Athena

Rain

After Colton leaves, I have nothing to do. I didn't want to bother Sara so I just sit on my couch, in my living room and watch Outer Banks on Netflix.

I'm watching the show as I drink my tea, that's when I hear knocking.

I head to my door and without thinking I open it.

"Hello Thena. Didn't think you'd open the door for me." My face went white.

"What the fuck are you doing here Alec?!" I yell.

"Don't yell. You'll get evicted." He says.

"May I come in?" He asks. I don't have the energy to argue so I give in.

"Mhm." I say.

"Thank you." He walks into my apartment. I close the door behind me and sit down on my couch. Alec does too.

"How did you even get in here yesterday?" I ask him, not making eye contact.

"You didn't lock your door when you left the apartment. Trust me, I knocked and tried calling you but you got a new number I think." He says. I finally look up at him.

"Why?" I ask.

"Why what?" He asks back.

"It's been a year since we've seen each other, the last time I saw you was when you crushed me." I say.

My voice starts to break.

"You said it was because I didn't put enough effort into our relationship. Do you know how hard it was for me not seeing you every single day? You crushed me, you made me feel like absolute shit. You had me wondering what I could've done better to keep you in my life. It still hurts, seeing you here, feeling you near me." I say.

Alec just sits there saying nothing. "Say something." I'm now looking straight ahead at my wall.

"I don't know what to say. I didn't know you felt that way. I'm sure you heard about Clara and I." He says.

I nod my head and say, "Thats another reason why that note you left me, with the gift, confused me." I say.

"There was really nothing going on, we hooked up, I'm not going to deny that, but there was really nothing going on." Alec says, he's staring at me.

"Why should I care? I mean we broke up a whole year ago. What you do with your life is none of my business. I mean yeah you and Clara are assholes for doing that to Sara, but I mean, go say this to her or something. I don't know, I said what I needed to say to you and that was all. I'm not a part of your life anymore and you're definitely not a part of mine either." I say as I start to stand up.

"Thena, I miss you."

What did he just say?

"No, no, no." I say.

I'm crying now.

"You don't get to do that. I'm finally starting to get some clarity into my life. Moving on from people like you, and you want to do this right now?!" I yell, at this point I don't care who's listening or if I'll get a noise complaint.

"Thena, it's the truth, do what you want with this information." He says as he stands up and walks towards me and the door.

"Thena, I'm sorry." He says, he leans down and gives me a kiss on my forehead and leaves.

I close the door and lay down on my couch and cry.

Why now? I think to myself.

I contemplate calling Sara or Colton but I don't end up doing that because I can't start depending on them.

I decide that I can't just stay here and cry, I decide to go out and get some fresh air.

I take the elevator down to the garage and get in my car. I'm not in the mood to play music so I drive in silence. It starts to rain, very fitting for how I'm feeling right now.

I arrive at a park and I stay there for an hour, just sitting there taking in the scenery. It's beautiful, the trees and the rain falling. I get up from the bench I'm sitting at and go to my car. I need a shower and to sleep. Tomorrow's my last day until I get to go to work.

I'm drenched in rain when I get to the apartment. I take the elevator and I arrive at my floor. I head to my door and I go to take out my keys to unlock it.

"Fuck." I say. I forgot my keys in the garage. I don't have the energy to go down there and look for them.

"Athena?" I turn around.

"Hi Colton." I say with a monotone voice.

"Why are you all wet?" He asks me.

I can't look at him right now. If I start talking then I'll start crying, if I start crying I feel like I'll never stop.

I look down at the floor, which now has a puddle of water on the carpet. "I went to the park." I say.

"Okay... I'm going to need more than that." He says.

"I went to the park for fresh air and then I came home and forgot my apartment keys in my car and I don't want to go back down to grab them." I say, now looking up at him.

"Do you want me to go get them for you?" He asks me with a slight concern in his voice.

"No, it's fine. I'll go later, I'm just going to sit here in the hall until I feel like going down to get them." I say as I start to sit down on the floor.

"Come on." Colton says to me as he reaches for my hand.

"I'm fine Colton." I say.

"You're obviously not and if you stay out here any longer you're gonna catch a cold." He says.

"Fine." I grab his hand and he helps pull me up.

"You can stay in my apartment until your willing to either let me go and get your keys or you want to go get your keys okay?" He asks me as we walk into his apartment.

"Okay." I say, feeling embarrassed because it's like I'm a little kid he's babysitting and that sucks.