The Seventh Deadly Sin

Part Seven: Behind Walls

"SECRETS ARE ALWAYS MEANT TO KILL THE KEEPER."

- REID

THE TAUTNESS IN THE air was impenetrable as I apprehensively recounted the details in the library. It was out of the blue, and I rarely predicted that Luca would own up a touch. Emily was sitting on my bed; her dress was a midnight blue nightwear. Her straight brown hair was delicately falling from her shoulders down to her sides—her russet eyes seemed to be over the moon from what she'd heard.

"What transpired after his confession?" She asked, sitting upright while grabbing the rake to brush her hair.

I puckered my eyebrows and prop my elbows on my knees, "I solaced him for a couple of minutes. And I never initiated another discourse after that; I thought he only needed someone to talk to at that moment, but I was petrified to answer that for now."

"I see," she said, trying to hide her disappointment.

Emily parted her lips to say rather but quickly wrapped it. The silence rules the crisp evening air, and the only thing that can be heard apart from our fixed breathing is the hanging curtains from the tall colossal windows.

"I have something to say. I already told Alda about this, and it would be fair enough if you also knew why I stayed in his place," I spoke brusquely at Emily.

Her disenchantment turned to an uneasy but defensive stance. She could also sense the anxiousness and terrified emotion through my change of tone. "You could always open up your problems with me, Mary Jane."

I wrapped my fingers and unintentionally quavered, "There's something that's happened last month here in my room. At first, I never spoke with someone about it because I was afraid of being misjudged. But the longer I hide it to myself, the harder it is to confront."

"What is the thing that's harder to confront?" She asked tenderly, putting her hands on top of mine.

"It's hard to explicate because it started long ago. But, the thing is, something has changed, and the deep-rooted events are now coming back from my past,"

"Will you allow me to ask about it?" Emily tried to soften up the circumstances.

I stared at Emily and thought for a moment. I'm aware that she's far different than Alda. She's the first person who defended me when Alexis was perturbing me to leave the group; she's the one who was there when I was oblivious and variegated about the amendment of ethics here in Mastema compared to the monastery. But I also understood that putting my trust in countless people would be like plowing my grave deeper.

I look at her forestalling ones and laugh at her apologetically, despondently shaking my head.

THE MORNING DERIVED in a rush, and I took a bath in my moiré tub, considering that I don't have the contemporary luxury to take a quick rinse. Emily seemed to understand my concealment and decisions last night and never pressed the topic further. She even helped me prepare myself, and I was glad enough that this would be the last day I'd be wearing the silver foils covered with a black robe—yet I was simultaneously nervous for my performance in the afternoon.

"You can do it," Emily encouraged me gently.

I wore my regular uniform and was thrilled to know my attire in the play. Elizabeth told me that it was better to surprise all, including me. She guaranteed we were the same size, so I wouldn't worry if it would fit.

My fragrance was lavender and honey trace. Emily thought it would bring providence for me, and it fits the role of Miranda, a sweet and charming daughter of Fernando. It was already 7:35am when we finished preparing ourselves. Emily was also doing her current literature project with Alex. I never knew that they were peers in English class.