Enemies with Benefits (Harry Styles)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Athena's POV

I wake up in the morning, causing the sunshine to hit my eyes. Then I raise myself from the bed and head to the room my mom always is in. "Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?"

"Um, yeah," I answer as I yawn, rubbing my eyes.

"Go get dressed, honey. And I'm gonna prepare us breakfast." She stands up and gets to the kitchen. I, on the other hand, move back to my room, open my closet, and pick a simple black T-shirt and jeans. I'm still sleepy so I couldn't help but lie down again on my bed when I finish getting dressed.

About a few minutes later, I hear my name being called out of thin air. My consciousness is already asleep, so I only hear it thinly. I do my best to wake myself up again, and when I open my eyes, this time I clearly hear my mother's voice. "Athena! The breakfast is ready!"

"Coming!" I yell back. I'm still tired, to be honest, but I manage to get up and go to my mom's. I feel like I need to take energy-saving action, otherwise, I won't have enough energy to spend the whole day.

We keep silent while we're eating. And it's strange. She used to talk blah blah blah every time and everywhere. Maybe she sees the sign 'I'm not in a mood to talk' that I'm giving.

However as expected, she breaks the silence. "So you're officially broke up with that boy?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. You happy now?" I give her a totally absent-minded look-back.

"Couldn't be happier," she says, smiling. That smile. I almost want to punch it, but I hold back my anger, and let her keep smiling as long as she wants to. She continues, "Don't worry, honey. You're going to meet someone today."

I don't get it. "What do you mean?"

"I've set up a rich boy for you, so you're seeing him today."

I sigh very deeply. Here she goes again. "Mom, I don't want to date anyone for a while. Can you please leave my dating life alone?"

Her face changes in an instant. The kindly wigged face that looked so happy earlier is now just the face of an ogre. "Athena, I'm doing this for your own good. So don't be bitch about it, just do what I tell you!"

Wow. Shouting at a dining table?

"I'm not marrying anyone 'cause I want to spend my time alone," I mumble, looking down.

"Athena!" she's shouting again. I look up to see her face and find her face is red and full of anger. "Happiness for women is marriage! How can you not understand that? Can't you stop thinking about other things or doing something yourself? I found you a partner, you'll be married and you'll be happy!"

I've never expected there to still be parents with such old-fashioned ideas nowadays. But there are, because she is right in front of me.

I feel I have nothing more to say to her. It's exhausting just to go against her, and it puts her in a bad mood. When she's in a bad mood, she blames me for everything, so there is no merit in defying her. I give up. I realize that it's my destiny to be born as her daughter, and I have no choice but to obey her.

But I wonder if I'll have to live my life under her hand from now on.

"Alright, sorry," I say in a heartless tone.

"You just have to know," she says, giving me a grinning face.

I still want to punch her in the face. Is she really having that much fun manipulating her daughter into doing what she wants? Now that I think about it, I'm so glad I'm an only child. Because if I had siblings, they too would have to live under her control.