Saving Athena ✓

1) Galaxy

A t h e n a

Four-point five hundred seventy-one billion years ago the galaxy formed. The planets were set into orbit and four-point five hundred forty-three billion years ago the earth was created. Human civilization evolved and reservations were established. Human life as we know it was started.

All of that expansion led me here.

At Westfield diner at a six to twelve pm shift on a Friday night.

It's much busier than usual, being that it's a Friday night. Families have swelled to celebrate inevitable birthdays. Birthdays that will continuously happen invariably, over and over again. They have already been set in motion to happen annually.

"Athena Grace, honey can you go serve table three please?" Misses Sage's voice knocks me out of my train of thought as I tighten the straps of my black apron. I pull out my notepad and pen, I open the back door that leads to the kitchen, walking out and catching sight of the mists of people, some obligingly drunk as their own feet stumble from underneath them, some laughing as some sulk quietly and stir their straws around in their cups. I walk to the table and furrow my brows at the family, mere statues as their faces stay stone straight.

"Hello," I pull out my polite tone, manly used for customers to seem more appealing. "What can I get you guys tonight?" The man ends up ordering for everyone, I fight back a scowl as he repeatedly silences his wife every time she tries to talk, the family looks more than capable of ordering for themselves, but it doesn't stop him from shooting daggers at me as he shoves the menus to the edge of the table. I nod, picking up the menus before heading to the kitchen and sticking the paper to the metal bar.

I sit on the barstool, sighing slightly as I tilt my head, it's times like these I crave to be in outer space, to float beyond the millions of uncollected stars, to not have a care for such minimalistic things such as serving tables of people. To stream along the milk way as the stars glitter on my cheeks and my hair is braided with stardust.

A throw of a body next to me has me out of my train of thought as Vinnie smiles at me, I sigh, turning back around and ignoring him, I didn't need any more of his comments on why I was a horrible human being with no idyllic partialities. He pokes my shoulder still, ignoring how I completely disregarded his presence. "Hey, snow."

"My name is Athena," I deadpan, catching his eyes as mine narrow. I scoot away before his hand can poke me again.

"Don't be so uptight, Athena is a weird name anyway, snow is more fitting." His hand grazes my shoulder again as I jerk away from him, he rolls his eyes and drops his arms to his sides, picking at his scabs that he never let heal. I'm happy when I hear the ring of the bell, I get up, flattening out my skirt as I see Vinnie's eyes watch me until I'm behind the kitchen doors.

"Athena!" The cook yells, I smile as I walk over, he fist-bumps me before crossing his arms. "How've you been?"

"I've been so amazing, just out of this atmosphere, never felt better-" He cuts me off, laughing as he hands me my food and waves me off, I grin to myself as I walk over to the table, placing their food back. The mom whispers a small "thank you" and I smile, people have seemed to forget the simple courtesies.

I turn on my heels as I attempt to walk back but the sound of a plate smashing against the ground ruptures my eardrums as it goes completely silent.

I turn back to see the man practically fuming at me, the plate of food I just served him now lays on the ground, food strewn across the diner tiles and I bite my lip. The man's eyes find mine as fumes practically escape him. "You messed up my order, snowman!"