baby steps | ✓

nineteen

   "Do you like him, Athena?" Clarissa asked her, a playful glare in her eyes as she rocked Drew back and forth. Athena blushed as she scrunched her nose up and shot a glare towards her direction.

    "Yeah, I guess, hehe, well erm, yeah," she stuttered out making Clarissa burst into giggles and lightly patted her shoulder.

    "How does he make you feel?" she mused on as she watched Athena's expression turn to embarrassment, her cheeks heating up at the thought of Alejandro as she twisted a strand of hair. She thought for a moment, trying to collect memories of when Alejandro and she were together, instead of Alejandro dropping Drew off, Athena took it upon herself to do it so she could talk to Clarissa, one message from her to Alejandro confirmed the details as she waited for him at her friend's house.

    "He makes me feel safe and warm. Like, I can now depend on someone else other than you, I-I feel happy when he's around, he's shown me what it feels like to be cared for like really cared for," she replied and drifted off to memories of them meeting for the first time up until the point where they snuggled together in the morning light. Her eyes glazed over, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks as she reminisced when he kissed her on the cheek. Clarissa watched her thoughtfully, all knowing that her friend was falling for the guy who practically became her best friend in a matter of days. 

   "He makes me feel like a princess, treating Drew like his own and making sure I'm well. I get these butterflies everytime I'm around him, when he touches me it's like sparks flying and when we kissed- uh, it made me feel like I was on cloud nine, it was beautiful," she continued on as she felt the butterflies in her stomach from thinking about him.

    "Okay, okay, I get it, I get it, you're head over heels for him," Clarissa teased making Athena snap back to reality and blush furiously her pulse accelerating from her daze. Alejandro made Athena feel loved and cared for, she never experienced such acts in a long time.

     "We will be talking about it today, I'm nervous. What if he doesn't like me back? Or, what if he wants to call things off before it starts? I-I've never really felt this much in a long time," she admitted softly as she wrapped her hands together and placed it on her lap. A sad smile went across her face as she looked down shamefully, her insecure thoughts trying to jab at her positivity even before their breakfast meal. Clarissa's eyes softened at her friend's words and knelt down carefully with Drew playing with strands of her hair, she gave Athena a small and sincere smile before she placed her hand on top of hers in comfort.

   "He'll be a fool to not like you, he kissed back didn't he? That means something, you're an amazing girl and I'm sure he likes you back. Let yourself be loved, not the one to love others, ever since Drew's sperm donor walked out on you, doesn't mean all men are like that, you got to give this a chance," she said softly and Athena looked up to meet her friend's warm gaze and gave a small feeble smile to make her feel better.

   "I got to give this a chance, I can do this, I believe," Athena said as confident as she could, pulling her sleeves down as she blushed a faint red, her heart rate still beating quickly as the nerves settled in. She didn't know what to expect, but Clarissa's speech had motivated her to take a chance and believe that things would be alright, she had to believe.

    "That's right, now, you got around ten minutes before he arrives, do you want me to do your hair or?" Clarissa drifted off as she stood up, confidence lacing through her from her speech as Athena shook her head with a beaming smile.

"No, I'll leave my hair out, we should be back in an hour or so, if not, I'll message you. I also got work today, but Alejandro said he'll take care of Drew, Matthew and you should totally go out for a date tonight," Athena beamed as she took Drew from her hands and placed him in the stroller where he started to play with a softball.