Aries || Calum Hood

three

ARIES: those who spend four hours getting ready in the morning.

A T H E N A

"THEY ARE LANDING in an hour." The irritation in Michael's voice hinted to Athena that she was taking a generous amount of time just to get ready. You couldn't blame her though since it was four in the morning, and Athena was never a morning person to begin with.

"Hold on." Athena rolled her eyes, unclipping the top section of her hair as she resumed in straightening her lion's mane.

Michael and Athena's parents were coming back from the Bahamas -they insisted to only have their honeymoon for a week long- and the kids were supposed to pick them up. The drive to the airport was about thirty minutes depending on how bad traffic is, and Michael, a punctual guy, was already getting pissed off at how time was running low.

Pulling a band tank over her head, Athena straightened out her clothing as she stumbled out of her room. Her black ripped jeans wrinkled at the end due to her shortness, and she struggled into her leather jacket.

"Nova, are you done getting ready?" Athena knocked onto the white wooden door, sighing once she saw Nova's dark hair all tangled up. Nova often tried to do little things to prove to Athena that she was a big girl too, but she always messed up.

"I'm sorry," Nova whispered, tears forming in her eyes when she saw the irritated look on Athena's face. Nova normally controlled her tears, but it was four in the damn morning and she was tired. All four of them were skipping school that day since their parents were coming back, and they wanted to have a family day.

"Stop crying." Athena combed Nova's hair, tying her bangs up as Nova sniffed. Athena wasn't one who favored those who cried -she rarely cried herself.

Athena had a plausible philosophy that crying was a weak escape to problems. She was always taught to be strong, but she had no limits when doing so. Nova looked up at her with her ebony pupils dilating.

"Athena, where are their snacks?" Michael shouted from the kitchen downstairs, his tone rushed as sounds echoed of him rummaging around.

"In the pantry at the very top." Athena prepared the meals for the little ones the night before. Athena and Michael knew how the two got hungry easily, and they didn't want their parents to be bombarded with complaints.

"What kind of snacks?" Nova's stomach growled at that moment, her light pink dress tickling Athena's arms. Unlike Athena, Nova had purely straight hair, so she didn't need much maintenance.

"Cookies and gummy bears." Athena lifted Nova up, placing Nova on her hip as she turned off the lights. "Zach, put your shoes on."

"I did already." Pride wavered in Zach's voice as he bellowed from downstairs, trotting up to prove his point to Athena. His smile drooped when his hazel eyes diverted to Athena's arm. "Why does Nova get to be carried?"

"Dammit Zach, can you please stop whining for once?" Athena's patience was shortening by the moment; she was not up for her siblings fighting about who she was carrying.

"I want to be carried too," Zach whispered, his bottom lip quivering as he gripped onto his stuffed monkey that was warm due to Zach cuddling with it the entire night.

"Zach, you are seven years old. Act like it." Athena peered down the stairs once she realized that Michael hasn't been yelling at her for the past few minutes. "Michael?"

"Can I sleep in the car?" Zach rubbed his eyes, grabbing onto Athena's leather jacket. He was starting to get tired again, and all he thought about was sleeping in the car.