Athena's Savior

11 But what if...

Athena's pov

Once again, my parents are standing in the front door seemingly prepared to attack me as I walk in. Lovely.

"Thanks for driving me back and you know letting me stay over and th-" he cut me off quickly, "Thea stop, there's nothing to thank me for." Aaron sent me one of his sweet smiles and butterflies awoke somewhere inside me. God, why did he have this effect on me? I had only met him a few months ago and he became the one person I confided in the most.

I smiled back at him and undid my seat belt to get out, "remember what you promised Thea, please call me if you ever feel like that again, okay?" He repeated. I nodded as I left the car and made my way to my parents.

"Athena Grace, where the hell have you been all night?" My mother said sharply. No apologies, no 'I love you', no 'I'm glad you're back', I don't know why I was expecting anything more.

I decided to do something I'd never done before...shut them out completely. I walked right passed them to my room and shut the door. Smiling, I grabbed my journal and began writing a to-do list. A 'get my shit together list' if you will. I've been feeling it for a while now but Aaron finally showed me that I really don't have to let it all affect me as much as I do, I can choose to let all of this better me and hopefully with time, it will. It was already pretty late so once I collapsed on the bed sleep took over.

                  ______________________

"Thea, girl I feel like I haven't seen you in ages, what have you been doing?" Wren asked as we walked towards school. It had been about a week since I made my plan to get my shit together and I think it's been going pretty well. I had been journaling everyday, crying less, eating, sleeping, and doing all the boring functioning human stuff.

"Shut up wren, you literally saw me yesterday," we both laughed and I threw an arm around her, "you look like you're doing well T, seriously I'm happy you've been taking care of yourself." I smiled because it's honestly been a long time since I've felt so...okay? I think that's the word I'd use; not exactly happy yet but I'm not entirely sad either.

Lost in thought, I hadn't realized who started walking next to us. "Ooh, I get it. It's Aaron isn't it?" Wren said with an exaggerated sigh. Aaron looked down at me for an explanation as to what she was talking about.

"No, no it's not like that. It's just that you guys both made me realize how little I was...you know..." my hands gestured as I searched for the words. "Taking care of myself. And I-I wanted to start feeling better so you know," I looked up from the floor and saw they were both smiling beside me. Oh my god, they were enjoying watching me get flustered.

I shoved the both of them on each side of me as they laughed and shoved me back. It's been a long time since I've felt like this. Felt like smiling without having to fake it.

Still laughing, Aaron asked, "you two going to the party at Owen's tonight?" I mean it was Friday after all and I'd missed the last two parties so I looked at Wren to see if she was in. "We wouldn't miss it, I mean, come on, if Owen's hosting It's gonna be great" I said excitedly.

"Cool. Oh shit, we're already late I'll see u later." Aaron winked in my direction and threw a two finger salute to Wren. I blushed a little knowing what was more than likely going to happen with Aaron later at the party. Wren just rolled her eyes, "I seriously don't know what you see in that guy I mean he's got the looks but man, what is up with the whole," she mocked his little salute and I laughed.

"Stop it Wren we're just friends," I said as she shot me a skeptical look. "Mhm." She said sarcastically.

"No seriously, Wren there's nothing feelings related going on," she turned to me and laughed, "and that's why you guys make out at every single party? Why he's the only guy you've ever opened up to?" She said teasingly.

I could feel my face heating up and she must've noticed, "relax, T it's a good thing, you deserve to be happy and I've seen the way he makes you smile, it's sweet." Her words made me love her more and I pulled her into me.

With my arms wrapped around her neck I whispered, "I think I do like him, oh my god." She laughed and we began walking to class again, god I'm so excited for tonight.

               _________________________

As the last bell rang, I basically bolted out of class. I wanted to get my homework done so I could solely  focus on partying all night.

I'm pretty sure my front backpack zipper was still open but I didn't care, all I could think about was how fun tonight would be, it would be the first time I was drinking to simply have fun and not to drown out my emotions.

Before I had time to react, some girl in a hoodie I couldn't recognize slammed into me and I dropped my books. I apologized and immediately started grabbing them off the floor but before I could stand up and apologize a second time, she was gone.

I shrugged it off and decided to slow down a bit, walking to the parking lot, I finally saw my driver. Micheal held the door open for me and asked about my day.

After the usual small talk, I sifted through my backpack to see all the work I had to finish today but heard something jingle in my bag.

I hadn't heard it until now so I blindly grabbed at the floor of the bag until my hand felt some sort of...jewelry?

I really only wear rings so it was odd to find a necklace or bracelet. As I pulled it out, everything I had worked towards this past week, all of my     okay-ness came crashing down around me.

My chest tightened, it couldn't be. No, not possible. This has to be some sick joke to mess with my head.

Lilith's bracelet. It was Lilith's, one of a kind, bracelet. She was wearing it when she died and even we never got to see the body so how the fuck is her bracelet in my bag.

Tears begged to fall as I forgot how to breath. Before I knew it, we were at the gates of the mansion and I was still struggling to grasp the simple task of breathing.

The second the car stopped, I hooked my bag in my arm and ran to my room.

What. The. Fuck.

I feel like I might faint, how did somebody get this? Why? I- I don't get it.

Oh my god. The girl in the hoodie, it must've been her who put it in my bag. Did she run into me on purpose?
And that still doesn't answer why or how she got it?

Oh my lord I don't know what to do. Should I tell Miles? Aaron?
No, no they wouldn't understand how scary, no, how insane this is.

God I have to find this girl, what if...I don't know, it's couldn't be possible, could it? No, she dead Athena don't start with false hope.

But what if...she's not.