CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: ATHENA

It's strange that it's already the end of the school year, and I've done so many things in the last few months that I'm proud of that I've done my entire life. I stood up to my bullies and am now secure in my own skin, no longer frightened to go around school.

All of this was made possible by the new additions to my small family; I don't think I would have had the confidence to do all of this without them, they were my knights in shining armor and I love them to the moon and back

As usual, the end-of-the-year basketball game was held in Anwood, so I dressed up in the team colours of blue and black because Leo was playing today, and I wanted to support him in some way.

It was his first official game in Riverview, and I wanted it to go well, so I was hoping they would win because It's a very important game of his high school basketball career and given how nervous he's been about it, I wanted to show him that I cared.

"You guys act like you'd die if you didn't see each other every day, it makes me sick," Austin joked, gagging inaudibly.

I rolled my eyes as Shane and I took the bleacher seat next to him and said, "Whatever, Austin, you still love us."

As both teams take their positions, the gym is filled with loud chants. I see Leo standing next to a basketball player I've seen around school, his attention wandering throughout the gym until it lands on me, I wave as he smiles at me.

He was wearing the number fourteen shirt since it was Shane's favourite, and he believed it would bring him luck.

So Shane and I made a number fourteen flag out of cardboard and a marker and started waving it in the air to get him hyped for the game; he observed us doing this and chuckled before muttering "Thank you."

The game began when the referee blew his whistle after everyone sang the national anthem. Five minutes later, the other team's captain made a three-pointer, and Dylan was fouled. I don't care what happens to him since he's a fucking jerk, but at least he got the team one free throw. The game continued until the end of the first quarter, with the other team leading by twelve points.

After the short break the referee blew the whistle to start the second quarter, James made a few three-pointers to even the score disparity with the opposing team. And by the end of the second quarter we were leading by three points

Tommy was injured early in the third quarter and was replaced by Leo; we all applauded him as he walked onto the court.

A few minutes into the third quarter, Leo scored a three-pointer, expanding the score gap, and then the opposing team scored a two-pointer.

Dylan scored another three-pointer to put us ahead, but he received a technical foul for pushing a member of the opposing team. Then, two minutes later, he received another warning, bringing his total to two strikes. And because of that the other team got two free throws, closing the score gap and making them tie either us.

The teams were given a short break before the fourth quarter, Dylan has always been rough when he played so it wasn't surprising that he had two fouls already but this game was really important so why was he acting like a self-centered idiot and not passing the ball? The fourth and final game of the match began when the referee blew the whistle.

We were still deadlocked eight minutes in and everyone on both teams was trying their hardest to score.

Ten minutes in, the other team scored when Dylan refused to throw the ball to Leo, who had a greater chance of scoring, he missed, and the other team got a rebound and scored.

The scores were 103 for the other team and 101 for our school team 11 minutes towards the end of fourth quarter.

Because they just had one minute remaining and time was ticking away, the team tried to attempt a three-pointer.

Everyone was yelling at Dylan to give the ball to Leo so he could score, but being the selfish jerk he was, he tried scoring the ball on his own and missed, and before we could try again the game ended with the referee blowing the whistle.

Because of that selfish jerk, our team lost; this was Leo's chance to gain an early entrance into a university with a basketball scholarship because there were so many scouts today, but Dylan ruined that goal for him, which pissed me off.

Shane, Austin, and I left the gym disappointed, as did everyone else.

Dylan was with his father, and he didn't seem happy. He was yelling at him, and Dylan turned to glare at me when he caught me staring. So I turned away, minding my own business.

"We got crushed today, and it was all because of that prick Dylan," Austin says as we walk down the school hall.

"Have you seen him?" I ask, unsure whether I'm prepared to receive an answer.

"Dylan just ruined his chances at a scholarship; I'm sure he's pissed."

"Take Shane to the car; I'll go look for him."

"Okay, see you later, we'll be in the car," Austin replied as he led Shane to the school's entrance, and I sent a quick text to Leo, asking where he was.

Athena: "Hey, Leo, where are you?"

Leo: on the roof

I read the text he sent and wondered why he went to the roof after changing his clothes? Maybe he was still angry and needed to vent, so I walked down the corridor to the service stairs and took them up to the roof.

I pushed the door open and called out to him, but there was no response, so I walked in further, my gaze scanning the roof, but he wasn't here, making me suspicious by the minute, was the text a joke because it really didn't sound like him? He would've sent an emoji or something cute even if he was angry.

I turned around as I heard the door open and close behind me, not expecting to see Tom and James standing in front of the door with big grins on their faces.

They were still In their jerseys, which meant they came up here right after the coach talked to them.

Panic washed over me because if they were here, Dylan wouldn't be far away, and the prospect of an encounter after what happened between us last time made my pulse rate rise.

I tried to maintain my focus on both James and Tom while looking for Dylan, so I couldn't concentrate on my surroundings and didn't hear him walk up behind me and grab me by my shoulders.

"Hello little mouse, it was so easy to get you up here, all I had to do was take that morons phone and text you, and you came running to him without any questions asked," Dylan said, his breath fanning my neck as I attempted to remain still so he wouldn't notice how afraid I was.

"Where is Leo? If you don't let me go, I'm going to scream bloody murder," I managed to say, but my trembling voice betrayed me, showing my fear.

"Oh, don't worry about him, little mouse; after all, when his old friend is finished with him, your boyfriend will wish he hadn't crossed me," Dylan said, and I could tell he was smiling.

"What are you talking about? You sick fuck, where is Leo?" I cursed causing his hold on my shoulders to tighten.

"If he ignored you like everyone else and minded his own fucking business maybe you wouldn't have even thought of fighting back then and now"

"Shut up! You're sick, you made my life miserable"

"Ever since he arrived, you have been acting like you own the place, that has to stop, because I miss my obedient little mouse, she is more fun to play with," Dylan Said as he kissed my neck.

"Fuck you! Dylan let me go," I screamed as I struggled against his grip, repulsed by his bulge pressing against me.

"Watch your mouth, little mouse; I'm already irritated, so don't make it worse unless you want your punishment to be far, far worse." Dylan said, and as I felt his grip slack a little, I took advantage of the chance to headbutt him in the face again, just like the last time.

"Fuck you, Dylan," I cursed as his hands left my shoulders and pushed me forward, allowing me to see the face of my bully for the previous few years as i turned to face him, and he didn't look happy; he was clutching his bloodied nose and gazing at me with a murderous expression.

"This new found confidence isn't working for me, you're nothing but trash, you're lower than me, your life isn't worth shit, Athena, and I'm going to make sure you remember that." Dylan said as he let go of his nose and slapped me across the face, causing me to tumble to the ground. He was faster and stronger than me, so I couldn't avoid the hit,

"After James's little brother beat the shit out of his freak of a brother, I thought he'd take the hint and leave you alone," Dylan growled, his gaze falling on me before continuing, "and if one hero wasn't enough, that ex-convict had to take your side too, what in the hell did they see in you? To want to protect you this much, it's not like you're worth their efforts."

"What the fuck did you just say?" I yelled, my voice deathly calm, as my mind replayed what he had just said, Zack and his friends beat Shane up because Dylan was trying to get Leo to stay away from me,

So that the little innocent boy got wounded because of Dylan's twisted fixation with me, what the fuck was wrong with him to do that to him?

"You didn't know, little mouse, you're the reason his brother got hurt, James on my command told his little brother to teach Shane a lesson as a warning to Leo to stay away from you," Dylan grinned like a maniac as he stared at me, he was a fucking physcopath.

He hurt Shane  because of his unhealthy obsession with me, how was I going to face Leo now? How was I going to face Shane? I thought as shoved him backwards without thinking,

"Fuck you! You're do fucked up in the head, how could you hurt Shane because of me" I yelled before I started throwing punches at him, I didn't care if they didn't hit their mark, I threw the punches anyway.

In my indignation, I didn't even realize that James and Tom had left the roof, leaving Dylan and me alone; we were perilously close to the roof, but I was too blinded by rage to notice.

"Get off me, you fucking bitch," he yelled as he fought to keep me from hitting him. We exchanged sides, and I was now on the edge of the roof.

Dylan then pushed me too hard, causing me to trip and tumble backwards. I reached for his jersey to balance myself, but he took a step back as I fell off the roof. As I fell, the last thing I saw was his smiling face before the darkness consumed me.