silence

seven

TW - strong sexual abuse

Athena

There's a golden coloured sun ray shining through my curtains, directly onto my face. Today is my first day of school at Alderidge Cathedral Academy. My nerves are building as I stand up and walk to the bathroom.

I splash water onto my freckled face and follow my skincare routine. I curl my eyelashes, coating them in mascara and dab a bit of highlighter in my inner corners. After finishing my makeup, I tie my hair in a half up, half down style, twisting only the from pieces around my temple and tying them at the back with a hair tie and a white ribbon. my curly, wavy, dark brown hair cascades down to my mid back.

I walk back into my room and dress myself in my school uniform - my tartan skirt which is rolled up once or twice and white button up, matches with a tartan tie that hangs undone around my shoulders and some knee high socks with a blue and green stripe. I make my way downstairs and grab some fruit off the platter for breakfast.

Both Khai and Phoenix are also eating, Atticus sits at the head of the table, and glances at me as I walk in before going back to his documents in front of him.

Phoenix's eyes drape over my uniform before landing directly on the bottom of my rolled up tartan skirt. His face morphs into anger and he stands up from his seat, walking heavily over towards me.

I slightly cower and step backwards as he reaches down to my skirt. My head fills with memories of Dalton and Mr Williams' office and I immediately flinch back. My ears begin to ring and my real senses block out everything around me. All I can see is Mr Williams standing in front of me.

"Athena. Your skirt." Says the man in front of me, very sternly.

"Yes Sir, sorry Sir," I hastily croak out as I begin to lift my shirt with my forearms and feel my hands touch the button of my skirt.

I begin to quickly undo it, getting the bottom through and starting the next one. The man in front of me's eyes go wide and he scrambles to hold my hands to my hip bone, where my button is being undone to stop me.

"Athena! What are you doing?!" He calls but I don't really listen to it.

"Thena!" Calls out another voice behind the man.

"Reign!" Exclaims the man in front of me in a panic. 
Reign. Reign. Reign. Mr Williams doesn't call me Reign. Phoenix? Phoenix calls me Reign!

I snap out of my disassociated state, my senses slowly coming back to me. My ears are still ringing but my eyes widen as I stare at Phoenix's panicked face. His hands are still clamped over my own on the clasps of my skirt, holding it up. He noticed my widened eyes, taking it as a sign that I recognise him again and slowly loosens his hands and removes mine from underneath. He buttons up both of the buttons on my skirt for me while we all stare at each other in silence. He finishes and moves his hands away slowly, backing up from me as I stand there flustered and embarrassed now. My own mind replaced his body and face with Mr Williams'.

This is not a good place to be in right now. I know I have to spill what just happened there. Everyone's looking at me very confused. I'll just leave out as much detail as possible.

"Athena....are you okay?" Asks a very gentle and quiet Khai warily.

I open my mouth to speak, my jaw hangs for a moment, "Uhhh....ye...yeah...I...uhhh...think so."
I look back at Phoenix.

"What just happened, Reign?"

"I...uhhh...well..." I look at Atticus to gage his reaction. His piercing gaze holds confusion and slight anger. "You came over here looking angry...and mentioned my skirt...I just thought..." I trail off.