Broken Promises

chapter 26

Athena turns away from Jason’s understanding smirk and allows Gray to lead her towards the little cave. He won’t even know what hit him. Or at least she hopes he doesn’t find out. They enter the cave yet again and almost immediately he pulls her into his hard body. It’s quite unpleasant. Her body just doesn’t mold into his the way it does with Jason. It feels wrong but she knows this is what must be done to get Jason out of here; out of this nightmare. Without hesitation, her body is pressed against the cave wall but instead of Gray intimidating her with his menacing scowl, he has his lips pressed to her neck. Although she wishes she could shove Gray’s repulsive body away from hers right now, she knows that in time it will pay off. His lips travel across her prominent collarbone towards her jaw trailing towards her lips. He stops abruptly, pulling himself away from her body completely with a distant expression on his features.

                “Gray?” Athena asks cautiously. Maybe he’s realized how ridiculous this situation is, lost interest and is going to kill her to follow up on the debt that Jason owes. His incredibly blue eyes are still staring past her until he hightails it toward the cave’s entrance without a second glance back. 

                Gray had to get out of there. He couldn’t handle it any longer. Kissing Athena reminded him of her. The memories flooded back to him like a harsh waterfall. The way her little bubbly giggle would echo around the hallow room when he nibbled on her earlobe. He stops by a nearby tree to catch his breath. He keels over in agony as another memory surfaces. He was giving her a piggyback ride. Her musical laughter caused a wide grin to spread across his face. She placed her small hands over his eyes as he laughed along with her. The love of his life had been the one he searched for endlessly. It was when he found her that he promised to himself that with all his might, nothing would ever hurt her. It was until she turned 16 that her raging alcoholic mother decided to overdose on pills that she changed. His little angel was no longer an angel. She began sleeping around with other guys, drinking illegally from the black market, and smoking cigarettes found in our mentor's home. Every time he saw her with another guy, his heart would crack in yet another place. He stuck through it though because he knew she would come back to him. Tears brim his eyelids as he squeezes his eyes tightly to hold them back. He has to find her. Seeing Athena in the dimly lit cave, he almost thought it was really her. She resembles her slightly, with her dark hair and large eyes.

                “Where is she?” He says aloud to himself. It was then that the Gamemakers decided to put up the faces of dead tributes in the sky for the rest of them to see. He replays the musical laughter in his mind of his angel when the first picture is displayed. Her piercing black eyes stare right through him. How could he have been so stupid? He promised himself that he would get her out of here. Yet there she was up in the sky. His Calla.

                Gray is a dead man. Jason can hear him moaning as he gropes his precious Athena’s fragile body. It takes all of his sanity not to jump into that cave and pound him senseless. Then the sounds stop. All at once the only sound is the heavy breathing of that big oaf.

                “Gray?” Athena calls out cautiously. He hears Gray suck in a quick breath then in a flash, he runs right out of the cave. Jason stares at Gray as he runs towards the forest into the thick trees never looking back once.  His instincts tell him to chase him down and kill him at once but his heart pulls towards the small cave knowing Athena is in there. Yet again, Jason lets his heart take over and sprints into the cave. His eyes search for her and finally lands upon her large grey eyes looking up at him. His scowl cracks into a goofy grin as he run over to her. She shakily grabs onto his torso as he engulfs her body with his. Her small form fits right into his as he breathes a sigh of relief. He hasn’t been able to hold her for the last few nights and his heart has been aching for her touch.

                “You were supposed to kill him!” Athena screams as she pulls away from his hold to smack him on the back of the head.

                “Ow.” Jason mumbles as he rubs his head slightly. He sees someone hasn’t changed.

“I couldn’t really kill him since he ran out of here like he saw a ghost.” He mutters as he reaches for Athena’s hand. It’s been too long since he’s had her. He has to spend as much time with her as possible before he has to go.

“What happened?” He asks as she bites her lip in thought.

“Well he was kissing my neck when all of a sudden, he stopped. He stared off then just ran out. I don’t know what I did wrong?” She pouts her lip and crosses her arms rather childishly and Jason can’t help but chuckle.

“Don’t worry Athena. We’re going to find him and then we’re going to get you out of here.” He declares as he gently cups her cheeks. Her glorious grey eyes search his face rapidly as he sees her eyes twinkle. She smiles up at him and balances on her toes before pecking him on the lips leaving him lingering for more.

“Do you know how many of us are left?” She asks suddenly changing the subject.

“Just you, me, Gray, the girl and boy from 4, the girl from 9, and the boy from 8.” Jason recites off memory. There’s too many for his liking and he’d love for it to be less so he’ll have fewer opponents to kill making it easier for Athena. She opens her mouth to retort when horns go off. The Gamemakers are about to announce their annual feast.