“Of course, Miss Cole,” Brother Matthew said, “but you will take the test after.” I nodded my head to get out as quickly as possible.

Confession is somewhere I haven’t been to in a while. The last time I went I was asking God to forgive me, because I was about to go into prostitution. Not in those words, the Father being on the other side, but in my mind I did.

I enter the small room and close the curtain. I feel the presence of the Father on the other side.

“What sin have thou committed?” Father asks.

“It hasn’t happened yet,” I say.

“I do not understand, child.”

“Father, can you just ask God to forgive me for what I am about to do?” I ask.

“What would that be?”

“Go even lower than I already have,” I explain. Before Father can ask me another question, I leave. I never thought I’d have to go as low as to seduce a male teacher to get myself a good grade, but I’ve already gone so low, I can’t come back up.

I poke my head in the empty classroom.

“Hi, Brother Matthew. Can I talk to you in private?”