Saving Athena ✓

15) Blush

A t h e n a

It's been a week, my bruise softened up. My body still hurts but the pain is getting more manageable by the day. I decided it was time for me to go back to the diner, especially after being absent for two weeks without even calling in.

I slip on my sweater and rake my hair back into a loose ponytail, allowing some strands of hair to fall onto my face. I wipe at my bruise that's still there, a light shade of purple, so light you can barely see it, but I see it. And I'm sure if someone were to look up close they could see it too.

My phone lights up, Ace texted me. I peek over at my phone. I'm outside, he texted. I slip on my shoes and head out, catching him in his car as I go to the passenger seat. I sit down, situate myself, and turn to him. "Hey," I say.

He nods, pursing his lips at something on my face. I absentmindedly reach up and run a hand to the side of my face. "What's wrong?"

"That bruise," his hand comes forward, his thumb grazes over it lightly, so gently it's almost as if he's not touching me at all. "Has been on you for a week now." He raises an eyebrow. "You know how hard you have to get punched for a bruise like that?"

"I tripped myself and landed face-first on my nightstand, you know, after-"

"After Chad ripped apart your bedroom, Athena. How could I forget." He scoffs lightly and removes his hand. "What do you plan on telling everyone? You were gone for two weeks."

"I'm going to tell everyone I got the flu, and that's what you're going to say too." I turn to him as he starts the car. I plead with eyes he doesn't even look into. "Promise me, Ace."

"I'm not promising you anything until you tell me what actually happened." He drives with one hand clutching the wheel and the other supporting his head as he leans against the window with his elbow.

"Do you really want me to keep saying how Chad and I-"

"Chad isn't real." He narrows his eyes. "Quit."

My shoulders slump. I play with my fingers and let out a breath once he reaches the diner and parks the car. "Here we are," I mumble, dejectedly.

"Mhm," he hums, getting out and opening my door, he always does that. I step out and take my time walking inside, but I smile once Milo shoots up and runs over, capturing me in a hug and nearly sending me off the ground.

He pulls away and holds the side of my face. "Where were you? I called you like a million times," He yells, shaking his head, only to pull me in for another hug, even tighter than the last.

"I was sick," I never lied to Milo before, and now I just did. He pulls away and narrows his eyes as his hand comes forward and touches the bruise lightly.

"What's this?" He asks, "are you hurt? What- how did you get this?"

"Yeah, Athena," Ace steps closer to me and raises a brow. "How did you get that?"

Milo notices him as he tilts his head. "Who are you?"

"Chad." I derail, Ace freezes behind me. "His name is Chad Matthews."

"Oh- no way," Milo's jaw slacks open. "Athena, you mean the Chad?"

I nod. "The Chad."

"Ridiculous," Ace mutters from behind me, pushing past me and sitting at a nearby table as he pulls out his phone. I turn to Milo as he throws an arm around my shoulder and bites back giggles.

"They always fall for it," he laughs and I explode in a fit of giggles and bury my head in his side so no one suspects anything.

✧

"Ew, why is he here?" Milo peeks his head out from the back room, I knit my brows together as I tie my apron.

"Who?" I peek behind him, catching sight of Vinnie's blond curls. I tuck away immediately and pretend like I didn't see him. Milo sees me and licks his lips before raising a questioning eyebrow.

"You okay?"

I nod and give a weak smile, I grab his hand and walk quickly past Vinnie, letting out a breath of relief when he didn't see Milo or me.

"Okay, somethings definitely up," Milo raises an eyebrow. "Who are you avoiding?"

"Me?" I point to myself he nods. "No, I'm not hiding anything."

He gives me a soft laugh. "I didn't ask if you- are you okay?"

"Yeah, fresh as a daisy."

"You say that when you're nervous," he points out. I awkwardly laugh and scratch the back of my neck. "You know if anything happened, you can come to me right?" I nod with a smile. "Have you talked to my aunt yet?"

"Yeah," I brush off the front of my apron. "She said everything was okay, since I was sick and all." He nods and follows me to the front, for the next hour, side by side, we serve people, laughing like idiots. And it feels like, at that moment, it'll all be okay.

✧

"Milo!" I have to grip the table to keep my composure, my stomach churns from how hard I'm laughing, he completely falls to the ground and dies of laughter. "You weren't supposed to drop the drink on her!"

"I didn't mean to!" He snorts and laughs even harder than before. He gets up and grabs my arms for support as he beams. His curly afro out and about, I rest my head on his shoulder and catch my breath. He does too and after a while, it's just us holding each other, until Milo giggles and I let out a small grin, then he laughs and it's a whole new laughing match.

✧

I'm walking past the tables, observing, seeing if anyone needs help before someone tugs at the end of my grey sweater, I turn and see Ace with his head tilted, I smile and sit down across from him, I tap my fingers along the table as he sets his phone away and gives me his full attention.

"You waited for me?" I ask, a small smile playing on my lips as I tilt my head.

"Didn't want to get up," he rests his elbows on the table and supports his face. I stare at him, big black eyes with thick lashes that flutter against his honey skin. His lips are pink and they get pinker when he chews on them, and he has a tiny scar right beneath his jaw. He shifts and I blink. "Why are you staring at me?" He asks.

"Is it too early in our friendship to call you pretty?" I murmur, not caring to stop my words as my eyes flicker to his, he opens his mouth to say something but presses his lips together and stays silent, but his cheeks slightly turn pink which makes my heart thump out of my chest. "Oh my God, you're blushing."

"What?" He takes his elbows off the table and wipes at his cheeks. "No, I'm hot."

"I called you pretty," I bite my lips. "And now you're blushing."

"Shut up, I'm not blushing. I don't blush." He drapes his arms across his chest and clenches his jaw.

"Ace Hawthrone," I lean closer on the table. "I most definitely made you blush."

✧