Biblical teaching has taught you many things, but it has taught you little about Judas Iscariot, nothing more than what he did and how he did it—curiosity got the best of you. Then, suddenly, you found yourself obsessed with it.

Being obsessed with a figure like Judas made you attach his image to someone else, someone who made you feel the same way, a person who was close to you, Owen... Who else could it be? The kiss of Judas, the kiss of a traitor. How could Owen kiss his wife when he was also kissing you in his car whenever he could?

Traitors would always be traitors, lying about the truth only made them more of what they wanted to deny, even when they regretted it—the past couldn't be changed. Just as Judas hanged himself, you didn't know what Owen would do when everyone found out the whole truth about him.

The pastor's son, so holy, so anointed and religious, cheating on his dear wife with... Someone so much younger and naive. Maybe, you were just a holy fool, and it was cruel that he only liked it for the challenge and the rush of having what he couldn't. But, you were still in love with him, in love with Judas.

Your king with no crown, the only thought that floated through your mind when you saw him at church on Sundays—when he pretended that his affection for you was just 'cause you were so lovely and dedicated to understanding the word of the Lord. An example to be followed, definitely.

Owen was the demon you were clinged to, just as you weren't what he needed, but what he desperately wanted. “How are your Bible studies going, miss?” His voice came from behind you, your parents greeting him as if he was as special as his father. “You remind me of myself at... Your age.”

The closeness you had cultivated with each other particularly made you notice another side of him—the side that always seemed to say less than he really wanted to, what his eyes were saying. As if his actions were always disguised with a layer of good-guy appearance.

All you did was nod your head, trying to smile like the kid who had just gotten a perfect score on a test, you didn't feel like that and no one would care to know about it now. “I'm doing really well, it couldn't be better.” Your answer could almost have made your parents die of pride to see you so committed to something they considered deeply important in your life.

After all, what would you be without religion? The religion they put in you and decided that it should be this way, without discussion.

However, all it took was for them to walk a little away and you understood how religion could be nothing more than a farce in the eyes of those who thought no one would and could sin inside a church. “Meet me at my car later, you know where.” Owen whispered in your ear, giving your shoulder a fake affectionate pat before leaving you there, with your own thoughts and doubts.