Trepidation || j. g ||

| b o o |

JAKE ABBEY PATIENTLY awaited for Athena to join him in the car in the early morning hour of six a.m. He had a surprise for the young woman and figured that tugging her out of bed early would throw her completely off his tracks. Athena had spoken to Jake late last night, in the time that neither of them could sleep. She told him how she was petrified of what was happening- how she is disgusted with what she's done. She cried and cried until she was too tired to cry anymore. She didn't want to stay in the motel where the sheets smelled like stale cardboard and the walls oozed unknown substances.

Jake had taken it all in. He took a mental note of how Athena looked when she cried and he despised it. As he watched Athena fall asleep, he realized he would never let her cry again. So, he packed their things and tucked them away in the trunk of his car. He was going to fix this; Athena's happiness was a priority. Meddled in his own thoughts, Jake hadn't even taken notice to the woman seated beside him. He looked at her briefly before giving a small smile...he so desperately wanted to tell her how much he adored her. He felt as if he wasn't complete without her there-like he was just half a man without Athena Williams.

He had spent hours waiting at Augustine's to see her pretty face walk into the diner at the damp hour of six a.m. He hadn't realized that she would actually give him the chance to talk to her, hell, he didn't even think she'd take him up on the offer of sitting with him at booth eight that daring morning.

"Where to?" Athena quietly inquired, her eyes locking with Jake's striking blue orbs.

With the start of the engine, Jake looked over his shoulder as he began to reverse out of the parking space and onto the main road.

"Somewhere."

-

"Do we really have to...you know?" Athena asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she stood next to Jake. The pair were currently in a beauty supply store, their eyes scanning the wide array of hair dye with wild eyes.

"We have to stay unnoticed-hidden," Jake replied casually, not taking his eyes off of the selection as his nimble fingers reached outward to grasp a box of blonde hair dye.

Athena couldn't help but laugh, her hand going up to her lips as she shyly looked up at Jake. His features softened as he let out a chuckle, shaking the box slightly in his hand as he tilted his head.

"What's so funny?"

"Blonde? That's going to draw a lot of attention to us."

Jake nods, pursing his lips as he places the dye back. Instead of the later, he grasps a hair straighter and some scissors. Athena's eyes widened slightly, her face dropping as she watched Jake walk to the register.

"Jake, why do we have to do this? I mean, no one is after us-"

As if on cue, the small television in the top corner behind the register began to play the morning news.

"That'll be twelve forty-five, sir."

Athena watched the news anchor with wide eyes, the screen then showing her face in a photo with Nancy and Allie. The girl almost physically collapsed as her police taped house enveloped her vision.

"...Dennis Williams, a fifty-two-year-old male, was found stabbed to death in his home on Country Avenue in his hometown of Ike, Nevada. His only daughter, Athena Williams, is said to be missing. There are no suspects at the moment. If anyone has seen this young girl, please call the police immediately-"

Jake had grabbed Athena's arm, making her stiff body follow in his lead as he ran out the door to the convenient store. He briefly heard the news but decided not to make a huge scene as Athena was doing the job just fine.

"They found him-! Jake, I'm going to Jail they're gonna know it was me-" Athena croaked as Jake began to drive to their next destination.

Jake had to block out Athena's meltdown as he tried to tune the radio to the news so he could listen. A few turns later, he finally found the station, turning the nozzle all the way up so that the voice boomed through the speakers.

"Police are in search of a young woman by the name of Athena Williams. She is twenty-one years old. A close friend of Miss. Williams' has given authorities a picture of her in hopes to find her quicker..."

Jake stops the radio, looking over to Athena as she desperately tried to hold back her tears as she looked out the window. Jake had absentmindedly reached over, his hand shaking slightly as he placed it on her thigh. It immediately sent Athena jumping out of her seat, his hand retreating back as if he had touched a hot pan on a stove.

"Sorry, sorry." He quickly spits, Athena's brown eyes glassy as she looked at him thoughtfully.

"It's going to be alright. You're not going to Jail." Jake said strongly, his eyes focused on the road as Athena sat back in her chair.

"I promise."

_

Athena couldn't believe her eyes. In front of her, a fancy hotel that literally shined. Athena cautiously removed her bag from the trunk of the car and followed behind Jake as they walked up to the stairs and into the building.

"Jake...what's this? It looks really expensive-"

Jake sighs as he stands in front of the front desk, his face literally doing all the talking.

"What can I do you for, sugar?" An older aged woman inquired, her accent heavy as she seemed to eat Jake up on the spot.

"You see, uh..." he scans her name tag and continues with a smile, "...Annabelle-there seems to have been a little mix up with my reservation. I called in last night."

"Of course. Your name sir?"

Athena paled on sight, her hand quickly grabbing Jake's forearm as he cooly answered.

"Dawson Park."

The young woman's face scrunched in disbelief-who?

"Ah yes, Mr.Park. We did mix up the rooms but we sorted that all out when you called. The master suite is ready for you-top floor." The woman gives a smile and hands the gold key over, her eyes landing on Athena.

"You are just a little gorgeous thing, ain't ya?"

Athena weakly thanks the woman as the pair head towards an elevator with their belongings. The ride up was suffocating, Athena desperately wanted to ask Jake who this Dawson person was and why they were stealing his room. The doors to the elevator opened rather gracefully as the pair looked into the suite. It was lavish, the floor a decadent wood as the walls were painted the most pristine white. The orangey-red glow from the city lights enveloped the room.

"Jake, who is Dawson Park?" Athena asked then, dropping her bags onto the floor as Jake turned on the lights.

"A friend."

"That's it? A friend?"

"Pretty much."

Athena scoffed, crossing her arms.

"Jake, be straight with me-"

"-are you not happy with this? I did it because you hated the motel. We're in deep right now, and I'm just trying to take your mind off of everything but you're making it difficult." He says, exasperation in his tone as Athena's arms fell to her sides.

"I've got everything under control. Don't worry about anything, Thee."