Sunrise, Sunset | T.H

22

i trudged my feet along the ground inching closer back to zachory's car. he kept trying to talk to me but i tuned him out. i felt too many emotions all at once and just wanted to fall asleep in a tub. i buckled myself in and stared out the window at the front door. smudges from mine and toms forehead where still there. i focused on the blood that was rubbed into my smudge and tears tried to form in my eyes again. but i knew i was too tired and dried out to cry anymore. "i live close by in a pent house. it's temporary but nice." zachory tried to make the mood lighter. i just nodded and watched the house get farther and farther away.

we drove into the city part of london and to a large hotel. my stomach flipped, i didn't want to walk in front of people looking like i did. i brought my arms to my biceps and felt myself shake. "i'll pull around the back and we'll take the private elevator up." zachory said softly rubbing my thigh. "thanks," i whispered out. as he drove around to the back of the hotel my mind kept lingering to tom and specifically his laugh. i tried so hard to push him out of my mind but if i didn't think of him i thought about..kate. my mind felt dizzy as images blinked in my mind. my camera was now a item i hated most. i looked down at my feet and saw it there, just laying with bloody finger prints all over it.

"sabrina we're here," zachory slightly shook my leg. i nodded and looked around, there was only a single guard by metal doors. i'm glad i took tom's hoodie he laid on me, at least no one would see the now red, black, and white maid uniform underneath. i stepped out of the car and looked down at my legs, all was fine except my knees. they were bright red. i kept my head low and moved toward the elevator doors. "bring the car to it's spot, thanks man." zachory spoke to the guard kindly while patting his back. he pushed the call button and the doors shifted open. we stepped inside at the same time but i shuffled over to the corner. "i uh called ahead and made arrangements for you. like clothes and stuff." zachory said nervously. but not a nervousness that was brought by embarrassment, but a nervousness that seemed like it came from a secret.

i nodded again, feeling like a robot. i didn't care at this point in time what made him so nervous, i just want to drift away. the doors opened into the pent house with a ding. i glanced around and saw it was very modern. "the bathrooms to the right, clothes were placed out for you on the counter." zachory placed his hand on my lower back and pushed me forward. "get cleaned up and i'll get some food ordered." he smiled at me. "no, i'm not hungry." i spoke, my throat feeling hoarse. "oh..uh okay." zachory nodded and rubbed his arm. i walked over to the bathroom and locked the door as i shut it. i didn't even bother to look at myself in the mirror. i stripped out of toms hoodie then the uniform and finally my bra and underwear. i turned on the shower, the room instantly steamed up.

the room got hot quick, like i was in a sauna. i stepped into the shower and let the hot water burn my skin. i leaned my head forward and saw the red pour out of it. my knees felt weak but i was able to keep my balance. i started to roughly rinse my hair in the water feeling the tears actually form this time. i scrunched my face up and sucked in air through my nose to stop myself. fuck my heart hurt so bad. i had no one anymore! i lost everyone! all because i was born into the stupid mafia! realizing the water was no longer red or pink i scrubbed my body clean of any residue of today and turned the water off. i dried my hair lightly and through toms hoodie back on. i grabbed the pair of panties in the clothes pile for me and slipped them on. i didn't want to wear anything else.

i heard zachory on the phone with someone as i stepped out of the bathroom. "i can't do that!" he muffled his shout. i stopped listening and entered a bedroom across from the bathroom. i lifted the sheets and curled into a ball under them. i tucked my head into tom's hoodie and inhaled deeply. tears fell from my eyes as i shut them. all i wanted to do right now was be in toms arms as i let all my emotions out. but even he turned me away, i buried my head deeper into the hoodie. sleeping was my best option right now. i felt how heavy my eyes felt, all my crying is catching up to me.

- - - - -

i groaned awake hearing a loud ruckus going on outside my room- well what i assumed would be my new room. i sat up straight and rubbed my eyes. "god fucking damnit!" i heard zachory scream. i flung my legs out of the bed and started to creep towards the door. "i fucking hate him!" he screamed again. i pinched my brows together as i slowly opened the door. my eyes slightly widened seeing the destroyed living space. "it's always what he wants! what! about! me!" he screamed again. thankfully i saw the lamp before it could hit me. "zachory?" i called out. then i heard foot steps quickly making there way towards me.

"sabrina! i'm sorry i-i didn't realize how loud i was being." he bowed his head to me. "yeah, you were being pretty loud." i  nodded and moved to go back to bed. "wa-wait!" he shouted making me jump. "i want to talk to you." he said more sternly. "i'm really tired, it's the middle of the night," i looked at him from over my shoulder. he walked over to me and roughly grabbed my hand and walked us carefully over the broken objects on the floor. "please, just for a little while." he looked at me with worried eyes. "o-okay." i stuttered out starting to feel uncomfortable. he nodded and sat down, i followed his motions. he stared at me deep in the eyes, "do you believe in love at first sight?" he said quickly.

i blinked a few times feeling confused. "um honestly no." i said bobbing my head to the side. he leaned back a little and held his hands over his mouth. "um i believe that there is a person for everyone, but i think that you have to search for them. there's no love at first sight, just lust at first glance." i forced out a smile. zachory seemed annoyed with my answer from how he began to tap his foot viciously. "no, no no no, not true." he shook his head. "that can't be what you think because how would you explain this." he motioned his hands between the space around us. "what do you mean?" my face twisted even more confused.

"the moment i saw you in that gaz- cafe i knew you were the one for me." he stated quickly so i couldn't catch what he almost said. i stood up and wrapped my arms around my waist. "the one for you?" i repeated his words. my mind instantly thought of tom. "yes! i'm better for you! i can keep you safe from coleman! i can do it so much better than tom! let me!" he plead grabbing a hold of my hand. i stared at him, not knowing exactly what to do or say. "sabrina marry me." zachory squeezed my hand. this time my body reacted and pulled my hand away. "what! what are you doing?!" i felt my cheeks heat up. fuck my stupid genetics for making my anger look like blush.

"marry me. i can protect you for coleman." he paused and let his face relax. "i know you don't have feelings for me. i understand that. but if you marry me, i promise to let you live any life you want behind closed doors." he nodded taking a simple ring off his pointer finger. i stumbled back and felt the air leaving my lungs. "wh-what about you?! why do you want to marry me knowing my heart lays somewhere else?" i looked at him confused and angry. zachory just moved closer to me, "because i love you. i can love you enough for the both of us. i want to call you mine and," he paused looking down, "i want the crown." my mouth hung wide open.

"you want to use me!!" i shouted slapping him. my heart squeezed reliving the moment in my head with tom. "no! i don't! i swear!" he begged back. "yes having you at my side could mean i will take role as king, but it also means i have the women i love by my side." he stared deep into my gaze. "publicly." those words struck a cord in my chest. i felt the pain from everything tom reopen. i stared at the ground, what would kate tell me to do? i bit my quivering lip. "i can give you everything tom could but i can do it all publicly." zachory leaned forward and reached out for my hand slowly.

"but what about my heart, my feelings." i spoke as i watched him gently grab my hand. "you can learn to love me sabrina." zachory said in a wicked tone, like he was about to make a check mate. i felt a cold sensation move it's way up my ring finger, i looked down and say a simple gold band at the base of my finger. i thought about tom, and what he said, everything he did in the last moments we had together. he doesn't want to give me this- he doesn't want to. i bit my inner cheek and nodded my head.

"okay, i will."