ATHENA

Chapter 1

I was prepared to become a woman as a little girl. Childhood was seen vanishing before my eyes without ever giving me the chance to stop it. That's what happens when you rid someone of love, and you open the doors to darkness without them realizing that there can be color. That's my story and I have no other person to blame for it but my father.

I grew up in a very simple but happy and loving family. My father used to be the sweetest, he loved my mother so much and I admired him. I always wished to have a husband like him when I grow up but not anymore. Everything changed when he lost his job, he started drinking a lot, he stole all of my mother's savings and spent it on drugs and alcohol. We have(I and my mother) tried all we could to make him stop and to realize that's not the end of the world but it's not working, nothing seemed to be working.

The heat that escalated through my body only seemed to grow as I tried to ignore it. The longer I tossed and turned, the more that heat prickled my skin in a fit. A sigh escaped my lips as I just laid there in a pit of my sweat. I tried to get some sleep but I couldn't, it's impossible to sleep when my whole body is on fire.

I stood up from my little bed and walked straight to my parent's room. Softly knocking on the door, I let out a groan. It seemed like eternity before the door opened to reveal my mother. She looked so tired and I know she's probably going through the same thing I'm going through but what I don't understand is why there's no electricity. I made sure I gave my mother my whole check because I knew my father stole all of her money, that's why I'm working hard to help her, to help us even if the job isn't paying much.

"Why ain't you sleeping?" She asked.

"It's hot. I couldn't get to even close my eyes no matter how hard I try. Did you forget to pay the electricity bill?" I asked her.

She looked down and started fiddling with her finger, one thing she tends to do whenever she's nervous or something "Yes, I did forgot and I'm sorry my princess. I'll do that first thing tomorrow, I promise" she said.

"We both know you did not forget to pay the bills" I stated "He stole the money again, right?" I accused.

"No, he did not. It's just ....." she tried covering up for him like she always do but I wasn't having it.

"I'm tired of you covering up for him every time he does something bad. That's the reason why he's never going to change, he's going to continue until he practically sells everything we own in this house. I'm tired" I yelled before stomping into the room.

I met the loser sleeping soundly on the bed but do I blame him? I don't. He's definitely high on some cheap drugs that's why he doesn't even care if there's electricity or not because damn this man can sleep through fire. I moved closer to him and hit him hard on the chest. He woke up and it took him a while to adjust to his environment, when his eyes was finally opened. He turned to me, looking like a maniac.

"What the fuck do you want Gina? What was so important that you had to disturb my beauty sleep?" He yelled but the words came out in a slur. I knew he was high but I just didn't know what he could've gotten high on this time but do I care? No, I don't give a fuck.

"What the fuck do I want?" I yelled "You have the guts to open that gutter you call a mouth to ask me that dumb ass question. Are you fucking kidding me?" I yelled tears threatening to fall but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I promised myself never to shed a tear because of this man, ever again.

"Why did you steal the money I gave her to pay for the electricity bills" I asked.

"I didn't steal it. I simply borrowed it" he stated nonchalantly.

"You borrowed what? You call that borrowing? You took her money without telling her and you call that borrowing?" I cried "too much for not wanting to shed a tear because of him" came a voice in my head.

He narrowed his eyes. I could smell how angry he had become in those few seconds "You're an adult for fuck sake. You're 21. You don't like the way I live. You leave. It's my house and since you're tired of living here, pack your things and leave". he stated.

"I've always wanted to leave. I grew tired of this hell since I turned 18. It was mother that stopped me. I don't know why she decided to stick with you. I just don't understand. You bring her nothing but sadness, pain and agony. I curse the day I knew you as my father" I spat.

I knew what was coming, I've gotten used to it. The pain that came from the impact of the slap. I held my hand against my cheek with tears prickling my eyes. When I looked back at him, anger was swimming around my eyes.

"Nicholas!" My mom cried out "Why would you hit her? I've warned you times without number never to hit my daughter ever again" she croaked.

"I'll continue hitting her until she realize that I am her father and this is my house. It's either you live by my rules or pack your shits and leave my house" he seethed.

"I'll leave your house with or without my mother. I'm tired of putting up with all your shits" I yelled.

I looked over at my mother to say goodbye for the last time because she's the reason I've been putting up with his shits and now I'll leave with or without her but what I saw shocked the living daylight out of me. My mother's nose was bleeding. Her eyes were shutting and closing. "Mom, are you okay" I quickly walked over to the restroom grabbing as much toilet paper as I could. I held it up to her nose as her heartbeat seemed to be exhilarating "Gina, I don't feel too good" she whispered.

I walked her to the couch as I helped lay her down on it. My eyes scanned her body just to see how pale it has become. She looked absolutely terrible. How didn't I notice this before? I'm such a bad daughter.

"We need to take her to the hospital" I told him. He just stood there looking very bored "NOW!" I yelled.

"Stop being a drama queen. Take her to the hospital for what? A nose bleed?" he hissed.

I should have known better, I walked back to my mother. My skin touched her skin and I almost cried. She was burning up with a fever.

"We need to take her to the hospital now" I cried "She's burning up with a fever. Can you please be useful, reasonable and responsible for once in your life?. I will never forgive you if anything happen to my mother".

"Fine" he huffed "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it for her".

"Whatever" I hissed.

I helped her off the couch before grabbing her shoes. I let her lean against me as we walked out of our small apartment. Moments later he came out and got into the driver's side. I'm glad the argument actually made him sober. I helped her into the car and made her rest her head on my laps.

"I'm sorry for falling sick at a time like this" she sobbed.

"You don't need to be sorry and it's not your fault for falling sick. It's my fault for not paying much attention to you" I wiped her tears.

She didn't respond to my words, so I just stared straight. "Everything is going to be fine" I chanted in my head...

First chapter of Athena. Share your thoughts and don't forget to vote. 😊