All Chapters of The Choice of Us: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

 TIANA I want to smileI really doHowever, a looming cloud of despair hangs over the crown of my head at the obvious absence of Tim, my brother. Years have passed, yet time had failed to heal the wound of the day those rose coloured glasses left my eyes to unveil the truth of how cruel life was. He should be hereHe deserved to be hereAnd yet he's body laid in a cemetery approximately two hours away from my school. I want to smileBut my lips refused to lift and pretend as if the sunflowers in my mind still bloomed at the feel of finally holding a degree in my hands. "I am so proud of you, Tiana," my mother said as she hugged me, squeezing me a lot tightly as if to place some of her strength into me. It hadn't been easy for her, no parent ever wants to bury their child and as she pulls away to lo

 TIANA Entering into the shop, I'm perplexed, hoping the things I was seeing weren't really there. Here my mother was laughing with that man. Giving him a generous portion of velvet cake.That was my cake! Narrowing my eyes on their interaction just as I was about to turn and leave, her eyes landed on my profile, only to wave me over.Well there goes my plan"How was work, T?" she asked ignoring the questions my eyes conveyed as they switched between herself and burned the back of his head."Good. Aren't you supposed to be closing down the shop? It's getting a little late and I wouldn't want you walking home in the dark," I said gesturing to the empty shop.Her brow raised in question at my icy tone, but I didn't care. Her safety was of paramount importance to me and I felt uneasy knowing she was all alone since Janet was no where in sight.

 TIANA It was enough of an encumbrance being black, a target on your back over something you couldn't control. The other added on pressure strong enough to crack my bones was being a woman. History had proven how much of a liability the juncture between our thighs was in attracting the wicked.And yet I always strove to be positive, to squint my eyes past the dark clouds in the hopes I'd catch a glimpse of the light.In this case, the fact was simply this: Sexual assaultI pitied my client, Monica Summers, a sweet woman, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Meeting her had been a surreal experience, it was one thing to hear about victims of rape and a whole other to meet one. Tim had once told me about what happened to Nathan's sister. She was sexually abused by her past lover. Unfortunately, because no one believed her, she found solace in the arms of suicide.

 TIANA "Never in a million years, did I ever think I'd be seated here saying this- openly coming out about the fact that for years my first ever sexual experience wasn't with some cute guy whose smile cracked my mask, melting my insides," the young woman paused, audible sniffles soon followed and I felt myself blinking profusely to hold back my tears at the look in her eyes.They say eyes are the mirror to the soul-The torture I could see itSeeing someone look so lost had me yearning to reach out and comfort her. When she made no move to continue, Nathan reached out to give her hand a gentle squeeze and even though I couldn't hear what he had whispered in the woman's ear I could only assume he was offering some words of encouragement.She nodded her head, and leaned back in her chair squaring her shoulders in the process as if to gather strength to push through in finishing th

 TIANA The light draft whipped across me making me shiver at the unexpected chill. I rubbed my arms littered with goosebumps scanning through the desks. Wondering which one fit my price range.I finally overcame procrastination and hauled my ass out of the apartment. There was only so much abuse my coffee table could take.Feeling relieved at finally purchasing the much needed piece of furniture that would be delivered at my apartment, I sauntered out of the shop. Idly looking through the different stores that lined my path. It's only when I came across a shop that seemed to be selling art and different antiques from what the items on the window display showed that I stopped mid-step. And without much thought entered into it. Eyes widening unconsciously at the exciting the number of colours decorating the place. The masks ranging in size and shape to pots with pulchritudinous patterns on their bod