Chapter 467 - The Ones Left Behind : Ali (1/2)

Inside the Hall, the remaining Elite Five were still sitting together at the front row. This time, they had their girlfriends with them, save for Xing Han.

Ali and Sophia, Xing Han, Sam and Betty.

This would be Ali's final year at Sakura Academy, as he decided to take the DSE at the end of the year. Sam and Xing Han decided to stick around for another year.

Sam, because his parents were here and he wanted to be with Betty as well. Sakura Academy was as good as any school, so there was no reason for him to leave.

Xing Han, because he truly was learning a lot from following Nitocris around. Staying in Kyle's room gave him a sense of peace as well. In addition, he was not willing to go home and become the serious 'Tan Xing Han', the one who was getting married soon.

Everyone who entered would gaze at that row of seats and sigh. At least, they still had those three to look at.

At that moment, Ali and Sophia were holding hands. Even though it was not allowed as she was yet his wife. Still, he allowed himself to 'sin' for this, willing to accept the consequence. At least it wasn't one of the greatest sins - but it didn't mean that it was 'okay'.

Ali felt he was already doing the best he could to balance out between wanting to be more intimate with Sophia and respecting her as what his Faith teaches him. Although Sophia was willing to do more than just hold hands, he had to hold back.

He had to be a good example for her, right?

If he was to disregard everything he had believed in for her, would that not mean that his Faith was weak? There were reasons for everything that his Faith allowed and forbade, and the best teacher would be by example.

He did not want to confuse her either.

She had to think of his Faith without thinking of him.

If she accepted his Faith because of him without truly believing in it, then what would happen if ... if they separated? Would she also abandon the Faith?

She could leave him, but not Him.

It was the greatest sin of all, known as the 'Unforgivable Sin'.* To reject and abandon God. Ali did not want that for her. Even if she didn't believe, he did. He would rather die than push her down that Road to Hell.

He had to do this properly.

Over the past year, Sophia had slowly integrated herself into Ali's family.

She learned his culture, his way of life and was exposed to all of their 'rituals' : the praying, fasting and so forth. She was never forced to do them either, but they would tell her the meaning behind everything.

They treated her well, and she was starting to feel part of the family.

However, did she believe?

Even now, Ali did not dare ask her yet. He did not want to seem like he was pushing her to make a decision. It was not something that one can decide so fast, right?

Sophia, in the meantime, was starting to feel a bit depressed.

It was a new school year and Ali had decided to graduate early. Unlike him, she was not confident enough to be able to learn the entire secondary school syllabus in order to take the DSE. This meant that this was the final year that they would be together.

Everything had changed since the time Ali confessed.

Her life settled into a routine that she even found comfortable now, even though she was immersing herself in a different culture.

It wasn't just the culture, but their way of life.