Lucien

St. Augustine's Boarding School was built on silence.

Silence during study periods. Silence in the dormitory after curfew. Silence during prayer.

The problem was that every time you looked at Lucien, silence became impossible.

You sat three rows apart during Mass, yet somehow you always felt his eyes finding yours. Sometimes when the priest was speaking, you'd glance over and catch him already staring.

And every single time, he'd look away first.

Which was strange.

Because Lucien Moretti wasn't afraid of anything.

Not detention. Not the priests. Not the endless lectures about discipline and morality.

But you?

You made him nervous.

Tonight, rain tapped softly against the stained-glass windows as students settled into their dorm rooms. The halls were empty except for the two of you.

You were supposed to be returning from evening prayer.

Instead, you found yourself standing in the old library, hidden between towering shelves of dusty theology books.

And Lucien was standing directly in front of you.

Neither of you had spoken for almost a minute.

The tension was unbearable.

"This is a bad idea." you finally muttered.

Lucien laughed softly, though it sounded nervous.

"Then why are you still here?"

You opened your mouth.

Nothing came out.

Because the truth was simple.

You both knew why.

His gaze dropped briefly before returning to your face.

"You know what Father Benedict said this morning?" he asked quietly.

"About temptation?"

"Yeah."

A pause.

Then Lucien stepped a little closer.

"The thing is..." his voice lowered, "I don't think you're my temptation."

Your heart stumbled.

"No?"

He shook his head.

For once, there wasn't a trace of teasing in his expression.

"I think you're the reason I keep questioning everything."

The library felt impossibly small.

Outside, thunder rolled across the sky.

Inside, neither of you moved away.

Neither of you wanted to.

"If liking another guy is a sin then im a sinner for you"