𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡

|𝟻𝟸|

Kohl Warren

I groan as I slowly open my eyes, feeling like I've been hit by a truck. The incessant ringing of my phone has been going on for what feels like hours, and I can't ignore it any longer. Rubbing my temples, I sit up and squint at the clock on my nightstand.

Two in the afternoon. It's Sunday, so I don't care how long I've been passed out for. I grab my phone and unplug it from the charger, letting out a long yawn before bringing it to my ear.

"Hello?" I mumble, my voice rough from sleep.

"Kohl, what the hell? We've been trying to reach you for hours. Did you just wake up?" Athena's voice comes through the phone, piercing my eardrums.

I wince and move the phone a little further away from my ear, pushing my messy hair out of my face as I lay back in bed.

"Athena?" I respond, feigning ignorance. I know it's her, so I don't know why I asked that.

"I got your number from Ant. I need your help," Athena says urgently, the sound of traffic in the background. I groan inwardly, knowing that whatever she needs help with is going to be a pain.

"Spit it out," I grumble, my voice laced with irritation as I throw the scratchy blanket around my shoulders and shut my eyes.

"Me and Ari are throwing Leia a surprise-" Athena starts to explain.

"It's her birthday?" I interrupt, sitting up abruptly in bed, the sheets pooling around my waist before I throw the blanket off me in one swift motion.

"If you'd let me finish, I would have said we are throwing her a surprise party and we want-" She continues.

"I'll be there," I cut off the speaker with a finality, hanging up the phone and swinging my legs over the side of the bed before standing up and stretching out the kinks in my back.

I pad barefoot to the bathroom, flicking on the light and turning on the shower head. I rummage through my closet, settling on a basic black T-shirt that clings to my chest and a pair of faded blue jeans that have seen better days. I grab some gray Calvin Klein boxers, because why not feel fancy underneath it all?

I trudge back to the bathroom, where the harsh light highlights the bags under my eyes. I brush my teeth with a bit too much force, trying to scrub away the taste of morning breath that lingers in my mouth.

Washing my face, I notice the lines starting to etch themselves into my forehead. Stepping into the shower, the hot water pelts my skin like a thousand tiny needles, chasing away the

hot water pelts my skin like a thousand tiny needles, chasing away the chill that always seems to settle in my bones. I try to hurry, because I have to give Leia the best birthday she's ever had.

How could I not know her birthday? I mean, I confessed my feelings for her, and now I don't even know the most basic fact about her. But at least this way she won't be able to ignore me, right?

She probably won't want to celebrate with a big party - that's just not her style. She's more of a low-key, intimate gathering kind of girl.

"You're really annoying you know?" Athena flips her vibrant blue hair out of her face, her piercing eyes shooting daggers at me.

"I can say the same thing about you, AD," I retort, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow as she scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"It's too early for this," Kateb mumbles, running a hand through his messy brown hair, his tired eyes scanning the food court.

"Why are we all even here?" Miller chimes in, his dark eyes hidden behind his cap as he adjusts it to sit just right on his head, his deep voice tinged with annoyance.