Athena

Chapter 6

"And I'm so sick of 17 where's my fucking teenage dream"
-Olivia Rodrigo

I've always liked the concept of dreams. What are dreams? Are they just figments of our imagination? Does our subconscious play games with us while we are asleep, showing us our deepest desires come true, only for everything to come crumbling down once we wake up? Do they predict the future or maybe show us ourselves in different realities? So many theories and no certain answer.

For me, dreams are my safe place. A way to escape reality for a little while and experience a childhood that ended way too early. That's why I daydream a lot too.

But there are always ways to differentiate a dream from reality. You count your fingers, you search for clocks, you try to feel pain... It's considerably easy.

So why am I standing right now, at eleven o'clock in the morning, in front of a glossy eyed Atlas, begging me to tell him my last name, looking at me with a hopeful expression while I can count ten fingers on my hands?

*A few minutes eralier*

Today is a busy day, but that's to be expected. We're a well known diner and it's a Saturday morning.

Noah is with me, behind the counter, because we needed all the available tables we could get. I wasn't kidding when I said we were busy...

He hasn't caused any problems though. He's such a well behaved young man. He even helped me serve some customers when I was busy.

I take a look around the diner and a satisfied smile crosses my face. Everyone is served and eating. I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand and take a minute to relax. Noah is in the kitchen with Jason, who has taken quite a liking to my little brother.

I'm about to pick up my book when the bell chimes indicating the arrival of a new customer. My smile falters slightly but I won't let it fall. No-one can ruin my good mood.

False. That was false. Because as I look up at the eyes of the customer-the identical to mine eyes of the customer to be exact- my own widen and my mouth parts. I compose myself quickly, I can't let him know that I figured it out. Have they figured it out?

He reaches the counter. We make eye contact. I smile, a fake smile. He smile brightly.

"Hello, what can I get for you?" I ask in my professional voice.

"Hi, can I have a hot chocolate with whipped cream?" He asks.

"Of course, for here or to go?" I glance back at him while preparing his drink.

"Um, to go." He replies.

Silence. He just stares at me with an unreadable explession. It's something between confusion and astonishment. His brows are furrowed and his lips are slightly parted.

I give him his drink. He smiles, looks at the receipt and pays me.

" Have a good day" I dismiss him politely but he doesn't leave.

No, he just keeps staring. He opens his mouth to speak but then he closes it again. I'm just standing there, waiting patiently for what he has to say. I already know what he wants to say though.

"I had a sister." He suddenly announces.

"Oh, um, okay?" I didn't expect that.

"She was my twin" He continues like he didn't hear me.

"I really don't know wh-"I try to say but he interrupts me.

" I lost her when we were really young and I can't ignore the fact that you look exactly like me, like her. Her name was Athena as well." He finishes with a sigh.

I'm speechless, what am I supposed to say? I am not a social person, I don't know how to properly converse with people. So I just stare. I have to act clueless.

He looks at me for another moment. "Could you please tell me your last name a-and your age. I don't wanna sound creepy I just want to make sure. I know it's a long shot but it's been bugging me since yesterday, when I first saw you." A pause "I-I'm Atlas" He adds as an afterthought

"You think I am your sister? Your 'lost' sister? Who also happens to be your twin?" I emphasize the word lost.

" I know it sounds crazy, okay, I do. It's just, God... Maybe I'm insane, or maybe I'm seeing things because I miss her so fucking much that it hurts bu-"

This time it's me that interrupts him. "You miss her?" I ask in a small voice.

A tear slides down his cheek but he's quick to wipe it away.

He clears his throat "Could you please, please, tell me your age and your last name?"

I look at him. I contemplate telling him the truth.

"I'm sorry, sir but you're taking too much time and we want to pay" A woman calls from behind him but he doesn't take his eyes off of me.

I don't want to lie to him. It hurts me to see him cry. He misses me. I want to scream at him for leaving me in the first place but I also want to run up to him and hug all his pain away. I want to reassure him that I'm right here, that he has found me but I can't.

I'm about to lie when the woman decides that she has had enough and steps in front of him. She glares at me and proceeds to pay for her meal. Once I close the register I look back up only to find him gone. He left.

Maybe it's for the best. At least I didn't have to lie to him.

Does he really care? He seemed like he was genuine but then again it could be all a trick. No, stop. Why would he want to trick you. He loved you in that memory. He defended you.

I'm thinking back to our conversation and can't help but let out a laugh at his ignorance. He said 'lost' sister. He thinks I got lost? How can you even lose a child? I know it's possible but if my memory doesn't betray me we never left the house. Maybe that's what our parents told him. Or maybe that's what he wants to believe. Either way I was in an orphanage this whole time.

I sigh. I don't know what to do. My mind is a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that I can't seem to control. I'm so confused. I want to have a person I can trust, that I can speak to about all these things. That they can give me advice and tell me what to do.

'I miss her so fucking much that it hurts' 

I know I sound selfish but I find comfort in those words. It means he cares. Someone cares for me. I smile and get back to work.

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I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you like it!

-A