𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡

|𝟺𝟽|

Leia Welsh

Athena is practically begging me, down on her knees, with her hands clasped together like she's praying, and her lips all pouty. Her long, wavy hair is a tangled mess, and her eyes are wide with excitement.

"Please, please come with me! It's on my bucket list!" she pleads, her voice filled with desperation.

I groan and roll over, trying to catch some much-needed shut eye. My messy hair falls over my face as I bury it into the pillow, hoping to block out Athena's pleas. "Sorry, not happening. It's Saturday, ask Ari," I mutter.

She's not giving up that easily. I can hear her let out an exasperated groan, clearly annoyed by my lack of enthusiasm. She stands up, hands on her hips, her foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

"If you don't come, I swear I'll just kill myself!" Athena declares, a mischievous tone slipping into her voice.

I can't help it - a sleepy laugh escapes my lips, even though my eyes remain stubbornly shut.

From what I've come to know about Athena, she's always pulling out the dramatic threats when she wants something.

"Check out the shiny new knife in the kitchen, it'll make it quick!" I casually mention, causing her to gasp dramatically. The sunlight streaming through the window catches the sparkle in her dark blue eyes as she turns to face me with a mock glare.

"I'll bribe you with some tasty grub," she offers, prompting me to sit up so fast that I almost get a case of the spins.

A wide grin stretches across my face as she playfully rolls her eyes, a dark blue that matches the sky on a clear day.

I take a moment to rub my tired eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of her rocking a pair of denim jeans that work wonders for her slim legs. She's sporting a plain white crop top that contrasts with the vibrant blue of her hair, complemented by a cute little beige backpack strapped across her shoulder.

And let's not forget those beige boots that add a touch of casual chic to her outfit. With her blue hair pulled back into a ponytail, she's looking effortlessly gorgeous.

"I seriously can't stand the wilderness," I groan, protesting as she plops herself down on the edge of my bed. She looks at me with a grin.

"I said I would be indifferent towards you and Ari. I hung out with her yesterday, so today is your day, and we're just heading to the waterfall," she reassures me, her gaze shifting from my black bra to my pajama shorts featuring the one and only SpongeBob.

I do need to get out.

I can't keep being in bed thinking about what Warren said. It keeps making me overthink and makes my body feel hot. I don't like it. My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

"Change your clothes first," she insists, motioning towards my attire. I can't help but roll my eyes as I begrudgingly get out of bed.

She watches me with a smirk playing on her lips, knowing she's won this battle of wills.

I saunter over to the shelf above my dresser, where my trusty pink piggy bank resides. Pulling open the drawer, I snatch a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill and carefully slip it into my piggy bank, before returning it to its place on the shelf.

"So, it's just you and me?" I ask, raising an eyebrow as she suspiciously nods, avoiding eye contact making me know she's lying.

"Athena, who else-" she cuts me off by casually holding her phone to her ear, pretending to be engrossed in a super important phone call. I can see the fake conversation playing out in her eyes, as she tries to act busy and important.