Choices We Make

10.

"Hey, Bella... can we talk?"

Isabella looked from the computer screen, frowning when sun rays blinded her for a second. She blinked, focusing on the sight of her sister's silhouette standing in front of the dining table.

Her room was occupied by Olivia's who for some unknown reason acted strangely since their morning talk about the relationship. Isabella didn't understand what's wrong and even asked multiple times, but Olivia kept pushing that nothing is wrong.

She stopped after a while and that's how she found herself hiding in the sunroom, laptop on the dining — their mother use for plants — table. To ease up her mind from the buzzing, she tried to do some work.

Well, until Sabrina interrupted.

Isabella sighed. "Sure. What's up?"

Sabrina neared down the table, sullen look fallen on the usual bright, playful face. It made Isabella wonder what could possibly happen to Sabrina, but she patiently waited for her to speak up. It always took a few moments of silence for Sabrina to speak.

Since the early days, Isabella learned patience with her little sister.

Tugging the strand of a light shade of brown hair away from her eyes, Sabrina sighed. "It's about... um, dad."

Isabella's eyes bulged out. From all people who knows their father, Isabella was the one who never was afraid to talk about him. Until now. Her sister seemed scared? But of what?

"What about... h-him?" She stammered.

"Well, uh... he called me yesterday," Sabrina fidgeted, looking away from her sister's hard eyes. "I tried catching you up, but you were busy... um, he asked me too... for a dinner?"

"Oh,"

"Yeah. He insisted Trent will come to. I think he caught the wind of you bringing Olivia."

Isabella sunk deeper in the chair. "What... how?"

"It's dad," Sabrina flashed a strained, forced smile what was reserved between two sisters. The one what took place whenever topic spun around their father. "He knows everything."

"True."

"Are we... are we doing this together? I mean, as sisters... I don't wanna fight with you, sis," Sabrina let out a question shakily. It pained Isabella's heart. "Dad always managed to place a rift between the two of us."

Even with a need to deny, Isabella couldn't. Growing up the two sisters had an unbreakable bond. Most siblings would envy, be jealous of the love they share. However, times weren't exactly bright most of the time. Days, weeks, hence, even month passed without them speaking.

And only because their father forced them to compete.

Thankfully, when they grew older, they realised the price they always paid whenever they fought. It took a lot of time to go back to where everything was good.

"Of course, sab," Isabella placed a hand on top of Sabrina's, a warm squeeze followed. "We are bound by blood. I wouldn't leave my baby sister alone facing the monster."

"Thank you."

Relief washed through Sabrina's body, letting it slump lighter, but the strain between brows, a hardened jaw told Isabella there's more to the story.

She asked. "Is there something more what's bothering you?"

"No?"

Isabella chuckled. The trait what unmistakably ran in Landon's family was poor ability to lie.