Fallen Angel

03

Jeremy's POV:

"Forgive me Father," I say, my voice already breaking and me on the verge of crying. "I've committed a horrible sin."

Father Peter sighs. "Tell me."

"I committed a lie of omission by sneaking out and going to a college party with my girlfriend. I played a game and committed an intimate act with another man. I... I let him touch me and I touched him back and I derived pleasure from it." I speak quickly, the shame making my face burn and causing tears to fall down my face.

Father Peter is silent for a few minutes. "So, you not only committed a sin of adultery against your girlfriend, but you lied to your parents, let another man touch you, and you get pleasure? And you did this all without thinking for a second about the shame you would bring to yourself and your family for committing this horrendous act?" he scolds me, making me cry even harder. "I'm not sure this series of sins is forgivable. Did you try to resist?"

I shake my head, because I really didn't. I should have stopped Carter from ever touching me, I shouldn't have played that damn game. This is all my fault and now I've drawn a wedge between myself and God.

"This is extremely disappointing," Father Peter says, his voice still harsh and cold. "My best recommendation to you is to abandon your relationship since you clearly cannot stay loyal to your girlfriend and to follow the path to become a priest, or to attend a practice in which you can be dissuaded from your unholy tendencies. Only by committing yourself to God will you be able to be forgiven."

"Father, I don't think becoming a priest is meant to be my path-"

I don't get to finish my sentence because Father Peter slaps me across the face. I grab my cheek and I can feel the tender flesh already heating up.

"You disgust me and you have brought shame to your family," he says before waving me away. "I will think of what I can do to save your lost soul, but I'm not sure there are many choices."

I hate crying, but I have never felt such shame and embarrassment. My tears are unstoppable as I walk home, and once I get inside, I freeze.

Dad is standing in the entryway, looking right at me.

"My office, now," he orders in a dry tone.

I walk into the office and stand in the center of the room, my hands shaking.

The door slams shut behind Dad and I hear him take off his belt. There's a split second for me to process what's happening when he slams his belt across my back and I cry out in pain.

"I got a call from Father Peter," he says calmly, as if he didn't just slam his belt across my back. "He tells me that you committed a heinous act."

Another strike catches me by surprise, but I manage to keep my cry if pain in.

"You let another man touch you," he seethes. "And you enjoyed it."

"I-" my unspoken plea for forgiveness is cut off by another slap of the belt.

Dad sighs deeply. "I will not have a faggot as a son."

"I'm not gay!" I shout. "I have a girlfriend!"

"Who you cheated on!" he bellows. "You cheated on Amanda with another faggot!"

The belt hits me again and I lose my balance, falling to the floor and most likely bruising my knees on the ground. It doesn't stop there; he continues to beat me, yelling obscenities at me and breaking my will to live with each strike.

"I'm sorry," I cry, begging him to stop with my sobs.

He hits me again. "You will follow Father Peter's advice. You are not worthy of that girl and you will break up with her and follow the path to become a priest. At least then you will remain abstinent and separate from those faggots who corrupted you!"