Just Pretend With Me

5

~Athena~

He uses his thumb to fully wipe off all the tears on my face as I lean into him, pounding my fist on his toned chest. "You're horrible at comforting people, you know that?" He hesitantly strokes my hair and chuckles. "I know, I know, it's my first time, cut me some slack."

I smile. "You know, you act like a bad boy but when it's just us it's like a light in you switches." There's another silent pause before he answers. "I guess..I'm like that because it's like your the only person who's able to understand me.. N-Nevermind that, either shut the fuck up or explain to me what's bothering you." "O-Oh uhm.." I hesitate, fidgeting with the long necklace sitting on my neck. "Y-Yeah well so basically..."

~

"Holy shit." I laugh at his reaction, in full agreement. "Yep, shit."

"So you're telling me..your parents died, you're abused and overworked by your adopted mom, used by your adopted sister, treated like dirt, and you get bullied and r!p3d by nobody's...and I'm the first person to even pay attention to you." I slowly nod my head.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He snaps. "CAN I JUST KILL EVERYONE?!" I giggle. "Things would be much easier if you could but it's not their fault, you can't blame them for ever-" He cuts me off, running his hand through his hair in pure rage. "Athena! Do you hear yourself right now?! If it's not their fault..then whose fucking fault is it?!" "Whoa calm down.." I grab his wrist to stop him from pacing back and forth. "Dame, there's nothing we can do about it so just let it go.." "After hearing that?! Fuck no, are you crazy?!" He swings the door open and leads me down the hallway to the nearest exit. "Damian-" "No," He pins me to the wall. "You may not be able to do something about it..but I can. We're leaving." I trip over myself as he pushes open the door and the alarms blare. "We're gonna get into trouble!" "Relax, school ends soon. Nobody cares."

He grabs a tight hold of my tiny hands all the way to the parking lot. "I know what you're thinking, but how are we even gonna get there?"

"Like this." He whistles and suddenly a white limo rolls into view. "Larry, I need you to take us to this girl's home." I stutter. "I-I'm not telling a random person my address.."

"Tch," He sighs. "Athena, do you trust me?"

I ignore him until he asks the second time, his voice more serious.

"I said..do you trust me?"

...

"Yeah I do..uhm sir Larry sir, I mean uhm, L-Larry my address is *****"

Flustered and embarrassed, I got in the limo and Damian slid in right behind me, eyebrows narrowed and hair sticking up. "Pftt," I leaned over him watching as his dangerous emerald eyes held contact with mine. "W-What are you doing..?" "Relax I'm just p-patting down your hair." I hesitated, my eyes momentarily lighting up. "I-It's fluffy..like really fluffy.."

I waited until his tense shoulders softened and his face expressions went back to normal. "I-I've never seen anyone so mad on my behalf." He rolled his eyes. "Because everyone else is a loser. Dumbass." "Is that so?" I rested my head on his shoulder and grinned to myself, smiling more in one day than I have in my entire life.

Is this what having a friend is like or is this what having a lover feels like?

I watch him silently look out the window until my humble house came into view. "So what exactly are we gonna do?" He stares at me dead in the eye without even a slight change in his expression. "Pack your bags, you'll move in with me." I hesitated. "M-Move in? I-I just met you.." He shrugged. "Fine but I figured anything would be better than staying here." I looked down at the floor. "You're right..but this might take a while so..wait for me?" He nodded. "I got time."

"Good." With a deep breath I walked up to the door and waltzed right in, slamming the door behind me. "ATHENA!" I jolt up at the sound of Miriam, my adopted mom's voice. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I CALLED YOU SIX DIFFERENT TIMES..AND I HEARD THAT YOU GOT FIRED FROM YOUR MORNING JOB AND DIDN'T SHOW UP TO YOUR MID-DAY OR NIGHTTIME JOB!" I stopped fidgeting my fingers and mustered up the courage to look her in the eyes. "I'm done."

"What did you just say to me?!" I scoffed. "Miriam, I'm done with all of this. I refuse to be your slave anymore!" I dart past her to the cupboard I've been forced to live in and call my bedroom. "I'm moving out." "Tch, ungrateful brat! Where will you even go?!" I focus on packing up my bags with only a few important things. "..To live with the Ryder family.." Her shriek rings out throughout the house. "The Ryders?! How the hell...you little slut!" She runs over to me, grabbing a fistful of my hair before knocking me onto the ground. "Did you get knocked up? You'll pay for this!"

Suddenly, I get dizzy and blood pools out from the side of my mouth. "If you leave now you can never come-" "Mommy!" I normally hated when Madison would run down from her room, but in this moment I couldn't love her more.

Or so I thought.

"Look at this video from school!" Miriam let's go of me and walks over to Maddie's phone.

"What's this? So you've got a new boyfriend eh?" I wipe off any tears that threaten to roll down my eyes and squint at the video of us hugging. "He's not my boyfriend!" They ignore my plead and this time I feel Maddie lift me up by my collar. "What's rule #2 in this house? Say it!" I cough up a bit more blood. "Y-Your needs come before my own.." "Right." She smirks. "And I need a rich boyfriend. So since you guys are not dating, you won't mind introducing me!"

I gulped as she moved closer to my face, yanking off the necklace from my neck.

I watched in horror as the beads flew everywhere. "Why...Why would you do that?!" Without even thinking I slapped her across the face and crawled around trying to find all the little beads. "No..no...mom..dad.." I fought back the urge to cry. "What is wrong with you people?! I've been nothing but good to you for 4 years and this is how I'm treated?! I pay the bills and put up with all of your bad treatment...and still I refused to blame you! You know how much this necklace means to me...How fucking could y-"

"Whatev-" Miriam tried to cut me off but I wouldn't let her. "Whatever you have to say...zip it! You wouldn't understand! That's the last thing I got from my parents before they died! I hate you...I hate you all....!"

I grab my bag and scramble to the front door. "And Madison, I will not introduce you. Ever! I hope you rot in h-hell!" Before I run out the door she retorts. "Then I'll make sure you two fall apart! I know exactly who to call!" She spat. "Don't underestimate me..SISTER!"

I see Damian in the same position he was before I entered the house, looking up from his phone. "How was it?" I jump in through the car window without even replying.

"Go, just go!"

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