Like during every meal, Elizabeth sat next to her friend Maria. But this time, it felt different. There was tension in the air, none of them dared to utter a word. They ate their meal silently, not even looking at each other. Elizabeth felt bad about acting like that with her friend, but she realized that something was off. They had been friends for years, and yet, she never felt comfortable like she was with Sukebe. At first, she thought she was the problem, but Sukebe's existence made her doubt her previous thoughts. Actually, Sukebe made her think more than she ever did before and made her more comfortable than she ever was.

Elizabeth looked at Maria, she couldn't help but feel like they took a very different path, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"You know, I told sister Sukebe about my past." Said Elizabeth, in an attempt to engage the conversation.

"And how did she react? I wouldn't be surprised if she just accepted you like that without even questioning you."

"Why would it not surprise you? A lot of people judge people based on their past."

"And only the devil would accept peoples' sins. It's not being kind, it's being manipulative. She's using you."

Elizabeth felt shocked upon hearing Maria's accusation. It was true that Sukebe was really understanding, but was it only for manipulation? She couldn't imagine Sukebe intending her any harm.

"If it's true, then God must have a plan for me. I trust sister Sukebe, and I believe that she trusts me, not out of malice, but out of kindness."

"All I'm saying is, don't come crying when she'll be done with you."

"Why so much distrust toward her? Is it really only because of her past?"

"Have you taken a moment to see how she acts? She never prays, barely dresses properly, and she always questions everything, which you've been doing lately. She is not a good influence."

"But her faith and her kindness are the only things that matter. Yes, she may not act exactly like the Lord intended, but even He knows she's trying her best."

"Putting words in God's mouth?" Asked Maria with a disapproving glare.

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure he knows it."

"Didn't she tell you? She was a slave, most of the people here know it. The Lord must know more than anyone else about her past. She had an unholy past, she's lucky she's even here."

"Maria!" Scolded Elizabeth "Don't talk like that. If you learned to know her, you'd see how kind she is, how troubled her past was, and how hard she tries to get away from it."

"Once you've strayed away from God, there's no way back. It may be our duty to help lost souls, but it is a vain task."

"But look at me, I've changed my ways. I'm no longer the child who stole to survive, I'm a woman of faith, putting God before anything else. Don't you think others can too?"

Maria looked Elizabeth in the eyes silently and stayed that way without breaking eye contact.

"Elizabeth, you need to stop acting like a naive child and face the real world. God won't always be here for you."

Maria left, her meal finished. Elizabeth was still in shock, thinking about her words. Was she truly thinking like that? It was like the friend she had all these years just disappeared. Despite her hunger, she didn't find the strength to eat anymore and went directly toward her room.

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Elizabeth was supposed to go to her room, but instead, she wandered around the monastery like a lost soul. She reassured herself by thinking that if Maria left her, she always would have God. All she needed to do was to have faith and everything would make sense. On the way back toward her room, she passed in front of Sukebe's. Sounds could be heard emanating from the room, it sounded like a guitar. It sounded more like someone practicing than someone being talented at it.

Elizabeth knew she shouldn't, she had no reason to, but still knocked on the door. Her body was just acting by itself, and when her brain realized what she was doing she started to panic. Should she just leave? It would be rude to just leave, but what would she say then?

She didn't have time to wonder much longer, since the door opened, with Sukebe looking surprised to see her.

"Sister Elizabeth? It's almost curfew, what are you doing here?"

"I..." Elizabeth lost herself in Sukebe's eyes, she wanted to stare at them forever. Because of that, she answered the first thing that came to her mind "I missed you."

"You-You did?" Sukebe blushed and looked embarrassed, dodging Elizabeth's gaze "It's only been a few hours but... I wouldn't mind if you stayed for a while."

The two women smiled innocently. Elizabeth entered the room and sat on the bed, with Sukebe next to her. Taking a deep breath, she said what was on her mind those last few days.

"Do you know sister Maria? We've always been close friends, or so I thought... Maybe we were just friends because we happened to spend time together, not because we enjoyed each other company."

"Don't you enjoy being with her?" Asked Sukebe.

"I do, or rather, I did. Lately, it's like I've seen her true face. She's nowhere near as kind as I imagined... I thought everyone would be here since we all share our faith in the Lord, but humans are just so... Flawed."

"If God is just, then you'll find happiness and be surrounded with people you can trust."

"I already do have someone like that."

"Really? Who?"

Sukebe asked innocently. Elizabeth only replied by looking at her and giving a soft smile. Sukebe looked away in embarrassment and was visibly blushing even more.

"Well... I trust you too..." She said, with a shy voice.

Elizabeth looked at the guitar that was lying next to her and handed it to Sukebe.

"I'd love to hear you play."

"I don't think you would, I just started playing yesterday, I can't even do a chord."

"It's not the guitar that I want to see."

Sukebe noticed that Elizabeth seemed bold for some reason, she didn't understand but she wasn't going to complain. She took the guitar and tried to play the few notes that she learned. It wasn't very good, but it didn't seem to bother Elizabeth, who just looked at Sukebe's fingers playing the guitar. She slowly got closer and asked in a very innocent voice

"Can you teach me how to play?"

Sukebe nodded her head and handed her the guitar. She slowly taught the basics that she learned. Every time Elizabeth had trouble placing her fingers correctly, Sukebe had to take her hand and place it was supposed to be. But it happened so often that she started to wonder if Elizabeth wasn't doing it on purpose.

"It's really hard, it's impressive that you can play in just a few days."

The door knocked, it was probably to announce the curfew like last time. Sukebe left to the door, leaving Elizabeth alone. She didn't understand what was happening to her, maybe Sukebe did make her change, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it. For once in her life, she started to feel something as strong as her faith. No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't find an answer to what these feelings were.

Sukebe came back, took the guitar from Elizabeth's hand, and talked gently.

"It's time for the curfew, we don't want to wake everyone up."

Elizabeth grabbed Sukebe's hand to the surprise of the latter. She looked emotional, like she was about to cry, and put Sukebe's hand closer to her cheek.

"Please... Don't leave me... Don't change... Stay the soft angel you are."

Sukebe softly caressed the nun's cheeks. She sat next to Elizabeth on the bed and took her in her arms.

"What happened? Why are you like that?"

"I wish I knew..." Answered Elizabeth, with some tears on her face "I feel things I've never felt before, I don't know how to deal with them."

"I... Think I know what you feel."

"Really?"

Elizabeth looked Sukebe in the eyes, they slowly nodded her head while removing tears from her face.

"It's a wonderful feeling, but also a painful one."

"Have you... Ever had that feeling before?"

"No, but I am right now... Do you trust me, Elizabeth?"

"With all my heart."

Sukebe held Elizabeth's face in her hand, looking deeply at her in hesitation. She approached slowly with uncertainty, her heart was pounding in her chest, and her hands slightly shaking. Noticing how she felt, Elizabeth put her hand on Sukebe's face, whispering in her ear.

"I thought you would be the confidant one."

Elizabeth quickly approached her face, pressing her lips against Sukebe's. All the stress that they both felt vanished. The two pressed against each other, closing their eyes in the bliss of the moment. At this moment, nothing else mattered. For once, Elizabeth found something that made her even happier than her faith.