SANCTUM (Supernatural-Romance)

Septem

"No, nothing Father. I am just not comfortable being in this place."

She embraced her shoulder bag this time and gave out a long sigh.

"I don't think it is nothing Aurora. Please do tell me next time if you feel uncomfortable so that I could do something about it."

"No, you can't possibly do anything Father," she answered unintentionally, looking suddenly so distant watching the trees of the parking lot.

Father Azrael abruptly stopped and called her name in a stern voice.

"Aurora."

She paused from walking and turned back to look at him

"Oh, I'm sorry Father," she answered in an apologetic voice. "What I mean is...is that...it is already in the past, you can't change anything about it."

"Tell me, why?"

She couldn't believe how suddenly she turned teary eyed now. Being in this place truly brought back some memories that she would prefer buried — buried deep within the confines of the classroom doors.

"Please, do confess," he encouraged once again.

With that, she remembered that the man in her front is a priest. If she was to express her pain at this moment, it would be the right time.

"I was..." she started in a pained voice. She sat down in a nearby brick chair and reminisced all that she could about her past in this place.

Father Azrael remained standing, but thoughtfully blocked the ray of the sun for her with his towering shadow.

"I once studied here when I was in high school. In my second year, Mr. Lafton, the principal now, was my professor in Physics. He was a quiet man, but he was good with his teaching skills. However, I didn't know that he was good with another thing and that was to blackmail students. I heard rumors about it, but I didn't mind them until it came down to me. He blackmailed me to failing my grades in the finals if I wouldn't let him touch a private part of my body."

The exact time she said it, Father Azrael's hands turned into a tightened fist. So this was what's bothering her. He was a fool to let the Principal ogle on her, but he was more a fool failing to notice her distress.

"I was afraid that time of course. I didn't want to disappoint Sister Cene with a low grade so I allowed him to touch me in my breasts. I was appalled by it Father, please don't get me wrong."

Her hands shook as she told it and her eyes suddenly streamed with tears.

Father Azrael didn't flinch, but he listened very attentively.

"That maniac!" she spat. "I never thought that he wanted more from me. He tried to rape me that time, but I didn't let him. I was able to defend myself enough that I could escape from his office. I honestly thought that I would fail my finals after, but I didn't. He gave me a high grade actually, but I loathe it. I transferred school after that, but I never told Sister Cene or Bishop Elliot about it. You are the only one who knows this Father. I trust that you can keep it a secret since it is in your vows anyway."

She wiped her tears dry with a tissue she pulled from her bag and glanced up to see Father Azrael's eyes seething with anger.

She expected him to do something a normal priest would do. Maybe to scold her or advice her, or to give her a list of prayers she needed to utter after her confession, but he didn't do any of that. Instead, he just offered his hand to her. She took it and she felt him pull her to stand, but what happened next was utterly unexpected. He tightly wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. She was stunned at first, felt awkward even, but she nevertheless felt instantly calmed.