Authors note: I hope everyone likes this chapter, it has a tiny bit of puppy love in here but you should still enjoy it! So... Enjoy!

Claudia sat up in her bed. It was Early Sunday morning. She just knew she was going to have to go to the morning mass soon. It was almost seven. She knew she was going to church this morning. She knew she would get to see that boy again. Vincent. She looked over at her pillow. She hugged her pillow. She breathed in the scent. It was her favourite pillow. She set it beside her vertically. She rolled over and hugged it. "Vincent, you're so soft." She whispered to the pillow.

Claudia blushed slightly. She felt weird about it, but she liked to pretend her pillow was someone she liked. She snuggled her cheek up against it. "Claudia?" She heard from down the stairs.

Claudia sat up. "Yes father?" She asked.

"Get up and make me something. I want it to be sitting in front of me in fourty minutes." He yelled.

Claudia flung the sheets off her and pulled out a long black long sleeved dress. She began slipping it over her head. She looked at herself in the mirror. It looked pretty. She decided her hair was the only thing not satisfactory. She brushed her long hair and made sure it looked very pretty for this morning. She walked down the stairs. She looked around for her dad. He was in the living room looking in the mirror. He was fixing his collar on his robes. Claudia proceeded into the kitchen and began pulling out eggs. She began to heat up the oven. She knew he dad only liked his eggs one way, scrambled. She prepared the bacon along with the eggs. Before her time was up she managed to get everything for him ready to eat. She took a small plate of egg and some bacon. She wasn't in the mood for much. She sat across from her father. She ate silently but never lifted her head up to look at him. He didn't say a word and the silence she loved was filling the room. She couldn't wait to go to church. It made her excited to see Vincent. He was so proper and looked at her with a smile. She began to smile as she ate. "What are you so happy about?" Leonard asked.

Claudia let her face drop. "Good eggs." She lied.

"You're pathetic. They're horrible." He sneered.

"Sorry father." She apologized.

She finished up her breakfast and prepared to leave. She was about to just walk out the door. "Claudia! Put your shoes on. You aren't going out like that you stupid bitch!" Leonard smacked her across the face.

She held her cheek. "Y-yes father…" She tried not to cry.

She slipped on her small blue shoes. She held her hand across her burning cheek.

Claudia walked through the double doors of her church. She was very happy to be arriving finally. As usual they were the first ones there. Claudia began helping her father set up for his mourning mass. She placed his book on the stand for him and she made sure everything else was in order. Claudia heard the doors open. She looked back to see Alessa and Dahlia entering the church. Alessa ran over to Claudia and gave her a big hug. Leonard looked slightly annoyed but did nothing. "Leonard." Dahlia greeted.

"Dahlia. Are you prepared for the new guests? If they pass we might as well invite them to our cult's nightly mass… the darker chapter of out religion." Leonard decided.

"I agree." Dahlia said.

"Alessa, I'm very excited to see him again." Claudia whispered.

"You saw him?" Alessa asked.

"Yes, he came over to my house for a bible. He smiled at me." Claudia blushed.

Alessa smiled. "You like him a lot already don't you?" Alessa asked.

"He's the only boy who has ever been nice to me." Claudia said looking down.

"Alessa, Claudia, take your seats." Dahlia advised them.

"Yes Dahlia." Claudia smiled sitting down.

Alessa sat at the far end of the bench. Claudia liked sitting in second row because she sat there quite often. No one ever sat beside them. Most people were afraid of them because they were the children of the priest and priestess of the order. Dahlia and Leonard stood at the podium and talked about the orderly things while people began entering. Alessa and Claudia watched with anticipation for Vincent. Many of the sisters and brothers of the order began pilling inside. The members of the order filled up the entire first row of benches and the community guests filled up the remaining benches. Finally, a boy with glasses and braces entered the church with a woman, Claudia guessed to be his mom. Claudia and Vincent made eye contact. Alessa pointed at the seat next to Claudia. Vincent's mother leaned close to his ear. She whispered a question. Vincent pointed at the bench Claudia was sitting on as a reply. His mother smiled and they headed for the benches. Claudia looked at Alessa and blushed. Vincent sat down next to her and looked somewhat happy. His mother looked like she was in her early thirties. She had light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was a very pleasant looking woman with a heart filled with love for her son. "Hi." Vincent said to her.

Claudia was shy but smiled. "Hi."

"Welcome sisters and brothers of the church." Leonard spoke out.

Claudia looked at all the members of the church. They were intensely listening to everything he was saying. Claudia always found that difficult for her to do. He was far too vicious when he spoke to her. "I would also like to welcome our newcomers and town members." Leonard gestured towards Vincent and his mother.

"Go ahead; stand up let everyone recognize you." Leonard encouraged.

Vincent and his mom stood up. Vincent looked slightly uncomfortable but nodded to everyone. Leonard continued on with his sermon. Claudia felt her eyes travel over Vincent's face a number of times during the sermon. She wasn't listening to her father's words; they seemed to melt in with the occasional shuffle of feet. He looked over at her when she wasn't looking as well. She couldn't help but blush. Claudia looked over at Alessa; she was smiling from ear to ear making her blush more. "Those who do not PAY ATTENTION to my words will go to Hell!" she heard her father yell.

"Listening is key importance at this church." He said to her.

She felt her eyes widen and stared at her father. She felt herself zone out. She began thinking about school. She knew she was going to get picked on There was nothing she could do. Maybe she should just ignore them all. What if Vincent went there? What if they talked? Maybe they would be friends. Maybe he would kiss her. What would it be like to kiss him? What if he was bad? What if he wasn't? Alessa jammed her elbow into Claudia's side Claudia realized she had been smiling very abnormally. "And that concludes today's mass. Please feel free to join us tonight sisters and brothers, good-day everyone." Leonard walked away from the podium.

Dahlia stood up in front of everyone and began clearing her throat. "Don't forget brothers and sisters of the order must meet tonight at the church and have our annual worship of the holy mother. It's her conception day after all!" Dahlia announced.

The whole room broke out with applause for Alessa. Claudia began to clap herself. Alessa looked kind of uncomfortable. She sat there and didn't bother moving. Claudia just shot her a small smile of reassurance. Claudia knew her best friend was going to be used in the ritual tonight. She just hoped Alessa would be ok. "Everyone may leave and go home. Remember to pray to your lord tonight!" Dahlia smiled.

Everyone began to get up. Claudia's row waited for everyone else to clear out first. Vincent got up after his mom did. He looked back at her as he walked. "Claudia, I think he really likes you." Alessa smiled.

"I wish." Claudia replied.

"Claudia!" Leonard shouted.

Alessa looked worried by his tone. She knew what it usually meant. Smack! Claudia felt her cheek sting. "Pay attention when I talk! How dare you!" he grabbed Claudia by her hair and began pulling her out of the church.

She felt herself begin to cry and whine. It hurt so badly. She felt the humiliation well up in her cheeks. Her face turned slightly pink. Vincent turned back in horror to see her whining from the way he held her up. "You need to learn some manners!" He dragged her out the back doors so none of the townspeople noticed. Little did they both know, Vincent caught an eyeful.

"Father! Please don't hurt me again! I'm sorry, I'll never do it again!" Claudia sobbed.

"Read this here! It says you are to listen to your elders because they withhold the wisdom of the holy mother. I think you will go to Hell!" Leonard yelled.

Claudia's lip trembled. "I'm sorry-" Smack!

Claudia sobbed harder. "Shut up!" He yelled.

She cried some more. "I will hit you again if you don't stop!" He demanded.

She bit her lip and tried to hold it in. She was silent. "I want you to go home and sit there thinking about what you've done." Leonard yelled.

"Yes father." She nodded getting up.

He kicked her back as she reached for the door. She stumbled into it and tried to run home.

Claudia walked back home and didn't look up. "Look at who it is. Claudia Wolf… Still howling ugly!" A female voice shouted out.

Claudia looked up. "Lucy…." She mumbled looking at the curly red hair.

"Nice bruises, did your daddy give you those?" Lucy mocked.

"Shut up, you'll go to hell Lucy!" Claudia yelled.

"At least I'm not living it." Lucy walked off.

Claudia looked mad. She walked fast down the street to her home. She walked inside and closed the door. She knew her father would remain at the church with Dahlia until tonight. She was home alone, to 'think about what she did'. She turned on the radio. A song she liked was playing. She closed her eyes and listened to it. She felt herself sway along with the song. She loved it so much. She heard a knock at the door. She turned the radio off. She walked to the door and opened it. "Hello?" She asked as she came face to face with Vincent.

"I was just worried about you… Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, you shouldn't be here." She said urgently.

"But-"

"Just go please… I don't want any more trouble!" She urged.

"Ok… Just here…" He placed a small flower in her hand.

"Oh… thank you.." She looked into his concerned eyes.

They nodded to each other and she closed the door. The flower was small, it was white. It matched her skin. She smelled it. It didn't have much of a scent. She still thought it was beautiful. She just wanted to know why he cared. She wasn't anything special. In fact, she wasn't anything much at all. Her father taught her that about herself. She walked up to her room. She folded the flower inside a page of her diary. She wanted to let it dry so she could keep it forever. She decided since her face was still burning to wash it. She wanted it to be cold. She wanted the pain to stop. She went to her bathroom to trickle the water on her face. It felt better. She couldn't believe he was mad over her not listening. It was a stupid reason to hit her. No one listens in church. She was surprised if any of the sisters were listening. He wasn't an interesting speaker, in fact, he was more boring than any of the speakers. Dahlia was at least expressive and humorous. "I guess it doesn't matter what I want… I don't control myself." She though.

She decided it was a good time for a long nap. She was exhausted today. She walked slowly to her bedroom. She smiled at her big puffy bed and laid down on it. It had a soft, smooth surface. She rubbed her face against the pillow. She felt herself getting sleepy. She shut her tried eyes and began to dream. She saw a land of green grass and bright blue skies. It was paradise. That's where she wanted to be. She would love to let everyone deserving of it, to be there. She would have it one day. Oh she would. Someday.