OCEAN VILLAGE

38. it's you🌺

—Athena—
-met a lot of people but nobody feels like you-
-ali gatie-

I laid across the couch, watching another shitty Christmas movie about romance. The heat was on, Apollo was at my feet, Polka curled up beside me and Creed was sat by the window.

My phone rings, seeing Kairi's name, i didn't want to answer. I don't want to answer if he's just going to shout at me. But i do owe him an explanation. But he's really mad at me. Maybe he wants to know how i'm doing.

I hesitated for that long i didn't even realize i ignored the call. He texts me straight after, 'answer me baby.' and then calls me again.

I pick up this time, holding the phone against my ear.

We sat in silence for a while, until he clears his throat to break it. "I'm sorry." He says.

"It's okay-"

"No it's not, i'm mad but i shouldn't have been rude. I... I don't know, i'm just sorry." He says but then a lady with a sweet-tone filled voice starts shouting at him in Japanese.

He replies back in Japanese.

Then they both go silent.

"My mom said if i don't give you a better apology she's going to lock me in the basement." He says quietly.

I giggle a little, "You don't owe me anything."

"Yeah i do. I shouldn't have been rude, i know i made you scared and i still carried on shouting and shit, i'm sorry it's just... i'm mad. I know you're going through you're own stuff but i thought... i don't know, i thought you got to the point where you could turn to me for your problems."

We're not on the same page, i don't think i'll be able to turn to anyone for my problems. That's just the type of person i am.

"I didn't want to worry you." I stroke Polka.

"God, Athena. Knowing you slept there since Thanksgiving is worrying me more. You could have stayed with me- i would have wanted you to stay with me." He says.

"I'm sorry." I say quietly.

"Why were you even staying there? How bad did things get?" He sighs.

I didn't want to tell him because i didn't want to worry him, but i'm realising how hard he's trying to make things right and lying again won't fix it.

"You can't be mad that i didn't tell you."

"I won't."

"We got into an argument. She grabbed the closest thing next to her, a lamp, and hit it off my torso. Insulted me for three hours straight while i sat throwing up in the floor because of what she did to my stomach and then forced me to clean it. I fractured my ribs."

He takes a deep breath in and i could feel his anger through the phone. But he stayed silent.

"My ribs are healed, i just knew i couldn't stay there. And Mrs. Brown offered to stay with her but i didn't want to intrude, neither with Ace or with you." I add on. "I like being alone, Kai."

"I know baby." He says, "But not for that long, not in this weather, not in the fucking upstairs room of a cafe."

"Kai, you said you wouldn't get mad." I chew on my lip.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm pissed off that your moms getting away with straight abuse." He sighs, "I'm back Friday, i'll help you move your stuff in with me."

"I can't do that-"

"You're doing it. I don't care. You're not sleeping in a fucking cafe and i won't let her hurt you anymore."

"You live almost an hour away from school, that's most important to me. The cafe is only a twenty minute walk."

"I don't start until 9, i'll take you." He voice trails off and his mom starts saying stuff to him in Japanese again. "Mom said you can come spend Christmas with us".

No. Christmas is a time for family.

"Tell your mom i said thanks but i'm okay here." I stroke Polka, "I introduced Polka to Creed and Apollo, they get along really well."

"I'm gonna facetime you later on. Have you ate?" He asks.

I haven't even got up from this couch since yesterday.

"I'll make something soon."

"Athena i'll be mad if you don't eat-" His mom cuts him off again. "Mama can you stop." He groans.

I smile, he calls his mom mama, that's the cutest shit ever.

"Kai i'll eat, don't worry." I will order pizza.

"Send me a picture of what you eat. Have you opened your gift yet?" He sounded like he was walking up stairs.

"That defeats it being the purpose of a Christmas gift." I look to it, along with the other gifts i was given, wrapped and sitting in the corner of the room.

"There's one wrapped in red foil, open that one today, after this call, the rest open on Christmas." He says, "Promise me you will."

"What is it?" I spot it with my eye, it's like a large book.

"Surprise. Look, gotta go help mom but i'll facetime you in about four hours, that's okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, that's okay. See you soon."

"Please do eat though, baby. I'll call you later." He hangs up.

I carefully get off the couch, picking up the present he told me to get. It was a little flimsy, maybe it's not a book.

I sit back on the couch, ripping it open to reveal a brown file, stamped FBI.

Opening it, i see a picture of my dad, followed by all of his information.

He gifted me the only gift i could have wanted.

Something about my dad.

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