𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐀 | 𝐬. 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞

42

"No," Athena scoffs, dropping her shoes carelessly as she walks back to the living room. "I don't like you, and you don't like me. That's the way the world works, and I've got no interest in changing it."

"There's an evil group of vampires trying to kill me for being a supernatural twin, you're a freaking goddess, our friends are witches and vampires, and god knows what else, but you can't even let go of your pride long enough to co-exist?"

Athena looks at Elena in disbelief, stopping to face the girl completely. "My pride? Are you serious? Elena, you've had it out for me since the eighth grade! My pride is my defense system, because you have made it your life's mission to hate me, and I don't even know why!"

"Jesus," Elena scoffs, shaking her head. "Don't you get it, Athena? It's– it's you, it's always been you. You won the trophies, you won the medals, the science fairs, you were the best cheerleader, the best dancer; you had Caroline and Tyler, and you had the whole school bowing at your feet,"

The doppelgänger takes a step towards Athena, anger lighting her eyes a molten chocolate color. "And after the accident, it was you who survived and not my parents. Every single day since then I've wished that they were still alive, I mean– you died but you still came back, but they didn't, and I hated you even more for it, so I took and took and took from you until I was sure you didn't have anything else. No girlfriend, no friends, no altar to be worshiped at. And then Stefan came to town, and I thought I could let go of it all, I thought I could be happy again."

Elena shakes her head, a short laugh of disbelief leaving her lips. "But every time he kissed me, I could tell he wanted to be kissing you. He looked for you at football games, he waited for you after class, he'd watch you during practice. While I was falling in love with him, he was falling for you. It's you, Athena, it'll always be you. And I will always hate you for it."

Athena looks at Elena in slight disbelief and anger. For so long she'd wanted to know why Elena hated her so much, and she had no idea just how much resentment Elena held for her until now, but it felt so useless.

"Elena, I," Athena shakes her head, a small laugh leaving her lips. "I don't care."

Elena's brows furrow in immediate confusion, but Athena continues, unperturbed.

"Do you want to know the difference between you and me, Elena? Why I always beat you? The reason why I had the whole school at my feet? How I had Caroline wrapped around my finger, and now I've got Stefan?"

Elena doesn't give her a confirmation, but Athena has an answer for her anyway.

"It's because I'm me, and you are nothing compared to that," Athena pinches her index finger and her thumb together in a sarcastic display of the comparison. "You will spend your whole life hating me, and sixty years from now, I will not even remember your name. You will be nothing to me but a past life, and a distant memory easily forgotten."

She steps towards Elena, narrowing her eyes at the suddenly wide-eyed girl. "But you? You will never forget who I am, and just how much you hate me. You'll have a life, a husband, a few kids, a career, but on your deathbed, I will still be the girl you could never beat. I'll be the one who survived and still have everything you ever wanted. You won't be able to walk down a goddamned street in this town without thinking about me," She shrugs, a smirk growing on her lips. "I win, Elena. I always win."

There's a moment of silence that sits between them before Elena swings her palm out, aiming for Athena's cheek. Faster than humanly possible, Athena grabs her hand mid-air and grips it painfully tight. She shoves Elena's hand away from her and swings her hand up, her eyes fluttering in satisfaction when her palm makes contact with Elena's skin.