Saving Athena ✓

23) Velvet

A t h e n a

I look down at the broken shards of glass in the sink. Something inside of me is pushing against my body to bend down and pick one up. And I consider it, for a moment I consider grabbing a broken piece of glass to make the pain go away.

I look up at myself, barely catching my reflection from how broken the mirror is, I let out a breath and grip the sink and let my head hang down. You'll feel so much better, my inside voice says. It's not like anyone cares about you anyway.

I give a soft smile to myself, wiping off my tears, walking out of the bathroom, and shutting the lights off.

✧

"Milo?" I ask over the line, shuffling happens before I hear him.

"Hey hey," his voice is chirpy this morning. "How are you?"

I rub my eyes and say, "I'm okay."

"So that's why you sound like a dying horse?"

"I don't- dude!" I crack a laugh.

"There we go, there's that laugh," he says, which sets a permanent smile on my face.

"Could you come over?" I ask, looking at my empty living room, silently pleading with the universe to let me have this one thing.

"Yeah, sure, what's wrong?"

I've never lied to Milo, ever. He was the only person I could never lie to. The person I always felt the most comfortable with, and I couldn't even tell him this, so instead, I say, "I'm sick."

"Could you give me a minute? I'll be right there," I nod and hang up. I bring my shoulders to my chest and wait until the door gets knocked on, Milo walks in with a bag and a smoothie cup in his other hand, I laugh as he comes and sits next to me, he hands me the bag and says, "It's chicken parmesan, your favorite."

"You remembered?" I ask, sipping at the drink. He nods and smiles.

"Kind of hard to forget when you constantly talk about it." He says, I playfully punch his shoulder, I bite into the sandwich and finish it in a matter of time, and when I look up, he frowns and shakes his head. "That was a test."

"A test?" I mumble confusedly.

"Yeah, I know you. When you're sick, you absolutely refuse to eat, you claim you get nauseous." He says, I place the empty wrapping down along with the drink. "What's really going on?"

"I'm in physical pain," I correct quickly. "You know, I fell yesterday, I hurt my back."

"Your back?" He runs a hand through his dreadlocks.

"Mhm," I nod. "I really needed a friend."

"Why didn't you call the boy you're always with?" He tilts his head. "He seems nice."

I'm afraid to see him, afraid that if I do, Vinnie will find out. And I can't avoid him because he's at the place I work at. I'm scared, and that terrifies me in itself, I've always had to do everything myself, I grew up myself, did everything I needed to do because my mom left me, and my dad was always on the road. I didn't have any other option but to learn everything, I was my own parent.

"We're having a disagreement," I lie again.

"What did he do? Do I have to fight somebody?" He raises his fist as if he's ready to strike someone, I laugh and push his hand down. "No, seriously, did he hurt you?"

"He would never," I say. Not lying this time, his words do, but he would never physically hurt me. And something inside of me knows that for a fact. "And it's not a big deal, just a little fight."

"You sure?"

I nod. "I'm sure."

He leans back and brings a pillow to his chest. I grab the remote and go to throw on a movie but he grabs the remote from me. "Athena tell me what's really wrong."

"What?" I raise an eyebrow. "Nothings wrong, Milo. Why?"

"Athena Grace, I have known you for a year now. You're a horrible liar."

"The movie is on," I point to the screen only for him to frown.

He holds his arm out and pulls me to his chest. I instantly wrap my arms around his chest and hold on tightly. He holds his head over mine and sighs. "You know, whatever it is, I won't judge."

"Not even if I'm working at a circus and dating a clown?"

He laughs softly. "Not even if you're working at a circus and dating a clown."

✧

"I hate this part," he groans and covers his eyes as the zombies come onto the screen. I shriek and push a pillow to my face. I peek down after a bit and relax when the zombies are gone.

His phone rings and he reaches back and grabs it, he presses it to his ear and gets up after a few seconds, lifting the blanket from his body as he paces back and forth.

"Okay, got it," he says, he places his hand on the phone and turns to me. "I'm so sorry, but my brother needs me to help him with something-" He winces. "I'm so sorry."

I get up and shake my head. "No, don't be sorry. It's alright, go."

He smiles, mutes the phone, and hugs me before walking off, I follow him to the front door and he points to something, I look down to the black gift bag on the white bench, I shrug my shoulders and he does too before walking off. He waves before getting in his car and driving off.

I grasp the bag and walk inside. I set it on the table and open it. A giant silver container sits inside with a note. I draw my brows together before bending down and grasping the paper. I unfold it and my thumb traces over the neat lettering.

I'm sorry, for whatever I did yesterday, I'm sorry.
-Ace
Inside the silver container is a dozen red velvet cupcakes, each with frosting and sprinkles on them.

✧