Tapes :: Alex Standall

F I V E

A T H E N A

- - -

I over-hear their conversation of the others that had been on the tapes sat at one of the almost empty lunch table. "About Athena," Alex starts hesitantly glancing over at the other table I sat at alone but not too far to be unable to hear their conversation which they didn't know I was listening into "What about her?" Jessica questions cutting Alex off from continuing "Last night, she was at my house after being out for so long. She was having a panic attack and shit. I asked her what caused the panic attack once we had gotten inside." He says grabbing the attention of my brother "Well, what caused it?" He questions worried about my well-being. At least I think. "She told me," Alex pauses "She told me that she listened to all of the tapes." He continued "What?" Marcus questions "How did she even get the tapes?" He questions "I don't know, she didn't even tell me. I didn't even know she had them in the first place. I don't think anyone knew." Alex replies "Well, we have to shut her up. She's going to tell." Marcus replies only worried about his own reputation. Meanwhile, my brother looked pissed. "Oh shut up, Marcus. She's not going to tell people about them." Alex defends "How are you so sure?" Courtney questions "Because Justin is on them." Alex replied "She wouldn't do anything to hurt her brother and get him into trouble." He continued "You must be really stupid if you think that she'd do anything to hurt her brother." He finishes "Alex is right, she wouldn't do that." Zach pipes into the conversation.

"Are you okay, Justin?" Jess questions. All he does is look at me. He nods his head left and right looking back down at the table "That means that she heard her own tape." He says "She's going to believe Hannah's lies." He says "But was she really lying?" Ryan questions "Yes." Jessica says "She was also lying about dating my sister," Justin says "My sister isn't into girls." He finishes. Ryan let's out a short laugh and looks down at his phone "What's so funny?" Courtney questions "Fuck off, Courtney." Ryan says looking back up "But it's just funny knowing how much you don't know about your own sister, Justin." He says now looking at Justin. He's going to tell them. "What are you talking about?" Justin asks confused as always "You do realise that your sister likes girls," he pauses smirking "And guys." He says glancing at Alex then to his phone "No, she would tell me." My brother says "Well, she didn't." Ryan replies.

With that, I stand up now making it obvious that I had been listening the whole time to them. I just shove my phone in my pocket and swing my old, worn out gray bag over my shoulder. I push my brown hair back out of my face that had been covering my face as I start to my way down to the doors that led outside to the back of the school building slowly.

- - -

"Athena," I hear the all too familiar voice say as I continue walking down the hallway of the school ignoring him as I reach the school doors. "Athena." He repeats once more only to be met with silence. "Athena Grace Foley." He says more demanding causing me to take a deep breath and turn around to face him "What do you want, Ryan?" I question "Why are you so mad at me about something so little?" He questions assuming that I had been mad at him "I-I'm not mad," I stutter "I'm just afraid." I admit "I'm afraid what people will think of me. I'm afraid people will hate me for who I am." I continue "You do not need to be afraid, Athena. Don't be afraid to be who you are." He says "We all still think of you the same way!" He exclaims. Instead of replying, I just sigh and turn around seeing the familiar car owned by the familiar blonde.

- - -

I didn't expect myself to actually want to be near Alex after hearing the tapes. But here I am in his bedroom laid under the covers comfortably. I didn't really have anywhere else to go. I mean, I didn't necessarily want to sleep on a park bench all night. No way in hell was I going to do that. I haven't talked to anyone other than Alex since I had that conversation with Ryan. I've been ignoring all of the calls and messages of people worrying where I am. I had decided that my whereabouts should be kept a secret, so Alex allowed me to stay at his house without anyone knowing but the two of us.

"When are you going to talk to him?" Alex questions alongside with "Your brother."
"I don't know honestly," I start "I guess I'm just scared of what he'll say." I continued "Well, I think you should at least text him telling him that you're alright." He replies "I mean, he's worried. I get why, but just tell him you're safe or something." He says shutting his door.
Sighing, I reply with the one word that I definitely wasn't feeling "Fine." I say pulling out my phone instantly seeing some of the messages my brother had sent

Justin: Athena
Justin: Christ, you haven't talked to me at all.

Justin: i'm worried about you

Justin: Athena Grace Foley

Justin: where the fuck are you?

Justin: Just tell me you're okay. I'm worried out of my mind. Please

Athena: I'm fine, Justin. I'm safe. Just, please, don't worry about me..

Justin:Oh my god. Thank god you're alright. Where are you?

Athena: You don't need to know. I'll talk to you when I'm ready to. Please, don't worry about me.

Justin: Okay.. just stay safe.

I take a deep breath as I shut my phone off looking back at the boy that sat on the opposite side of me on his bed. "Thank you, for letting me stay here." I thank him "Well, I wasn't going to let you sleep outside on a park bench." He replies "Honestly," he starts "I wasn't sure you'd even make eye contact with me knowing what I did. Knowing what I did to Hannah." He says looking down at his fingers "I didn't think I was either. But it's hard to stay away from you," I reply "What do you mean?" He questions looking back up at me "I-Di-We-" I stutter as I feel the heat rise up to my cheeks embarrassed and too flustered to give him an answer. I slowly bring my head down looking down at the covers of his bed too embarrassed to look directly at him.

I feel his hand lightly touch my chin lifting my face up. Now looking up, I notice that he had moved closer to me now sitting directly in front of me.
You could already feel the tension in the air as we both intensely stare at one another without a care in the world.

Next thing I know, his hands are cupping my face and my arms around his neck with our lips centimetres apart.