Rosebud's Revenge

Chapter 9: Act Normal

*Being in quarantine sucks, but I hope this update makes being stuck in the house a little more tolerable. Stay safe, wash your hands, and cover your mouths. We will get through this together, and since I'm stuck in the house I have a lot more time to write again. I don't know when but you guys can expect an update pretty soon.

A month had come and gone and Athena still hadn't seen or heard from Xavier.

And for a while she was certain that he had forgotten about her, and had gone back on his promise to help her escape.

But if it weren't for the men she overheard outside her room gossiping two days ago about how weird Xavier had been acting these last few weeks Athena probably would have let the paranoia of not knowing consume her and drive her mad... possibly to the point of suicide.

But just knowing that Xavier was in fact still around, and hadn't left her behind to rot, was just the reassurance that Athena needed to stay strong and carry on living.

And as she stared aimlessly through her bedrooms window out into her backyard she just couldn't shake the feeling of something being off. She was no longer was staying downstairs in one of the guest rooms, like some random stranger. But rather back upstairs, in her own room, sleeping on her own bed-in her own sheets.

But that feeling in the back of her head was till nagging at her. Could it have been because she hadn't really seen or talked to her husband since his return from Paris last month.

Or perhaps it was the fact that the last time she was in this room she was one breath away from death.

But whatever it was Athena didn't really want to think about it, at least not at this very moment she didn't. Not when it was such a beautiful day outside. The kind of day that deserved to be spent outdoors instead of in an suffocatingly cold room. And as she aimlessly stared out at her garden, she decided on just that.

Grabbing the first pair of shoes she could find Athena made her way downstairs.

Making sure that she kept her head down as to avoid the dozens of prying eyes of anyone and everyone she would come across on her journey.

And the idea itself seemed simple enough, brilliant even-but quickly backfired on her when she rammed into a body that nearly sent her flying across the room.

"Oh crap, I'm so sorry Athena. I didn't see you coming this way."

"It's fine you don't have to apolo-Xavier?" Athena questioned staring at the familiar yet unfamiliar looking man in front of her.

Gone was his slick backed hair and button down platted shirts. No more were his khaki pants and chuck taylors. But instead replaced by a pair of well fitted black jeans, a wrinkled graphics tee, and a head full of ruffled unkempt hair giving it that just rolled out of bed look.

"X-Xavier I-" Athena tried to form the sentence that was stuck in her throat just before being interrupted.

"I'm sorry if I'm being rude Athena, but I can't really talk right now. Something is wrong with the security system, some of the cameras are malfunctioning and I need to go fix them. Um-I-I'll see you around okay." He says hurriedly before rushing past her down the hall.

And as Athena watched Xavier take his usual route to his chambers before hearing the familiar sound of the door slamming shut, she was finally able to let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Athena dear? Are you alright?" Gloria asked wiping her hands on her apron.

Turning, Athena gives the woman who she's considered to be a second mother a small smile, "Yes-yes I'm fine. I was just headed to the garden."