"Say something," he snaps, "or is that pretty little mouth of yours finally going to stay shut?"
✧
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 bill...
I take a step back and restrict the vile that wants to rise to the top of my throat upon seeing the woman who abandoned me seventeen years ago. My feet are glued to the ground, and my hands are trembling.
"How are you here?" I whisper, she slowly steps down from the stairs and tries to hold me but I jerk backward, out of her unwanted grasp. "How are you- why- why-" My words fizzle out, a tear rolls down my cheek and leaves me in stricken awe.
She ignores my question and smiles at me. "You're so beautiful," she whispers, eyes bubbling up.
"Why are you here?" I state, word for word.
"I came back for you," she says. A deep scoff escapes my lips. I shake my head and walk straight past her, fumbling with the keys in my hand. I open the door and storm inside, throwing my bag and keys on the couch before running a hand through my hair. It feels like I've run a marathon, my heart is thumping through the thin material of my shirt.
"Athena-"
"Why are you back now! Now! Seventeen years later and now you decide to come back?!" I scream, catching her and myself off guard from my tone. "You leave when I'm two years old and now you finally decided to come back!"
"I want to make things right," she explains, her voice is soft. "I miss you."
"You miss me?" I ask, looking around before shaking my head and running a hand through my hair. "Stop lying."
"I'm not," she places her purse on the countertop. "Athena, honey-"
"Don't call me that." I snap. Miss Sheila calls me that, I can't handle it if this imposter does too.
"Athena," she corrects. "Sorry-"
"If you don't tell me why you left, you have to leave." I sneered, shaking my head. My hands ball to fists at my side and my posture goes rigid. I want to scream at her, scream at her for leaving me, scream at her for not being the mother I needed.
"I can't do that-"
"You- God! You came here to keep lying to me!" I let the raw pain in my voice show itself. "You left me! Mom, you just packed up and left me! I had no one! No one to help me with clothes, with stupid boys who broke my heart! To take me on walks to the park! To be there for me! You did none of that!"
"I know, baby-"
"No! No, you don't! So let me sum it up for you, I had absolutely no one. I grew up alone! I didn't grow up with a mom or dad, because dad was always out working, and you- you abandoned your daughter."
"Please believe me when I say it was the worst mistake of my life," she pleads. Hands coming up to rest on her chest as she fought back tears.
"Then why did you make it?" I whisper. "Why did you leave me?"
Her eyes dart around nervously, she plays with her hands and avoids my eyes. I think it's at that moment that I knew, whatever was going on, was deeper than I had expected.
✧
"It's been ten minutes and you haven't said a word," I snapped, walking to the kitchen. I grab a pot and put it on the stove, letting the water boil before I crack my spaghetti noodles. "If you're not going to say anything, you need to leave."
"Athena-"
"I was just doing okay!" I scream, catching her off guard as she jumps. "Everything in my life was finally okay! And you have to come and ruin it for me!"
"I never meant to intrude," she steps up and walks to the other side of the counter. "But when I found out your dad was gone-"
"What did you just say?" I ask quietly, sharply, my eyes meeting hers in a predatory gaze. "How do you know that?"
"I can't say," she whispers.
"You came here to keep lying!" I shake my head, my breaths now coming out heavy. "I don't need this, not now. Not ever." I pour my noodles into my bowl and shoot her a glare. "Thank you, mom, for being a colossal disappointment."
I turn on my heels, walk to my room, and slam the door shut.
✧
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