Her Five Protectors

THIRTY-SIX

Athena enters in Ariana's room and finds her sleeping on the bed. She makes her way towards her sleeping figure.

"I hope you would forgive me one day..." She whispers being careful to not to wake her up and covers her with blanket properly. With a dull expression on her face, she moves out of her room. 

Ariana opens her eyes in the next second Athena is gone out from the room. She stares at the closed door feeling tears burning in her eyes but there is nothing that she could do.

As Athena steps out of Ariana's room, she finds Vincenzo standing in front of her. She looks at him as he opens his arms. Her bottom lip quivers as she slowly takes steps towards him and envelops herself in his embrace. 

"S-she is hurting h-herself c-continuously. I-I j-just want h-her to be h-happy again." She stutters, crying and  complaining as Vincenzo's pulls her even more closer in his warmth.

They stand there for a while. With her crying and Vincenzo silently comforting her. Few minutes later, Vincenzo realised that she has passed out again due to the heavy crying. 

He sighs and gently lifts her fragile body in his arms. He decides to take her in his own room as he hears her continuous whimpers in her sleep. He gently lays her down on the bed and tucks her in the blanket. A loud boom of thunder sounded outside. Athena flinches in her sleep and tightly holds Vincenzo's hand while whispering nonchalant words.

He places a kiss on her forehead and releases his hand out of her grip. He moves towards the window to see a storm brewing outside. He stares at the heavy darkness with his fists clenched. He knows that he needs to fix everything before everything shatters.

*************

Athena stares at Ariana's back who is walking ahead of her towards her first class. Athena feels an arm wrapped around her shoulder. Looking up she finds Alexander. 

"Don't look so sad little crybaby. Everything will be ok.... Just give it sometime...." Athena gives him a small smile as he led her inside. Romeo and Vittorio follows behind them. Them together like this catches everyone's attention. They stand and watches the siblings walking together.

They leave Athena outside her classroom after placing a kiss on her forehead, even Alexander and Vittorio repeated Romeo's action. 

As Ariana also watched this. For the first time she doesn't feel jealous instead she controlled her smile back watching them together. The rest of the day was rolling on slowly. 

It wasn't until again Ariana clashes her way with Angelo. He pulls her into the janitor closet. He whispers her next task in his ear with a maniac grin on his face. 

"I won't do this..." She tells him harshly but gets cut off when he wraps his hand around her throat.

"Just remember that it could be Athena here like this." He warned her after squeezing her neck. Ariana understands the warning clear in his words. Uncontrollable tears rolls down her face giving him more and more satisfaction. 

*************

Ariana takes a deep breath in and approaches Athena who is getting her books out of the locker.

"Athena!" She calls her name loudly gaining everyone's attention. They crowds around them immediately. 

"Ari!" Athena smiles brightly thinking Ariana has finally forgiven her and she is talking to her. 

"Do you all guys know Athena's history? How did she end up in my family taking my place all of a sudden?" Athena yells loudly.

"What is she doing?" Max asks concerns. He is about to tell her to stop but Sarah stops him.

"Don't! Let it be happen." She smirks.

"Are you fucking out of your mind?" Max snatches his arm out of her grip.

"She was basically livi--" 

"Stop this shit, Ariana!" Max says loudly while coming to stand in front of Athena.

"Shut the fuck up!" Ariana challenges him back with her words.

"You are my fucking bestfriend! So you should stay on my side. Wait a second- did this whore stole you away from me too? First my family, then she fixed her eyes on the person I l-loved and then you! What else? What else do you want to steal slut. You fuc--" Ariana is cut off mid sentence as she is turned back harshly. A loud slap echoed throughout the corridor. Everyone gasped.

Ariana whimpers as she looks up at Alexander. His face holds fury. Ariana flinches when he raises his hand up again but he pauses mid-air. He looks down to see Athena holding his arm with pleading eyes. A sob racks through her throat. 

Alexander drops his arm and wraps herself in his embrace. He leads her outside following by Vittorio and Romeo who throws glare at Ariana. Ariana clenches her fists and forces the emotionless look on her face. Her eyes meets Angelo. He smirks, soundlessly clapping at her performance and mouthing 'good job' to her.

**********

Athena takes a cup of coffee in between her hands and takes a small sip of it. Alexander and twins thought that it is best to take Athena out from the school. They took her to this cute cafe.

"I think something's bothering Ariana!" Romeo says. Vittorio rolls his eyes.

"I don't think so! You know what is Ariana's personality! She is nothing but getting jealous from Athena.." 

"But she was changed. Now this change is all of a sudden, don't you think? I feel like there is something that Ariana is hiding...." Romeo again says.

"It's my fault.." Athena whispers as she lays her head on the table.

"Nothing is your fault, Athena!" Alexander finally speaks as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"I-it is m-my fault. She told me that I should stay away from Angelo but I d-didn't..." Her statement makes everyone on the table stiffen.

"How does Angelo came in between this?" Athena looks up at Vittorio and narrates the whole incident with them.

She looks at them and find them sharing a look with each other. 

"W-what happened?" She asks.

"Nothing and don't worry everything will be fine soon." Alexander says.

"And don't let any other boy come close to yourself." Vittorio warns her. Athena frowns but nods her head.

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