Lost Hope

THIRTEEN

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Athena couldn't bear the silence alone in her room.

She put her headphones on, blasted the song as loud as it could go and sat next to the window. She began to cry, her entire body shaking with the force of her tears.

Her Chris. Her best friend. Her rock.

Gone.

She had never cried so hard in her entire life and that was saying something about what the boy meant to her.

Everything.

And she didn't even know that she passed out crying. Or that it was hours before she woke up again and put on her uniform, not bothering with makeup or actually looking into the mirror.

Blake was fully dressed when she went down. He flashed his eyebrows at her and held out Will's car keys. "Hey. Henry said one of us had to drive you to school. It's your last day before break, yeah?"

Athena ignored him and went out the front door but Blake was persistent and grabbed her wrist, leading her to the passenger seat. She didn't have the energy to argue so she just hit her head against the window and kept her mouth shut as he drove.

"I'll be here when you finish school," he said when she opened the door and got out.

She didn't acknowledge what he said and walked to school. The hallways were empty. Class had started.

Principle Simons was walking in the hallway, his wrinkles seeming clearer. "Athena. I'm terribly sorry for your loss. It's the whole town's loss, you know. I know you and Chris were close."

Athena ignored him, too. Hearing his name hurt and her vision blurred with tears.

"Come on, class started ten minutes ago," he sighed and led her to her Chemistry class, a hand on the small of her back. "If you need anything, just excuse yourself and come to my office," he said before opening the door and she walked in.

Silence fell upon the class immediately.

People actually looked sad and some were wearing black as a sign of respect.

People loved you, you fool, why did you do that?

She hated that class.

It was the last time she spoke to Chris. But she sat in her seat, anyway, her head resting in her arms.

A girl to her side tapped her shoulder, Athena glanced her way and saw that she was offering her a little note with two roses attached to it.

Athena sat up straighter and took the note.

'In honour of The Great Christophe Davies. R.I.P' read the note.

A lump rose to Athena's throat. She picked up her bag and walked to the door, not even glancing at her teacher who called after her, panicked.

Shespent the rest of the class in the bathroom, crying silently as she read the note over and over again.

When she heard the bell ring for break, she went out and ran into Jacob who appeared to be looking for her.

"Athena," he said, his expression pained as he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."

"He's gone, Jacob. He's gone," she wept. "My best friend—" she burst into hysterical tears.

"He wouldn't want you to cry like that, Athena, stop it," he whispered.

"He-He wrote me a letter. He wanted to apologise to you... For judging you and he said—"