baby steps | ✓

eleven

   "Athena wait!" Alejandro called out to her as she rushed down the steps. Athena had continued to run, but when she made it past the gates a hand gripped around her forearm, causing her to turn around to face Alejandro. She bit her lip, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill. Alejandro's baby blues had stared at her distressed face, clearly hurt from what his father had said and his heart clenched painfully at the sight of her.

   "You don't have to say anything, I'll drop you home," he told her and she nodded quickly and rushed towards his car, afraid she might start to burst into tears. Alejandro followed suit and within a minute they were already speeding down the road.

    The car ride was tense, Athena had held back her tears that were still trying to come out and Drew's cries had lessened slightly in his car seat as he slowly fell asleep which Athena had thanked him for. Alejandro was clearly still angry, his hands gripped the steering wheel painfully that you could see his knuckles turning white from the pressure he inflicted upon himself. He was angry at his father for saying things he shouldn't have said, he didn't understand why his father was so judgemental whilst his mother had slowly become accustomed to Athena. He was ashamed to be called his son at that moment and hoped his mother was telling him off.

   He kept glancing at Athena who stared at the window watching houses past by her, he wanted to take away all the pain she felt and wanted to hold her in his arms as she cried, but he couldn't, he was driving. He couldn't let her go home sad and depressed and when he saw a sign that said 'Park', he knew what he had to do. He didn't take her home like he told her, but instead took her to the nearby park, a girl should never be alone when she's sad. 

   When they stopped in the car park, Athena looked up and turned around to see Alejandro give her a small smile and opened his car door so he could open hers.

   "What are you doing?" she croaked out as Alejandro had helped her out of the car and guided her to the nearest park bench which was right by the car.

   "A girl should never go home crying," Alejandro admitted as they sat together.

   "But I'm not crying," she sniffled out, her mind replaying what Alejandro's father said and the painful feeling had come back making a lone tear slip from the corner of her eye and drip down her cheek. Alejandro saw this and quickly brought his thumb to wipe away the tear from her cheek. The simple gesture had made Athena's stomach churn in a very nice way and it took her mind off everything for a moment. 

    But then the memory of Archer lashing out to her had resurfaced and she couldn't control her emotions anymore and she broke out into painful sobs as she laid her head in her hands, she felt pathetic and she didn't want to do anything besides cry. Alejandro had to listen to her heart-wrenching sobs for a couple of seconds before he decided to wrap his long arms around her shivering body. She leant into his warmth and sobbed loudly on the edge of a vacant park.

   "I'm so pathetic," she cried out as she tried to wipe away her tears, but her shaking hands didn't allow such thing and she brought them towards her body and clutched onto her stomach. Alejandro couldn't help but feel terrible for the things his father had said, he felt responsible for putting her in such a position where he knew his parents would be judgemental. He felt as if it was his fault. He wanted to be the one giving her smiles rather than the one being the cause of her sadness. He cursed to himself for being so stupid as he rested his head on top of hers.

   "You're not pathetic okay? My papa is just an idiot, he lives in the old times and seems to be stuck there," he said as he rubbed her back in a comforting matter.

   "H-he's right though, I don't belong with you guys. I-i'm just a nobody really," she murmured through her sobs as her hands fisted his shirt as her tears flowed freely down her face. Something ached in Alejandro's heart and tried his best to keep comforting her as a distraction from all the pain he felt because of her pain.

   "He's not right, you do belong with us, heck, you're better than all of us combined," he breathed out as he placed his head on top of hers, closing his eyes as he felt her sob into his shirt. 

    "S-stop saying that, you k-know it's not true," she stuttered out as the whole in her chest grew with every passing moment, pain and sadness ate at her body making her into a carcass of what was left.

    "I-I've n-never b-been so embarassed," she cried out as Alejandro held her close to his chest as he tried to comfort her. He didn't know what else to do besides let her cry it all out and it pained him even more he couldn't do much to stop her worries.

    "It is true, you've got a heart of gold and you'd do anything for anyone.  You're beautiful, smart and talented. You deserve the whole world, and if my dad doesn't see that. Then he's blind for sure," he soothed her and Athena felt a slight warmth on her cheeks because of his compliments, yet the pain was still there. She tried to focus on breathing in and out, listening to his comforting words, feeling his hand glide behind her back, and her sobs turned into cries. Alejandro felt relief that she wasn't sobbing as much anymore and kept on saying relaxing words to her, trying to make her feel better.

   "You're perfect," he said and upon hearing his words, Athena slowly retracted back and stared at him with her big gorgeous eyes, a faint tinge of red in her cheeks and face drenched in her tears.

   "N-no I'm not, not really," she muttered, wrapping her arms around her waist for comfort as she immedietly regretted not being close to Alejandro for warmth. She felt safe around him, more than she ever felt in her life and for some reason, she liked it too much that it worried her.

  "Yes you are," he muttered out and took a step closer to her, forgetting about his father telling her off and looked into her eyes, unknowingly, his arms came up to pull her closer to him. He felt his heart beating too quickly, his face warm and skin alighting with goosebumps as he held her close. Athena had quickly forgetten all the worries she had behind her as she stared back, too entranced by his beautiful eyes that she had almsot forgotten what Alejandro's father had said. She too felt the warmth in her body and her heart was beating faster than it ever was before, she was aware that she was too close to Alejandro that his warmth seeped out of his skin and warmed her slightly from the cold weather.

    They didn't have any clue with they were feeling, but they liked it too much to let each other go. Athena leaned in so she was hugging him, her head in the crook of his neck and he did the same as they allowed each other to become their comfort, their safety for the time being.