A Priest's Deadly Obsession

Chapter 8 - Kiss

"But I'm  glad she has you as a friend, Zachary."

Zach gulped back, opening his mouth to speak as her uncle climbed into his car. "Thank you sir," he said softly.

Elizabeth walked into the dark lonely church at 6pm, a half hour earlier than the service due to start. It had begun to rain heavily and without warning so the girl ran as fast as she could and took refuge inside to await for the late mass. There was no one around and the incensed candles had burned off, the smell evoked around the wood structures until they reached her nose. She walked closest to the pews, tears building up in her eyes as she looked up at the cross, her hands folded together and rested beneath her small chin in silent prayer until a small rummaging sound startled her.

She wiped around and saw James carrying a tool box. His eyes widened when he saw her, his heart jolted and ran up his throat like a giant pill that needed to be regurgitated.

"E-Elizabeth?" he eyed her up and down, her face and hair were wet. Droplets of water clung to her cheeks, but they could easily be mistaken for tears. Had she been crying? He dropped the tool box on the first pew and approached her quickly, his hands urged to touch her face and wipe away the moisture from the rain. But he bit his lip harshly in a punishing way to compose himself, his arms folded in front of chest as he looked down on the girl.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his head titled to the side as he examined her.

Her eyebrows trembled followed by her lips,  as she looked into the priests kind eyes, she felt a weight drag her down and could no longer hold back the sadness, "....No..." she stammered, her eyes shut tightly releasing more tumbling tears down her already soaked cheeks.

He wanted nothing more than to grab hold of her and pat her long gorgeous black hair, instead he sat at the pew closest to the alter and patted the seat next to him for her to sit. Her knees relax and she leaned against the hard wood.

"...Elizabeth, you can tell me anything." he spoke softly to her, his eyes on her quivering lips. "...if it would make you feel any better, I am here for you."

She said nothing as she sobbed to herself. The lights in church began to flicker, the storm was really rattling outside and the thunder quaked, Elizabeth's shoulders caved in following the ear shattering loudness of the storm. James got up and went into a small room behind the confession stalls. The sad girl wiped her face with her sleeves and looked around for James, he came back with a plaid blanket and wrapped it around Elizabeth.

"You must be cold," he explained and sat back down. The only noise left was the unmerciful winds howling against the church walls. After a while she broke the silence.

"...I'm sorry " she muttered with a cracking voice, but James was holding back his face from grinning. He was enjoying this all too much, this alone time with her. Too long had he only seen her in his dreams, and too long had it been since they shared the same air together.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her, curious as to why she would be this upset.

"I just, I thought-" she tried putting the context together in place before admitting things to him. She looked up at the young priest, his calm gentle eyes soothed her. " I had feelings for someone but now...."

James frowned, is she talking about Zach?

" I'm afraid to trust him..." her eyes bounced back and forth between the priests eyes.

He tilted his gaze at her, "Did this person do something to you?"

She pressed her lips together before speaking, "...I'm not so sure...I mean-"