Tapes :: Alex Standall

T H R E E

A T H E N A

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I felt my lungs fill with air as I come back up out of the water with the two arms of the mysterious person wrapped around my body holding me up. The only thing that could be heard was the water and my incoherent breathing along with the other person's deep breathing. Maybe they thought they were doing me a favour, or maybe they didn't want to feel guilty for letting me kill myself without stopping me. Maybe, just maybe it could have been someone I know who actually recognised me and actually cared enough to stop me. The only way I'll know is to find out who the mysterious person is. It could be anybody. It could even be my worst enemy. Why not find out? Sighing, I turn my body around to be met with a familiar blonde-haired teenage boy with a nose ring. Alex Standall. My brothers friend. At least I believe they're friends. He's most-likely going to tell my brother about this. Then my brother will probably tell his friends, then his friends will tell their friends and so it goes on until the whole city knows what happen.

"Don't ever do that again!" Alex exclaims pulling me into a hug surprising me. That's the last thing I would have thought he would do. "Okay." I hesitantly reply hugging him back as we float in the water "Why would you do that?" He questions "I-I don't want to talk about it." I say not wanting him to know what has been happening. I didn't want anyone to feel like I was burdening them. "Bullshit." He whispers "I'm just happy you're fine." He says "Why?" I question "Why are you happy that I'm okay?" I extend "Because believe it or not, I actually care about you." He says "Oh." Is all I say "Let's get you home before we both get hypothermia." He says "Okay." I whisper to him.

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"What happen to you both?" My brother questions looking at our soaked clothes "I found her at river when I was driving." Alex says and looks at me with a questioning look if he can tell him what happen. I nod my head as I look down at my feet waiting for him to tell him "I found her at the lake, she was drowning." He says not bothering to tell him how I was drowning "How could she have been drowning and you see it? Plus, she's an amazing swimmer." My brother questions in confusion "She-She was trying to kill herself. When I was driving by, I saw her go into the water. I stopped the car as soon as I could to get to her, I almost didn't get there in time." Alex explains to my brother as tears fall out of my eyes. "Athena." I hear my brother barely say. I hesitantly look up to see tears already streaming down his face as he looks at me as he quickly hugs me tightly. "Thank you for saving her, Alex." My brother says still hugging me as I find myself sobbing into his shoulder.

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I slowly took the blunt out from between my lips as I hear yelling from the living room. I exhale my breath watching the smoke release out into my bedroom as I place the blunt back between my lips to take another hit. I already feel high and I have only taken about three hits.

Sighing, I walk out of my room to see my mother's boyfriend pinning Justin up to the wall with his hand wrapped around his throat choking him. "Stop." I tell him walking closer to the two "Get out of here." My brother manages to say "Get your hands off of my brother, asshole." I say almost too calmly as I push him off. He stumbles back looking at me as he starts to slowly walk back to me "What are you going to do?" I question "Hit me like you've been doing every time you don't get what you want?" I question again "Good luck with that because that's called abuse, and it's illegal. I could get your ass thrown in jail." I say "The only reason why we keep you here is because you supposedly help pay the bills and my mother has lost hope." I say "Sorry to break it to you, but this isn't your fucking house." I say "And you can't tell us what to do, we're not your children, and we never will be." I finish before walking back to my bedroom.

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"Where the hell are we even going to go anyways?" I question "I don't know. No one's answering the phone." He replies messaging Jessica "I'll message Ryan or someone to see if I can stay." I say "Alright." He says still trying to reach Jessica. Sighing, I get my phone out as I swing my bag back over my shoulder and unlock my phone.

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"Thanks." I tell Alex as I walk into his house "No problem." He says with a light smile shutting the door "I feel bad for asking to stay out of nowhere." I say "Don't be, it's fine. Really." He says in a monotone "Is your dad alright with a girl staying the night?" I question "He doesn't know. He won't be home tonight." He says walking me to a bedroom that I assume is his "Oh." I reply "You can take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch." He says "No, oh my god, no!" I exclaim "I can't take your bed." I say looking at him "You're the guest, take the bed." He says "No, it's your bed. You take it." I argue "How about we both take the bed, it's big enough." He says "Okay," I nervously say "Don't worry, I won't try anything." He says "Who said I didn't want anything to happen?" I whisper to myself not realising he could hear. Nervously, I set my bag on his floor. "Get in the bed." He says nervous himself. Nodding my head, I roll onto his bed realising how nervous and awkward we both have been since I walked into the house. He lies down next to me awkwardly as we both stay silent. With sudden confidence, I slide underneath of the covers with him and lay my head on his chest and slide my arm over his waist. He sighs and re-positions us by moving on his side and wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close to him as I wrap my arm around his waist.
Here I am, in the same bed with the one guy I've had a crush on since the sixth grade.
Could it get any more awkward than this?

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