Sacrifice

chapter 2 || Penelope

I can feel the light through my closed eyes. I stretch a little before I open them and,when I do,I realize that I'm in my room,in my bed. Even tho I was sleepy last night,I remember where I fell asleep. This means he must've carried me here. So,he is nice sometimes...

I'm not fully woken up but I'm really hungry so I get up and I open my window so that fresh hair can come in. After I went to the bathroom,I head to the kitchen where I find Shawn: I stay quiet because he's texting someone,but then he notices me.

"Well,look who's up. Would you like a cup of coffee milady?" he starts teasing me,but I gently reply "umh...yeah sure" with my voice still raspy from sleep. I open the fridge and I stare at i,trying to figure out what to eat. "You must've been really tired this morning since you're only wearing a thong underneath that short hoodie" he chuckles. I now am aware of what I'm dressed like: it's a cropped hoodie that shows even my bellybutton. I unnecessarily try to cover myself but then I say "Like this is the first booty you see" .

I actually don't care so much since I'm not even interested in him. I also realize that he didn't tell me that immediately: he waited so he could check it out.Typical. "You have no idea how many bums I saw but,damn,that looks juicy" he goes as I see that he's going to slap it,but I cling his wrist and hit his left arm. He probably didn't even feel it,but he definitely deserved it. "How dare you!" I say out loud while he laughs.

Before I go back in my bedroom I say "There's nothing to eat so I guess you can keep your coffee" but then he replies "That's a good reason to go out for breakfast. Oh,and remember to cover the bottom of your body. Or,if you prefer,we could go in my bedroom so you won't worry about being dressed at all". I was already going to get dressed but when I hear that, I lift my middle finger and I raise my hand while I'm entering my room,aware that he can still see me from the kitchen.

I pick a soft pink silk dress,which is really light since today's pretty hot,and put on a pair of white sandals. I add a gold necklace and a few earrings and then I exit my room. Here he is,right behind my door. I look at him and don't say a word. Our eyes lock until he interrupts "Let's go". When we arrive in the parking lot I follow him to his car,and I wonder why he didn't mention anything about last night or that room...

As I gesture to put on my airpods he says "Oh come on! Am I really that terrible?! You know,I can put music here too" whilst he gets out of the building. I surrender and I say back "Ok ok ok". Not in the mood for fighting. We listen to some of the songs he accurately chose until we arrive right in front of this cafè. It's really pretty: all black,with plants everywhere,a board with the menu written on it,a few places on the outside and a few on the inside.

He opens the door for me and I look at him surprised. "Go sit down while I order. What would you like to eat?"
"A black coffee and a chocolate chips muffin"
"You're kidding? It's the same thing I always order"
I smile at him and he does the same: oh god,he's really good-looking. I stare at him while he's waiting for our food: the sunlight highlights his profile,which seems sculpted,and it looks like he's glowing between these dark walls.

After a few minutes he arrives and I reach for my order. "Nice place" I start. "It's one of my favorites" he tells me. We both bite into our warm delicacy and take a sip of our beverage. I notice he uses a straw,that's why his teeth are so white.
"Soooo...why did you transfer here?" he begins
"Well,I needed a place to stay while I attended my classes at the University of Toronto and: here I am"
"Which classes are you taking?"
"Biology,veterinary medicine and music" I respond while I bite into my delicious muffin.
"Oh,I'm taking veterinary medicine and music too!"
His voice seems genuinely interested for once.
"Really? Why?"
"Well,I would love to go on with my music career,I have a lot of plans on my mind,but I also would love to have something to do with animals. Now,you're turn."
"Umh...eh..." I stammer "Going to university wasn't really what I wanted to do. I'm really into show jumping,with horses I mean,and I would love to do this for the rest of my life and make progress in this area. But my parents sort of forced me to study at least something «in case you stop liking horses and whatever you're doing»,as they say." I look down at my cup of coffee but his gaze is still on me.
He stares at me for a bit and then replies "If that's what you're heart desires,follow your dream" Is Shawn Mendes,my roommate,being wise?!

We both finish our breakfast and we jump back in the car. "I want to bring you somewhere" he says out of the blue. "Then do it" I firmly say.
After a 15 minute car ride I find myself in a totally different landscape than Toronto's. We're in a really big field and I am able to see a little building on the other side of it.

He offers me his hand and we start to run,and run,and run: the air is so fresh and clean out here. We're both out of breath,but we don't care.Then everything stops,since we arrive in front of the building I saw. I look up and "Stables" is written on the wood. It's a really fancy place that,I then find out,it's not that "little": it's actually huge.

I look at him "Did you really..." I don't finish my sentence,he shrugs and tries not to smile but I can clearly see he wants to. Our intertwined hands leave each other as we enter. "Why?" I ask "I thought you needed a place where you could still live your dream" he answers without looking at me. I feel so happy. "Thanks" I whisper. And then he looks at me,with those honey eyes,and I now notice his lazy eye.

We both enter the building and I ask for someone to talk to;a tall man,with chestnut hair and blue eyes comes and we set up my schedule for the lessons and my work hours: on Monday and Friday mornings I work,and in the afternoon I ride. After that he kisses my cheekbone and I can hear Shawn groaning.We soon leave and,as we get into the car,I feel tension.
"Be careful to that guy?" he begins and I say "Who? The one in the stable or the one in this car?". He looks at me,angry "It's not funny". Actually,seeing him pouty is kind of funny,but I shut my mouth.

After a while,he puts his hand on my inner thigh and starts drowning circles with his index but,as I move,he gets my message and puts the hand back on the wheel.

During the car ride,no one speaks. But I'm glad he didn't say a word. That touch.I felt something. I felt shivers down my spine and goosebumps were everywhere on my body. I try to not think about it but it's impossible...

What are you doing to me Shawn?