Trepidation || j. g ||

| s m i l e |

ATHENA WILLIAMS FELT let down, above all things. She was frightened, and highly distraught after her heart to heart with the man she has secretly been dying to kiss for months.

Athena entered her home a quarter after nine, her eyes rimmed a bright red as her face was void of all color. She just wanted to take a moment and sit, just think of everything she was told in the past few hours. There was a tinge of denial in all of her evident fear and disappointment, though. Athena knew deep down that she would take Jake up on his offer to ditch town, but here she was; home to her abusive father. Why? She was trying to think of an answer herself as she placed her bag down on the counter as per usual.

"Athena? What the hell are you doing at home this late? Where the fuck was you at?!" Dennis yelled, his voice reverberating off of the chipped walls as Athena stared forward.

"Are you hard of hearing?! What the fuck is wrong with you ?!" He shouted, his frame finally coming into view as Athena stared him down.

Her eyes watering ever so slightly as she suddenly realized that she needed to leave this house-but Dennis Williams would never allow it.

"Where were you? Huh? Definitely not at Augustine's-because I drove there after work to have that blonde bimbo say you left! Where did you run off to?" He interrogates, his voice low and menacing as he began walking closer to the girl.

Athena's hand reached backward, her slender fingers claiming the cold metal of the doorknob as she clutched it tightly-reading to turn it if needed. Dennis ogled at her action, smiling unrighteously before his face went serious.

"You wanna leave?" He asked scarily, his eyes widening slightly as Athena began to turn the knob-prompting her father to rush forward with anger.

He grabbed her harshly, the young woman's hand jerking the door open slightly before her skin left contact with the metal. She shouted for the man to let her go, causing him to throw her against the counter in the bare kitchen. Athena's shoulder hurt from her father's rough pressure, her eyes widening as she looked back to see him raise his fist to her. Athena's heart lurched-her eyes squinting shut as she felt her father's fist hit her while she was down. With wild eyes, the brunette reached out. Her hand gripped the thick metal placed in the dish rack, her next actions quick as she swiped the knife in front of her. A disgruntled groan exited the man in front of her, Athena's eyes opening as she saw a gash on her father's forearm. He clutched his skin with fury, his hand leaving the torn skin revealing a slather of blood on his pale palm.

"You fucking bitch! You-" he screamed, charging Athena before she stuck the knife right in front of herself with a cry.

Even with the knife buried in Dennis Williams' stomach, he still reached forward and gripped at Athena's neck. He seized her porcelain skin, his eyes crazed as Athena pushed the blade further into him as she wailed out.