Little slut.

But I don’t.

If he senses my anger, he doesn’t acknowledge it.

“One last stop before lunch,” he says as he sweeps out an arm. “In case you ever need to get something off your chest.”

There’s a small alcove a few feet away. The arched door set within has a brass crucifix hanging at eye level.

Father Gabriel opens the door, revealing darkness beyond.

He steps inside.

I can either follow or stay out here, stranded and alone. As much as I want to fade into the shadows, I’m done with being alone.

I trust Gabriel.

I know he wouldn’t allow harm to come to me.

I follow him inside despite my tight chest and my pounding heart and my dry mouth.

I follow him into the darkness, and it swallows me whole.

Chapter 4

Trinity

Candles emerge from the gloom once my eyes have adjusted to the low light. They don’t do a good job of illuminating this place—but there isn’t much for them to light up anyway.

This is the tiniest chapel I’ve ever seen. The nave consists of six short pews, three a side, with a narrow aisle leading to the chancel.

The person on his knees in front of the altar seems too big and brawny for this intimate space.

Candle flames flicker as we move deeper inside.

As if sensing us, the figure in front bows his head a little deeper and slowly gets to his feet.

“My apologies for interrupting, Reuben.”

The figure turns.

I thought it had been a man, perhaps another priest, but as the flames light the stranger’s face, I realize he’s a kid like me.

Okay,kidisn’t the right word. Young man works better. He couldn’t be more than a year or two older than me, but he’s tall and broad and the darkness in his eyes doesn’t come solely from this shadowy room.

He’s dressed like Jasper was, but without the blazer. On him, his dress shirt skims defined muscles and his collar hugs a thick neck. The top button of his shirt is undone, and his tie slightly loosened, as if he was getting hot.

Unlike Jasper, he’s handsome as hell.

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