Saving Athena ✓

4) Muse

A t h e n a

When someone breaks something, they fix it. Simplistic.

But when you break a doorknob, there's not much really you can do, wallow in self-pity before fixing yourself up and asking your parents to help you. Maybe an older sibling or friend, but I had none of that. I sighed and ran my back down the wall before taking my phone out and calling dad.

He doesn't answer on the first call. So I call again.

He answers this time, the sound of an open window shuttles through along with honking. "Athena?"

"Yeah, dad. It's me."

An audible groan is heard, I rub my eyes and tilt my head back on the door. "What is it? Make it quick, honey."

"I, um, broke the doorknob, can you help me?" My attempt is feeble, almost laughable.

"Check the internet, I can't help you over the phone." He states and I bite my lip before nodding, to myself.

"Okay, do you have any idea when you're coming home-"

"Soon," he answers. "Now I have to go."

"Oh- okay, bye-" He hangs up before my sentence can finish, I blink harshly before hanging up and tucking my phone away. I look down at the doorknob and debate throwing it out.

I ended up watching a few tutorials on how to do it, but soon enough, I got it done. I take the screwdriver and go back to the closet as I stuff it back in the toolbox, catching sight of another box, a light pink one wrapped tightly in ribbons. I reach up, grabbing it and pulling it down to me.

My finger grazes the ribbon, I carefully unwrap it and run my hand over the box, feeling the bumps along the crevasses as I open it. It's filled with baby things, onesies, binkies, a pink blanket.

Only now do I realize these are my things, from when I was a kid.

My body freezes as I reach for the silver lining of a photo frame, I blow off the dust and narrow my eyes at the photo, it's my mom, dad, and I. When I was born, a time where things weren't catastrophic. I feel something drip down onto the photo, tears. I wipe at them hurriedly.

There are so many baby things, things I don't even remember having. I attempt to smile but I can't, all of these things bring me back to horrible times, with horrible people.

I stuff everything back in the box, get up, and pretend like I never saw it.

✧

It stopped raining, it's still humid out though. Sweat slicks down my brow as my hair is up in a ponytail, some strands falling out as I walk, my hair sways around from the occasional breeze.

I hear a violin around the corner, I turn and see an old man, sitting on a crate as he clutches the violin dearly to his heart, playing it as if it was a simple muse. A little crowd formed around him, some smiling while some narrow their eyes and bop their head.

He has a sign that says, Need money to keep violin, anything helps.

I toss five dollars into the violin case, the man smiles.

✧

I met Milo last year, I had just gotten the job and I walked into Miss Sage's office to see him, he helped me around, the closest thing I had to a friend.

I smile as he waves at me, I step into the diner and walk to him, wrapping my arms tightly around his torso and letting my head rest on his chest. He wraps an arm around my neck and one around my waist. "Are you feeling okay?" He asks.