10. Framed

She rushed back to the dormitory to put her things in her room, and also to secure the letter. But she was called by a familiar voice behind her. She looked back and saw Sister Helen smiling in her direction.

"Sister Helen, what happened? I cannot find you anywhere. And Sister Marny told me that you were called out by Mother Superior."

"Nothing, Alex. Mother Superior and I had a little chitchat. And, it's personal so don't ask about it."

The nun smiled mischievously to Alexandra as if to provoke her to get frustrated. Alexandra doesn't like that. She knew her so well. But the nun was surprised when Alexandra just nodded plainly at her. She was expecting that she'd throw her rants or insist herself know. But she didn't.

"Sister Helen..."

The young lady breathes in deeply.

"I have prepared my letter, already. About your promise?"

Alexandra flickered her eyelashes to appear cute. She does this all the time when she asks for favors.

Sister Helen smiled wryly.

"Okay, give it to me. I'll give this to Dimitri tomorrow."

Alexandra hugged the nun in full excitement and bliss.

"Okay now Alex, I have to go first to the dining hall to help prepare for dinner."

"Okay, Sister Helen. You take care of your way."

Alexandra watched the nun walked her way out. When she was already out of sight, she went to the comfort room.

When she got there, she entered one of the cubicles. She took a napkin pad and replaced the one that she's wearing.

Alexandra grossed over her used blood-stained pad and rolled it first before she tossed it in the trash bin. Suddenly, she heard a soft exchange of whispers outside her cubicle.

"Who's there?"

Alexandra called out. The whispers ceased. There was just her own heavy breathing and the rest was silence.

She gathered herself altogether and decided to open up the door in her cubicle.

Slowly, and there was a rusty and screeching sound of the cubicle door.

When Alexandra opened it fully, Eloisa was standing in front of her.

"Hello, Alex."

Eloisa motioned both of her arms and grabbed both of Alexandra's hands towards her boobs.

Alexandra's eyes widened. She was completely stunned, and that moment appeared to her like in slow motion. She couldn't move her hands, not just because it was held by Eloisa but rather it was because of such an unexpected act. Her limbs went a bit paralyzed at that very moment. 

"Touch me more, Alex."

Eloisa moved Alex's hand in a circle with her boobs, torridly massaging the large lump in muscles. She guided her hands, feeling the roundness of her own bosoms.

She faked a moan. 

This time Alexandra resisted getting away with her grip. Alex didn't know why Eloisa is doing this. 

"Eloisa stop it! Get rid of my hands!"

Eloisa again faked a moan. 

"Feel them, Alex. Feel this."

She slightly wiggled her boobs and they swayed in Alex's hands. 

Alexandra cannot believe what she is seeing, nor feeling. She was disgusted by such ridiculousness.

Just then, a stern and withered voice of old age prevailed.

"Miss Dorias and Miss Palermo! Cease what you are doing! This is such a disgrace!"

That voice was of the Mother Superior. 

...

Mother Superior Feliciana served as the head of the girls building and the direct associate of Father Prakash, who ran the whole shelter, for 50 years from now.

She is a faithful servant of God and a compliant leader.

Almost all of the nuns are very meek and docile whenever she's around. While the shelterlings vary with their attitude towards the elder nun. The youngsters are very friendly and cuddly with her like she is no different from any other nuns. Whereas the juniors are very defiant. They are very insubordinate and even making covert insurgence towards her.

But the elder nun did not cease from her strict and compulsive attitude especially with regards to implementing the rules and policies.

That afternoon, she had just talked a very serious matter with Sister Helen. 

They talked about Alexandra. 

It isn't because of the scandal during the event. Rather it was because of one policy that might affect Alexandra.

It is one of the policies of the shelter that once a junior already reached seniority, he and she will opt to either stay and grow old in the shelter or build his or her own grown-up life outside of the shelter premises.

Once they decide to go out, they can never go back. Their long residency in the shelter is cut off, and their personal files are shredded so they aren't considered as part of the institution anymore.

If they decide to stay, there will be no chance of going out as well, and they will spend the rest of their life serving the shelter, and not being able to create a family of their own.

It was never a big deal for Mother Superior if it were for the other shelterlings. But it was of Alexandra's, and it bewildered her out. 

Alexandra is a special case. She needs to hold a lot of considerations and if it would help to bend some of the rules, she would. 

So she consulted Sister Helen regarding the matter. If there is someone other than her, who'd bear more weight of the problem, it is the young nun.

"Sister Helen, I have called you regarding the Seniority policy, and about Alexandra Dorias."

The elder nun had her hands clasped on top of her desk while she held a rather straight and apologetic face to the younger nun.

"Y-yes, Mother Supe-rior. I will do t-the best that I c-can to be of he-lp with the co-concerns."

Sister Helen was feeling nervous, and anxious, and nauseous all at once.

This occurrence is a signal of her having her panic attacks.

She will likely to bathe herself with sweat all through her body, and she would start stuttering which is very unusual for her to do.

And the worst and weirdest thing to ever occur to her when she is in between the attacks is that she will yearn for a cigar. She will salivate and will contain a thick wall of liquids in the corners of her mouth. When it is already hard to contain she will either swallow or let out a puke of pure saliva.

This is the second time that this happened to her. She presumed already that this would mainly be about Alexandra.

"Helen, cease the formalities. Did you prepare a paper napkin in case you ever puke?"

"Y-yes Mother Supe-rior."

Mother Superior Feliciana already knew about this phase of Sister Helen.

"Your body is just reacting with the truth you had long suppressed. That's why you're having panic attacks again. Calm yourself, inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Follow that pattern, Helen. Fix yourself because I don't want to talk to you in that state."

After her talk with Sister Helen, she received a report coming from two girls from the junior batch. They were Janna Ferrero and Erika Napin.

She knew the two girls very well because they were on the edge of her patience from their frequent disobedience. It's not being unfair, but whatever these girls have to say she already regarded it as pure bluffing.

But their report had startled and appalled her very core when she had already absorbed the details of it. 

The two girls stated that there was an obscenity happening between Alexandra and Eloisa.

"Alexandra was touching the breasts of Eloisa with her both hands Mother Superior. They were in the dormitory comfort room." 

The elder nun directly stood up and felt furious about the said report. She wants to see it herself. Because if the two girls are just making up a story, they will be the ones to be punished. But if she saw it in her own eyes that what they were telling her was true, she couldn't weigh how heavy is the punishment for Alexandra and Eloisa. 

When she arrived at the door of the comfort room, she could hear moans from the inside. Her heart was beating fast and heavy, and she could feel her legs slowly getting stiff. 

The two girls opened the door for her. She saw, plastered in front of her own eyes, Alexandra's hands were on Eloisa's breasts. 

'No... This can't be happening.'

She mentally remarked towards the very scene portrayed in front of her.

She called out for the two at fault in her office. She held a blank flabbergasted expression. Her heart was pounding very heavy.

She wanted to cry for having been such a failure with her strict implementations. Were the rules not enough? Was she not doing good? Why is this disgrace happening then?

She closed her eyes and breathe slowly, savoring the air and filling it to her lungs. As much as she wanted Alexandra out of this, she just can't let this pass. Yes. What they just did was very forbidden.

'Alexandra... She isn't someone to do such an act.'

Deep inside the elder nun, she knew the young lady was just framed. But she couldn't help thinking otherwise. Her mind is polluted. She just saw it, they were acting profane and vulgar in front of her.

No. She is not the type to just let things slip off her grip. She couldn't just let this pass.

These two girls are proving something to her. Something like a rebellion against her.

"Can the two of you explain what I had just witnessed?"

The elder nun is now seated in her office in front of Alexandra and Eloisa. The two girls are standing, facing her with a meter distance against each other.

The issue has reached the knowing of the other shelterlings and the nuns, most especially of Sister Helen. 

"She touched me first, Mother Superior. I was just walking by the corridor past the dormitory cr when Alexandra grabbed me by the hand and forced me inside."

Eloisa delivered her statement with a slight change in her way of speaking. She showed some traces of trauma in between her speech. 

"I asked her what is she up to, but she roughly cupped both of my breasts with each of her hand." 

Alexandra was looking at Eloisa while she is talking. It appeared more likely to her as bluffing, which increased her now boiling rage. 

"Eloisa stop lying! You know yourself know that wasn't what actually happened!" 

Alexandra was now near in her epitome of anger. She wasn't that certain of how and what she'll likely become if she would let her anger rule her rational mind.

But she maintained her cool because she doesn't want to show disrespect in the office of Mother Superior. 

"Oh, really Alex? Look who's lying. You've been caught red-handed already! Why don't you just admit the truth?" 

Eloisa faced Alexandra while she spilled those words that marked Alex as untrue. 

This time, Alexandra couldn't contain her anger anymore. She took a large step forward towards Eloisa and pushed her. Eloisa fell onto the couch. Alex walked towards her and slapped her hard and stingingly. 

"I. Didn't. Do. Any. Of. It. What is your problem with me?!" 

Alexandra is now grabbing Eloisa by the hair. Eloisa is now in tears, asking for anyone to help her. 

"I've had enough of you Eloisa you bitch! Damn you and your false statements and hypocrite attitude!"

When Alexandra was about to slap her again, her arm was held stopped by the elder nun. 

"Enough, Alexandra! If you aren't guilty, you should have explained your side more than to be aggressive."

The elder nun helped Eloisa to stand up. She called for Sister Farra to escort her out to the infirmary. 

Alexandra stared at the elder nun, with morbid and dense eyes.

Mother Superior Feliciana felt dismayed by such a reckless act of Alexandra.

She didn't say a word and got back to her seat. Alex was seated on the couch, heads bowed down, with stirred frustration and anger and embarrassment. 

"Mother Superior, I didn't do anything wrong. Yes, both of my hands were on her breasts but that was against my will. She held my hand and forced me to touch her. She even faked a moan to put more emphasis on their disguise. Mother Superior you have to believe me. Eloisa and the other two girls are just framing me up. This, whole nonsense is just part of their play to humiliate me...because they dislike me."

The elder nun apologetically looked down at Alexandra. The girl had her sympathy.

"Sister Helen told me that Eloisa locked you in the comfort room cubicle that's why you were late during your recital."

Alex looked up and met the gaze of the elder nun. She was feeling the weight of sympathy in her eyes.

"Yes, Mother Superior. I don't know why they are doing that to me. Eloisa, and her group of other girls... They always--"

Alexandra broke her voice into a sudden burst of tears.

"...let me feel left out. That I don't belong to them. I don't know what is their problem Mother Superior!"

The elder nun bowed down her head and just stared at her desk. 

"Alexandra... I knew the feeling of being left out. Of not being involved with your surroundings, of not getting to mingle with the other people your age, of spending your time alone while others are with their peers. I've been through that as well, Alex. But know that this won't be my basis for my verdict of whom to believe and whom to sanction between you and Eloisa."

She pursed her lips before continuing and rested her eyes on Alexandra's.

"However I still end up believing you. I knew that you weren't capable of doing such disgrace, Alex. You need not worry because Eloisa will deserve rightful punishment."

Mother Superior Feliciana saw Alex's face brightened. Like the aesthetic prevalence of the rainbow after the rain.

She smiled.

"You may now excuse yourself out of my office Alexandra."

Alexandra stood up and flexed a sincere smile to Mother Superior.

"Thank you, Mother Superior."

In a swift move, Alexandra gently closed the door and was surprised to see Sister Helen outside the door.

She appeared to have been waiting for her the whole time to go out because when Alexandra emerged from the door she immediately stood up and rushed towards the young lady.

"Sister Helen, you surprised me. What are you doing here?"

The young nun hugged Alexandra tightly. Alex was a bit startled by the sudden expressive gesture of the nun.

"Sister Helen I appreciate such a warm welcome you have for me."

Alex smiled. Sister Helen felt a spark of bliss slowly enveloping her tensed and distressing emotions.

"Alex, I heard about the issue. How are you doing?"

Alexandra blandly absorbed the question of the young nun.

She suddenly felt burdened with the idea that everyone else will start asking her series and chains of questions about the scandal. How are you doing Alex, is it true Alex, how did Mother Superior reacted Alex, are you a lesbian Alex, for god sake, the idea brought shivers through her every vein.

In the first place, they should know that it's inappropriate to circulate the gossip. And to even ask her how is she doing is such an all-purpose question. It could mean they sympathize or they just ran out of questions to ask or it's just a bait question that if she had provided an answer it will just pave way for other more questions digging deeper into the scenario, and never into how she really felt like - tracing back to the public humiliation during the foundation day, when she was locked up in the comfort room cubicle when she was utterly neglected by the other juniors.

No one, as Alex concluded, will ever empathize with her. No one will lay transparent with her, with no lurking intentions. They are just asking along with the surface, hitting hints of what actually happened, and eventually will manipulate fabricate her provided answers to circulate the gossip more.

Her answers are a trophy for others that are just waiting for her destruction.

"Alex...you there? Are you okay?"

Sister Helen waved in front of Alexandra.

Alexandra couldn't help but dramatically roll her eyes. 'Are you okay' is another all-purpose question. Why bother asking her if she wasn't okay in the first place.

She roughly shut her eyes closed and breathed deeply, filling her lungs with air, and mentally refrained herself from polluting her mind once again with her own filthy flooded thoughts. She knew she was going far with them. But she couldn't help it, it is what that can only save her.

"I am okay, Sister Helen. But I am tired. I wanted to take a nap, perhaps a long and savory nap."

The nun confusingly looked at Alexandra and nodded slowly in defeat. The young lady seemed to not feel comfortable talking with her for now.

"Okay, Alex. I'll escort you to your room. Just in case..."

Sister Helen tilted her head slightly sidewards, relaying what's supposed to be a secret code pertaining to Eloisa's mischievous acts, but Alexandra didn't seem to copy her body language.

Nonetheless, the young nun snapped that thought and escorted Alex to her room.

She really wanted to open up a topic to Alexandra, even something far related to the issue which she badly wants to talk about, but she respected Alex's and on top of that she felt the arduous and melancholic aura surrounding the young lady.

So she restrained herself from talking, and neither did Alex uttered a word til they arrived at the dormitory. Both of them were standing in front of the room door, seconds passed and neither of them talked. 

One of them was hardly restraining herself to speak while the other was hardly containing herself not to speak.

Until Sister Helen drew her loss with their small game of silence.

"Well, have a good nap, Alex. See you at dinner time."

Alexandra smiled with contrasting weary and irritant eyes. She gently closed the door from behind and leaned against it.

"I don't even have the appetite to eat. I want to starve myself."