Saving Athena ✓

42) Sobs

A c e

"Athena," I knock again on her door. "Please let me in."

Silence, complete and utter silence.

"Athena, please," I knock a bit harsher. I get scared when it stays silent, so I walk to her kitchen and grab a fork. Walking back as I slip it into the key and twist it until the door finally unlocks. "I'm coming in, okay?" I say, pressing my palm to the door as I carefully open it.

She's on her knees, staring at a box filled with baby stuff. Her hair covering her face. I stay silent, letting out a soft breath before knocking on the base of the door.

"Get out," she mutters, not peeling her eyes away from the box.

"Athena-"

"You're gonna leave me one day, so go ahead and do it now."

My heart falls. "You think I'm gonna leave you?'

She stands up with a snowglobe in her hand. "I thought the same thing about my mom, my dad, Vinnie, but guess what, Ace? They all left me. They all hurt me. And if you're going to be next on that list just- just please go now because I can't do it anymore."

"I'm not going anywhere," I nod, offering her a soft smile she doesn't return.

"I was happy," she whispers. "I was finally happy, finally doing better. We just hung out with the first-ever group of friends I had made, and then you kissed me. Everything was finally okay." She looks down at the snowglobe in her hand and shakes her head. "And she ruined it."

"No, Athena. She took away everything from you, don't let her take your happiness too."

She finally looks up at me, and I don't even recognize her anymore. That hurts me even more.

"You know how mad I was at you for not figuring out what was happening with Vinnie and me? Even though it had nothing to do with you, even though he was your friend. I was hoping that you would figure it out on your own, and you didn't."

"Athena-"

She shakes her head and bites her lip. "I'm selfish to have wanted that, I know. I-I can't hear that from you right now."

"You're not selfish, you were being abused and wanted someone to see." I say, carefully stepping towards her. "And I'm so sorry, Athena, I'm sorry for not being that person who helped you when he was taking advantage of you."

"Yeah, I am too." I watch in utter horror as she smashes the snowglobe in her hand against the wall, completely shattering it into a thousand obliterated pieces. "I'm done," she whispers, and storms right past me.

My eyes follow the glass littering her room and bed. "Athena," I call out, turning around, following her to another room I've never been in. Her parent's room. She's rummaging through a drawer and throwing out everything inside of it.

"I'm so done," she shakes her head and stops the tears from falling down her cheek. "I'm done fighting with people who don't care, I'm done giving my heart to boys who just step on it, I'm done caring."

"I know you're hurting-"

She jerks up and storms toward me. "Why are you always saying that! I'm beyond "hurting" Ace! I'm broken, I'm stupid, I'm- I'm worthless! I'm-"

"No, don't you dare say that, do you hear me?" I grab both of her wrists and make her stop moving. "You're none of that. Athena-"

"Stop it! Stop- Stop saying that I'm not, because I am, Goddamnit, Ace!"