CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: LEO

I was about to open the door when someone knocked; when I opened it, it was Austin. "Hey dude, hey Shane, your offer for the ride still stands right or this is going to be really awkward,"

"Hi, Austin" Shane waved and Austin gave him a smile

"Yeah it does, we were just about to leave" I said as handed him a pack of lunch, he gave me a confused look,

"I told Shane you were going to ride with us today, so he made extra for you."

"You knew I was coming," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really, but even if you didn't come with us, I could have given you at school," I shrugged.

"I See, well thanks for the meal, little man," Austin said as he ruffled Shane's hair with a huge grin on his face.

We all got into the car and headed to Shane's school. Shane and Austin were discussing the anime "One Piece" that we were both obsessed with. And it turns out, Austin enjoyed watching anime as well.

Summer was already waiting for Shane at the school gate, and he practically flew out of the car to join her; he had it bad for her. Shane and Summer waved to Austin and me as they entered the school.

In the parking lot, we packed the truck, and Austin did the strangest thing by exiting the car through the window.

"Dude, you know the door works perfectly well, right?" I laughed.

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that?"

"You're different kinds of crazy, you know that right?"

"I know which makes me fun to be with," he said as we both laughed as we entered the school building.

Austin and I were walking towards the homeroom when I heard someone behind me call my name. When I turned around, it was my Princessa, I walked over to her and embraced her.

"I fucking missed you Princessa, do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"I missed you too, and I apologize, but after what you saw, I just assumed you wouldn't want to be seen with me again," she mumbled quietly.

"You should have talked to me first, and I watched the video; that fucker belongs in jail."

"You are the first to say that to me; everyone assumed it was my fault."

"Well, these students are fucking stupid."

Austin then cleared his throat from behind, "Hey, lover boy, introduce me to this lovely young lady."

"In your dreams, Kendall, she's taken"

"That's up to her. Hello, beautiful, I'm Austin Kendall, this dumb-ass friend."

"It's nice to meet you Austin, I'm Athena Marcos, wait you are the guy from a few days ago you helped a friend of mine at Rudy's."

"I'm glad I could assist, but I didn't see you around."

"I was sitting in the back, but I really appreciate what you did."

"Oh, Athena Marcos, I didn't recognize you," Austin said and I could see recognition in his eyes

"Wait, Austin, you used to look after Summer..."

"Yes, you can say it before I went to jail."

"Yes, but what you did for Miss Anne was, I'm not sure what word to use to describe what you did for Summer, simply put you saved her."

"I understand why you like her. Leo, she's a keeper, but that doesn't mean I've given up just yet."

"You are fucking crazy"

"Aren't we all,"

"No dude, just you"

"Leo, oh Leo dear, what are you doing with these two freaks?"

"For the love of all that is sane, get away from us, Diana," Austin said and he looked irritated.

"I'll just ignore what you just said, isn't it Dylan's plaything, I thought you'd drop out after your last encounter with Dylan, you've got balls, I'll give you that" I looked at Athena after Diana had said, she put her head down to avoid my gaze, what happened with Dylan?.

I'll ask her later, but first I have to deal with this bitch. "Diana, for the fucking last time, I will never be interested in you, so walk away while I am still patient with you,"

"You heard him, you plastic barbie," Austin added.

When I thought Diana alone was going to ruin my day, Dylan and his friends came around the corner and decided it would be a good idea to come over.

However, they weren't looking at Diana; instead, they were looking at Athena. I noticed her movement when she saw them; she moved behind Austin and I, using us as a shield.

I wasn't the only one to notice her reaction to seeing them; when I turned to look at Austin, he was giving me a confused look.

Athena was the focus of their attention when they first arrived, which Austin also noticed, and which caused him to scowl instead of maintaining a neutral expression.

When they arrived, they were all smiling, and it was directed at Athena. Austin noticed this as well, and his neutral expression turned into a scowl.

"Isn't it our little mouse, we've missed you, why don't you come out from behind there so we can get a better look at you?"

"I don't think she's interested in talking to you, so walk away before I make you,"

"She can tell us, Leo, you should mind your own business, you should learn not to stick your nose in an issue that doesn't concern you," James said, glaring at me.

"Red, do you want to talk to these jerks?" Austin asked, turning to face her.

"No," she muttered quietly.

"That's your answer, she doesn't want to talk to you, so fuck off before things get ugly, we don't want you getting in trouble with your old man for fighting, now do we?" Austin said with a sickly sweet smile, Dylan looked scared when Austin mentioned his father, but it was gone before I could blink.

"You don't want them getting involved, it won't end well for either of them," Dylan explained as he and his friends walked away.

"I dragged you guys into something I shouldn't have, I'm so sorry, you can leave, you don't have to make your lives miserable in this school because you decided to help me"

"Stop the nonsense, Athena, and tell us what's going on; we're not leaving until you do; your reaction just now wasn't normal, so tell us." Austin said, from the way he is talking makes me think he knew her from before jail.

"You don't want to get involved, so I'll handle it."

"Athena, we don't want to force you, but we need to know," I said, letting out a sigh, waiting for her to explain. We deserved to know the whole story since we've already gotten involved.