CHAPTER ELEVEN: ATHENA

CHAPTER ELEVEN: ATHENA

Two days had passed since Dylan had attacked me in that classroom. No matter how hard I scrubbed, I could still feel his hands on my body and down my pants, so the only good part of the past few days was that Sophia was Back home.

Sophia just returned from a week-long visit with her stepbrother, and I didn't want her to find out because she'll get upset because she doesn't want me to be hurt by them. I gave her a chance to calm down before knocking on her door and waiting for her to answer. When the door finally opened, I pulled her in for a hug.

"Hey, Athena, I missed you so much, what has happened since I left, are those boys still bothering you, and don't lie to me, you know you're a terrible liar"

"Nothing gets past you Sophia, yes they do, but it's nothing I can't handle," I reassured her with a smile. I didn't want to bother her because she had a lot on her plate already. She didn't seem to believe me, but she didn't push me.

"So Uncle Jerry got a new girlfriend again, she seems nice but I haven't known for that long so we can't be too sure if it's an act, he said hello and told me to give you this," Sophia said while handing him a small gift bag. I took the bag and looked through it; inside was a small box. I took the box out and opened it; inside was a butterfly pendant with my name written on it.

"It's so pretty Sophia, tell him I said thank you",

"You can tell him yourself; he said to call him on his new number because his old phone was stolen." Sophia said this while handing me a business card containing Uncle Jerry's phone number.

"Okay, I'll do that when I get back to my room, I'm hungry, do you have anything in the fridge?" I said as I walked towards her kitchen.

"You're always hungry Athena, I'm curious how you stay in shape," she asked.

"It's in the genes Sophia," I said as I twirled around slowly, causing her to laugh at my antics.

"Come on, I ordered pizza, I hope you like chicken tikka",

"You know I'm not a picky eater, anything goes",

"Okay, put on law and order while we wait". The pizza delivery man arrived, I paid him, and we returned to our show.

"It's late, it's a school night; aren't you going to school tomorrow?" Sophia asked with a raised eyebrow,

"I don't want to go, I'm taking a sick day,"

"You don't look sick to me,"

"Sophia please just let this one slide,"

"I know there is a reason but I will not force you to tell me, but if those boys are responsible, hell is going to break loose," Sophia said, I could sense the anger in her words because she was very protective of me.

"It's nothing Sophia, don't worry about it", I said

"Okay I won't say anything since you say nothing is going on"

"Let me call uncle Jerry before I forget. Before I forget, that man gets all emotional when I don't call him "I said with a small smile. I went into the kitchen and dialed the number on the card.

"Hey Uncle Jerry, its Athena",

"How is my butterfly doing",

"I'm good, school is just stressful, Sophia said you got a new girlfriend, is she blonde like the other ones",

"You know how I like them",

"You sure are something Uncle Jerry, I got the pendant, its beautiful, thank you so much", "No worries, I saw it at the mall and it reminded me of you, my beautiful butterfly",

"I see why the ladies love you,"

"Don't hate the player, hate the game," he said, and I laughed out loud.

"Touché, Uncle Jerry,"

"Come over with Sophia for the summer, so we can hang out, I really miss you," he said, "We will see what happens, uncle Jerry, say hello to the new girlfriend for me, and take care of yourself, oh and before I forget how is the new heart," he said.

"Doctors say it's good, that I was lucky to have gotten it when I did",

"That's good, take care of yourself and don't forget to take your medication uncle Jerry, talk to you later, love you",

"Love you too, call once in a while okay", "Sorry uncle Jerry I will try, bye",

"Bye my beautiful butterfly and say hello to Sophia for me".

Uncle Jerry is Sophia's step brother who is into MMA; he is very well-known in New York, which is how I found out about him when Sophia took me in after my mother died; Sophia and my mother were very close before my mother started hanging out with the wrong crowd and taking drugs, so when she died, Sophia took me in without any hesitation and we became family.

When she finally told Uncle Jerry about me, he was overjoyed at the idea of having a niece to spoil. No matter how many times Sophia warns him to stop buying me everything he thinks I'd look good in, he ignores her and buys it anyway.

Sophia works as the manager of a bar called the Blue Gypsy, but before she moved here, she was a nurse in a small hospital back in New York.

She was planning on getting her masters, but we were short on cash, and even when Uncle Jerry offered to pay, Sophia didn't want him to, so she took any job she could get to save up for school. She isn't always present, but when she is, we get to hang out.

"I just got off the phone with uncle Jerry, he says hello," I said, taking my previous seat, "Okay, I'm going to bed now, you can keep watching, good night my baby girl,"

"Good night Sophia, sweet dreams" she said as I watched her walk into her room. Since it was late I also decided to go to bed. I took a quick shower and went to my room, I changed into my PJs, brushed my teeth, and went to bed, fiddling with the pendant uncle Jerry had given me before falling asleep.

"Get up, honey, breakfast is ready!" Sophia yelled from the kitchen.

"Hello, Sophia, how was your night?"

"Lovely and yours?" she asked with a small smile as I took my seat at the table.

"Short," I murmured quietly.

"Honey, I know this is sudden but I've been meaning to ask you, after high school, I'd love it if you would move in with me when I go back to New York for my masters, if that's okay with you?" Sophia inquired.

"I don't want to intrude Sophia, I'm already a burden to you, and I don't want to cause you any more trouble," I explained, averting my gaze from her.

"Don't ever say that, honey, you will never be a burden to me, I love you, and I would love it if you came with me because I can't leave you here alone," Sophia says warmly as she bites into the chocolate pancakes.

"Give me some time to think about it, Sophia," I asked.

"No problem, take as much time as you want, dear," she replied, a small smile on her face.

"Thank you, Sophia," I said as I bit into my chocolate pancakes, muttering about how delicious they were.

"You are so weird Athena" she laughed taking a sip of her coffee

"But you like my weirdness, so you're stuck with me forever and ever," I mumbled, my mouth full of pancakes.

"Don't play with your food," Sophia said as she smacked my arm, "I'm going to work today, if I'm not back in time for dinner, you can order something," she said as she slid her plate and mug into the dishwasher.

"Okay, no problem, have fun at work, and say hello to Joey for me."

"Okay, love, take care of yourself, and I will try to come home early," Sophia said as she walked out the door.

I cleaned up the kitchen and went into the living room to watch Law and Order, my favorite crime drama.

I watched Law and Order until about eleven o'clock, then I got hungry and ordered Chinese food before continuing my show.

After a while, my eyes began to hurt, so I checked the time on my phone, and it was already 7pm As I was about to turn off the television, my phone rang; I picked it up, and a familiar female voice was on the other end,

"Hello, honey,"

"What's up, Sophia?"

"I'm going to be late today, you can order pizza for dinner, i've got to hang up now Rider is coming over oh and I'll be back by 11pm, take care, bye"

"Bye aunt Sophia, take care of yourself"

"I will, bye, honey."

After my call with Aunt Sophia ended, I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza with extra cheese for dinner. Thirty minutes later, my pizza arrived, and I paid the delivery guy before going to eat dinner. I cleaned up after myself before lying down on the couch to have a quick nap so I could know when Sophia came back home

I was woken up by knocks at the door. I got up to see who it was and noticed that it was Sophia. I opened the door to let her in

"Hey Sophia, how was work?" I asked while staring into her tired eyes. I then helped her to the couch and she took a seat while taking off her shoes.

"Stressful, Rider was being a dick as usual, but the bar was packed today, which means more money," she said with a worn-out smile.

"Would you like a slice of leftover pizza?"

"Yeah, maybe a slice, ah make it two," she said quietly as she closed her eyes.

I walked to the kitchen, took two slices, and popped them into the microwave.

"Sophia, take a shower, you'll feel a lot better," I yelled from the kitchen, hoping she hadn't already dozed off.

"I'm going to do that in a minute, let me just rest here a bit," she replied, then a few minutes later I heard her door open and close, indicating she had gone to take a shower.

When the microwave was done, I took the pizza slices and placed them on a plate and took the plate to the sitting room while I waited for her to come out of her room.

She came out in her robe and sat beside me, taking a slice of her pizza so she could take a bite. "Thank you honey, you can got to bed now, i can take it from here"

"Just yell if you need anything, Sophia, good night"

"Good night, Honey, sweet dreams," she softly said.

I went to bed wearing my earphones and listening to my favorite playlist, allowing my tired body to drift off to sleep hoping the nightmares stay away tonight.