OCEAN VILLAGE

67. walls✨

—Kairi—
-for every question why, you were my because-
-louis tomlinson-

It wasn't long to find Athena in the hut, she was crouched down playing a game with a group of kids who all found it was so amusing. I stood by the tree and watched her. Her smile, the way she explained what happened to her face, the kids asking her to join the game and her immediately accepting.

She looks up laughing, and her eyes meet mine for a split second before she looks away, then double takes as if she didn't believe it was me she was seeing.

"I'll be right back." She says to the kids, standing up properly, she walks over to me. "How long were you there for?"

"A while baby, you done? I wanna talk about all of this with you." I stay leant against the tree.

"Just give me a minute... wait do you have any cash on you?" She says, the first time she's ever asked me for money.

I grab my wallet from my pants, opening it up for her with the usual $100 in there. I take it all out and give it to her.

She gives me back $60 of it and walks back to the hut, "I gotta go now but get those toys you wanted." She hands it to the girl.

"Oh... That's a lot." The girl looks down.

For Athena, who's grew up in a wealthy house, and myself who's literally filthy rich, i could tell she was humbled as the girl said that, I mean, I don't even think $100 is a lot but that's just the cockiness in me.

"Spend it well." She messes the kids hair up and then says goodbye to the other three before grabbing her bag and phone and walking this way, "Thank you..." She says to me.

"Don't even mention it." I push myself off the tree, "Anywhere you wanna go?" I start walking beside her, following her lead.

"Just walk and talk." She takes a deep breath. "Interpol?"

"I'm not going, baby." I've established that.

"Kairi you can't make your life revolve around me." She doesn't look up at me but i could tell she rolled her eyes.

"Yes i can, and regardless on if i had you or not, Athena. I'd not go to interpol. I couldn't care how much more money they paid me, how many more opportunities i get, i couldn't give a fuck. I'm staying here, i'll do something else baby."

"Like what?"

"I could do a lot of things. I have my tattoo license so i could open my parlour, personal trainer, i could retire if i wanted too." I mean, i've thought about it. "I like my job, but i'm not gonna let them send me away."

She sighs as she walks, then she holds her hand out and waits for me to lock our hands together, "Ace helped me send applications for transfers to other Universities."

"Which ones?"

"Chicago, Florida state and University of Richmond."

"When will you hear back from them?"

"Tomorrow hopefully, or the end of the day. I'll go to any one i get accepted into." She looks up at me, "I'm sorry for walking out."

"Don't be sorry." I smile a little, "Mama hopes you're okay."

"I am."

We walk silently along the footpath of the park before she stops, "What did you do to your sisters?"

"I cut them off." I wish i could do more.

"That's all?"

"Yeah."

"And about interpol, Ace said you need an answer by the end of the day."

"I'll talk to them about it, they don't want to keep me on this team, i'll hand my badge and gun in." I mean, it's not that much of a big deal to me because i have other options that i know will be successful.

"I'll talk go my dad too, i know he has a whole part in this." She rolls her eyes.

"Athena!" Someone calls.

She turns, I look with her and her old friend Theo starts walking up, "Athena what!." He starts walking faster, angry.

Next thing i know his fist is around my jaw.

"Theo!" Athena raises her voice, standing in front of me as if she'd be the one to protect me. We all know full rightly i can handle myself.

"The fuck man?" I hold my jaw, he has some punch to him.

"You fucking hit her?" He shouts, "Grooming i sort of looked behind but-"

Athena slaps him this time, "What the fuck is wrong with you Theodore?"

He stands, speechless that Athena hit him. Her small hand leaving a handprint across his cheek.

"You're being abused-"

"He didn't do this." She pushes him backwards.

"Look at his hands Athena, you expect me to believe he didn't?" He raises his voice back.

Okay fair enough, i do see what it would look like from other peoples perspective.

"He gets in fights all the time Theo, he's a fucking federal agent, he's never laid a finger on me. Apologise."

"Baby i don't-"

"Apologise to him now, Theo!"

And he does.

"Sorry man... i just... i just assumed." His adam apple bops up and down.

"You're good, don't fucking do that shit next time though, come on baby." I grab Athena's hand again.

"Absolute asshat." She gives Theo this deadly look and then keeps walking with me.

She gets a notification and then stops dead in her tracks, "I turned all my other notifications off, just not my emails." She gives me the phone, "Check who it is."

I look down at the email sent from the University of Chicago medical school.

Hi Athena,

My names Dr. Frida Patel, i'm the chief doctor at Chicago students medical school. We'd be more than happy to accept someone like you into our care, with the hopes of making an excellent doctor out of you one day.
I read your references and emailed NYU on behalf of you, i gathered the information necessary and the information you need to get accepted; all in which is above average so my colleagues had no problem accepting you with that.
We look forward to seeing you coming this new school year, if you could arrive in Chicago as soon as possible and we can talk about accommodation and the scholarship.

Frida Patel.

I couldn't hold my smile as i read it, of course she'd get accepted in, she's clever.

"Kairi hurry up." She cracks her knuckles nervously.

"Chicago are happy to have you baby." I smile, handing her back her phone, "Start September 10th."

"Oh my god!" She smiles widely, "Oh... Oh wow that's amazing okay wow."

"You've never seen my home in Chicago have you?" I ask.

She shakes her head no.

"It's about a thirty minute walk from the university, ten minute drive, the med building is a little further away though, forty-five minutes give or take."

"I can't wait to see it." She wraps herself around em, "I can't wait to be there with you."

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They gon fuck in chicago now too

word count: 1187