she wasn’t entirely sure why she had stepped into the chapel. what she had spent so long rejecting now seemed to pull at her, clinging to her almost desperately, as if it sensed she was slipping away. maybe it was an old reflex— an instinct, buried deep, to seek sanctuary after hearing something so unspeakable. she didn’t know the girl and the thought of praying for her forgiveness felt like a lie when she hadn't even asked for her own. with a sigh, she folded her knees to her chest, her feet resting on the edge of the pew. for a brief, charged moment, her eyes locked with the figure she was trying so hard to avoid—the one she couldn’t outrun. held it for a second too long and the weight became unbearable, making her rise quickly, the old wood creaking beneath her, and head for the door. a stupid idea. she shouldn’t have come here.
a voice reached her, stopping her in her tracks. it felt like a trap—sticky and inescapable. she froze. max glanced around, half-hoping someone else might answer the call, someone better suited to this moment. there was no one else close enough, no one else who could hear, and the responsibility fell on her, whether she wanted it or not. “ i don’t think it’s fair to punish yourself for that, ” she began, her voice soft, slightly unsure but laced with something kind and unyielding. “ there are far worse things ------ i don't even remember it being mentioned in any of the scriptures, ” a weak attempt at humor. max took a step closer, then another, lowering herself onto the pew beside him. “ if anything ------- it shows you cared --- you didn’t forget her name, you asked. that means something. it shows you cared enough to want to know her, even if you didn’t before. ” a beat. “ do not ------ weigh yourself with unnecessary guilt. it's nothing you should be apologizing for. ”
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