Choices and Sacrifices Ch. 03

Hey! So this is the third installment of this series and I really want to say thank you. I want to thank everyone who's trying to help me improve my writing. Also, you may think you know how this story is going to pan out, but there's a 90% chance you're wrong hahaha. So before you think that this is predictable, don't.

I also want to thank my very first and lovely editor fcknfresh.

Enjoy and please leave feedback!

2 WEEKS LATER

Sabrina pressed against her mother's apartment door, already knowing it was open for her. She kicked off her shoes immediately; she knew her mom hated when people walked on the carpet with their shoes on. Her small yet stylish apartment was adorable yet trendy, and signified her mother's taste.

The color of the entire dwelling was a warm, rusted tan. Windows were always open with the blinds peeled for light to filter in. Even in their old house, before the divorce, she always loved for it to be bright.

"We're in here, Bean." Ivy called. Sabrina looked toward the source of her childhood name and followed her instincts. She opened her mother's bedroom door to find her two sisters and mother lying in her king sized canopy bed which was perched 3 feet off the ground. Her mother lay in between the two women.

Her auburn skin was illuminated by the television and Sabrina could see her perfectly. She had long, silken lashes that hovered over her deep brown cat eyes. Her daughter's had all inherited her highly arched brows and full, fleshy lips. Her hair was honey brown and an inch long yet curled naturally tight. She smirked at her daughter, raising an already elevated cheekbone and immediately taking 5 years off her age.

Brittany was similar in complexion, but a little lighter. Her relaxed hair was straightened in a bob around her angled jaw. She was tall and took care of her hour-glass figure. Brittany and Ivy both acquired their father's burning gold eyes. Ivy was the only one of the three that was naturally slender and lengthy. She lay along their mother's side and nuzzled into her frame.

Sabrina walked toward the side where Ivy was and her sister pulled up the covers to allow her under. She lined her body up with Ivy's and they all absent mindedly watched the movie playing on the TV. It was a classic for the four women—Legally Blonde. Sometimes they'd even watch the second one if they were up to it.

This was a specific moment for the women to bond. They sat, wrapped in one another's arms, and embraced the connection that followed. It had become a sort of custom after their parents' divorce. Showing their mother the affection she deserved and silently remind her of their love was becoming a necessity.

*

"Olivia is inlove!" Ivy exclaimed. She leaned a little further over the table as she projected the last word of her sentence for emphasis. Brittany shook her head furiously.

"She's stupid for allowing Fitz to use her like that." Brittany responded. Their mother-daughter meeting usually ended in a heated battle about Scandal. Regardless of the shouting and throwing of opinions, Sabrina loved this part of their night. Somehow, she found it all relaxing.

"He loves her too; he's just caught in a weird situation." Their mother added in a voice of reason. She only spoke when she felt she needed to. It was obvious she was pro Fitz and Olivia, right alongside her daughter Ivy.

"Exactly. He doesn't want to hurt either of them." Ivy co-signed.

"No. He doesn't want to hurt his chances of re-election." Sabrina clarified. "Which is absolutely selfish of him. He has everything he wants at everyone else's expense." A blanket of awkwardness cloaked the table before them. Her words stuck and stung for reasons they all knew.

"That's true." Their mother whispered as if the world was capable of hearing her if she spoke too loudly. Sabrina swallowed hard. She didn't mean to attack her; she was only expressing her opinion on a TV show character. It was merely coincidence that it applied to her father too.

"I brought some pictures for your apartment." Brittany said, quickly changing the subject as she always did. Her sister was a free lance artist and was very good at her craft. Her art was exceptionally intricate and full of passion. She had no problem with getting them sold at farmer's markets and online. After hearing Sabrina complain about her bland her new apartment was, she promised to give her a few of her older paintings.

"Oh... thanks." Sabrina replied.

"Here, I'll show them to you." Brittany proposed. She got up from her seat and pushed in her chair. She ran a hand over her jean shorts. She stood at the table, searching the room until she found her keys. After she snatched them up, she made her way to the front door. Sabrina was on her heels, eager to utilize her sister's plan of escape.

They got to the parking lot and Brittany opened the trunk of her compact car. She revealed two wide, medium sized canvasses. By quick glance, they looked exactly alike. Both featured a sun setting over an ocean. They were laced with purples and yellows in the sky.

"You place them side by side but not together." Sabrina nodded, now understanding. The second was a continuation of the first but they were meant to have a bit of space between them.

"Thank you, I love them." Sabrina said. She could feel her sister watching her, but she kept her eyes downcast.

"You need to be easier on her, Bean. She still isn't quite over it all." Brittany said exasperatedly.

"I wasn't trying to be cruel. It just sounded like I was, but I wasn't."

"But you feel like that... about dad." Sabrina shifted on her feet uncomfortably and avoided her sister's eyes.

"A piece of me does, yes." She mumbled inaudibly. Brittany sighed and rested against the trunk of her car. She crossed her arms over her busty chest and gazed beyond her sister.

"He really wants to see you." Sabrina rolled her eyes at no one and shook her head slowly.

She knew just as well as Brittany did, that would never happen. Whatever explanation he had for her wasn't enough to change her opinion of him.

"Luke chapter 6 verse 37." Her sister said matter-of-factly.

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

That was just one of the any bible references she'd heard over the past few years. After they spoke with their Bishop at church about their situation, he'd tossed so many others her way. But for once, she didn't want to refer to the bible. She felt entitled to her anger.

*

"It's your day to do the books." Connor said to Keegan. Connor was sweeping in front of the check up desk. Keegan however, was reclining the chair behind it.

Working at the library was boring to say the least. He wasn't the type of person who found large amounts of solitude and free-time fun. There were hardly many people at the library during the week, especially during the working hours. So the library was quiet and empty aside from the 2 people using the computers on the second floor. Although Keegan was thankful Connor's recent employment was making things a little more enjoyable.

He was extremely mellow and easy-going. He and Keegan usually spent their time talking and sharing jokes if there wasn't much to do. He was about 5"10 with buzz cut brown hair. His eyes were a matching shade and he was fit. Like Keegan, he was using this job as a simple way of making money while trying to pursue something else. Connor was interested in starting his own bar. He was already approved for the loan; he just needed to start making more money to pay his rent while all the paperwork was being finalized.

"Alright." Keegan sighed. He adjusted the crotch of his jeans while walking to the back room to retrieve the cart full of books. He groaned as he spotted it; it was filled to capacity. There were books covering every inch of its surface. It would take him all afternoon to return all the books to their proper places located over the entire 2 story library.

After a half hour of working, he was replacing books a few yards away from where the front entrance sat. He heard to bell of the door opening and didn't even attempt to look around the large shelf to see who it was. Connor should've been there to greet whoever it was. But as two voices began conversing, he was drawn to listen.

"Okay I'll just look around for him, thanks." Keegan looked through a crack in the books and saw a perfect frizzy bun walking toward a different section of the library. His heart accelerated and he fought the weird urge to smile at her disappearing frame. Keegan lost her in the book cases and decided he'd surprise her.

He moved hastily to the other end of the library. Connor was about to tell him his visitor's whereabouts but Keegan silenced him with a finger toward his lips. Connor laughed at his childishness and continued whatever it was he was doing. Keegan could see little glimpses of her in between the enormous bookshelves. He tried to follow her without being too detectable, but after a minute of continuously losing her, he grew suspicious. She was walking faster, damn near running.

She knew he was chasing her. Keegan suppressed a laugh and accepted her challenge.

Sabrina was trying not to giggle like a little girl but it was difficult. For some reason, being pursued and hiding behind the shelves was exhilaratingly fun. Whenever she heard his jeans rustling in the distance, she'd move further away from the sound.

She was crouching lowly behind a tall and wide pole nestled toward the end of the row when she realized she lost him. She eagerly searched for feet and tried to listen for any noises but couldn't distinguish much of anything. She stood tall and exited the row to search for him. Her eyebrows were pushed into a tight line and she was about to call his name when her voice caught in her throat.

Keegan had wrapped his forearm around her shoulders from behind. His other hand was pressed securely against her bottom. He eased his lips onto her jaw line and slowly began kissing it tenderly. Sabrina reached her hand up to grip his arm for support. Her eyes couldn't stay open as he began to knead her ass through her scrubs. Keegan looked at her tightly curled lashes that rested on her cheeks and down onto her open lips. Her pink cotton outfit smelled like peppermint while her neck smelled like vanilla. Together, the two scents were doing things to his body that didn't seem appropriate for this setting.

Keegan spun her around and looked into her eyes.

"You look beautiful today." He whispered huskily. The front of her hair introduced a French braid that lead into the large sock bun he saw earlier. The highlights lit her face as well as the small diamond studs on her ears. Her lips were hydrated and smooth. She smiled nervously, clearly not quite used to Keegan's bold compliments.

"Thanks." She looked down on her white crocs with small buttons consisting of various junk foods and Disney characters in some of the holes. Keegan snickered at her shoes.

"What?" Sabrina asked, smiling back at him. "They're cute." Keegan coiled an arm around her waist and dragged her body toward him once again. He leaned in to meet her lips but Sabrina quickly turned her head.

She was slowly growing accustomed to Keegan's random ruptures of affection. So instead of being consumed by them, she learned to turn him down to get what she wanted before she fell in line.

"Can we get lunch today?" She was craning her neck to avoid his mouth. With Keegan's hand pressed firmly against her upper half, she could only go so far. He managed to get his other hand on the back of her head and began pushing her head closer to his.

"Don't mess up my hair." Sabrina groaned. Regardless of her warning, he still leaned in. In response, she folded her lips into her mouth, fighting back a triumphant smile.

"Sabrina." Keegan said tautly. Sabrina snorted at his expression; he was getting frustrated.

"Can we go to lunch?" She asked a bit more sassily. Keegan had let her go, and looked at his wrist watch with his lips in a rigid line. Sabrina felt horrible for wanting to chuckle so badly.

What a brat, she thought, smirking at him.

"I need to finish putting away these books first." He grumbled. He stuffed his hands into his khaki pants and stood before her as if he were waiting to be dismissed from her presence. Sabrina wrapped her arms around his waist and he made no move to welcome her body. She stretched her neck to look into his smoldering eyes as he looked down on her. She was a few centimeters from his lips but still, he made no effort to kiss her.

"I'll help you." She said faintly. Her breath lightly ran across his lips and he could no longer keep up his façade. He closed the distance between their lips. Sabrina's heart was racing in her chest and somehow she knew the feelings she got when he kissed her would never subside. He would forever continue to make her feel like a teenage girl.

Keegan let his hands leave the comfort of his pockets and onto her back. He rubbed the length a few times before sweeping over the curvature of her pants. Sabrina slipped her tongue into his mouth eagerly. She moaned peacefully when he gently massaged her backside. Keegan marveled at how much her nails running through his scalp relaxed him.

A rolling sound approaching from behind Sabrina made her pull her tongue from his opening. But Keegan stayed motionless. Connor's body emerged from behind a shelf. He rolled the cart still full of at least 20 books over to them. Sabrina managed to yank Keegan's palm off of her butt and leave his embrace.

"Ann will be here in an hour." Connor said simply. He turned on his heel and walked out of view. Sabrina's cheeks grew hot in embarrassment. Keegan walked toward the cart of books and began searching for the next one to be put away.

*

"Who's Ann?" Sabrina asked. Instead of helping Keegan, she settled with just talking to him while he did all the work. After learning that she needed to follow so many rules when putting the books away, she decided against it.

"She's the boss. She comes in everyday right before we close and tells us everything we did wrong."

"She sounds awesome." Sabrina stated faintly. She was standing directly behind Keegan, glancing at some of the books on the shelves. They were in the non-fiction section and Sabrina saw very few books that caught her concentration.

"How's your day going so far?" Keegan asked, his eyes focusing on the book's binding but his voice full of attention for her.

"It's going okay. Yours?" She asked.

"Slow and painful... until you showed up." He said honestly. Sabrina turned toward him to only be met with the back of his head. She had no idea why she expected him to be facing her, considering he said things like that all the time. Sabrina placed her head between his shoulder blades as he continued to work. His moving arms forced the sockets of his arm to flex out of his back and Sabrina rested her hand against the bone.

"You're so good to me." Sabrina exhaled, her cheek flush against his shirt forcing her words to come out garbled. She closed her eyes and melted into his body.

"What'd you say baby?" He whispered, leaning his head over his shoulder.

"Nothing." She replied.

*

After it took Keegan Sabrina's entire lunch break to finish his work, she suggested they just have dinner at her apartment. It was nearing 7:00 when he'd decided he would call Bethany before he left. He had been avoiding her as much as he could while blaming his absence on his writing. But the irony of that lie, was that he'd hardly been writing at all.

It rang a half of a second before a click signaled someone had answered. Keegan swallowed hard and his face grew hardened. He had to do it today. He couldn't keep living this lie. Sabrina was important to him and everyday he kept up this lie, he risked losing her. But after today, he realized that he was gambling too much.

"Hi honey. I was just about to call you." Bethany said.

"Bethany this isn't working." Keegan said sternly. Quincy seemed to open the front door at the perfect time, because he was now giving Keegan a proud stare. As if Quincy was his catalyst, Keegan continued in an affirmative voice. "I can't stay committed to you anymore. I don't want to do this. I'm sorry."

"What?" She asked in hysterics. "Keegan you can't be serious." Her voice was a pleading whisper. Keegan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Behind his lids he could see her watering green eyes begging for love—his love. Keegan's heart was in the midst of tearing and leaving him feeling unbearably guilty. He had to reply before he lost his nerve.

"I am." And with that, he pressed the end button as hard as he could. Quincy gave him a slow applaud and Keegan flipped him off.

"Good job. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you're expecting pussy tonight." Quincy said, scaring Keegan with his accuracy.

"I couldn't have just done it just because it was the right thing to do?" Keegan asked, giving himself away.

"No," Quincy said it immediately. "because if that were true, you would've done it the first day you met her." Keegan stood from off of the carpet and took a languid walk to the window. Quincy watched his friend stare blankly in the distance.

"Keegan, she'll be fine." Quincy added, noting his friend's newly changed mood. Keegan let out a loud breath. He tried to zero his mind in on Sabrina. He could already feel himself loosening up as he thought of her. Her pretty smile, with the small flecks of clear metal lining her teeth. And her brown eyes, gleaming while gazing attentively up at him.

She deserved someone committed to only her. Both Sabrina and Bethany deserved that. But unfortunately, Keegan was only one person.

"You made the right choice." Quincy tried again. For a few more minutes, Keegan continued to stand at the window, battling his own inner thoughts. He was trying desperately to validate breaking an innocent person's heart but he couldn't allow himself to. A third sense was stopping him. He had a hunch that told him he'd made the wrong decision. A dim cloud in the distance signified the ultimate price he'd pay for what was done.

"You better get on the damn road; the pussy's getting cold." Quincy said seriously. His attempt to lighten the mood was not in vain. Keegan cracked a minuscule smile and walked toward the entrance.

"Forget you." Keegan mumbled while opening the front door. Quincy's cackle was massive as Keegan stepped through the threshold and into the apartment's hallway.

"Forget you? Is she turning you into a fucking nun?" Keegan couldn't help but snicker at that. He was sure Quincy heard him from the other side of the door because he erupted again.

*

"Honey, I'm home." Keegan announced while opening her door. He locked it behind himself and turned to find the apartment empty. It was barely furnished but still had more furniture than his apartment. That was one of the many reasons he preferred coming to her place rather than his.

"You're corny." Sabrina yelled from her bedroom. Keegan snorted and slowly began to wander around her home. It was bit bigger than his, but not by much.

It was bland yet you could still see her personality in some ways. Her couch set was a deep purple and extremely vibrant against the white walls. He wasn't surprised the theme color was purple; he was starting to figure out that was her favorite color. Her laptop sat on it and she had Duplex waiting to be played for their night. A wide, flamboyant plant was nestled in the corner of the room beside her only window. A painting took up a considerable amount of wall space and matched the couch perfectly.

Deliciously smelling food was tickling his nose and starting up his taste buds. He wandered into the kitchen and took in the set up of Chinese food on the counter. She'd bought Lo mien, shrimp fried rice, shrimp rolls, General Tso's and rib tips. He was about to grab a fortune cookie when Sabrina's voice stopped him cold.