MY BELOVED ASSASSIN

Chapter 37

Athena securely closed her Mac and stowed it inside her backpack. She took a quick shower and went back to bed.

She looked at the digital display on her watch lying on top of the side table- it was almost 6:30 in the evening.

Athena starts to wonder where Jake is. She knew he went for a walk but he should have been back by now.

Does she miss him?

She smiled and suppressed a giggle.

"Gosh!" she said out loud, she missed Jake alright.

"I am pitiful!" Realizing with shock that she had been lonely all along but she never knew it until Jake came along. She probably won't feel this way if not for him. He made her realize she is a woman after all. Who would've thought that I, Athena aka Nemesis would be feeling this way towards a man. 

Athena sighs, she has conflicting feelings about everything. The only thing left to do now is be back to being Nemesis. She can't live like this- not when someone's life is at stake partly because of her. 

Before, she doesn't have any feelings about any of the jobs given to him as long as it was necessary, not that she is God to decide who to kill and not to. 

Her strength and expertise lies in her being able to separate herself from Nemesis, the assassin. She was skilled and trained for it - and she can say she  is damn good at it,too. Her strength is her being anonymous at the same time. Yes, they know that Nemesis exists, but they think of Nemesis as a man- not as a woman. That was her leverage, a leverage she cannot give up and was always using as her advantage. 

Athena has to be extra careful. She was able to hide her identity after all these years. She is not about to get caught- especially not by Jake. She would be dead first, before he finds out.

And she knew- that if he is to find out, it would be the biggest blow to him emotionally and professionally- something she doesn't have any intention to cause. 

She got up and went to the kitchen area.

Only wearing a sweatshirt and shorts, she took a few steps towards the door and was about to open it when it swung back at her almost hitting her. She almost jumped. Only to see Jack grinning on the other side.

"Oh...sorry, did I startle you?" he said as he stepped inside the house and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

Athena smiled. 

"Yeah just a little..but, what took you so long?"she asks.

"Ah it was such a nice day and I forgot the time...too bad you can't come with me...it was beautiful.." Jake said as he took a bottled water from the fridge.

Athena hesitated but said, "I know ..next time...are you hungry?"  she asks.

"In fact I am, but I thought we can eat out. I didn't want you to cook tonight....not that I don't want to eat your food but I thought it's nice to go out tonight for dinner...what do you think?" he asks.

"Sure, that's great. I was actually feeling a little lazy anyway," Athena said, and thought, maybe tonight she will tell him she has to go back to Manila and she would prefer for him to stay here, she knew he was kinda feeling restless but it wouldn't hurt to try to convince him to stay.

"Great, let me take a shower, get dressed and we can go if you don't mind. I am starving." Jake said.

"Yeah, I will just change then..." Athena said.

Tonight might be the last night that she will see him, she will be too busy tracking the people who hired her to kill Jake. It was worth the risk. If she needs to risk her life to protect his, so be it, Athena thought.

Jake went inside the bathroom and stripped himself before going in the shower.

He doesn't know how to tell her about his plan of going back to Manila, thus, the dinner. Maybe it is better to tell her in a neutral environment. That way, she might not react too much about it. He knew that what they are sharing right now is too nice for him to break away from, but he can't be irresponsible. He has a duty to fulfill and he is pretty sure, she has some things to take care of also. 

And so what if they are going back to Manila, maybe when they're there he can finally help her with her troubles, and at the same time he can go back to tracking down Nemesis again, Jake thought.