Sunrise, Sunset | T.H

01

15 years later

the sun was shining through the beige curtains in my living room, hitting my eyes just right. i brought my right hand up to cover my eyes from the light, wanting to take in a few more hours of sleep. i had a busy night last night. being a photographer for the news paper was a harder job than most thought, it was also a scary business- well for what i preferred to do it is. "it's too early," a groan slipped from my lips. trying to shake the feeling to wake up my eyes blinked themselves awake. another small groan escaped my lips when i sat up from the small couch, sleeping here was definitely a bad idea.

not like i had much of a choice though, i was so exhausted from the stake out i just passed out the second my head hit the cushion. i stretched my arms above my head, strands of my hair falling in front of my face as i yawned. as i got up a small shock of coolness hit my bare feet when i walked across the fake wood floor to my kitchen. i was only wearing the lavender v-neck t-shirt from last night and a brief styled silk panties. the smell of coffee hit my nose. i admitted out loud to myself again that i absolutely loved kate for the self brewing coffee machine she bought me. pouring the dark liquid into my favorite mug, the same mug my father used each morning, my eyes scanned over the pictures scattered across my breakfast nook.

i leaned forward onto the nook arching my back in the process to hopefully relieve some of the pain that was there. "dammit," i cursed. the pictures weren't clear enough- i had them! they were right there and i just had to get a clear shot. my eyes glanced at the front door as the sound of keys jingling caught my attention. the door swung open and for a quick second i felt the same fear i always managed to get from the unknown. just as quickly as it came it vanished when i saw my long time friend kate. "morning peter parker." she smiled at me cheekily. i hated that nick name, we watched spider-man once and because the main character was a news paper photographer like myself, kate thought it was funny and it stuck.

"why are you here so early kate?" my eyes still glued to the pictures, trying to find the perfect one to use. "sabrina, it's nearly two in the afternoon." she stared at me with worried eyes. she loved that i still did photography, knowing how it helped me stay connected to my parents. but she hated that i put my neck on the line to expose the filth of the world. "two?" i gasped looking up at the girl i thought of as a sister more than a friend. kate nodded dropping her purse on the chair near the door. "oh sabrina you idiot! you're late!" panic racked my brain as i ran to my room.

"did you manage to get the guy?" kate asked from the kitchen staring at the dark pictures. i growled remembering i didn't have a very good picture to show rory- mr. trainor i corrected yourself. without putting on a bra i slipped my jean jacket over the lavender shirt and pulled on some dark skin tight jeans. "no. but i can make it work." i jumped out of my bed room trying to slip on my black low top chuck taylors. kate took a glance at me, shook her head while laughing and sighed. "i can see straight through your shirt you nutter." her words made me stand up straight ignoring the gnawing pain in my middle back, i gave her a cheeky smile. "oh sweet kate, it's twenty nineteen, the world can see my breast and i would not give a single shit."

kate chuckled and nodded her head. i raised my brow looking back down at the spread out pictures, deciding which four of them showed off the drug leaders features best. grabbing my same polaroid from all those years ago and laying the strap over your neck i swiped the four photos and headed for the exit. "i'll be out late, i want to get some shots of the bay." i shouted to kate. before she can object i slammed my apartment door and took for the office. i didn't really want to get pictures of the bay, but i did not want to go to the routine family dinner at the rivers home. yes, kate's family took me in after that horrid night and i greatly appreciated that but i can't handle the pity they would throw my way.

my heart tightened thinking about the anniversary that was approaching in three months. after fifteen years that night still haunted me to no end. "good morning sabrina, care for a pear?" the fruit lady took me out of my own head. i never bothered to get her name, only needed to know she was a sweet, widowed elderly women who sold fruit right at the bottom of my apartment building. "thank you, i'm running late so not today. maybe tomorrow!" my words faded to her ears as i sprinted past. my hair was whipping around my face getting on my nerves, so i wrapped it up into a high pony. luckily for me the london times office was only two blocks from where i lived.

"ms. lodge," jerry the door man winked at me as he held open the door. "another late night?" he spoke gingerly as i stopped and rested my hands on my knees before stepping into your job. jerry was rather young, eighteen years old and he was very cheeky. "aren't all my nights late though?" i joked with him standing up again. his eyes darted to my chest and after staring for a short second he looked back up at me with pinker cheeks. "bye jerry," i coed at him sauntering passed. "one date! it's all i ask!" he yelled from the doors to me, hopelessly infatuated by everything about me. chuckling i didn't turn around but raised my hand and moved my fingers to wave, "goodbye jerry." i sweetly yelled back.

the elevator dinged and i stepped in. i kicked my foot backwards and rested on it as i leaned into the back wall. i slipped out my phone from my back pocket and scrolled through the news feed from my twitter, seeing all the articles about drug pins and the mafia. i felt my cheeks heat up from anger, but mostly from fear. it was a common trait of mine that i hated because people could easily see my emotions across my face. stuffing the phone back into my pants as i reached the office floor. the sound of people chatting and fingers typing vigorously on their computers filled the air.

i added some pep to my step realizing i were already two hours late, mr. trainor is surely going to rip my head off. "he's on a rampage brina, watch your head." eddie gave me a small grin as he left mr. trainor's office. i gave him a nod and stepped in, meeting eyes with my, very noticeably angry, boss. "you better have some god damn amazing pictures lodge." he spat at me quickly. "not as good as i'd hoped but you can tell it's him." sheepishly i laid the pictures out in front of him. he looked them over carefully, taking over ten minutes. "it'll do." he finally spoke up. a deep weight lifted off my shoulders.

i nodded and turned for the door, wanting to take the rest of the day avoiding kate and her family by shooting the world outside. but before i could turn the handle mr. trainor spoke up. "i have something else for you, sit." he demanded. "i was really hoping for a day off-" he cut me off by repeating his word sternly, his beady eyes burning into mine. deflated i sat down in the semi plush burgundy chair in front of his desk. "my inside man told me about a meeting happening in town," he glanced down at a manila folder. "okay." i spoke softly letting him know i'm ready for more information. "the mafia king will be conducting the meeting. i need you to get a picture of him just sitting there with this mystery man." i stared daggers at him as he spoke.

"are you completely mad? he'll come after me!" the familiar burning on my cheeks arose. "you're my best photographer! hell even the police want you as a detective lodge, there is no way you'll be caught. we'll even use a fake name in the publishing." mr. trainor held his tongue from snapping at me for my sudden abrupt tone. he needed you to do this, he'd get the biggest check he's ever seen if he could get the famous holland mafia king doing any type of activity in his papers. tom holland was well known for many reasons such as being incredibly handsome and being the son of dom holland the previous mafia ruler, but he was mostly known for being the king. he was far beyond his fathers antics, more gruesome and cruel than his father. he is never caught in the act of what he does due to the simple fact, everyone feared him.

mr. trainor wanted that fat check at any cost, even if it meant someone else's life. but he needed you to feel comfortable enough to do it, so yes he was going to give you a sir name. "i-i don't know-" i tried to object the offer but he stopped me once more. "do this or you lose your job, now get out he'll be at this address in forty," he paused looking at the watch dangling from his wrist, "eight minutes." and with his last words i nodded, not wanting to lose my job.

pushing his office door open i made my way to the small cubicle i called my desk and grabbed the dark shades that were tucked into my pencil tin. i let out a shaky breath and gripped the polaroid not wanting to do any part of this. "i'm going to shove that annoying man down a flight of stairs one day." i breathed out through gritted teeth. i got a weary stare from one of the newer assistance. i gave her a small friendly nod, trying not to show her the awkwardness i was feeling as i scurried passed her.